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The lovely Liv Tyler covers More Magazine, which typically features older celebrities. This reminds me that Tyler is 38 now. She has a kind of perpetual naivety that makes her look so young. Livtalks to More about aging in Hollywood. She almost says that the roles have dried up but then seems to realize that she sounds ungrateful and hedges a bit, calling the roles she’s offered now “interesting” despite the fact that she also calls them “second class.”

Liv is promoting season two of The Leftovers on HBO. (I’m sorry to say it’s one of the few shows I couldn’t watch past the first episode. It was just too slow-paced and depressing for me, although the reviews are mostly positive.) Her costar, Justin Theroux, has some nice things to say about Liv that confirm the impression I’ve always had of her – that she’s a positive, genuine person. Here’s some what she told More, with more of their interview at the source and in the print edition:

On valuing her role as mom over her professional career:
“I didn’t see how I could go away for three months to make a film and be the mother I wanted to be.”

On what she loves most about being a mom:
“My favorite thing about being a parent is that I learn so much from the push-and-pull dynamic of mother and child. Having children, I learned about my own strength.”

On what it’s like to juggle her career, relationship and kids:
“I feel like I’m conducting a giant orchestra, because there’s so many moving parts. It’s like, ‘Over there, you guys do that!’ And then, ‘Over there, you do this! All together now!’ It’s kind of what it feels like to be a mom, isn’t it? In the modern world?”

On aging in Hollywood:
“38 is a crazy number. It’s not fun when you see things start to change. When you’re in your teens or twenties, there is an abundance of ingénue parts which are exciting to play. But at [my age], you’re usually the wife or the girlfriend, a sort of second-class citizen. There are more interesting roles for women when they get a bit older.”

On taking on serial television for the first time with The Leftovers:
“With a film, you have the script, and you know the beginning, middle and end. With TV, they write as they go. I have no idea what my character is going to be doing … which is frustrating. Part of me loves it, and part of me hates it, having no control. Being comfortable in the unknown is hard for humans; even if we don’t really know what’s going to happen, we kind of trick ourselves into thinking we have a plan. This latest career move has been an exercise in letting go.”

Justin Theroux, Liv’s Leftovers costar, on her positivity:
“You’d think someone who has experienced what she has might become jaded or cynical. And she’s neither of those things. She’s sunny-side up, not sunny-side down. Liv carries this incredible optimism in life. There’s a wonder to her. She’s a seeker. She’s looking for the next most interesting experience in life, in love, in everything.”

On her relationship philosophy:
“I had this philosophy that you should only get married once. But then, of course, that changes. I definitely believe we have lessons we learn through our relationships. You’re meant to work through and mirror each other. It’s the thing in someone that drives you the most crazy that is maybe a part of yourself somewhere.”

On what’s more important to her today than it was 20 years ago:
“Not being perfect, my girlfriends, and a glass of wine at the end of the day.”

[From More Magazine received via e-mail]

In terms of seeing things change, I’m 42 and I’ve only recently noticed that I have these scowl lines around my mouth. I’m trying to make an effort to correct my resting bitch face, because my default is to slightly frown. (There’s no way I’m getting injectables after seeing some of the results. I’ll just have to deal.) Otherwise I’m cool with aging as I’ve noticed I give less f*ks the more time passes. Plus there’s always makeup. It must be hard in Hollywood though because women like Liv, with her big eyes and gorgeous looks, are no longer picked in their late 30s for the roles they would typically fill. There just aren’t parts for older women. The men age but the women keep getting replaced. Liv may have wanted to say as much, but she’s too nice to sound ungrateful.

The editorial is well done and somewhat haunting. When Liv looks at the camera, all you want to do is put a blanket around her and give her a cup of hot cocoa. Even when she closes her eyes, there’s something vulnerable and sweet about her. It’s like the photographer wanted to test this. She doesn’t lose her charisma when her eyes are closed, you’re just waiting for it to hit you full force.

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photo credit: ©Jan Welters/MORE Magazine used by permission