Donna Mills at 82 Trains Every Day, Gardens & Tends to Vineyard with Long-Time Partner of 22 Years Larry Gilman

When you see Donna Mills, you will never tell she's 82 years old. And it's all thanks to her discipline and her family, those who make her happiest —her adopted daughter and beloved partner, Larry Gilman.

Hollywood veteran actress Donna Mills dedicated her whole life to her acting career. However, there came a time when she needed to make a change and slow down.

In May 2022, Mills told People that it dawned on her that her life was incomplete. Once she realized what she needed to do to feel whole again, she pursued it.

"At a certain point, I realized there was something missing – it was a child. So, I went after it. I adopted her when she was four days old," she explained.

During that period, Mills had already reached her maternal clock as she was in her fifties. Moreover, people said she would be too "old" to be a mother:

"By that time, I was 54, and people said, 'You're going to be so old [to] have a little toddler running around.' I never felt that."

The Emmy nominee is a mom to a biracial daughter, Chloe, who is currently in her late twenties. Mills said having a child later in life was a blessing and urged others to consider becoming parents during that period.

The mother of one has a close bond with her daughter, whom she sees at least once a week and talks to daily via phone calls or texts.

When she first had her child, Mills continued to work and traveled with her infant daughter. But as soon as Chloe started going to school, the "Knots Landing" alum decided to go on an 18-year hiatus to become a full-time parent.

The Hollywood star said she did not go through all the trouble of being a mom only to have other people care for Chloe while she worked, saying:

"I didn't become a mother to give her to a nanny."

Chloe was born on September 12, 1994. Mills became a single parent after adopting her daughter, as she had never been married.

Mills Found Everlasting Love

In her early years, the Soap Opera Digest Award winner had been through rocky relationships, which never lasted. Mills previously dated film producer Allen Adle and actor Vic Vallario.

She also got involved with rock guitarist Richard Hollard, her most turbulent relationship yet. The two were considered an unlikely pair. While Mills was hyperactive, Hollard was reportedly lazy.

Mills revealed she was "aware" that the public disliked the musician turned advert executive. Some people suggested that he was a gold digger only with her because of her fortune.

Throughout their relationship, the couple was on-and-off and described their romance as "turbulent." Mills and Holland were together for two decades before they split.

The Chicago native later met actor and producer Larry Gilman in 2001. They have been together for over 20 years and are still going strong.

Like Mills, Gilman also had a thriving career. He starred in the TV series "Texas Rangers" between 1980 to 1981. He later appeared in the feature film "Secrets" and the popular comedy "M*A*S*H."

Mills described him as a devoted and caring partner who showed how much he loved her through his actions. Thus, Gilman and his significant other have a wonderful life together.

Mills Is in the Best Shape despite Her Age

While Mills is happily in love, she has also embraced the aging process, and with that, it is safe to say that she is aging gracefully. The TV star prefers no enhancements such as cosmetic procedures and would rather have her natural lines. But she also monitors what she consumes and does exercises. She revealed:

"I usually work out every day. [..]I do weight training and a lot of stretching."

When it comes to her meals, Mills said she's always been conscious of what she eats. She avoids sugary foods and does not eat "pasta" or "starches." However, she does consume proteins and vegetables that she grows from her garden, including kale, arugula, and tomatoes.

To keep her skin glowing, Mills avoids the sunlight. She divulged that someone once suggested she try out cosmetic surgery, but she quickly shut down the idea:

"No, because I'm not going to look like a duck. I'd rather have lines than a duck bill."

Mills also takes care of her health by exercising. In February 2022, she shared a video of herself on a peloton and wrote: "I'm loving my new @onepeloton. It keeps me moving, motivated, and I can even ride through Iceland."

Mills showed fans how physically active she is when she shared an image of her and her friend playing tennis while wearing tennis gear.

Content with her appearance, Mills is more appreciative of her love, Gilman, who gave her the most thoughtful gift in November 2015. The blonde beauty shared that her beau gave her her own vineyard, which he "planted" in 2014. "He's such a good guy," Mills gushed.

At the time, it had only been 12 months since Gilman planted the vineyard, which already had grapes. Mills explained that it would take another 12 months to have wine grapes and that they plan to bottle their own wine and call it "Ethereal."

The "General Hospital" alum showed followers how much she is into producing fruits and posted on social media in October 2019 that she picked out apples, which are "one of my favorite fall traditions."

Months later in March 2020, she revealed on her Instagram that she was preparing her garden for the spring season, adding it was part of her "social distancing" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

By October 2020, Mills gave fans a glimpse into her vineyard as she posed wearing a face mask and standing next to a white bucket. She announced it was harvest time.

She revealed it was harvest time again, a year later, in October 2021 and that it was "only Malbecs this time," which scaled at "2000 pounds." Mills posted a picture holding the fruits while beaming with pride.

The award-winning star shared the fruits of her labor when she posted a snapshot of her and Gilman drinking wine while seated on the Mandeville Vineyards in August 2022.