Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine reflects on 'appreciating enchantment' and next life plans

Shirley MacLaine, a legendary actress and author known for believing in reincarnation, recently shared her thoughts about next life.

While talking to People just after the launch of her new book The Wall of Life, MacLaine said that she "does not wonder about how long" she has left and has not thought much about what will happen in her next life.

"Oh, honey, I don't know. I can't do that. I've got to spend some time in heaven first," she quipped when asked who she would like to be next time.

In The Wall of Life, MacLaine discusses sharing her spiritual beliefs with everyone, a theme that was also present in her 1983 book Out on a Limb and the 1987 TV miniseries based on it.

MacLaine said, "I was never nervous about being open about any of that; people came up to me regularly and said the book changed their life, knowing that someone else thought the same way or believed the same truth."

MacLaine's latest 243-page book only has one page about Out on a Limb, a "groundbreaking, esoteric nonfiction book," while the rest of the book is about her life, career, friendships, and loves, with new photos and interesting stories.

The 90-year-old author revealed that the idea for the book came from a wall in her home that is covered with many personal photos from over the years.

"One day I was looking at my wall of pictures and just taking everything into consideration specifically, and I thought I should write about this — and that's what happened," she shared.

"Because I've had an enchanted life," McLaine added and went on to explain, "By looking at my wall that day, I realized the enchantment. I really have, and I really mean it. I felt that way. So it's something that comes out of appreciation."

For those unversed, MacLaine had a significant year in 1983 as she starred in Terms of Endearment, the movie that won her the Oscar for Best Actress after five nominations.

That same year, she published Out on a Limb, a nonfiction book about her spiritual beliefs, especially reincarnation.

For a while, MacLaine became well-known for scribbling her thoughts on her past lives as she was for acting, but she also received "harsh" criticism for openly sharing her beliefs.

It is pertinent to mention that Crown Publishing released The Wall of Life on October 22, 2024, and it is now available in various bookshops.