It’s widely known that Hollywood stars—especially women—often feel intense pressure to maintain their appearance as they grow older. Stories about the latest cosmetic treatments and beauty routines used by celebrities to preserve a youthful look are everywhere.
However, some choose a different path and decide to embrace their natural appearance and age on their own terms. One of those voices is Justine Bateman, who has recently spoken openly about her choice to avoid cosmetic procedures despite ongoing societal expectations.
Justine Bateman is an actress, director, and writer best known for her role as Mallory Keaton on the 1980s sitcom Family Ties, which she starred in as a teenager. She also appeared in Men Behaving Badly and held recurring roles on series such as Desperate Housewives and Still Standing. She is also the older sister of actor Jason Bateman.
“I just don’t give a s—,” Bateman said during an interview with 60 Minutes Australia. “I think I look rad. I think my face represents who I am. I like it.”
She went on to explain, “I feel like I would erase not only all the authority that I have now, but also I like feeling that I am a different person now than I was when I was 20. I like looking in the mirror and seeing that evidence.”
Now 57, Justine Bateman has faced the same pressures many actresses her age encounter to undergo plastic surgery. Instead, she has made a firm decision to never have cosmetic work done and to fully accept the aging process.
Bateman revealed that the criticism began when she turned 40, with some people making cruel remarks about her appearance, comparing her naturally aging face to a “sea hag” or a “meth addict.” Those comments made her feel pressured to consider plastic surgery or Botox.
“I thought my face looked fine,” she told People in 2021. “And then because of some fears I had—unrelated to my face—I decided to make them right and me wrong. I became really ashamed of my face, ridiculously so.”
Eventually, Bateman chose to reject those judgments and embrace aging naturally. “You’re not going to make that fear go away by changing your face,” she said.
“If you go and get plastic surgery, you’re going to look different. Okay. You’ll have that, but you haven’t dealt with what the fear was. That fear will continue,” she explained. “I think getting all this plastic surgery is just people-pleasing.”
The actress has also written about the topic in her book Face: One Square Foot of Skin. She shared that she feels “sad” for women who feel consumed by cosmetic procedures and hopes they will learn to appreciate their natural beauty.
“I feel sad that they’re not just enjoying life,” she told 60 Minutes. “I feel sad that they are distracted from the things they’re meant to do in life by this overwhelming idea that they have to fix their face before anything else can happen.”
We believe Justine Bateman looks beautiful, and no one should feel obligated to change their appearance to meet unrealistic standards. Her message encourages more women to feel confident aging naturally.
If you agree with Justine Bateman, please share this story.
