Elizabeth Hurley: Perennial Beauty, Self-Exams & Bonds Beyond Breakups

We’ve got a corker of an episode for you today. The incomparable Elizabeth Hurley is joining us—actress, model, entrepreneur, producer, and all-around icon. From her unforgettable turn in Austin Powers to her impact on Breast Cancer research, Elizabeth has spent decades captivating us all with her charm, sharp wit, and unmistakable style.

In this episode, Elizabeth pulls back the curtain on her extraordinary journey in career, advocacy, and relationships.

We, of course, touch on the lighter side—the legendary Versace dress, her devotion to peanut butter, her idyllic life in the English countryside, and even what really turns her on.

Favorite Quote:
"Aging is challenging. But you can’t be angry about it—use great creams, eat well, do your best, and face it with grace."

Get ready for a fireside chat that is as insightful as entertaining. Elizabeth Hurley is proof that elegance, humor, and self-reflection never go out of style.

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Follow Elizabeth Hurley
Instagram: @ElizabethHurley1
Shop her stunning swimwear collection at ElizabethHurley.com.

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This episode was produced by Kit Hoover and Harper McDonald. Business Development by Casey Ladd.

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Transcript

Boom, baby with Elizabeth Hurley. You don't need to apologize for anything. We finally get to connect. I know. And I'm sorry. It's taken a long time. I still have a stinking cold, so ignore my nasal tones, Well, first of all, we've been tracking you down, Australia, London. Where are you currently? Where am I chatting with you? Well, I am deep in the English countryside. I'm in a area called Herefordshire and it's almost in Wales. So it's all the way West and we've had terrible storms. Our internet's been terrible but here I am in my very thick, So I said, cause it's a bit chilly here.

First of all, everything about you is just sexy, Liz. Like I just, of course you're in the English countryside. I picture you with like your fabulous sweater and like a whiskey. I don't know. You to me are the ultimate badass. Have I created that narrative in my mind? Well, it's a flattering narrative, Kit, so thank you for that.

yeah, probably, I'm probably a bit more boring than you think I am. especially in the winter. There's something about the winter [00:01:00] in England that just makes you want to sit on the sofa, put the TV on, cuddle a dog, eat some chocolate, and yeah, probably drink a whiskey too. So, you got a bit of it right.

But if you saw what I was wearing most of the time, not so sexy. That's perfect for me. That's a perfect day. Well, we were been tracking you down because I have loved, I think for me, gosh, for the past 15 years, interviewing you every year for breast cancer awareness, but you've been with Estee Lauder since I think 1993.

Tell me how that came to be for you. I've never done any modeling before. So out of the blue, we got a call saying, would I like to go to New York and audition to be the new Esther Laudergirl. So I was like, yes, I, I would like to, but I, I, I'd almost never been photographed before. I'd done the odd bit of PR for some sort of small BBC ish sort of roles before, but I really, I didn't know how to model at all.

So I thought, well, I'm going to try. [00:02:00] So I flew there. And I did a two day photographic test and met the Lauders and everything was fabulous and I got the job, which I still have. And on my very first day of shooting, Evelyn Lauder, who was Esther Lauder's, daughter in law, came and asked me if I'd help her with a new campaign she'd just started, which was the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Esther Lauder Company's Breast Cancer Campaign.

So I started doing that concurrently with being the Esther Lauder girl. and it was quite interesting because back then in the nineties, they only had one girl who I shot everything, all the fragrances, all the makeup, all the skincare. I did absolutely everything many, many, many days a year. And now of course it's different.

They've got lots of beautiful. different aged girls from different backgrounds, different countries, all shooting lots of it. But at the time, it was a really special time when I did Estalouda. I think, Isabella Rossellini had just finished doing Long Con, but [00:03:00] she too had been there, exclusive girl throughout.

It was just a kind of a different time. It was a good time too. I loved it. the longevity there for you has just been incredible. And I love that it really started with, with the pink ribbon with Evelyn. What's the connection with your grandmother, Liz?

Well, when Evelyn asked me to start helping her with her campaign, she said that women all over the world are dying of breast cancer and no one is talking about it. And that's what I want to change. And when she said that I had just lost my grandma to breast cancer and everything Evelyn said. rang so true because we didn't talk about it and my grandmother didn't talk about it.

And it really was from a breast cancer point of view, like the dark ages. so the big campaign we started to do was to try to make, to de stigmatize talking about breast cancer because, you know, at that time one in nine women were diagnosed with breast cancer, now it's one in eight, and in the UK it's one in seven.

 but [00:04:00] mortality rates have decreased by 43 percent since that time, so less women are dying, but more women are being diagnosed. Treatments are better, diagnosis is better, there's been huge improvements, but still, we're all very aware that we could definitely be one of those women who are diagnosed.

