CBS Sunday Morning had a nice profile and interview with Bo Derek ahead of her upcoming cameo in Sharknado 3. She plays Tara Reid’s mother, and Bo is aware that it’s not high art and that it “wasn’t really acting“. Bo, 58, is best known for her sexpot image in films in the late 70s and even through the 90s. She shot to fame after marrying director John Derek, 30 years her senior, when she was just 18. Bo and John met when she was just 16 and he was married to actress Linda Evans. The two moved to Germany until Bo became of age so that they could avoid being prosecuted until statutory rape laws in the US. They stayed together for over 20 years until John’s death of heart failure in 1998.

Now Bo keeps busy tending to her four horses on her 110 acre ranch, which she shares with her boyfriend of 13 years, actor John Corbett, 54. She’s an animal welfare activist, she works closely with wounded veterans groups, and she goes on USO tours. I really liked what she had to say about aging and beauty, and how it’s not something you can focus too much on.

“Where you aware at the time that a lot of people viewed [your relationship with John Derek] as inappropriate?”
Yeah [laughs]. My mom went crazy… she went ballistic. When you’re 17 you think you know everything. You think you have it together.

“Why do you think that marriage worked?”
Why does any marriage work? For me, our marriage worked because I loved him, he loved me. Although he was 46 he was still growing too. I think we took it day to day, we didn’t expect it to last either.

On her sexy image during the height of her career
I’m not complaining because what I did as soon as I became famous is, I objectified myself. I thought, ‘Well, if this is what it is, I’m going to do it.’

I created my own posters, I made my own movies. I produced them. Maybe I could’ve gone out to prove, ‘Oh, I’m a real actress, I’m not a physical being.’ But I pretty much exploited myself, too, at the same time.

“Was your beauty a commodity to you or was it really your identity?”
Commodity, and I’ve nothing to do with it. I have my mom’s eyes, my father’s nose. I have nothing to do with any of that!

On beauty and aging
I realize how artificial it is, beauty. I realize that it doesn’t last forever, that’s for damn sure.

“But when you’re so well-known for how you look, is aging hard?”
Aging is really hard and it’s tough. Bette Davis was right; it’s not for sissies, it really isn’t.

And there is a certain expectation. I get credit on one hand for not having had a facelift, and then on the other hand it’s, ‘Oh my God, why doesn’t she do something?’ So you’re just torn. I just have to keep busy, have other interests, and try not to think about it.

[From CBS News]

It must be a bitch to grow old in Hollywood, especially when you live in California, where it seems like everyone get work done. Bo has a great outlook though. She looks incredible and she also looks natural and normal. It’s hard to believe she hasn’t had anything done, but I think that’s the skeptic in me talking. Plastic surgery and injectables are the new normal for so many people.

I’m glad to hear that Bo and John Corbett are still together. They make a really cute couple and it looks like they have fun together. It’s nice to hear from her and to learn that she’s doing well.

photo credit: Getty Images and WENN.com