Valerie Bertinelli discussed her viral mirror selfie during an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” expressing pride in her body at 64.

The TV star embraces her body’s natural changes and rejects societal pressure to look a certain way.

Valerie Bertinelli previously addressed social media criticism of her body in an Instagram post, emphasizing self-acceptance and personal growth.

Valerie Bertinelli opened up about the viral underwear selfie she posted to Instagram during an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show.”

When asked by co-host Ross Matthews about her decision to post the mirror selfie, Bertinelli explained, “I’ve accepted my body now, I’m getting older, and I saw myself in the light, and I was like, ‘Oh , I’m not angry about that.

The Food Network star stood up and lifted her red sweater to proudly show off her belly, receiving cheers from the audience as she joked: “Like all these planks and sit-ups I’ve been doing, you can see under the sagging belly skin.

Bertinelli then noted that she was “proud” of her body. She said: “I have to say that’s 64 years of gravity. It’s science. If you focus on that picture you’ll see the little flasks, and I’m proud of them because I’m 64 years. It’s a belly.” “.

During the conversation, Bertinelli also addressed the criticism she received on social media after posting her viral underwear selfie.

She explained that the comments, ranging from calling her “too fat” to “out of shape” or “ugly,” no longer bothered her as much.

“So what I learned is that my dad was wrong. You can’t make everyone like you,” she said. Page six. “And ultimately, I’m OK with that, at this age.”

The actress expressed frustration with societal pressures to look a certain way, saying: “I don’t like that I’ve participated in this manipulation of our brains that we have to look a certain way. We have to be a certain weight.”

Bertinelli also shared her newfound self-acceptance during the interview: “I’m a size 10. How is that too thin? How is that too big? I’m just me. This is my body.”

Bertinelli made headlines in early December when she shared a mirror selfie in black lingerie, standing in front of a bathroom sink while holding a can of hair dye.

In the caption, she discusses her body’s journey over the years, writing, “At some point I’ll talk about the craziness my body has been through this year.”

Expressing a feeling of acceptance and appreciation for herself, she added, “But right now, every bump and every wrinkle and every sagging part of me just feels the acceptance and simple appreciation of standing in front of a mirror in a downtown Manhattan hotel bathroom, ready to do it.” color my roots late on a Monday night.”

The day after sharing her empowering mirror selfie, Bertinelli took to Instagram to respond to the criticism.

She urged her followers to practice self-compassion, writing: “To all of you who would judge my body, the photo and why I posted it, I hope you find a place in your heart for don’t judge yourself as harshly as you judge others.

Reflecting on her lifelong experiences with judgment, she said, “I have dealt with judgment my whole life since I was a young girl. It took me a long time to realize that my judgment, with patient discernment, is the only judgment. It matters.”

She added: “…It took me almost 3 years of emotional work to get to this point mentally, and for the first eight months of this year I had physical setbacks, and for the first time in my life life, I love my body as it is.”

In a Instagram post, Bertinelli celebrated two years of “freedom” following her divorce from Tom Vitale.

Reflecting on her journey, she shared an uplifting message with her followers: “I didn’t know how I was going to get through it, but I knew that somehow, I would.”

The ‘Hot In Cleveland’ actress continued, “Today marks two years of freedom. Two years of pushing through doubt and doing my best to get to the other side. Two years of knowing that I didn’t deserve not to tolerate the intolerable.

Bertinelli also acknowledged her ongoing journey toward healing, adding, “Two years of working on shame and self-loathing (still working on that part…).

“Two years of work to find my true self,” she noted, referencing her rocky marriage to Vitale, which officially ended in November 2022.