So it's still a subject which is alarming for all of us. And as well as raising the awareness, of course, we've been raising funds. more than a billion dollars has been raised for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. And our scientists have been part of all the breakthroughs in diagnosis and prevention and treatments.

When I started, I thought there was just breast cancer. I didn't know there were so many types of breast cancer. And, you know, we know now, for example, there's one type of breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer, that disproportionately affects black women.

they're more likely to be diagnosed young and they're more likely not to survive. So we've put a lot of money in the last few years into investigating that, for example, and [00:05:00] investigating also why younger women appear to be being diagnosed earlier.You know, there's always good news and there's always still deeply depressing bad news.

So it's really just I feel that Liz So five of my bridesmaid I had that obnoxiously large wedding party when I got married a gazillion years ago five of my bridesmaids diagnosed with breast cancer but to your point there get different than when my mom had it and just got butchered and nobody talked about it.

And it was sort of, it wasn't shameful. They just didn't, it was not discussed, right? You just kind of dealt with it and went on. So we're making strides, but, I just had on Liz, Katie Couric and Melissa Etheridge talking about their journeys. And I feel like every time we're on, we talk about all of these things, but also nobody's talking about their journey.

self exams. And I heard you speaking about this on another show. Tell me about self exams, when you should do it, what you should do and how you should do it. Well, we believe that one of the most important things women can do is to familiarize themselves with their [00:06:00] own breasts. And it's only because when you're younger, you don't have regular screenings.

You don't have regular mammograms because it's, it's, it's thought that the breast tissue is too dense. So a mammogram isn't really effective till around 40. But before then, we strongly believe that by familiarizing yourself with your own breasts, you can see if there's any changes, you might be able to feel some changes and therefore you can go to your doctor and to have an ultrasound or whatever other method they can do.

And this just through me and my own personal experiences, having advised people to do that either via my Instagram channel, where I've told people to go and look at it. We've got a particularly good demonstration by a doctor here on the, Estelorda companies. site in their breast cancer section. This wonderful doctor, Dr.

Zoe does a great self exam, which is all about things like when you're alone, taking [00:07:00] your top off and looking in the mirror at your breasts from every angle. And then she'll show you how to feel and how to feel underneath your armpits. It doesn't take very long, but I posted that on my Instagram and I had two friends.

Who said, I watched your Instagram, I checked in the bath, two of them found lumps. Wow! They were young too, two of them, just from seeing my Instagram. And I was, of course, talking about the Estee Lauder messaging. they both found it really early. But they, they weren't old enough to be screened. They weren't old enough to have their mammograms.

So we do believe that by being familiar with your own breast, it's like a form of self care. And we do think that every month, Evelyn used to say that girls should really do it from puberty. They should familiarize themselves with their breasts. So that's something that we pass on to everyone we can.

It's something that I do. And I understand that sometimes you don't actually want to. And I suppose it is just that ingrained fear of finding something. But because we know that if it's found early, it's [00:08:00] extremely treatable, we have to make ourselves do it. So I do recommend that once a month. And also what's quite important is that you do it at the same time of the month.

Because, because breasts change and fluctuate. You know, some people feel very heavy before their periods or in the lead up to it. So sometimes it's good to say something like the first of the month. Always the first or whatever date your birthday is. For me, it's the 10th, the 10th of every month, just so that you should be at a reasonably same part of your cycle.

So that hormonally your breasts might be the same. I like that. Okay. So pick a date and then do that every month. I'm going to do that. I love for all of our listeners. Yes. I hate this darn disease. So I just, I love your involvement.

 Liz, I got ahead of myself. We start every coop podcast. Tell me one word to describe where you are in your life right now.

I'm happy. Oh, there was a pause there and then happy. Tell me everything. Well, I am [00:09:00] happy. I have a lot to be grateful for. a lot of my friends and family have had some health issues in the last year. So in some ways, it's been quite a tough year. But sometimes in those times, it really brings you together, I think.

And it makes you remember how important solidarity is and how important pulling together is. And when you're scared for someone, it makes you appreciate them more, I guess. And it makes you value your time. With the more so I feel thatsometimes in adversity, you actually feel better and stronger after it, even if there's some residual sadness and stuff there.

So I actually, I feel that I've made quite a breakthrough with a lot of people this year through not having such a great time in a way. you know, for some people, it was health for some people, it's career for some people. the kids, you know, whatever it is, we've all got these, you know, incessant problems that seem to come at us [00:10:00] everywhere.

but sometimes I do find that working through that can make you come out the other side a bit better. So I was going to say challenged as my first word, but, I did move it to happy because I actually feel in a better place with quite a lot of people than I did this time last year. So I'm grateful for that.

