Michelle Pfeiffer "I did?!" Michelle Pfeiffer is laughing off a question about turning 50 last year. You can't blame her really - she certainly doesn't look it. And unlike many in her profession, she doesn't appear particularly bothered to have hit this landmark birthday.
"It just came and went and wasn't a big deal," agrees Michelle. "And the anticipation of it was over. Not that I've sat around dreading it, but it is a big one: you are entering into the second half. It is really saying goodbye to youth but at the same time you begin to look at the glass half-full. You’ve lived long enough to have people you love die and get really sick, and fall apart, and I think you just take stock and count your blessings.’ She also denies that 50 is the new 40. It's actually the new 30," she adds with a smile. "Pass it on."
Contrary to generally accepted opinion, getting older doesn't appear to have hampered Michelle's career. Nor, it would appear, did the self-imposed four-year break between 2003 and 2007. "It got harder and harder to find projects that didn't entail me leaving home for long periods of time during the school year," explains Michelle. "When the kids were small I was able to work a lot because I was able to take them with me, but once they were enrolled in school, I didn’t like the idea of uprooting them or being away from them for long periods of time."
As for the roles drying up as actresses age, Michelle acknowledges some must suffer given Hollywood's obsession with age. "I started getting asked 'How does it feel ageing in Hollywood?' when I was 35!" she reveals. "I do think there's a small transitional phase for an actress around 40, 50 where you can only play the psychotic mother-in-law or the wife. Most people pick the psychotic mother-in-law because at least that's kind of interesting." Michelle though has avoided such traps. "That's not been the case with me, or Meryl (Streep), or Judi Dench...there are a lot of exceptions to that rule. I think it's changing, I think it's getting better."
Age certainly seems to be on Michelle's side, with recent interesting roles including the waspish Velma in Hairspray, ancient witch Lamia in Stardust and now Lea de Lonval, celebrated courtesan to Rupert Friend's eponymous young wastrel in Cheri.
The film is based on the novel by Colette and reunites Michelle with her Dangerous Liaisons director, Stephen Frears, something the actress was very happy about. "He hasn't changed a bit – and I probably haven't either – though we're both maybe a little more stubborn, but we picked up from where we left off. I was so, so excited when he called me about this."
The part of Lea is an interesting reverse to Madame de Tourvel in Dangerous Liaisons as this time it's the older woman seducing the younger male. "You know, it's my third movie recently doing that," points out Michelle, "but it's always welcome!"
With Michelle, of course, it's easy to see why a 20-year old male would become besotted. While clearly blessed with the looks and the bone structure, Michelle admits the rest is down to hard work. "When I'm working, I take really good care of myself, and when I have to go to film festivals and things like that, I eat well. It's not any big mystery. There are no magic creams or anything like that. When I'm not working I can let myself go a little bit and have a little bit of fun. The only problem is the older you get, the longer it takes to get back into shape - and the easier it is to fall out of shape. I'm never a gluttonous person but I have a soft spot for crunchy, salty things and I love movie popcorn and nice white wine," admits a grinning Michelle.
She certainly has no intention of turning to the scalpel but happily admits that "the older you get the harder it is to say never."
"I don't really care about plastic surgery one way or the other. I mean it's not really very interesting to me and I think it's upsetting when you see people who are starting to have..." Michelle ponders a suitable description for a second or two before finishing the sentence with "a distorted look." She considers her answer and laughs. "I guess I object to bad plastic surgery."
Finally, with this advantage of maturity and wisdom, if you could go back in time, what advice would you give to the young Michelle Pfeiffer?
"Just to relax and enjoy the process more," answers Michelle. Her eyes flash and she smiles again. "But it wouldn't have done any good."
Cheri is released by Pathe on May 8.