Andrew Denton: Interview: May 7

Tuesday night is shaping up as a big night of TV.

Andrew Denton: Interview has a good get with the legendary Jacki Weaver.

“You know how they say old women shouldn’t have long hair?” she asks. “Well I think ‘Bugger that!’ At 71, I can do what I like. Be what I want. Once women have passed the change of life and their children are grown up, I think many of them do find a whole new lease of life. It happened to me by accident.”

It’s the most extraordinary third act in Australian history. At 63, an age when many of us are contemplating retirement, Jacki Weaver broke into Hollywood on the back of her unforgettable performance in the movie Animal Kingdom.

In the nine years since, she’s made 26 films, scored Oscar nominations for Animal Kingdom and Silver Linings Playbook, and still found time to appear in a bunch of TV shows as well. All without losing any of her trademark sense of humour or naughtiness.

In this surprising and funny interview, she tells Andrew how she conquered Hollywood, why she got sacked from the Brownies and how to break a rib during sex. And why being a septuagenarian is not what it used to be.

9pm Tuesday on Seven.