Actress Bo Derek explained her departure from Hollywood and shared personal perspectives during an interview on Bill Maher's "Club Random" podcast, released July 6, 2026.
Derek, who rose to fame after starring in the 1979 film "10," discussed her satisfaction with retirement and life north of Santa Barbara, where she has lived since 1981.
"I'm not promoting anything. I'm loving my life.
I don't need to go back to work," said Derek.
The actress noted that her retirement often surprises people because many heavily pursue cinematic fame.
"It's very strange. People don't understand it," she said.
"You know that expression, they would kill to do it, to be famous, to be in movies and not for some of us."
No Regrets About Leaving Hollywood
Derek expressed complete satisfaction with her current lifestyle away from the entertainment industry.
"I love retirement. I am so happy in retirement," she continued.
Maher suggested that being recognized as an exceptionally beautiful woman for a decade must have been gratifying yet burdensome, but Derek rejected that sentiment by citing her lack of initial film aspirations.
"It was none of those things," replied Derek. "Like I say, it was just a whirlwind because I had no aspirations to be in films.
I had when I did '10,' it was just a fluke that I got the part and I had no agent, no manager, no nothing, no fantasies about being in the movies."
Derek stated that the sudden public attention made her feel disconnected from the reality of her profession.
"I was just always uncomfortable with my image, being all over magazines when I walked down the street.
And I always felt kind of fake and an impostor at the same time 'cuz I didn't work as an actress," she said.
Decision Not to Have Children
The conversation shifted to her decision not to have children, which she initially expected to do because of societal norms before evaluating her schedule at age 32.
"Everyone says you're going to have kids.
When I hit about 32, I thought, Uh-oh; I better start working on this and scheduling it," said Derek.
Derek explained that her first husband, John Derek, was significantly older and already had two children from a previous relationship.
"I kept waiting for my life to slow down. It never slowed down," she said.
"He didn't want kids. He'd had two kids from a previous marriage.
He was older, so he'd done it."
Upon further reflection, Derek concluded that parenthood did not suit her character or her husband's personality.
"When I thought I wanted it, then I really started sitting down to scheduling and I thought, I'm not mother material," said Derek.
"My husband certainly isn't father material. He was the most judgmental oddball."
She compared her deliberate approach to family planning with the care she takes when choosing a pet.
"I think I spend more time when I decide to have a dog, a new dog, than most people do when they have a kid," she said.
Maher later shifted the dialogue toward policy issues, expressing support for decriminalizing narcotics while holding a blunt.
"I want drugs to be decriminalized," said Derek.
Maher voiced his agreement regarding immediate decriminalization on his program.
"On this show, I want it to happen!" agreed Maher.
Derek compared drug prohibition to historical alcohol bans that empowered organized crime.
"Prohibition created the mafia!" exclaimed Derek.
"We learn nothing!"
Maher attributed the continuation of illegal drug laws to financial interests within competing industries.
"Of course," replied Maher. "That's because there's money in it, honey.
There's so much money in keeping it illegal… Do you think the liquor industry wants to compete with this?"
Maher then questioned the necessity of universal COVID-19 vaccine mandates, specifically for individuals who possessed natural immunity from previous infections.
"I mean, why did everybody have to get a COVID shot? Even people with natural immunity.
Natural immunity, which we always used to respect. But in COVID, no.
'Just get our product in you,'" asked Maher.
Maher clarified that he does not oppose vaccines entirely but prefers personal autonomy in medical choices.
"I want it decriminalized today," quipped Maher.
Derek recalled the public anticipation surrounding the vaccine rollout and argued that mandates restricted compliance.
"Yeah, I remember the build-up to, 'It's coming, it's coming, it's coming,'" said Derek. "And I think if they had just left it, 'Here it is!
This vaccine. It's available to anybody who wants it,' I think probably more people would have taken it.
But when you tell Americans, 'You must,' that's a problem."
Maher stated that ignoring established science regarding natural immunity caused him to doubt the motivations behind the mandates.
"But even more that bugs me is the natural immunity thing," insisted Maher.
"I mean, for the people who were like, 'We're the science people,' well, there was nothing that was more settled science than 'natural immunity is the best.'
So, if somebody has natural immunity, if they got this, I know a lot of people who were like, 'Oh, you know what, I got sick in like November of 2019.
I bet that was COVID.' Yeah, I bet it was.
And, you could test it. 'Doesn't matter.
Get our sh*t in you.' That's when I go, 'OK, now the fix is in.
Now, you're telegraphing that you just wanna get your product in me as much as you can."
Derek concluded by confirming she has no regrets regarding her departure from film sets.
"No, I'm not missing anything," she said. "I don't miss it."
