Screen legend Pierce Brosnan has shared a poignant reflection on ageing and his enduring passion for acting, stating that the creative process is what 'keeps him alive'. The star, who turned 72 last year, discussed his future in a frank new interview.
The Drive Behind a Storied Career
Brosnan, famed for his roles as James Bond and in films like Mrs. Doubtfire and Mamma Mia!, is currently promoting his latest project, the biographical sports drama Giant. In the film, he portrays Brendan Ingle, the trainer who guided boxer Prince Naseem Hamed from a Sheffield childhood to world featherweight champion.
Reflecting on the fighter's early retirement at 28, Brosnan explained his own motivation to continue working well into his seventies. "It's the creative life that keeps me alive," the Irish-born actor revealed. "I'm 72, time is moving on for me and I can feel the tick of it. I've been down this path a long time now, but what else do I do but really live the life and the time that I have left?"
Family, Faith, and Fortitude
When asked about the source of his resilience in the unpredictable world of acting, Brosnan was quick to credit his family. He reserved special praise for his wife of over two decades, Keely Shaye Brosnan, saying, "I have a great wife, who's given me wings to fly."
He also cited his strong Catholic faith as a cornerstone, adding that you must be "as tough as old boots" to sustain a long career in the industry. The actor is a devoted father to five children: sons Paris and Dylan with Keely, and Charlotte, Sean, and Christopher from his first marriage to the late Cassandra Harris.
Tragically, his daughter Charlotte died from ovarian cancer in 2013 at age 41, the same disease that took Cassandra's life in 1991. These experiences have profoundly shaped his outlook and his approach to fatherhood, which he describes as instincts forged from his own upbringing by a single mother.
No Plans to 'Hang Up the Boots'
This is not the first time Brosnan has mused on retirement. While promoting Netflix's The Thursday Murder Club last year, he confessed he feels "very fortunate" to still be working and admitted he wouldn't know what to do if he stopped.
"The doing of being an actor and the constant doing of it is invigorating," he explained. For Brosnan, the answer to the passage of time is not stepping back, but leaning further into the craft and the family life he treasures off-set.
His latest role in Giant sees him once again embracing a complex character, proving that for this iconic star, the creative journey—and the life it sustains—is far from over.
