37 year old Maggie Gyllenhaal ‘too old’ to play 55-year-old’s love interest

[Liberal_in_LA]

Oscar nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal was left speechless when a casting boss recently told her she was “too old” to play the onscreen love interest of a 55-year-old man.



The 37-year-old The Dark Knight star’s experience of ageism in Hollywood initially left her fuming, but she couldn’t help but laugh once she had time to digest the executive’s remark.

The actress refuses to name the man behind the comment or the project he ruled her out of, but she tells TheWrap.com, “There are things that are really disappointing about being an actress in Hollywood that surprise me all the time… It was astonishing to me. It made me feel bad, and then it made me feel angry, and then it made me laugh.”

Despite the negative incident, Gyllenhaal remains hopeful she will continue to receive opportunities to play strong women on film.
http://blog.sfgate.com/dailydish/2015/05/22/maggie-gyllenhaal-too-old-to-play-55-year-olds-love-interest/

[sharp_stick]

1. It's unbelievable what Hollywood does to women

They're good to about 30 or 35 and then nothing until they can play doting mothers.

[arcane1]

2. There was a funny video about that topic recently, I don't recall where I saw it

It was a group of famous actresses in their 40's talking about this...

Dammit, it's going to bug me until I remember where I saw it

[randome]

63. Julia Louis-Dreyfus' "no longer fuckable' video?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.[/center][/font][hr]

[arcane1]

8. Found it:

[Dont call me Shirley]

18. Love it. Women just gotta have fun

[LWolf]

23. Love this.

[Warpy]

101. Too funny! And yes, I DID notice that about Sally Field and Tom Hanks

and there's a wonderful song in "Postcards from the Edge" about how every actress goes through stages from ingenue to vamp to mother to camp.

Hollywood has a weird idea of women. I watch damned few of their movies because of it, preferring BBC and foreign flicks, subtitles or not. Hollywood with it's emphasis on very young women paired with very old men and no character development of either lost me decades ago.

[awoke_in_2003]

105. It is sad the way actresses are judged...

but hearing JLD burp made me like her even more

[liberal_at_heart]

108. Love that clip. Screw the media and screw Hollywood.

[guillaumeb]

3. Is Woody Allen producing/directing the movie?

If so, would the love interest be an 18 year old woman?

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. Woody does like those may / December romances doesn't he?

[ZX86]

4. Hollywood is pretty much Logan's Run

as far as female actors go.

[Initech]

30. Actually I think that as well as Falling Down:

[KamaAina]

5. Dafuq?

[madinmaryland]

129. He played for the Steelers, didn't he?

Frenchy Fuqua?

😜

[KamaAina]

156. ...

[Rex]

7. Producer Pig should be outted imo.

I bet he is a big Nugent fan.

[4139]

9. She looks 50

[winter is coming]

12. Um, nope.

And even if she did, why would a 50-year-old woman be too old to be a love interest for a 55-year-old man?

[Reter]

148. Maybe he looks 40

[Dont call me Shirley]

17. That comment nugget is sexist and ageist! 50 y o women are beautiful and many are wise.

[4139]

20. It is neither sexist nor ageist...

Some people look younger than they are and some look older.

[Dont call me Shirley]

21. Ridicule and degradation are so easily apparent

[BlueJazz]

138. ...and how do you tell by one photo? Let me take 20 photos of you and then pick out...

...the worst one. Get a clue please.

[Dont call me Shirley]

139. Wha? I was responding to 4319's derogatory comment about Maggie looking 50.

Get a clue about what? Recognizing ridicule and derision of women and age when I see it?

[BlueJazz]

141. I'm an Idiot. Note to self: Do not eat ice cream, watch TV and post to the wrong poster.

I'm sorry Don't call me Shirley Forgive me.

[Dont call me Shirley]

143. ...

Forgiven and I'll raise you one

[gollygee]

24. You must be very young

to have so little an ability to judge age of people who aren't very young.

[4139]

25. 60

[gollygee]

26. Then you can tell she doesn't look 50

I'm in my late 40s and around women of this age constantly. She doesn't look at all 50.

[Reter]

149. In the pic she that was used in the OP, she does look a lot older

But in other pictures, she looks much younger.

[gollygee]

151. She looks younger than any of the 40-somethings I know

I think she looks 37.

[Lizzie Poppet]

40. Then you need to get out more.

Just sayin'...

[DavidDvorkin]

39. I'm afraid so

That's the elephant in the room.

[Skittles]

43. ?

why would 50 be too old to play the love interest of a 55 year old guy?

