Veteran actor Jack Thompson opens up ‘being an old man’

If you’re a fan of Australian cinema then Jack Thompson would be a familiar face to you.

The veteran Aussie actor has appeared in a myriad of Aussie films such as The Man From Snowy River and Sunday Too Far Away.

Now he’s back in the new film Don’t Tell, and he’s opened up in an interview about what it’s like “being an old man”.

The 76-year-old told Stellar magazine about the good and the bad of ageing.

He lists one of the best things about being 76 as “the fact he got this far”.

“I can remember my mother, many, many years ago saying, “The older you get, Jack, the more dead people you know.” ” he said.

“At the time I thought, “By crikey, that’s a bit hard-nosed.”

“Now that I am 76, I realise that it’s not hard-nosed at all. It’s just a statement of the facts of life. I look around me and think, “Wow, it’s good to be here.””

So, what does he think the worst thing about being 76 is?

Well, he shared another pearl of wisdom from his mum.

“Oh, the other thing that she said: “They don’t tell you, Jack, how painful it is.”” he told Stellar.

But at 76, Thompson admits he has no plans to retire.

He told Stellar that now he’s “truly senior” more acting roles have presented to him than when he “middle-aged”.

“You are the old man now. And I don’t mind being the old man,” he said.

“It’s quite a good thing to be able to bring to the screen and they are interesting roles.”

What do you think about Jack Thompson’s view on ‘being an old man’? Do you agree with what he had to say?