United Kingdom, May 12 -- Gugu Mbatha-Raw believes acting has helped her keep feeling young.

The 43-year-old actress is "loving" life in her 40s but thinks her job helps because it is important to maintain her "childlike imaginative sensitivities" and still be able to "access play".

Asked how she has found her 40s, she told Grazia magazine: "Really, really good. I'm kind of loving it. I'm getting to do what I want to do. I feel like I'm able to kind of appreciate and have meaning in life.

"It reminds me of the Black Mirror episode that I did. How old is your soul? That really resonates with me. It's about your energy, it's about your spirit...

"I feel like I do a job that is literally 'let's pretend'. I feel like I have the privilege ...