[DavidDvorkin]

48. My "Afraid so" was in reference to her looking 50

Rather than 37.

From the article, we don't know the specifics. Perhaps the character she was auditioning for is supposed to look mid-30s. If so, she doesn't qualify.

The elephant in the room that I referred to is how much older she looks than her age. Were other actresses of the same age also rejected, or was it just her? We don't know. The outrage across the Internet at this story isn't justified, at least based on what little we know.

[SusanCalvin]

55. Uh, there's a well-established pattern.

Zebra hoofbeats, and all that......

[DavidDvorkin]

56. Huh?

[SusanCalvin]

67. If you hear hoofbeats,

your first thought is *not* a herd of zebras. (Unless, of course, you're in an area where they're more common than horses.)

[DavidDvorkin]

70. Try responding to what I said, instead of making a general observation.

[SusanCalvin]

72. OK.

There's a well-documented history of sex and age (at least with regard to women) discrimination in Hollywood. So I lean toward that explanation, although I'm always open to facts.

Which is essentially what I already said.

[DavidDvorkin]

74. While that's true, I'll still reserve judgement in this case

I'd like to know what the storyline was. If the character is in her 20s or 30s, then Gyllenhaal would be a very bad choice for the role.

[SusanCalvin]

79. Probably true if so.

Leading us to the next question: "Is it absolutely essential, story-wise, that the character be in her 20s or 30s?"

Once again, based on past history, my bet would be on "no."

[DavidDvorkin]

81. That's a different discussion, and we'd probably find ourselves in agreement

I don't know when I first noticed how often the leading man was middleaged to old and the female love interest was young enough to be his daughter. Maybe about 20 years ago?

I detest that on the screen. May-December romances happen, in both directions, but they're rare. In any case, in movies that's rarely the story. Usually, the old man is playing a romantic hero. I'd much rather see a younger actor in that role, and I'd much rather see the two characters being around the same age.

One could object that restricting male leads to young actors would just exacarbate the problem of Hollywood ageism by subjecting men to the discrimination that actresses now face. Frankly, I don't care. Movies are for escape, and I want to see beautiful young people on the screen.

[SusanCalvin]

82. Movies, for me,

Can be for many other things besides escape, and I rarely enjoy pure escapism. That's probably why I like very few contemporary movies.

[liberal_at_heart]

116. There's no way in hell she looks 50. I don't even think she looks 37. She looks younger than

37. What are women suppose to look like anyway? Are we all supposed to eternally look 15 years old? Because if that is the case, that is disgusting and unattainable.

[DavidDvorkin]

137. If I didn't know anything about her, I'd guess she was in her late forties.

[gollygee]

152. No she doesn't

I look in my late 40s, and I am in my late 40s, and I look about 10 years older than she looks.

[DavidDvorkin]

155. To you she doesn't, to me she does

It's nonsense to say "No, she doesn't," as though it were something objective.

[DawgHouse]

41. What does 50 look like?

[kcr]

51. Here:

http://www.readers.com/

[pnwmom]

60. She might look like Hollywood's version of 50. But she doesn't look like a typical 50 year old.

She really looks her natural age, IMO.

[Cha]

62. No, she doesn't.

[PeaceNikki]

83. Well, every casting decision should be based on what makes you pitch a tent, huh?

[treestar]

112. Still 5 years younger than him

[Solly Mack]

10. Damn

[olddots]

11. casting directors etc.....are below street pimps

the nature of entertainment is unjust ,thats why facists want to control the bizz .

[TexasBushwhacker]

13. I wonder if it was tje casting director's opinion

or the actor's. I remember many years ago, someone suggested Jodie Foster to be cast as Michael Douglas' love intterest and Michael said she was too old. He was born in 1944. She was born in 1962.

[tanyev]

14. I know when I, as a middle-aged woman, am looking for movies to go see,

I'm always on the lookout for movies that have a love story between an OK looking 55 year old man and an unbelievably hot 25 year old woman.

[woolldog]

78. Is Hollywood targeting

The middle aged woman demo with this movie? Probably not.

[closeupready]

15. Maggie Gyllenhaal is worth $15 Million. As with $300M J. Lopez,

if she didn't work another day in her life, she'd still likely be in the top 0.001 in terms of net wealth. So no, I'm not feeling it.

I get the point that it's not fair that she wasn't even considered for the part on the basis of her talent (which is considerable). But that's just the way it goes. She is a part of that sexist machinery known as Hollywood. She can always turn her back on it.

