AARP The Magazine EXCLUSIVE: Rob Lowe on Aging Gracefully and Finding Fulfillment at 61 – Both Professionally and Personally
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AARP The Magazine EXCLUSIVE: Rob Lowe on Aging Gracefully and Finding Fulfillment at 61 – Both Professionally and Personally
The actor, podcast and game show host reflects on his acting journey, his 35 years of sobriety, and his deep connection with his family and commitment to cancer research
WASHINGTON—Rob Lowe, who has spent more than four decades in the spotlight, is embracing the joy of life as he continues to evolve in his career and personal life. In the April/May 2025 issue of AARP The Magazine (ATM), the actor, now also taking on roles as a podcast and game show host, discusses his journey from 1980s teen heartthrob to sought-after TV personality, while finding contentment in his 60s.
In addition to his career, Lowe also opens up about his relationship with his wife and kids, his path to sobriety, and his dedication and commitment to raising awareness around breast cancer.
Lowe first rose to fame as Sodapop Curtis in The Outsiders and became an iconic figure of 1980s youth cinema, with roles in St. Elmo’s Fire and About Last Night. In the ’90s, he expanded his career with roles in Wayne’s World, Contact, and Austin Powers, before his Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated performance on The West Wing. He later embraced new creative ventures, including a celebrated role on Parks and Recreation, voice work, and his one-man show Stories I Only Tell My Friends: Live! Recently, Lowe teamed up with his son, John Owen Lowe, for the comedy Unstable, and starred in 9-1-1: Lone Star.
Now, Lowe has shifted to hosting, with his podcast Literally! With Rob Lowe, the third season of Fox’s The Floor, as well as a third new book in the works, he tells ATM. “I want to find new things that are continually challenging me and reintroducing me to people who might not have even been born when West Wing came out.”
The following are excerpts from ATM’s February/March 2025 cover story featuring Rob Lowe. The issue is available in homes starting in April and online now at www.aarp.org/magazine/.
On his early entertainment ambitions:
“It’s a sense of being seen.” he says, “a sense of power and ability. I felt it the very first time I went on stage and got a laugh.”
On reuniting with Brats on-screen for the St. Elmo’s Fire sequel
“We made a movie that worked, exploring what we were like when we were 21…Let’s see what we’re like when we’re 61.”
On his 33-year marriage to celebrity makeup artist and jewelry designer Sheryl Berkoff:
“We both really work on it. You get your oil changed in a car before you need it. Therapy is a life hack for us.”
On raising his kids out of the spotlight:
“I had a vision of myself coaching Little League, which I did. I coached everything I could. It was one of my favorite things I did as a dad. And I didn’t want to look over on the sidelines and have the head of NBC over there, who I’m waiting to hear from, whether they’re going to renew my show for the fifth season.”
On his cancer research advocacy after losing his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to breast cancer:
“It feels like every decade there’s a new iteration of how I get to participate in the world to help people who are going through cancer, and it gives me a ton of satisfaction to help out.”
On what a rare “quiet” day looks like for him:
“I sleep in, have my coffee in bed. I do my prayers and meditation. I spend some time with the dogs. I go to the gym. I’ll check in on business. If nothing is pending, I’ll go and play a round of golf or surf, and then come back for dinner with my wife at home, and then she’ll want to watch TV. I’ll go to the firepit and have a cup of coffee or something like that, and then off to bed.”
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About AARP:
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation’s largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.
