REBECCA GIBNEY UNTOUCHED
FROM HOMEGROWN HOTTIES TO HOLLYWOOD’S MOST WANTED, PRESENTING OUR ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF CELEBS WHO ARE STUNNING INSIDE AND OUT—KICKING OFF WITH A BELOVED TV STAR IN FULL BLOOM
AAs one of Australia’s most famous faces, Rebecca Gibney is well acquainted with photo shoots, red carpets and makeup artists who wield their brushes like magic wands. But ask the actress when she feels most beautiful and her answer is worlds away from the flattering perks of her job. “When I’ve woken up in the morning, my husband comes in with a cup of tea, I’ve got no makeup on and I feel completely content,” says Gibney, 53, who lives in New Zealand with set designer husband Richard Bell and their son, Zachary, who turns 14 on April 7. “Kind of naked in my freedom; I love that.” Posing for WHO without a hint of makeup (see p. 58 for more bare-faced celebs), the star—she’s soon to film the third season of her Emmynominated Seven Network drama series, Wanted— tells Tiffany Dunk about “owning” her lines and keeping it real on Instagram.
We’re celebrating you as one of our most beautiful people—so what’s your secret?
It’s weird because for so long I didn’t feel beautiful at all ... which is why this is so liberating, for me to take my makeup off because most of my adult life I thought I wasn’t attractive unless I had a full face of makeup. And I still have that sort of inadequacy. I remember when I was about 22 going to a shop and someone saying, “Are you that famous person? No, it’s not you. She’s way more glamorous and you are quite ordinary.” And I went, “Argh!” I felt embarrassed about being ordinary. Then, as I’ve gotten older, I went, “But ordinary is beautiful, too.” And I can sometimes look fantastic with makeup and hair and all that and I can sometimes look crap, as we all can. If I can make people feel beautiful by saying, “Be true to yourself because that’s beautiful,” then I’ve done a good job.
How did it feel to see the photos of you without makeup?
I didn’t want to look at them initially. But again, then I think it’s that beauty of being older, beauty of being a certain age, I don’t focus on the wrinkles, I look at the smile ... I look at the beautiful lighting and I love the photographer and I love the people around me and I think the photos represent who I am and where I’m at.
At 53 and bare-faced, are you feeling more beautiful than ever?
Yes, I think I am. I occasionally look back at photos of me in my 20s and 30s and I was so
angst-ridden then about how I looked, and I looked great. And I feel so sorry for that person because I think, “Wow, you did look good and you never ever acknowledged it.” I’d never want to go back there—53 rocks.
What propelled you into the confident woman you are today?
I think having gone through a lot in my life, having been raised in a fairly dysfunctional family and having seen domestic violence, having been around the world with World Vision and seen real suffering. I always have been a glass half-full person—living in the moment—today could be the last day so I want to live it like it’s my first. I constantly feel blessed. And I’m constantly being rewarded. Today I got to have someone fuss all over me and put on awesome clothes and be in front of a camera and have a lot of fun—how many people get to do that? My life is a really lucky one.
Your son is a teenager—terrifying or exciting?
Terrifying and exciting! He’s a beautiful boy and he’s got such a good heart. He’s got a hysterical sense of humour—he’s a budding Jim Carrey, I think, which is also terrifying.
He’s at the age where a lot of teens struggle with beauty, both in themselves and others.
He doesn’t! I had terrible skin as a teenager. I always used to wear my hair down and all over my face, I always wore baggy T-shirts because I hated my body. I was so not in my body at all as a teenager. He’s the opposite. He will run outside and he’ll take his clothes off. He is not embarrassed by himself.
Would you encourage others to go bare-faced?
Of course! I think people realise it’s not real. I mean, we put fake hair in. I quite happily put it on my Instagram, This is my hair—i can probably count them all because I was not blessed with a thick head of hair ... I post videos of myself dancing like a lunatic—i just want other people to know that we are all ordinary normal people. Even the most beautiful people have ugly days. I just don’t think we all need to look like the Kardashians. And I particularly encourage younger women, embrace whatever you’ve got. If you’ve got a bit of a crooked nose or you’ve got big eyebrows, embrace the uniqueness because there’s nobody else like you.
It’s refreshing to find people who use social media to show their warts-and-all life.
And that’s not to say I don’t take 15 selfies and say, “Oh no, that one’s bad” and I use a good one. I do. I still want to make the most of what I’ve got. I still look after my skin. I still look at the latest treatments, I still get a bit of laser, I get a bit of this, a bit of that. It’s my business, my face. But in the same breath, I’m very willing to say yes, these are lines. I own them.
Have you ever used Botox?
Oh yeah. Yeah! I’ve had Botox. It’s worn off as you can see, but occasionally I’ll go, “Oh yeah, I’ll go in and get a bit of that.” I don’t have a problem with it. I don’t think I’ll ever ... I mean, I like my lines. There’s also a point where time marches on and pretty soon it’s marching all over your face. At 65, 70 … I want to be looking like I’m a happy, healthy 6570-year-old who is looking after myself.
Outside of the physical, what do you believe is your most beautiful quality?
Hopefully kindness. I try to be kind to every single person that I meet. And compassion, because that’s what my mother is and my mother always taught me that. Even people that do you wrong, ultimately try to be kind to them. As I’ve gotten older that’s become even more prevalent because I think there’s so much suffering going on. My thing is treat everyone the way you would have them treat you. Be generous and kind even if it’s just a hug or a smile, or “I’ll buy you a cup of coffee,” or whatever. Hopefully that’s my best thing.