[seabeyond]

36. economic vs social justice. she has $ so fuck misogyny. doesnt matter, irrelevant. financially,

she is secure.

if people have little faith in economic justice trickling down to social, this is an example.

but it is ok. because she has $.

i really am surprised all over the place how often i am hearing this sentiment, while in the mist of this very argument.

[closeupready]

45. No. Misogyny matters, but Maggie's welfare is secure.

So I save my energy for the homeless minority woman trying to raise children. Like, for example, the women profiled on many of Al Jazeera's documentary programs, or even on Frontline occasionally.

[Bonobo]

58. In your world, THIS is your example of social justice?

An actor should get any role they want and should not be judged on how they look?

An actor??? Not judged on how they look?

What kind of fucking world are you living in?

You think Steve Buscemi is going to be chosen as the next fucking James Bond?

Would THAT also be a "social justice" issue?

[Dorian Gray]

64. Steve Buscemi

as Bond is pretty much the only way I'll go to the next Bond film.

[99Forever]

66. Yup.

That pretty much sums it up.

[zazen]

110. so if a white director told Chris Rock he was too dark-skinned for an African American role, that'd be ok?

Because the "part" was written for a lighter skinned African American? Because the directors consider lighter skinned African American men more--I don't know--wealthy, or attractive, or some ridiculous stereotype about lighter vs darker skin for African American men?

If Chris Rock said he was turned down for a part because he was too "dark" people would be screaming from the rooftops. Would you be defending the white director who thought lighter skinned African American men "appealed to a broader demographic," and that darker skinned Black men should just get over it because they're already made money in Hollywood?

[Bonobo]

142. Actors get chosen based on their looks. It is part of the job.

They know it, you know it, we all know it.

That's all there is to it.

[AngryAmish]

154. I would never be picked to play Bill Walton

I am 1.5 feet shorter than him. And can't play basketball.

Triggered.

[Bonobo]

159. Then that would be a social issue involving short-shaming or something I guess. nt

[treestar]

132. It is women being treated unfairly

and Hollywood does a lot to keep that up.

Women go to movies too, so if they really cared about their pockets they would do less of this.

[CBGLuthier]

52. You need to be really careful because falling from a high horse that high

could be dangerous.

[Dawson Leery]

16. Most casting directors do not deserve to saved if falling over a cliff.

At times, I find it laughable to call Hollywood "liberal". Behind the scenes the place is just as bad as Wall Street.

[Bonx]

19. Maybe he didn't want to tell her she wasn't pretty enough.

[gollygee]

27. Right and I'm sure the 55-year-old man looks perfect

Do you notice that women are expected to not age and look perfect but men are allowed to age and are not expected to look perfect? Well then, you should know that That's The Whole Point Of This.

[Travis_0004]

32. Meh, Its hollywood

There is always going to be somebody younger and more beautiful to take your job. She made 15 million and will have plenty of more roles, so Im sure she will be ok.

[gollygee]

35. You are also missing the point

It isn't whether she'll be OK or not. She is pointing out sexism in Hollywood. Men are allowed to age and be imperfect, women are not.

[seabeyond]

37. they are intentionally ignoring the point. again. economic justice vs social. SURELY if there is

economic justice, social will follow.

[gollygee]

44. Yeah and people wonder

why we don't feel secure that the Dem. party, or any particular Democratic individual, will be on our side. Because we regularly communicate with a group of progressive Democrats, and we regularly see them dismiss sexism, racism, homophobia, and whatever else.

"Meh." Right.

[Bonobo]

59. Is this performance art at this point? nt

[Bonx]

49. Not true. Helen Mirren is still smokin hot

and getting great work.

[kwassa]

53. Mirren is not smoking hot, and getting great work.

and is the exception, rather than the norm.

[Bonx]

54. That made no sense, but OK.

[Reter]

150. This

It's a casting call, they can cast whatever they want.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

28. Women are supposed to crawl off and die when they hit 35.

According to the movie and fashion industries.
Unless you're a powerful woman like Jane Fonda, and can get movies made with Jane Fonda, age 77, starring in them.

I saw The Dark Knight and thought it was the biggest waste of film I'd ever seen. I don't remember Maggie Gyllenhaal being in it because the two women were introduced and killed off quickly. I don't remember their character names either. No character development to make me care enough about them to notice their names. There was no chance for any human relationships to develop in that one. Nothing but "Explosions and Shit" as I call it. Violence and the threat of violence. No thanks.

[davidn3600]

29. What's the movie about?

Maybe the plot is written so the 55 year old falls for a 20 year old or something. I have no idea...Im just asking if anyone knows what the role in the script really is? We are sort of out of context here.