What a beautiful message. And to hear that, have you always had the ability to do that, to sort of lean into harder times and come out on the other side? No, I think sometimes it's something that you learn as you go along because sometimes, you know, we kind of run away from situations that are challenging.

I remember losing a really good friend, who was really my friend, but his wife was, I, I liked her very much, even though I was more his friend, and I found myself avoiding her for a while because it was so awkward and sad and difficult, and I felt really ashamed of myself for that. [00:11:00] And I know that a lot of people who are bereaved say the same thing that people avoid them because they don't want to make it awkward or embarrassing and sad.

And I think that's something that I have to fight against sometimes. Sometimes I feel I might have let myself down in that department before. So I think that probably having that knowledge going into the last year, which again, hasn't been great in all ways, has made me probably a slightly nicer, better person.

What a great thing to hear. Have you always been this self reflective? No, probably not. I feel that ever since lockdown, funnily enough, when we spent so much time at home, and in my case, so much time with family who I hadn't spent a lot of time with since I left home, really, when I was 18, But suddenly during the lockdowns, I was back at home again with my mother, aunts, sisters, brothers, other people that were with them, my son, obviously, and a couple of close friends who were, had immune problems.

So they needed to be kept very safe [00:12:00] too. And I've got a big house in the country, so everybody could come to me and we all locked down together. I, I know in some ways I was very fortunate that we had the space and we weren't all locked down, you know, in a very small apartment, which would have been more challenging as it was, we were in the countryside.

And it was a real time of bonding and a real time of reassessing in a way, I think for me, because I think when you're so busy andin my case, flying around the world incessantly, always living out of a suitcase, always being, having kind of a fabulous time. But actually I really lost touch with a lot of the person I was before I left home, but I kind of felt I rediscovered that in a way.

By being home and not traveling and not unpacking a suitcase the whole time. And I've, I've managed to hold on to a lot of that, even though obviously life's back to normal now, and I do have to do quite a lot of flying around now for work, but I find that I'm spending more time with my family, less time with people who were great, but not my best friends, less time with [00:13:00] them.

Back at home. And, and I, I think I really appreciate that or I've become really bored.

we know that's not it. 

wow, Liz leaving home at 18, that's young. So what was your plan? Like what did you always sort of see this life for yourself?

Not so much maybe even the modeling or the acting but something exciting and vivacious. I think I did because I left home at 18 And I grew up in the country, I moved to London to go to college Which was a dance and drama college. And yeah, I knew that I wanted to do something. I didn't know exactly what in showbiz, but I knew that, that was the only thing I ever really wanted to do.

I mean, we've all seen it in so many movies where kids sit down with career advisors and they try and persuade you not to want to go on stage and not to want to do music or art or whatever. And they're always telling you, you should be training to be an accountant or something. And I was the worst. I was absolutely hopeless.

I, I had nothing I wanted to do apart [00:14:00] from dance, sing, act, do something in showbiz. And of course, where I came from in the country, it was just like, that's ridiculous. Let's have a backup here. And I was just like, no, I don't have a backup. That's what I want to do. 

Back, back in college, were you goth or punk?

Yes. I'm trying to remember what I read about you. Course. Did you go, which one? Describe your luck. Well, you know, 

when I arrived at college I thought I was really cool. So I had pink hair, I had a nose ring and I was, you know, dressed in ripped up clothes and I thought I was the bee's knees. And I remember going to work.

Well, I went to my very first drama lesson with quite a strict drama teacher. There's a good end to this tale. And I remember he walked in and we were all introduced and he looked at me and went very castable. And I was like, Oh, he's like, no, no, I'm sure there's going to be the odd part where they look like you.

And I was like, [00:15:00] Oh, so then I was like, Hmm, maybe I have to grow the hair out and maybe I have to take the nose ring out. And you know, it's a very different time then. So gradually I sort of morphed myself into how I look today, but it took a little while, but that guy, so this was a really long time ago, but that guy is now living in a cottage on my farm here and he's nearly 90 and he's remained one of my best friends and advisors throughout my entire life.

I remember he flew out to LA when I filmed Austin Powers because I was really nervous about that part because I hadn't really done a big comedy before so he came out to help me with that and even now I shot a pilot during lockdown it didn't get picked up but again it was a part that I was like it was a sitcom and I'd never really done that before so I trotted around to his cottage and he helped me with that so very much.

