Anjelica Huston reveals private cancer battle, says she’s 4 years in the clear

Anjelica Huston is opening up about her private battle with cancer. 

The Oscar-winning actress, 73, revealed that she was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer following the release of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum in 2019.

“That was a very serious moment for me,” she told PEOPLE in a new interview. “I managed to survive it, and I’m proud of myself.”

Huston said her diagnosis “came as a big shock” and caused her to completely shift her perspective on life.

“It made me conscious of what I shouldn’t do, of places I shouldn’t go,” she said. “One of those places was taking life too seriously. So now when the opportunity arises, I laugh, and I try not to make a big deal out of things.”

The Ever After star confirmed that she is now “in the clear” after the health scare and has been cancer-free for the past four years. “I’m at the four-year mark, and that means so much to me,” she said. “It’s a fantastic thing. I’m very proud of myself, and I’ve been very lucky. My doctors have been wonderful.”

Huston added that she celebrated the good news at the time by going for a stroll in her garden, in which she “smelled the roses and thought how clever I was,” and that she continues to undergo scans to keep up-to-date on her health.

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Huston explained that she felt ready and wanted to share her story because she hoped that it would inspire others on their own cancer journeys.

“Sometimes you feel like you don’t want to talk about it for the obvious reasons, but there’s a lot to be said for talking about it and getting it out there and celebrating the fact that one’s come through,” she said. “Life is tenuous and wonderful. It also gives you the idea that the world is big and you can somehow match up to it. That you’re ready for whatever happens.”