”You know that was really an extremely painful experience,” she later reflected in interviews. When asked, “Did you feel you didn’t have a choice?” she admitted, ”At the time I was just young and dumb, I didn’t really want to have a baby then.”
She continued, ”It was the wrong thing to do and I really didn’t understand that till later. That was very very painful, that was probably the worst.”
The abortion’s aftermath was devastating. “The illegal abortion just botched me, so I couldn’t ever get pregnant again. That was a part of the trauma,” she shared.
Ellen Burstyn’s dangerous husband
Ellen Burstyn’s marriage to Bill ended in 1957, and in 1958, she married Paul Roberts. Together, they adopted a son, Jefferson, in 1961. Yet, this union too ended in divorce the same year.
In 1964, Ellen married again, this time to actor Neil Nephew.
This relationship, however, would become the most turbulent of all. She described Neil as “charming and funny and bright and talented and eccentric,” but his schizophrenia soon turned their life together into a nightmare.
His violent behavior and eventual departure left deep scars on Ellen.
He tried to reconcile, but their marriage ended in 1972. In her autobiography Lessons in Becoming Myself, Ellen revealed some horrific details about their relationship.
”He wanted to come back,” she recounted. ”By then I had discovered how pleasant life was without a crazy husband, and I didn’t want him to come back.”
Stalked her for many years
According to Ellen, Neil, who later changed his name to Neil Burstyn, stalked her for many years after their divorce. She also disclosed that he had raped her while they were still married.
At the time, spousal rape was not a criminal offense, and no charges were filed.
Reflecting on her experience with Neil, Ellen recounted a chilling encounter when she called the police for help:
“When I called the police, they said, we don’t mix in household problems. And I said, he’s threatened to kill me. And he said, no, we don’t respond. And I said, well what is it you do? And he said, we apprehend criminals when a crime has been committed. And I said, you mean, I should call if he actually kills me? And he said, that’s right.”
Neil took his own life in 1978, jumping from the window of his ninth-floor Manhattan apartment as his schizophrenia began to reach its climax.
”It seemed like somehow my success had caused his insanity,” she reflected, though she recognized it wasn’t her fault.
Why she would like to call her mother again
Ellen’s tragic experiences with men led her to reevaluate her relationship with her own mother, with whom she had a strained bond.
In the end, Ellen realized that her mother, too, had been trapped in an unhappy marriage and had taken out her frustrations on her daughter. While this doesn’t excuse her mother’s behavior, Ellen no longer holds bitterness toward her, even though her mother passed away long ago.
”We didn’t really get along, but now I miss her,” Ellen admitted, acknowledging that her mother needed help. “I wish that I could call her. I hope that through some mystical magic, she hears that.”
After Neil’s suicide, Ellen chose to remain single, resisting the urge to enter a new relationship. She learned to embrace her own strength, understanding that she could be both powerful and loved while also being content on her own. Solitude, over time, became her ally, offering her the peace and independence she needed.
Where does Ellen Burstyn live?
Outside of her professional life, Ellen has dedicated much of her time to study, therapy, and meditation. Now 92 years old, the latest reports indicate that she resides in New York City.
In an interview with AP when she turned 88, Ellen shared that when she reached 80, she made the decision to leave Rockland County and move into the city.
”Time for a little action,” she explained.
She now lives in an apartment with a view of Central Park, which she enjoys strolling through daily.
”It’s my garden,” she said.
Despite her impressive age, Ellen remains active in the acting industry. When she turned 91, she her Law & Order costar Christopher Meloni: “I’m busier than I can ever remember being at any point in my career.”
“And I don’t understand it at all. I mean, what’s all this stuff about ageism in Hollywood? How did I get left out of it?”
Why the 1970s were the best time
Despite her busy schedule, Ellen still finds time to reflect on her career and its highlights. So, what was the best time of her life professionally?
”Definitely the ’70s. That was when the studios were still run by filmmakers, not by corporations. And the scripts were submitted because somebody was interested in that story and wrote it, and a producer liked it and thought it would make a good movie. Not because it had been fed into a computer and said, “Well, the first version made X number of millions, so the second one will make X number of millions and it has to have a big name,” Ellen told Interview Magazine in 2023.
Ellen Burstyn age
So, are there any secret tricks to Ellen’s impressive age and her continued ability to shine in front of the camera?
Well, there’s no magic formula or juicy headline-worthy secret she’s ready to spill.
But one thing might be that she’s been a vegetarian since childhood – and another could be her habit of waking up every day with a positive outlook on life, grateful for each new day. And honestly, that sounds like some pretty solid advice to me!
At 92, Ellen Burstyn is still going strong, proving that age is just a number when it comes to living life to the fullest. With her timeless beauty, sharp mind, and dedication to her craft, she continues to inspire.
Whether it’s through her active career, her positive attitude, or her daily walks in Central Park, Ellen shows that you can age gracefully and keep shining. Here’s to many more years of brilliance from this legendary actress!