Legendary Actress Shirley MacLaine: ‘Life Is Just One Big Performance’ | TODAY

now caught up with a real legend Shirley MacLaine I'll tell you what she's amazing we met at her home in New Mexico and I quickly learned that for surely life is just one big performance JFK me Elizabeth very very close tucked inside the Sangre de Cristo foothills Shirley MacLaine's Santa Fe home is a Museum of memories Dalai Lama friends for years the 82 year old Academy Award winner and 21 time Golden Globe nominee started her career in the 1950s quickly becoming one of the screens most famous faces MacLaine the older sister to actor Warren Beatty has starred in five dozen films I don't want you had anything hanging over your head I want you to be absolutely clear do you think it's in your genes I mean you come from a your mom was a drama teacher you know you got your actor brother Warren Beatty you're named after Shirley Temple it's true what else could I possibly end up being right absolutely right I mean I believe in that kind of suggested destiny that you had even thought of until you get to be my age I'm thinking a lot about those things how did all this I've had such a wonderful life the winner is Shirley MacLaine from the turning point terms of endearment my steel magnolias I mean these are all performances that have a thread through them of these very strong women it doesn't seem like that's an accident that's not when he asked me you know who I am or I am basically the work ethic of a dancer because I started when I was two and a half or three and that begins to form an attitude in your life that never changes do you think that the dance and that ethic has really informed how you are as an actor everything I do to me it's a collective work experience don't be late don't be diva even the way I approach a script I wait until I'm on the set because I don't want to leave out the other actors the director oh dear I'm afraid the war has made old women of us both oh I wouldn't say that but then I always keep out of the suns beyond performance but perhaps just as well-known for her political activism spiritualism and belief in life beyond this world you've been very open about the idea that we all have many we've had many lives that many experiences do you think your spirituality has helped keep you as vibrant and as young now bison because of total even death so I guess I don't believe in old age I mean I sometimes have a problem understanding I'm in my 80s for God's sake yeah now you've got this new movie out the last word the thought of leaving my obituary to chance is completely unreasonable to me well I am the obituary writer so when the time comes I will be writing her obituary I want you to write it now your character and last word Harriet she's very much about I think living in the day to day do you share that oh sure when you live that much in the present and you trust that it's alright and that it's balanced you somehow get a vision of the future that's pretty correct I'm now convinced that life is show business I think that really yeah I think Shakespeare was right we're all just actors on this human stage basically strutting our stuff is this a joke or a drama a mixture life is all of that [Music] [Applause] I'm jealous yeah that must have been fun you're sitting across from her and you keep reminding yourself this one was 82 years old and no sign of slowing down when I saw she was getting ready to go drive her pickup to go do some shopping I mean it really is the secret I think she is a dancer and she hasn't slowed down at all and you see all these roles you're like oh yeah I wanted that one she's just done so many houses like a museum you're walking really a living museum cool we should mention the last word is now playing in select theaters I got a load today fans thanks for checking out our YouTube channel subscribe by clicking that button down there and click on any of the videos over here to watch the latest interviews show highlights and digital exclusives

Channel: TODAY

Views: 115,147

Rating: 4.7939916 out of 5

Keywords: The TODAY Show, TODAY Show, TODAY, NBC, NBC News, Celebrity Interviews, TODAY Show Recipes, Fitness, Lifestyle, TODAY Show Interview, Ambush Makeover, Kathie Lee and Hoda, KLG and Hoda, Shirley MacLaine, Shirley MacLaine interview, Shirley MacLaine today, living legends, legendary actress, the last word, the last word shirley maclaine, politics, political activism, spiritual search, spirituality, warren beatty, shirley maclaine spirituality, the afterlife

Id: qb52t_1n3rk

Length: 4min 48sec (288 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 15 2017