Glenn Close, 79, Reveals Why She’s Walking With a Cane
The screen legend shared an update after fans voiced concerns over her health.
Glenn Close has revealed why she’s using a new walking aid after red carpet photos of the actress sparked worries among her fans.
The 79-year-old Dangerous Liaisons star was spotted walking with a cane at NewFest’s opening-night screening of La Bola Negra at SVA Theater in New York City.
“I have a cane because I had a complete hip replacement,” Close explained in an Instagram video, saying her left hip was “in really bad shape.”
Her focus now, she said, is to “keep myself in running order” so she can “really leap into whatever challenges come my way.”
Close walked with the assistance of a cane at the "La Bola Negra" opening night premiere during 2026 NewFest at SVA Theater on October 15, 2026 in New York City.
Manoli Figetakis/Getty Images
At the event, Close briefly handed the cane to someone while posing for photographers, leaving fans questioning whether she was injured or using it for a role.
The walking aid even upstaged her carefully curated outfit: a New York Knights jacket nodding to the fictional baseball team from The Natural, the 1984 film in which she starred opposite Robert Redford.
Still, Close already has a packed schedule ahead. She hopes to fly to London on Oct. 26 for the opening of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, in which she plays Drusilla Sickle, before returning to New York for All’s Fair.
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“I hope to be fully present there,” she said, joking that she might not be “going up mountains” just yet.
Close is also due to receive an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in November.
Close briefly ditched the cane for some solo shots on the red carpet.
Manoli Figetakis/Getty Images
She isn’t the only beloved celebrity recovering from hip surgery this year.
Martha Stewart, 85, disclosed a hip replacement at a September event hosted by her skincare brand, Elm Biosciences, at New York City’s Perry St. restaurant. Stewart previously underwent the procedure in 2007 after two years of pain.
As for Close, she ended her update with reassurance: “Don’t worry, I’m feeling great,” adding that she has her “wonderful, wonderful family” around her.
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