Elizabeth Olsen has opened up about her unique perspective on aging, calling it “such a privilege.” The 36-year-old actor, starring in the new romcom Eternity alongside Callum Turner and Miles Teller, shared her reflections in a recent interview.
Olsen explained that growing up, she only knew one grandparent, as the other three passed before she was born. “I don’t see growing old as a given. I think of it as such a privilege,” she said.
She added that this shaped her “fantasy of growing old,” making it something she has “always looked forward to” because it felt “so foreign and exotic” to her.
The actor also spoke candidly about her thoughts on mortality. She admitted to having a “major fear of death” and said, “I don’t want to die young.” Olsen revealed that she does not have a belief in an afterlife, explaining, “I would be comforted if I had a belief in something else, but I don’t. I’ve been curious, but I can’t quite believe in it.”
Elizabeth Olsen is part of a large family, with five siblings. She has an older brother, Trent, 41, and twin sisters, Mary-Kate and Ashley, 39. She also has two younger half-siblings, Courtney Taylor, 28, and Jake, 27, from her father’s second marriage.
In her new film Eternity, Olsen plays Joan, a character who must choose between spending her afterlife with her longtime husband, Larry (Miles Teller), or her first love, Luke (Callum Turner). Olsen explained that the movie highlights how “special the simplest and most ordinary relationships can be.”
The actor also related personally to her role, saying it mirrored her own life with her husband, musician Robbie Arnett, whom she married in a private ceremony in 2020. “It was almost like a fantasy I got to live out, that we got to grow old together,” Olsen said.
Beyond her work on screen, Olsen has expressed strong opinions on the entertainment industry. She emphasized that streaming should not replace communal experiences. “If a movie is made independently and only sells to a streamer, then fine. But I don’t want to make something where it’s the end-all,” she told InStyle magazine.
Olsen believes gathering in person is vital for shared experiences. “I think it’s important for people to gather as a community, to see other humans, be together in a space. That’s why I like sports. It’s really powerful for people to come together for something that excites them. We don’t even audition in person anymore,” she added.
With Eternity set to release in theaters, Olsen hopes audiences connect with the movie’s message about love, choice, and the beauty of everyday relationships. Her candid reflections on life, aging, and death make her perspective both relatable and thought-provoking.
For Olsen, embracing aging is more than a personal outlook; it’s a reminder to value time, relationships, and the privilege of growing older, a theme that resonates both on and off screen.
