A woman who has been on television for more than 50 years entering a West Hollywood restaurant in a white suit, a butterfly brooch, and heeled camel boots—looking, by most accounts, like she hasn’t aged past 1983—has a subtle allure. On a Saturday night in late June, Donna Mills did just that. She went out at Craig’s and attracted the kind of second looks that are typically reserved for women half her age.
Mills is eighty-four. She’s also finished discussing her appearance.
In a recent We’re Knot Done episode, however, Mills finally outlined her accomplishments and, more intriguingly, her shortcomings on the podcast she co-hosts with fellow Knots Landing veterans Michele Lee and Joan Van Ark. The admission was surprisingly informal. “Back when I was in my 40s, on Knots Landing, yes, I did a lift,” she replied. It was subtle, but it persisted.
And since then, I’ve done nothing.” It’s worth pausing to consider that final sentence. Apparently, there was only one facelift in the middle of the 1980s, and nothing more. That might be the whole truth. The definition of “nothing” might also be working there. However, there’s something almost refreshing about the directness with which she expressed it.
The 82-year-old Michele Lee was just as direct—and funnier about it. Six days after having her eyes done in her 40s, she sat next to the president of CBS at a dinner party and, according to her own description, looked stunning. Soon after, she returned to the Knots Landing set, where a female makeup artist discreetly covered up the bruises without passing judgment. It’s a tiny, incredibly human detail that highlights how commonplace everything was behind the scenes, even when it wasn’t being discussed in public.
Both women gave clear and consistent advice: don’t overdo it, do it once, and do it early. In Mills’ direct words, “If you do it too much, it’s ugly and horrible.” Lee went on to say that it becomes more difficult to hide the results when you go over 60. According to Mills, older people run the risk of having a pulled, overcorrected appearance, which frequently indicates a procedure gone too far, and their skin becomes less pliable. It’s the kind of honest evaluation you don’t often hear in Hollywood, where silence or denial have usually been the preferred course of action.
The lack of defensiveness in this discussion sets it apart from the typical celebrity surgery discourse. These women are obviously benefiting from cosmetic surgery, but they aren’t expressing regret for their decisions or claiming to be against it in theory. They approach facelifts in a pragmatic, almost clinical manner, discussing the best time to renovate a house. Take action before things get too bad. Don’t hold off until the structure is in danger.
Observing Mills in her 84-year-old appearance gives the impression that whatever she did decades ago was precisely what she intended—quiet, persistent, and nearly undetectable. Whether that’s the whole story or not, it’s a powerful call to action for moderation in a field that hardly ever uses it.
FAQs
1. What plastic surgery has Donna Mills admitted to having?
She had one facelift in her 40s during her Knots Landing years.
2. Has Donna Mills had any cosmetic procedures since her facelift?
She claims nothing has been done since that single procedure decades ago.
3. What age do Mills and Lee recommend for plastic surgery?
Both agree that your 40s deliver the most subtle, long-lasting natural results.
4. What procedure did Michele Lee have done during Knots Landing?
Lee had her eyes done in her 40s, barely noticeable to anyone.
5. What is the podcast where these revelations were discussed?
We’re Knot Done Yet, cohosted with Joan Van Ark and Michele Lee.