He actually has been, he's, he's been in my life so long now, that, you know, he's a bit like a father figure, but he's You know, all friends are good friends. No, I love this about you Liz what i'm learning is people that come into your [00:16:00] life And I would see this with your past exes you keep them in you seem to grow this beautiful garden of people That have come in and out of your life and they stay the fact that this 90 year old Drama teacher from high school with your pink hair lives on your property is my all time favorite story I do we can we say his name do we say as a nickname?

Can we give him a little shout out? Well, his name's Ian Dewar and I call him Dewdrop. So to me, he's Mr. Dewdrop. Oh my gosh. I love it. Wow. That is outstanding. thinking about your career, Liz, and how it all happened, what would you say is the rose and thorn of your career? Well, I think it's probably the same thing.

I think I always wanted to do a lot of different things. So even back in the nineties, my then boyfriend and I, Hugh, we started a production company. We had a great first look deal and I was producing at the same time. And of course, I wanted to keep my modeling going and my endorsements. And I started my company for the beachwear and I'm producing again now.

So [00:17:00] doing a, being a, we call it, I don't know if you have the same expression, a Jack of all trades where you have a lot of things going on. Has been great, and I've loved that, but I think In retrospect and looking back, I'm not sure that not just really concentrating on one thing would have been better. I think I could have got what you think, like just maybe focusing on acting, like really diving into that.

I think maybe, I think I didn't feel distracted. And whenever I was offered a job I wanted to do, I always did it. But of course I wasn't always available because I was sometimes doing other things too, 

the same with producing and the same with my beachwear company. They've all done great. But would they have been better had I just laser focused on one?

I think possibly. So I think it is nice, but, and I think also some of the less satisfactory parts of my life, always feeling behind, always feeling my inbox is horrible, always feeling a bit scatty, [00:18:00] traveling too much, all those things which I'm trying to step back on now, I think in retrospect There was a part of me that loved feeling so busy and loved being so frantic and loved always being like this, but I actually don't think it did me a great deal of good all of the time because it means that I've got terrible parts of my memory that I can't really remember.

And I think when you are really stressed and sometimes a bit traumatized by various things too, you don't really have time to ever enjoy enough of it. And I feel that often, now I'm so old, I'm often asked for advice to give to younger people. And sometimes I really do have to say you have to take that moment all the time and don't feel that you're more important because you're busy because actually it doesn't always pay off.

Sometimes you really do have to take it easier and appreciate what you've got and really enjoy those moments. So in between movies, I'd [00:19:00] always dive off and do something else instead of ever just saying, I've got two months off. How lovely is that? I can be with my family. I can do the gardening. I can spend time with my dogs.

I can, but I didn't, I just raced off. Picking up other things here and there and, you know, I'd be filming in LA at weekends, I'd be offered great magazine covers, so I'd of course go to New York to shoot those covers, then I'd come back in to shoot there, I'd shoot at night, I'd always be trying to keep all these balls in the air and I don't know if I needed to.

So that's a bit of reflection that I think about sometimes. I find for me list sometimes reflecting back and I'm in my fifties. It's that sometimes I think maybe not to hide the feelings, but I just went faster with things right? Like everything got going and I did feel like the faster I'm going 

It's like the happier I am. But sometimes that self reflection same as you. I'm like, Oh, should I be slowing down and feeling all the fields that come with whatever is going on in my life? I tend to just hit the gas. It's I need to [00:20:00] take your advice. Well, I didn't always take it myself to be honest. But I just have an awareness of it now.

And that also stemmed from lockdown, where literally, I'm not speaking metaphorically, literally for the first time, I smelt my roses. And I love my rose garden. It's one of the biggest things in my life. I love it. I designed it. It's big. It's so much work. And I love it. I actually never bothered to smell every type of rose I had, which I had, I took that time then.

And I wrote down all my feelings about all of them for any other garden I might do. I've created beautiful gardens all over the place, but I'd never really had the time to enjoy them. I just worked at them. Think about the poetry in that, right, that you built this thing and you never smelled it.

if you had to say the rose of your career, acting career, what would it be?

I don't know if I'd say one part. Just think really. When you get to my age, your every part feels like a rose because, you know, there's, there's so much less around for women my [00:21:00] age than when you're 28 and fabulous. you think that's changing though, Liz? I feel like it's changing. I feel like not enough, but I do feel like more roles are coming for women over 50.

Well, I really feel that a remarkable thing has happened. in our world and it's particularly benefited women and I think that's streaming. I really do because I think many, many, many more women have their hands on the remote now and they choose what they want to watch. Whether it's good or bad, there are many television sets in different houses and people frequently watch different things.

 And I think that's just changed with streaming. With us being able to choose what we want to watch, yes, there are many more female driven action films. vehicles on television now, on streamers than there ever used to be.

