Uma Thurman Covers 'W Magazine' October 2009

Uma Thurman sparkles in a cashmere silver sequined Donna Karan dress on the October 2009 cover of W magazine. Here’s what the 39-year-old actress spilled:

On plans to wed fiance Arpad “Arki” Busson and whether then plan to live in NYC or his home base of London: “I’m happily engaged, but we haven’t set a wedding up. I’m not in a rush to do anything. One day we’ll do it, when we’re ready… We can’t live anywhere else because my children’s’ father lives here. We’ll figure that out.”

On reassessing her life and approaching 40: “I can’t say my 30s were the easiest time. And I had thought my 20s were hard! … You know, that’s the worst mistake a woman can make, to think, Oh, I’m 32 and I’ve had two kids and I’ve worked since I was 16 and now it’s going to get easier. Because as soon as you think that, you’re doomed! You’re absolutely doomed!”

On her regrets: “I feel like I lived my life backwards. Like Bob Dylan said, ‘I was so much older then; I’m younger than that now.’ Getting older has been a process of realizing that I wasn’t as grown up as I had thought. When I was a teenager people often referred to me as jaded or knowing. It’s a classic teen illusion to think you know it all, but I’ve certainly learned I don’t. I’ve certainly learned the hard way.’

Acknowledging that her career isn’t where it should be, partly because she takes projects that don’t require a lot of time away from NYC: “When my son turned seven, I felt myself stand upright and realize that I wasn’t going to be bending over so much. I realized I had been kind of in this position for years! It’s nice to think that everybody’s getting more independent and now I can kind of maybe, slightly selfishly, think about work again…You know, I do care about my work, and it is part of me. And I am a mother, but I need to do what I’m good at doing. You really can’t let go of all of yourself…. Even your kids need you to be who you are… I’ve been living at home for work for a long time. If I don’t leave soon, I’m going to literally choke my career to death.”

More photos from Uma‘s cover shoot at WMagazine.com. Bigger pics inside…