At 89 years old, Shirley MacLaine is showing no signs of slowing down.
Despite her age, the Academy Award-winning actress keeps busy and is often seen enjoying martinis while dining out in Hollywood.
During her seven-decade career, the star of *Steel Magnolias* has experienced a lot. Her life stories are truly unique compared to those of her peers.
Shirley MacLaine has been around for a very long time and has made many great films during her career. Movies like *The Apartment*, *The Trouble with Harry*, *Two Mules for Sister Sara*, and *Guarding Tess* are just a few examples.
Her role in the classic 1989 film *Steel Magnolias* is still talked about today, but in real life, Shirley is very different from the short-tempered character she played, Ouiser Boudreaux.
“Not much bothers me,” she said in 2019.
“I think attitudes are a choice. Anger is a choice, peace is a choice, and sarcasm—which I’m good at—is also a choice.”
According to Shirley MacLaine, her life today is “perfect.” She loves eating and sleeping whenever she wants and spends much of her time at her ranch in New Mexico, surrounded by her beloved rat terriers.
Born on April 24, 1934, Shirley began her successful career on Broadway in New York and captivated audiences worldwide with her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s black comedy *The Trouble with Harry* in 1955.
“He was a lot of fun,” Shirley, then 21, said about Hitchcock.
“I’m glad I wasn’t tall, thin, and mysterious, or I probably would have disliked him.”
With more than 50 films to her name, she is truly one of the giants of Hollywood history. Even in her late 80s, she continues to pursue her passion for acting and recently appeared in the television series *Only Murders in the Building*.
“I’ve stayed in the business and never thought about quitting because I wanted to pay for plane tickets to travel. I didn’t socialize Hollywood style,” Shirley MacLaine explained. “I’d rather travel to a country I hadn’t been to. So when I think about my life, I might put the travels a bit above show business.”
Though she occasionally visits Hollywood, Shirley finds her greatest comfort in nature. Her secret to happiness is not about staying busy, but embracing the wilderness around her New Mexico ranch. Being close to nature gives her strength and energy, even though she enjoys spending time at her house in Malibu as well.
Shirley encourages others to “give it up and learn to connect with nature,” pointing out the benefits of living in harmony with the natural world. What a powerful reminder to take time for ourselves and appreciate the beauty around us!
Shirley MacLaine’s love life has also been a topic of much speculation over the years. She was married to producer and businessman Steve Parker for nearly 30 years, and in 1956, they had a daughter together. Shirley has been open about having other relationships during their marriage, showing how life can be full of complexities.
A few years ago, her daughter, Sachi Parker, made a surprising claim in her memoir. Sachi wrote that Shirley told her Steve wasn’t her real father, but that her biological father was an astronaut named Paul.
Shirley denied this, responding, “It’s a painful moment for me as a mother and as someone who values the truth. I’m shocked and heartbroken that my daughter would say things about me that are almost all fiction. I’ve praised her lovingly and truthfully in my autobiographies. I’ve always wanted the best for her.”
Life has its ups and downs, but Shirley MacLaine’s journey shows that staying true to yourself and appreciating the world around you is the key to lasting happiness. Keep embracing life’s adventures like she does!
Despite Shirley’s denial, Sachi still believes that her biological father is an astronaut named Paul. Because of this, their relationship has reportedly become strained, and they no longer speak to each other.
Shirley has also been open about her unique views on relationships and sexuality. In a 2011 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the 89-year-old talked about her relationship with her ex-husband, Steve Parker. In 2012, Shirley made headlines again when she revealed to the *Daily Mirror* that she had slept with not just one, but two prime ministers in her lifetime.
I Banished My Grandparents from My Graduation After They Raised Me, Karma Taught Me a Swift Lesson
My name is Sarah, and my life started with tragedy. When I was two years old, my mother died in a terrible car accident, and soon after, my father left us. My grandparents stepped in, becoming my guardians and the center of my world. They supported me through life’s challenges and helped me graduate high school, enabling me to attend a prestigious college.
Graduation day was filled with excitement. I had always dreamed of this moment, imagining my grandparents watching proudly as I received my diploma. I thought about how this achievement was for them, a recognition of their love and sacrifices.
As I walked toward the ceremony, a man unexpectedly called my name. He looked kind yet weathered, and though I didn’t recognize him, something about him felt familiar. He introduced himself as my father, which shocked me since I believed he had abandoned us when I was young.
He shared that he had been searching for me, claiming my grandparents had kept me from him. He showed me a photo of us together from my childhood, and confusion filled my mind. I had been told he left us. He then revealed messages from my grandmother urging him to stay away, deepening my sense of betrayal.
I was torn between anger and sadness, questioning why my grandparents would lie to me. I turned to see them waving in the crowd, blissfully unaware of my turmoil. Overwhelmed, I walked toward them, my feelings boiling over.
I demanded that they leave, my voice shaking with emotion. My grandmother’s smile faded as she asked what was wrong, her eyes filling with tears. My grandfather looked shocked and asked to talk, but I shouted that they had lied about my father for years and that I couldn’t believe it. My father put a comforting hand on my shoulder, acknowledging how hard this was for me.
After the ceremony, I sat with my father in a quiet café, both of us sipping cold coffee as I asked him to explain everything. He revealed that when my parents were together, my grandparents disapproved of him, believing he wasn’t good enough for my mother. The tension between them grew after I was born.
I wanted to understand why he hadn’t tried to find me sooner. He showed me more harsh messages from my grandmother, revealing their protective yet misleading nature. I learned that my father had always wanted to be part of my life but had been kept away. I asked why he had come to my graduation, and he explained he found out about it from an old friend. He wanted to see me and celebrate my success, hoping it was finally time to reconnect.
As I processed his words, the weight of my grandparents’ deception and the sudden appearance of my father sank in. Graduation had brought more than a diploma; it revealed truths that would forever change my family dynamics. I realized I needed time to sort through these revelations and figure out my relationships with both my father and the grandparents who had raised me with good intentions but under a shroud of secrecy.
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