And that has been a godsend to women, to actresses, and particularly to older actresses. Because yeah, there are other [00:22:00] stories. We don't actually only want to watch films starring 21 year olds. 

I want to watch other things with grown ups in them. You know, I mean, I think it was amazing how Yellowstone did. You know, which is to show with grown ups that there are a few young, young people, but not many people just lapped it up. Thank God, right? And yeah, and thank you, streamers for that. Thank you, Netflix and Amazon and all the people who are actually making television that we now, with the remote up, And put on The Diplomat. How lovely is it to watch The Diplomat? Oh, I love The Diplomat. I love her hair. I really want to brush it.

I want to brush my hair so badly. So bad. Oh my God. I actually went back and watched an episode of The Americans just to prove to myself that she actually does have beautiful hair. She does have beautiful hair. Wait, I did the same thing.  Yeah. Yeah. Well, we'll when, I told all our listeners that you were coming on, it's fascinating what they wanted to know. And one of the themes with you, everybody is obsessed that you have loved on your own terms, 

So they had a bunch of questions about your love life. What is your view on [00:23:00] marriage?

Oh, well, I think,well, my, my, my father's dead, but my parents were together. So. And until he died, and that was fabulous for us, me and my siblings. It was great.I have many, the majority of my good friends are married. I have a couple of beautiful examples of people who were childhood sweethearts and have remained married.

I have a lot of friends who are divorced. I have a couple of friends who never married. I think that when it works. It's great. My marriage was great, and I'm excellent friends with my ex husband. I see him all the time, and You're best friends with all of your exes. Like, that, that alone I mean, isn't Hugh Grant godfather to Damien?

still. He's godfather to Damien. I'm great friends with Hugh. I'm great friends with Arun. my other two loves in my life are both dead. So there's only two out of four left. So, um, that's, how do you do that though, Liz, for our [00:24:00] listeners? How do you, how do you maintain that?

I mean, it's one thing to say it, but I know you really live it. Any nuggets you could share on that?

I think in my successful relationships, and I consider all of those successful, the four, Even though two of them aren't here anymore. I, I really loved them, and they were all my best friends when we were together. you know, romantic friendships where you still care so much about someone, it doesn't, it's not sexual, it's, it's a romantic friendship still, because you're affectionate, 

There's still a romance that's still there and You know, I'm sure if they'd been bad guys or I'd been a bad, you know Violent or awful person, of course, we wouldn't be friends But that was never the case with any of the people I've been very close to We just we just moved on in some ways, but the love is still there was always there still.

and so I wouldn't know how not to have them in my life in a way because it would really be like [00:25:00] not talking to my brother again or a family member. And I do feel like they're family. and still have all those same feelings that you have for family where you can be frustrated and pissed off with them.

Of course you can, but you'd also be incredibly protective of them. And I mean, you know that if there's someone that you're not with anymore, but if someone said something unpleasant about them in front of you, you know if your instinct is to defend them or go, yeah, you're right. So you know in your heart how much you love them when somebody else does.

Like your family, you know, we can complain like mad about our siblings, but if anybody else does. They better watch out. So, you know, there's that theme again, though, Liz, like that's the equivalent of the, the sweet man on your property. You keep everybody in your, in your life. So it's funny how you said about focusing in the beginning on just the people that make you happy.

yeah, I've never liked being too insular. I don't have a huge amount of close friends.

not a lot. Because some people can't accept that one's away all the time. And you know, that there's some people [00:26:00] that you would have liked to be friends with, but to them, friendship is too much like, you know, a timestamp. And you know, you can't do it in our business because you know, you can't commit to anything.

You can't commit to weddings. You can't commit to anything. You can't commit to vacations because I always say, look, thank you. I'd like to come, but now I've just learned to say it straight up. But if I'm offered a job, I'm going to take it. So don't count on me because I, I can't be counted on, which is true.

You know, and we sacrifice vast amounts of things during our life. We miss tons of things because, you know, our way of putting bread on the table is going out to work. And if they send us out to Nicaragua tomorrow, I'm off. You know, passport is in my bag at all times, Balance is a four letter word. There's really no such thing in our business. Like if you're, if you're going for certain goals, Elizabeth, what do you look for in a partner?

Well, I think, I think what I really like is I like coziness. I like,I [00:27:00] like feeling incredibly relaxed like family and easy.I've always liked people. I've always attracted to people who know things I don't know. So I'm never looking for a copy of myself because I find that quite tough, but, 

I always find it very attractive when someone has a real skill in a field, which I didn't know about.

