Jennifer O'Neill Ages Gracefully

Actress And "Cover Girl" Model Promotes Web Site Aimed At Boomers

(CBS)  Baby boomers remember Jennifer O'Neill from her "Cover Girl" ads and her starring role in the 1971 film "The Summer of '42." Like many of her fans, she doesn't feel the least bit ready for retirement.

"I had the experience at 50 of having a birthday and receiving my AARP card on the same day," O'Neill told TheShowbuzz.com "and it ruined my day!"

O'Neill is promoting Rezoom.com, a community Web site for people who feel they're too mature for MySpace but aren't quite ready to be labeled a "senior."

The majority of the content on the Web site is free and deals with health, wellness, travel and other issues of interest to its audience. For a fee, members can set up a page for their friends and families and receive discounts on travel and at selected stores.

"I'm about to be 59, mom of 3, and 4 grandchildren. I have never felt better or wanted to do more," she said. "ReZoomers are also redesigning themselves at this time of their lives. We're healthier, we want to live well, and we want to give back."

She said that ReZoom.com appealed to her because of its "A Better World" program.

"We were called the 'me generation' for a long time, and now we want to be a 'we generation,'" she said.

The "A Better World" program is offering funds to charities chosen by ReZoom.com members. More than 20 charities will each receive a $5,000 regional award and will then qualify for the $100,000 national award. More than 600 charities have already been nominated.

"They're asking people to come online and offer up their charity. Write about it, tell us about it, and it will get voted on like 'American Idol,'" she said.

Although O'Neill is a devout Christian and has her own ministry, she says that the charities and the Web site are non-denominational.

O'Neill is ready to give back after a long career that began when she was still a teenager.

"I started at 15 modeling so I could buy a horse," she said. "I started traveling the world. I got married at 17 and had my daughter when I was just 19. After I had my daughter, I started studying acting."

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O'Neill was only 22 years old when she auditioned to play the "older woman" in "Summer of '42," so she had to fight for the role.

"They didn't want to see anyone under 30 years old," she said. "But I had a really good agent."

Now that she's approaching 60, she's taking aging in stride. "I never had a facelift," she said. "I don't see anything wrong with it, but if it's an obsession I don't think it's healthy. I'm a firm believer in beauty from the inside out ... maybe that's because I'm aging!"

In addition to her charity work, O'Neill stays busy writing a series of novels aimed at Christian women, acting, and working on a play based on her autobiography.

But she does hope to spend more time with her first love, horses.

"I'm really enjoying being very creative right now," she said. "I spend a lot of time working and less time riding. I still have one horse, the last one that I bred. He's five years old. I just have a very intense work period. Hopefully I'll start showing him again."

[jetlizhan]

Now here's a true 'success' story - and it has nothing to do with the Hollywood scene. She's happy and content with herself - yup, she's found the 'golden ring'. She is still so lovely.

[shortmama2]

I'll never forget her in "Summer Of '42." She was
luminous, lovely.
Jennifer's to be commended for her good works.