On the surface, the perceived ‘expiration date’ of actors and actresses in Hollywood is one which affects both men and women. In the age of plastic surgery and an obsession with anti-aging products, the pressure to stop ageing at thirty is felt by all. However, when addressing the female side of the issue, it gets a little more complex.
Unfortunately, as we get older, we’re often viewed in a less glamorous light, at least in the world of Hollywood. Attraction and beauty are all too often associated with youth. The difference is, when men age, they get the chance to become a ‘silver fox’, seen as a wise and well-respected gentleman, peppered with grey hairs.
When women find the first dreaded grey hair, they’re expected to dye it. When wrinkles appear, Botox might be considered. Kate Winslet has expressed frustration at being called “brave” in her recent film, Lee, for revealing her natural body and going makeup-free for the role at 49. It shouldn’t be considered brave; it should be normal.
For years now, we’ve known that certain actresses have been cast in the role of the ‘hot girl’, take Megan Fox for example in the Transformers movie. These are characters that rely on a foundation of good looks and youth, often ignoring their talent as actresses and leading them to be typecast again and again into one-dimensional roles.
This can set them up for failure as the key requirement, youthful sex appeal, has a time limit. Hollywood has the power to cast them aside, opting for the next generation’s glowing, wrinkle-free actresses. This vicious cycle leads to dehumanising objectification of these women by the media and by the public. Not long ago Sydney Sweeney talked of an incident with the paparazzi where they stood outside her house negotiating with her. They said they’d leave her alone if she came out in a bikini so they could photograph her.
An issue parallel to this, therefore, is the dramatic increase of plastic and cosmetic surgery amongst celebrities, particularly aimed at women; brow lifts, Botox, buccal fat removal, to name a few. I have often questioned why these women who pretty much defined the beauty standard of the 1990s and early 2000s would choose to alter their faces? But maybe this plastic surgery isn’t done with the sole intention of looking younger, or for vanity reasons. Perhaps it’s done in an effort to extend their careers; to lengthen the amount of time before the first wrinkle appears and suddenly, they’re considered an ‘older woman’.
A whole other kind of typecasting often follows, a trope embedded within us from a young age, starting with animated Disney princess movies in which most of the villains tend to be older ladies. Ursula in The Little Mermaid, the evil stepmother in Cinderella and Mother Gothel in Tangled, whose evil even originated from her never-ending desire to remain young.
These fifty-something ladies are often placed in supporting roles, whether it be the judgemental mother-in-law or the frumpy grandmother- these characters aren’t seen as glamorous or empowering. Even in 1993, at age 59, Maggie Smith talked with interviewer Barry Norman about being typecast more often as she got older. These were usually roles which focussed on her older age, such as being cast as an elderly widow in Suddenly, Last Summer (1993) despite her not yet being 60.
This is something which Tom Cruise doesn’t have to worry about when he’s playing his age defying roles in the Mission Impossible films, with the most recent one made when he was 60.
Although it should be noted that Hollywood does appear to be embracing the older demographic of women more, particularly this year with films like The Idea of You (2024) starring Anne Hathaway at age 41 and A Family Affair (2024) with Nicole Kidman at age 57. While it’s good that middle-aged women are getting their visibility back in Hollywood as lead roles, there still needs to be a wider range of roles.
The trope of an age gap relationship almost emphasises the actress’s age and draws attention to the fact that they’re an ‘older woman’. It should also be said that, with an increase in plastic surgery, Hollywood may be more inclined to work with actresses who have been able to preserve their youthful looks. So, there’s still too much emphasis put on a desire for youth, as films aren’t always depicting what a natural fifty or forty-something would look like.
Many enjoy seeing older women cast in roles similar to those like Judi Dench in the James Bond franchise. Dench was 41 years old during her first appearance in a Bond film and 77 in her last, her role was that of a woman in power, with age not being a hinderance. In The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Miranda Priestly played by Meryl Streep was 57, a powerful editor in chief of a global magazine. It’s always refreshing to see a woman in a commanding role at any age, but especially at an age where they begin to be disregarded.
Female actresses shouldn’t be reduced to tropes, stereotypes and supporting roles past the age of 40. Talent transcends looks, age and body types and it’s not a ‘brave’ move for a middle-aged woman to have no make up on: it’s time we redefine and embrace women at every age.
