Hitting the two-score mark is a biggie and something most gay men are not eager to rush into.

Psychologists say we face two life-changing events that chart the course of our lives. The first is adolescence, that time when hormones run wild and life enchants and evades us, all at the same time.

The second is the moment most of us dread.  That singular life changing moment: turning 40.

Just as when we crossed the 18-year milestone (that gave the right to vote and the ability to drive a car) so goes forty in the diary of our lives.  But think back to when you were eighteen.  What did you think of forty then? If you were like most, you thought one word: old.

Youth – and gay men under thirty - believe forty is the end of life.  The good news, though, is that when most reach it, they realize forty is just the beginning. Michael Lucas has made his fortune from his youthful looks and body, yet he still says he is embracing the big four-oh.

GC: It’s hard enough for most gay men to turn forty, but you’re in an industry that thrives on youthful male beauty.

ML: For me, it isn’t hard at all to turn forty. Age is just a number and I never think about it. Also, millions of other gay men have done it before me and if you look at Hollywood today, most men we consider ideal are well into their prime: Tom Cruise, Hugh Jackman, Brad Pitt...

GC: Do you feel pressure to stay in shape?

ML: Through every stage in life there is pressure to stay in shape. In my teens, I felt too skinny. In my twenties, I wasn’t built enough. Then I became busy running a company, so there was less time to go to the gym. The pressure is to find time.

GC: What do you do to stay looking good?

ML: I lead a very healthy lifestyle. I never touch alcohol, drugs or cigarettes. I also don’t spend my life in clubs. I eat right and I try to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.

GC: Does lots of sex keep you youthful?

ML: I think a healthy sex life is important to feel good mentally, but not physically. It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality of sex for me.

GC: Is forty really fabulous? Or is it just something old people say to make themselves feel better about being old?

ML: It depends. Your twenties can be tragic and your forties can be fabulous. I was happier in my thirties than in my twenties and I look forward to being even happier in my forties and beyond.

GC: What is the best thing about turning forty?

ML: You are still very young, but you are experienced and you know exactly what you want and hopefully how to achieve it.

GC: What is the worst thing about turning forty?

ML: You are obligated to throw a spectacular birthday party.

GC: Why do most gay men struggle with getting older?

ML: I don’t think that’s true. If there are those that do, they shouldn’t.

GC: You haven’t noticed the swarms of gay men over thirty-five shopping in Hollister and American Eagle?

ML: I think it’s not only wrong but quite funny. There are certain brands like A&F that are represented by 17-year-old models. If men think that by wearing these clothes, they will look like a youngster, they are very much mistaken. In my opinion, they should only be worn by teenagers and college kids.

GC: What do you miss most about your twenties?

ML: I miss the adventure. I miss the journey. I miss making mistakes that helped me to find out who I am.

GC: What do you know now that you wish you knew then?

ML: The difference between love and lust.  Also, the difference between being vulnerable with someone and simple sexual desire.

GC: How has your definition of success changed from when you were twenty?

ML: When I was twenty, I measured success by my bank account. Now that I’m older, I see success as being happy, being surrounded by people I love and knowing how to enjoy what I have and how to enjoy the moment.

GC: Would twenty-year-old Michael Lucas be proud of where forty-year-old Michael is today?

ML: Absolutely. I always expected that I would be successful and have money. I worked very hard for it. I am very proud of where I am.

GC: Did you expect to still be in the adult industry?

ML: Yes. I always expected to be in the industry. It was never in doubt that I would be a director and producer and I worked very hard in order to make that my full-time career. I didn’t really think about whether I would be in front of the camera or not. It was about the success of my company.

GC: What’s your advice to the new crop of young men pursuing careers in adult films?

ML: Be disciplined and take it as a real job.

GC: Can they expect to last as long as you have?

ML: They can last as long or longer as long as they use their heads.

GC: Where do you hope to be in twenty years?

ML: Where I am right now, in New York City. Being as happy as I am today with the friends I have made and hopefully many more. I would also love to have children.

GC: Michael Lucas wants to be a daddy?

ML: It has always been a dream of mine.

GC: If you could re-live your twenties, would you?

ML: Definitely. I was born in Russia and left when I was 23. I would have left much earlier.

GC: Would you do anything differently?

ML: I would skip a boyfriend or two. I would spend more time with my family.

GC: What is your biggest accomplishment of your life?

ML: That I made it in New York. This is a tough city and I made it!  Also, I was able to bring my whole family to the USA from Russia and give them a good life.

GC: What’s your birthday wish?

ML: An end to all wars, but that’s impossible to accomplish. Plato said two thousand years ago that wars will never cease to exist because they come from human passions.

GC: Is youth wasted on the young?

ML: That’s what the old say. They young don’t feel that way at all.