This year, “M*A*S*H” star Alan Alda celebrated his 90th birthday. Though he has taken a step back from entertainment in his senior years, he’s still widely loved and adored by fans.
In a new interview, Alda opened up about his personal life. He touched on his childhood and growing up with his mother’s schizophrenia. Looking back, the actor reveals how his mother’s mental illness shaped his worldview as an adult.
Alan Alda Remembers Living With His Mother’s Schizophrenia
Alan Alda was born in New York City in 1936. Growing up with a mentally ill parent in the ’30s and ’40s wasn’t easy, but the actor adapted. As he approaches his 91st birthday, he’s thinking about how it impacted his adulthood.
“Alan Alda tells CBS News’ @drlapook about growing up with a mother who had schizophrenia and paranoia, saying he learned at a young age to determine what was real and ‘stick with that,'” CBS Sunday Morning captioned a new Instagram reel, sharing part of the interview with the “M*A*S*H” star.
“My mother was mentally ill,” Alda explained. “She had schizophrenia and was paranoid. So sometimes the communication would be about the crack in the wall, where they had a camera and were taking pictures of us.”
“I think that contributed to a lot of tools I later had, trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not real. I’d have to pick one reality and try to stick with that,” the actor added.
The 90-year-old added that growing up with a mentally ill parent made him “more observant.”
“I think it even helped, and I’m just realizing this for the first time in this moment, I think it even made me a little more curious,” Alda admitted.
Overall, listeners found the interview incredibly eye-opening.
“Being curious is an incredible quality to have, ❤️” one Instagram user replied in the comments.
The Actor Bravely Opens Up About His Parkinson’s Diagnosis
Alan Alda received his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2015. Though it has severely impacted his life, he has learned to accept the reality of the situation.
“I really think reality is my friend. I don’t want to wish it away. I can’t wish it away. I can’t hope for a better future. I gotta accept what is,” he told CBS Sunday Morning.
But at the end of the day, Alan Alda continues living his life.
“I don’t let Parkinson’s define me. It’s not who I am. It’s just a hobby,” Alda continued, noting that humor has helped him cope with rough times. “The best way to deal with anything that’s a little bit of a problem is to find out what’s funny about it and laugh at it.”
“I’ll be at the computer keyboard writing an email, and Dr. Parkinson is moving my hand all over the screen. I have the mouse, and he’s eliminating things and he’s deleting things that I need,” the actor laughed, describing his symptoms.
Fans wish Alan Alda and his family nothing but the best for their future.
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Alan Alda, 90, Reflects on Growing Up With His Mother’s Mental Illness, ‘I Think it Made Me a Little More Curious’