Valerie Bertinelli Turns 65, Rocks Lingerie Pic, and Shuts Down Critics Who Say She's 'Too Much'

Valerie Bertinelli just celebrated her 65th birthday, and she did it in a way that’s equal parts bold and refreshingly real. The beloved "One Day at a Time" star marked the occasion with a vibrant video montage on social media, capturing snapshots from her life’s rollercoaster ride. In her post, Bertinelli shared some candor about the journey, saying she’s thankful for both the tough times and the triumphs, declaring she can finally see the light at the end of her tunnel.

With her trademark humor, she declared her love for family, friends, and her ever-loyal online community, calling herself one "lucky and grateful mofo." Now that’s a birthday vibe worth aspiring to.

One photo in the montage was a throwback: Bertinelli posing in lingerie in a hotel bathroom. She’s been open about her path toward accepting every "lump, bump, wrinkle, and saggy part," reflecting on the madness her body’s endured and the simple joy of being able to stand in front of a mirror—roots ready to be colored, self-love in full effect. Who knew a Manhattan bathroom could be the setting for such a personal milestone?

Her journey hasn’t just been about acceptance. After giving up alcohol and choosing to focus on the future, Bertinelli’s self-love revolution went public on multiple fronts. On "The Drew Barrymore Show," she joined a panel discussing the all-too-familiar accusation of being "too much." When relationship expert Damona Hoffman told the crowd, "If someone thinks you’re too much, then they are not enough," Bertinelli and Barrymore practically led a hand-raising parade in the studio. Turns out, being "too much" is something to celebrate, not apologize for.

On the relationship front, Bertinelli split last fall from boyfriend Mike Goodnough after a 10-month romance. Their breakup, which played out a bit on social media, even sparked rumors of a subtle online feud—rumors Goodnough shot down, clarifying he still has love for Bertinelli and that their Instagram posts weren’t coded messages to each other. The drama may be worthy of a soap opera, but at least there’s honesty at the heart of it.

Bertinelli herself has been candid about her own stumbles in love, admitting she "fumbled the last true good man" she met. Still, in a now-deleted post, she praised Goodnough for changing her "for the better."

Her romantic history has seen its share of headlines: a "wicked" divorce from Tom Vitale in 2022 and a storied marriage to the late Eddie Van Halen before that.

As Bertinelli embraces 65, one thing’s clear: she’s not dialing down her spirit for anyone. If being "too much" means living out loud and not hiding behind filters, maybe the rest of us could use a little more of it, too.