It could just be, they love horses and they're brilliant with horses. I'm scared of horses. So I find that attractive, you know, It could be that they're just incredibly well educated. So Hugh is very well educated I have two nicknames. Well, I've got a million nicknames for him. I've actually never called him Hugh in my life.

one of his nicknames is Norman, which is Norman Noel. And the other one is Perry, which is Perry Pompous. So often, if I don't know something, I'll just send him a quick text and I'll say, Perry, what's your name? Tell me this, or Norman, what's this? And he always knows the answer. So, his, his incredible brain was very attractive.

My husband, Arun, also, both of them have higher IQs than me. I know they [00:28:00] do. And he's super bright. And I've, I've always been attracted to people who have a lot of brain power. so I'm not sure I could be with anyone if I thought I was more intelligent. 

 Are there any deal breakers? What are the deal breakers for you?

I think a very narrow, small mind would be difficult for me. I find it very attractive when people areopen to other people's opinions. I have some very good friends where we don't agree on anything, really. But we're very easy with knowing that, Politically or something, we could be streets apart, but we're good people.

We're all good people. We just think differently. And sometimes I meet people who are really closed off and angry, very angry with people who don't agree with them. And I find that incredibly unattractive. Now, when you find someone who's intelligent and knows all the different [00:29:00] ways that a situation could be handled.

They might choose this one, but they can see everything. And I find an openness of attitude. Very attractive. What advice for dating in your fifties 

 Well, I don't know. I mean, you know, I'm not in love with anyone right this moment And I feel that,that because I, I'm such a terrible person to give this advice, Kit, because I, I prefer to be at home with my dogs.

So the last thing I can say is get out there. 

I remember a long, long time ago that sometimes you'd meet someone. I wasn't looking to meet people at the time, but you'd meet people and you could just see these guys, they, they were wanted that next step with someone, not necessarily with me, but they were so ready in their lives to settle down, meet the right person, get on with it.

This is way pre kids for all of us. And there was just this click. And I think also, you know, because we've got our kids and we're in our fifties, there is, there'll be a time when we [00:30:00] really want to open up our lives and share it with somebody. And when it's the wrong time, it's just not right. Yeah. It's just not right.

Yeah. when I split up with Shane, which was actually 10 years ago, we just realized. And at that time, my son was about 12. And I just knew it was a bad time for mummy to be out and about dating, for mummy to be bringing people home, for mummy to continually be introducing new people into a pubescent child, single child's life.

It was, it was just, I knew it was wrong. It just felt like it would be the wrong thing to do. so I didn't. So I just put him first at that time. And you know, now he's, you know, he's a grownup now he's 22 and he'd be delighted for me to meet the next love of my life. and I guess one just has to stay open and see if we're going to meet the next love of our lives who, you know, we want to grow old with now.

It's quite a lot to think about. How fun,I love when you talk about Damien and I'm so happy Liz, when he came to [00:31:00] the studio and I finally got to meet him. He is pure magic. Did you always want to be a mom? I think for me, I was 36 when I had him and I had not thought about it enough.

I'd never thought I don't want to have kids, but I never thought now I'd like to have kids because I was busy. I was I was working non stop and loving my life, so I got pregnant by accident and obviously it was the best accident that could ever have happened, so it wasn't pre planned. but it, I mean, obviously there's, there's nothing.

I would change because, I, I've, I've loved being a mother. I don't know how good I've been at, I've been very good at bits of it. I don't know if I've been good at all of it. I guess, I guess, how would we know? But, it's been a hell of a ride and I've loved it. How would Damien describe you as a mom? Well, I think he would say I was loyal. I think he knows that I'm there for him. I think he [00:32:00] truly believes that. I want what's best for him, and I'm more concerned with his life going well than my own, and he knows that, and I feel that with all the people that I've been in love with, too, I, I felt that way towards them, and I know they felt that way towards me, and I feel that's really a, I think, I, I know some parents who are in competition with their children, and it's, it's, it's a, not something I can relate to, but I can see it, and, They're jealous of their kids, or some men are, they're not, daddy lions aren't too ready to let the cubs take over.

And you can see all these dynamics around you all the time. And that's not a dynamic I could really live with. I see some couples that are in competition with each other too. And again, that's, that's just not something that I've ever responded to well. [00:33:00] I wouldn't want to, To want to win. I mean, I do want to win in my own life quite a lot, but not I I would rather people around me well, absolutely I would say my kids Success is my greatest success like right truly like when they're flying.

I I feel the fullest to see him, first of all, and to watch him look at you on set when I was interviewing for the movie that he directed you in, which was so fantastic. Do you think you look alike?

