Beverly D'Angelo: Having Kids at 49? Don't Try It

Beverly D'Angelo, the star of the National Lampoon's film series, has spoken candidly about how having children later in life affected her professional trajectory. At 74, she shared with People that her focus on her twins, Olivia and Anton, whom she welcomed at 49, may have come at the cost of career advancement.

D'Angelo and her former partner, Al Pacino, conceived their twins via IVF and welcomed them in January 2001. Although they separated in 2004, D'Angelo noted that they developed a unique and intimate coparenting relationship built on honesty and acceptance. Reflecting on her experience, the actress humorously advises, "Don't try it at home."

She found that bonding with other mothers was challenging due to differing life experiences. D'Angelo expressed that her late-in-life decision to have children meant she felt she had "been there, done that," shifting her priorities toward motherhood above all else, a choice she implies might have narrowed her professional scope.