Actress Bo Derek has opened up about her decision to step away from Hollywood at the height of her career, citing feelings of discomfort and a sense of being an "impostor."
Speaking on Bill Maher's "Club Random" podcast, Derek explained that she had no prior aspirations to be in films and that her breakout role in the 1979 hit movie "10" was a "fluke." At the time, she had no agent, manager, or significant career ambitions in the movie industry.
![Actress Bo Derek, with her hair in cornrows, walks along the beach in swimwear as Samantha Taylor in the 1979 movie 10, directed by Blake Edwards.]( "Actress Bo Derek, with her hair in cornrows, walks along the beach in swimwear as Samantha Taylor in the 1979 movie "10," directed by Blake Edwards.")
Derek, who rose to international fame following the success of "10," became a prominent figure in Hollywood during the late 1970s and 1980s. Her signature braided hairstyle in the film became iconic. Despite her success, she found the constant exposure unsettling.
"I was just always uncomfortable with my image, being all over magazines when I walked down the street," Derek told Maher. "And I always felt kind of fake and an impostor at the same time 'cuz I didn't work as an actress. Or drive a limo or whatever everybody else did to be in movies."
She stated that she is now happy in retirement and has no desire to return to work. Derek has been living north of Santa Barbara since 1981. She expressed that she doesn't feel she is missing out on anything by not being in the public eye.
Beyond her acting career, Derek is also known for her advocacy for animal welfare and her involvement in various conservation efforts.