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“Knot’s Landing” star Donna Mills is doubling down after she went viral for her defiant response to a critic who took aim at her appearance.
Last month, the 85-year-old actress ignited a social media firestorm when she shared a video addressing an Instagram user’s comment that she wears “too much makeup for your age.”
In the clip, Mills first appeared in her usual full-glam style before briefly transforming into stereotypical elderly woman with gray hair, pearls and wire-rimmed glasses.
“Did you want me to look like this?” she asked with a chuckle. “Sorry, not sorry.”
‘KNOTS LANDING’ STAR DONNA MILLS HITS BACK AFTER CRITIC SAYS SHE WEARS ‘TOO MUCH MAKEUP’ FOR HER AGE
The clip cut back to Mills in her previous chic look as she said, “I like the way I look. This is my style, and style doesn’t have an expiration date.”
Mills’ video quickly spread across social media, garnering over 125,000 likes and winning praise in the comments from fans and celebrities, including Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Kyle Richardson, Elizabeth Berkley, Nancy Sinatra and Dawn Robinson among others.
On Tuesday, Mills made an appearance on the Tamron Hall Show to discuss her viral moment as the TV host noted that the actress’s video had racked up over 1.8 million views.
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While explaining why she decided to respond to the critic, Mills pointed out that the comment was about more than just her appearance.
“I don’t get those comments a lot, but when I do, it’s like, ‘Who is this person? What do they think about women?'” Mills said.
“It’s not just about me,” she continued. “It’s about women in general and the way women feel about themselves, right?
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“So that’s why I wanted to shout back at them and say, ‘Wait a minute. No, no, I don’t accept that.’ And I’m not going to be quiet about it,” Mills added.
Mills recalled being “totally surprised” by the viral reaction but appreciative that her message about aging and confidence struck a chord.
“I was just grateful that people were hearing,” she said. “Because I’ve really feel like I have something to say to women. I want to say something to women and I want to help.”
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Addressing the broader conversation sparked by Mills’ video, Hall asked, “With all of these empowering messages, why do people still feel so comfortable telling women how they should dress and look at a certain age?”
“It just seems to me that they have been hearing it for many years,” Mills responded. “And it’s a new age now. It’s a new time. We’re living longer.”
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“We’re healthier,” she continued. “We can be healthier “So, this isn’t like the end. You don’t hit 70 or 75 or 80 and it’s over.”
“No, it’s just a new time.”
The “Play Misty for Me” star underscored the link between self-image and personal happiness, saying, “I really feel like when you look good and you know you look good, you feel good, right?”
Mills shared that she also experiences moments of self-doubt after Hall asked her how she maintains her self-confidence in a “business that is not forgiving to women and aging.”
“When I look in the mirror, I see everything that’s wrong,” Mills admitted.
“So then, how can you tell us to see what’s right?” Hall asked.
“Well, I fix it,” Mills said to laughter from the audience.
Earlier this month, Mills reacted to becoming a social media sensation in a post she shared on Instagram.
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“If you told me at 85 I’d be going viral on social media, I wouldn’t have believed you…but here we are,” she wrote alongside a screenshot of an article about her video.
“I’ve spent a lifetime speaking up and speaking out, and I’ve always believed it lands best with a wink, not a jab,” she added. I’m so glad this moment found its audience exactly as intended.”
Mills rose to fame when she starred as the scheming divorcee Abby Cunningham in the long-running soap opera “Knots Landing” from 1980 to 1989. Abby was known for her glamorous makeup, styled blonde hair and power-dressing wardrobe.
The actress will next be seen starring as Dr. Karen Carden in Terrance Tykeem’s upcoming thriller “Abused,” which follows “what happens when six survivors of abuse are re-traumatized by a madman.” “Abused” is slated to be released this summer.
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