Because it is the coolest thing to see y'all side by side. Yeah, I mean, I don't know how much we look alike now, but pictures of me in my early 20s were identical. But that's kind of strange, because when he was born, he was blonde, with almost no eyelashes, no eyebrows, and didn't look anything like me. And then at puberty, he suddenly, he was at boarding school, and I picked him up from school one day, and I was like, Oh my god, and suddenly his hair was dark, his eyes were dark, he suddenly looked like an [00:34:00] Irish kid, which is my family.

And I was like, whoa, he just turned Hurley, overnight. And yeah, now it's, we're astonishingly similar. So it's my 80s pictures, looking like he does now. And yeah, I just saw the cover of a magazine and I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for all his success. It's so cool to watch him fly.

Okay. Let's play a quick game before I let you go. Let's get random. Here we go, my friend. What is the biggest misconception about you? That I'm immaculate and glamorous the whole time. I'm not at all. I wear tracksuits and Ugg boots and ponytails almost all the time.

By the way, but still look incredibly sexy and beautiful. You just can't help it. Okay. It's called Gavorka. You got sex appeal. craziest headline that you've read about yourself.

Liz Hurley is going into a convent. I was going to become a nun.

When was this? It was in the nineties. And funnily enough, I was backstage at a Versace [00:35:00] show with Gianni Versace. And they all came running into my fittings saying, Oh my God, no, you're going to become a nun. I'm like, what? They're like, it's on TV. You're going to become a nun. You're going to need to convert.

I'm like, no. So I don't know where they got that from, but I'm not a nun. I was never going to Speaking of Versace, last time you wore a safety pin in a dress. God, that dress was great. I have not worn a safe Oh, that's not true. Okay, so a few years ago, I went to Milan to, Versace and Fendi did a collaboration called Fendaci.

And they, made me a beautiful pink dress with a big gold safety pin here. So

Do you still laugh? I know we've talked about this before, but that dress when it went the equivalent of viral when that thing just, you know, spread the globe, you know, it was crazy. Last year, people would ring me up to say happy birthday to your dress. And I'd be like, what? They said, Oh, yeah, it's 30 years old.

This year. Actually, it's 30 [00:36:00] years old this year. I think it was in April or May or something. So yeah, that dress has, has, has birthdays. 

Where is that dress? That dress is owned by the Versace's. It went straight back the next day. It's been in the Metropolitan Museum. It's been worn by Lady Gaga.

I think it was of great value, but they have it. As they should. And what did Hugh say back in the day? Because I think it was at Four Weddings at a Funeral, right? It was for that premiere. He just seems, with his wit and humor, did he think the whole thing was so ridiculous? Or what was his view? I think when he saw me in it for the first time, he just went, Christ, that was that.

We were living in this tiny little apartment with no full length mirror, no steamer, none of anything. And so, he, yeah, it was just Christ. And then we ran downstairs and off we went.

 We were right up on a walk up flat. So it, it was something, but yeah, long time ago. Favorite vice?

Well, probably, [00:37:00] eating peanut butter. I can't walk past a jar of peanut butter without sticking my finger in it. I love it. I can't do the almond butter or do peanut butter. And you do the chunky cause I have it every single day. It's my favorite peanut butter. And to be honest, I really like the supermarket brands.

I don't let myself have that. So I would get an almond butter or a very posh one, but secretly I like the ones we grew up on and I like having those ones. Yeah. Just the Jif, the Peter Pan, extra chunky. Oh yeah. I mean, I love it. And I don't think it's very good for you, but I love it. Do you know, I grew up every morning of my life, Liz, every single morning with a peanut butter and bacon sandwich.

And if the bacon was greasy and it melts the peanut butter, oh, Delicious. I mean, I love it. It's a big band, but 

Liz, have you ever been rejected by a guy?

[00:38:00] No.

Best pause ever. Yeah, but that might be because I also don't make advances because I'm quite shy. so I say no, but I could be a nothing ventured, nothing gained. Who dares wins? I don't. You're being kind. The answer's no. 

The answer's no. God, I love you. nickname growing up? Well, it's still really my nickname.

My whole family call me Minx. So they've never called me Elizabeth Minx. Why Minx? I don't know. It was from Minnie the Minx. Really young, but none of our family are called by their names. Minx. Some of them, I can't even remember my family's real names. so, they, they don't really know who Elizabeth is.

Hugh never called me Elizabeth, nor did my husband, Arun. They never called me Elizabeth. What did Hugh call you? Minx. Or, many other nicknames. And I have many nicknames. I've got nicknames for everybody that I like. if my mother called me Elizabeth, it would be like I was in real trouble.

