Amy Adams, 51, Opens Up About the ‘Freeing Part of Aging'
Amy Adams, the iconic actress who starred in fan-favorite films like Arrival and Enchanted, recently spoke with S Magazineas their summer 2026 cover star. During the interview, the actress, who is now 51, spoke about the benefits of aging.
"I feel more centered than I ever have," she said. "I think part of that is just being able to look back and be really grateful for what I've been able to do. And then look forward with a lot of excitement for what's to come."
She continued, "I just try to hold opportunity with both hands open and not try to fight so much. It's nice. It's a very freeing part of aging, for me, anyway. Just letting go."
Adams attributed her "groundedness" to the fact that most of her success came when she was in her thirties. "I think coming into the busier, more forward-facing times in my career, I was already into my thirties," she said. "I came in with my husband already [and] with my friend group. I just kept living."
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She also spoke about her age with PEOPLE at the premiere of Nightbitch shortly after celebrating her 50thbirthday. "I feel wonderful at 50," she said in the 2024 interview. "I know everyone's like, 'Oh, it's 50.' And I'm like, I feel great. I feel very grateful, just very centered and happy to be here. Really grateful."
However, Adams hasn't always been this comfortable with her age. In 2014, she spoke with Vogue about being in her 40s and still caring what others thought about her. "I had this expectation of what I would be by this age," she said. "It wasn't, 'Oh, I'm getting old and I'm going to lose something vibrant about myself.' It was more that I was just 'so disappointed with myself.' It's just awful. Any chance for self-loathing."
She continued, "It feels like I worry about everything-mothering, relationships... I think it's because I want to continue to grow; I don't like being stagnant. Especially when you watch how fast children grow, and what they take into their soul and their intellect. It's like we make this decision to stop growing. I don't want to do that."
Adams will be starring in the upcoming Apple TV series, Cape Fear, along with Javier Bardem. It will be streaming starting on June 5.
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 12:36 PM.