Jennifer Love Hewitt slams ageism in Hollywood, says trolls expect her to still look like she did in her 20s

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jennifer Love Hewitt is speaking out against the ageism she has faced throughout her decades-long career in Hollywood. 

Having grown up in the spotlight, the actress and director is pushing back against the scrutiny of her looks as she ages. 

While Hewitt embraces her current stage of life, she admitted that the most challenging part has been the public's reaction to her growing older.

Jennifer Love Hewitt opens up on embracing beauty in her 40s

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Jennifer Love Hewitt shared her thoughts on embracing beauty in her 40s, saying, "Age is age. I think women really come into this… acceptance of themselves and comfortability in their 40s that is beautiful." 

Reflecting on the challenges of aging in the public eye, Hewitt referenced a quote from Taylor Swift, explaining, "The times that it's hard for me though… I feel like fans pick… this age that they love that they think represents you, and you're never supposed to grow beyond that." 

She added, "For me… it was like me and my 20s… people seem to have a really hard time accepting that… I don't look that way anymore." 

Laughing, Hewitt noted, "It's hard because I think as humans, we want to evolve… we want to have lines on our faces, and you know, our boobs be lower from breast-feeding our children, or you know, our butt's bigger." 

She revealed how hurtful it can be, saying, "Whatever it is, you just want to have the freedom to be whoever you are at that age. And it's hurtful sometimes when people reject you as you are verbally on Instagram or the internet because they're having a hard time adjusting to it."

Hewitt reflected on her career, saying, "I was always a worrywart. I was just always worried… I had so much fun on the job, and [thought] it was going to be my last or that… people were going to kick me out of Hollywood and not let me act anymore."

She added, " I was going to be dorky… whatever it was. I was just always worried… I definitely enjoyed it and was present… had a good time and all those things. But I wasted a lot of time worrying. And I think I would just say to her, like, ‘Look, it's going to work out. You're going to start getting old, and they're still going to let you do things… it's OK. You're fine.’”

Jennifer Love Hewitt says her perspective on fans' opinions changed after she became a mother

Jennifer Love Hewitt's recent comments come after she shared a photo on social media last year where she appeared almost unrecognizable. Opting for a filter rather than makeup, the photo attracted harsh criticism, with some accusing her of hiding her true appearance.

Addressing the backlash on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast, Hewitt recalled, "The picture ended up somewhere. And a bunch of people were like, ‘Jennifer Love Hewitt is unrecognizable. She's unrecognizable and so she's gone to filters because she doesn't want us to know how bad she actually looks now in her 40s.' And I was like, ‘This is crazy.' Right?"

Since becoming a mother-of-three, Hewitt’s perspective on how fans view her has shifted. "I have a daughter, I'm sensitive to it because I don't want my kids to read those things and feel that way… or worry about me being hurt by it… it's hard to do that sometimes," she explained.

Amid the criticism, her daughters are also stepping into the spotlight, following in their parents’ footsteps by appearing in the Christmas movie 'The Holiday Junkie.'

Hewitt’s direction of the Lifetime effort marks her first-ever Christmas film in which she portrays Andie, a woman navigating the holiday season after losing her mother. In the film, she also finds an unexpected Christmas romance, played by her real-life husband, Brian Hallisay.

The couple, married since November 2013, share three children: Autumn, 11, Atticus, nine, and Aidan, three.