Real [00:39:00] trouble. Yeah. what is in your bedside drawer? Just mess. I mean, just, just mess. Just crap. I mean, nothing. I wish it, I'm not very organized. I'm not very tidy. Everything's, it's just Nicorette gum, 50 phone chargers, lip glosses, makeup wipes, just crap. Notes, receipts, invoices, just absolute nonsense.

Tape measures. Just whatever I, just everything is just. That draw horrible. I, I knew we were meant to be friends. We're twins. On that note, Liz, the three non-negotiables for like your wellness and beauty, or as many as you can say, because you're also associated with the vibrancy that is you, are there any non-negotiables for you?

Well, I like to have a long soak in a tub. If I check into a room with only a shower, my heart plummets. It's really important to me. Number one, I [00:40:00] hate showers because I get cold when I get out of the shower because I didn't have a very good hot, cold temperature inside me and I get so shivery and cold, I don't like it.

So I have one long bath every day and I use almond oil and a Jo Malone scented oil. And I really need those 20 minutes with no one talking at me. No, I don't have music and I have a book or I just think, so it's a non negotiable for me really to be left alone. Okay. In the bathtub. And sometimes for my wellness, I actually need to have no one talking anywhere near me, sometimes quite unfriendly.

So I'm like, I get it. I have a noise thing where it's too much noise and I can't bear people talking. And I just have to have a little bit of solitude and no, in my ear the whole time, not much, but I need a bit. That's your meditation. That's your meditation, Liz. I love it. Right? You just have to Zen out.

What are you excited about next? Well, [00:41:00] obviously Christmas is coming, and my trees are arriving on Friday, so I'm very excited about that. I get in, it's my worst day of the year when the Christmas trees arrive, and I'm in the worst temper, and I'm a horrible person when I decorate the trees. Because I'm so controlling, I have to do them myself, and I put three enormous trees up in this house, and it really, everybody just leaves.

And they leave me alone and I drop the lights. I tangle the lights. I smash all the books by accident. I fall off the ladder. Everything that goes wrong could go wrong. But finally I have three great trees. So that's the best day and the worst day, but the day after is fantastic. And then the house was great for a month.

 and also we're hopefully. Getting closer to closing the finance for my son's next film, which he's written and he's going to direct and I'll produce. I'm not in it. and it's excellent. It's a really good one. So I'm really hoping that by the new year, we can be revving up to shoot next year.

So that's what I'm really hoping for. as a mother, [00:42:00] that has to be the neatest thing. Yeah, I think because he's so young going into the business that young people really need a guide and a mentor. it doesn't have to be your family. It just so happens that I'm in the same business, so I can do it.

But people are young, you know, when you see young actors, you always really hope that someone is really helping them. And, I think that's, not taking advantage of them and exploiting them. Young models, you feel the same. 

 I'm glad that I could have had this role for his first movie and hopefully for his second movie. And then I think he'll, you know, he'll have, He'll be able to stride out. I think youngsters need guidance from people who love them. Okay. Great. That's really cool. fill in the blank here, Liz, aging is what?

Challenging. It's challenging to keep your head in the right head space where you accept what you can't change and you have the energy to keep going with changing what you can, you know, we can have, we can [00:43:00] do the roots in our hair, we can, you know, condition our hair, we can keep our weight how we want it to be, we can dress nicely, but we have to accept, you know, that our bones are getting older, they're creaking a bit.

Can have a bit of a bad knee or a bad back or whatever it is. And we have to accept those things with grace and do the best we can, but not be angry about what we can't change. We can't be angry about aging. we just have to use great creams, great serums, do exercise, eat well, do the best we can, but be gracious.

I hope that I can stay gracious. and not be angry. I don't feel angry yet. Any day, but I don't feel angry yet. final question in the coop, Liz. This has been so much fun. What turns you on?

I think if the ambience is right in a situation, if it's aesthetically pleasing to my eyes, and ears. If all my senses, I like my senses to be pinged, my eyes, my ears, my sense of smell, my [00:44:00] taste, my everything, if then I can feel in the mood to be turned on. But I don't like, if I walk into a room and the light's shitty.

I'm immediately going to be like, oh, or, you know, disgusting food, horrible drink. It smells in here or too noisy. Then I'm turned off. All my sense, everything has to be, my sensory organs have to be titillated.

well, Liz, you are amazing. Incredible. Thank you so much for sharing this time with me. I've been dying to connect. I follow everything you do. Oh my gosh, your Maxim cover you just did. I think it's my screensaver. I was like, okay, that's the hottest picture on the planet. so thank you for being you for everything that you do.

And, I will get out to the countryside and come smell your roses one of these days. And I'll see you when you're in LA. We'll share a bourbon. You better. Please call me if you come to England. Please do. I will.

 Thank you so much. Liz.