Like it or not, movies are based on looks. The parts sometimes call for a certain look or physique. And it does apply to men in ways too. You don't see any fat old men playing Superman.

I understand this all plays into the narrative that women seem less valued in society as they age while men seem to gain social value with age, but that's a problem that goes beyond Hollywood. But Hollywood actresses should be focusing more on stronger and complex roles than love interests anyway. When you play a love interest, you kind of have to have a certain look. And chances are the younger actresses are likely going to win out.

[LisaL]

75. I agree. Maybe the movie is about some old guy chaising after 20 year olds.

[hughee99]

160. I was actually wondering if Gyllenhaal got her start in the business

because 30+ year old actresses were being passed over for her when she was in her 20's. I'm not saying it's right, although I have no idea what can realistically be done about it. Can you really FORCE studios to start putting age appropriate actresses in roles?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

31. In the 1959 movie "North by Northwest"

Cary Grant was 55 years old in real life. His love interest, Eva Marie Saint, was 35, which was getting up there by the standards of movies in those days.

But here's the real killer. The woman who played Grant's mother, Jessie Royce Landis, was 61 years old--only 6 years older than her supposed "son."

Four years earlier, Cary Grant, at age 51, was in To Catch a Thief. That time, his love interest was 26-year-old Grace Kelly. Jessie Royce Landis was in this film, too, only playing Grace Kelly's mother, but at least she was 31 years older than Grace, so it was plausible casting.

But at the age of 54, Cary Grant played opposite 25-year-old Sophia Loren in Houseboat. No sign of Jessie this time, though.

[no_hypocrisy]

33. Also 1985 film "Murphy's Romance".

Sally Field was 37 and James Garner was 59.

[seabeyond]

38. i liked the movie and i like both actors. i had a tough time watching the movie because of the age

split.

same with harrison. now he is older, i have no interest in watching him matched up with someone two decades younger.

[dawg]

47. Relationships do happen like that, but they should be the exception ...

not the norm.

My uncle is about 20 years older than his wife and they seem pretty happy.

I even got the impression that a much-younger woman was showing a little interest in me the other day. Of course, it's also possible that she was just being friendly and I was just being a delusional old man.

If she had been older, I would really have been put on the spot. I would have had no excuse for not asking for her number.

[Travis_0004]

34. Crispin Glover was younger than Michael J fox in back to the future

And we was cast as Martys Dad. I realize most of the fim he is in the 50's and therefore a teenager, but he also played the role of George Mcfly as and adult

[Tanuki]

57. Anne Bancroft was only 6 years older than Dustin Hoffman, yet "Mrs. Robinson"

was supposed to be old enough to be his mother in The Graduate!

[hughee99]

161. In the Manchurian Candidate (the 1962 version), Angela Lansbury was only 3 years older

than Laurence Harvey, who played her on-screen son.

[valerief]

42. Guy is 55? Wonder if he's James Spader/Rupert Everett/Hugh Laurie/Vincent D'Onofrio/Kevin Spacey/

Jason Alexander/Val Kilmer.

[ladjf]

46. What a ridiculous statement by the movie executive.

I feel sorry for his wife if he's married.

[DonCoquixote]

50. STUPID

I say this as one who admittedly feel in love with Magiie back in one of her eailrer movies "secretary", which still reamins a very sexy film

[Cha]

61. Yeah, a lot of that type of thinking from the Suits of Hollywood and it is so boringly wrong. It's

a stupid cliché. they need to get over themselves.

[Oneironaut]

68. I bet this is about the actors' enormous egos too.

"A 37-year-old? I can get any young girl I want!" etc., etc. Not that there's anything wrong with a 37-year-old woman: You have to remember that they're still obnoxious little boys inside and can't have their fwagile little egos bruised by someone reminding them that they aren't masters of the universe.

[oberliner]

69. Hollywood is fantasyland

Male moviegoers of all ages for the most part want to see young attractive women on the screen so that's what Hollywood provides.

Female moviegoers will still refer to male actors in their 50s and 60s as heartthrobs. You don't see that as much the other way.

Dumb action movies especially always seem to include attractive 20something females as eye candy for the mostly young male demographic.

Movies geared towards females will generally have 20something male eye candy as well, for what that is worth. Those so-called chick flick romances usually manage to find an excuse for a good looking younger guy to take his shirt off.

In any event, movies are designed not to reflect reality but rather to create a fantasy that attracts people to spend money to watch.

A female actress going into the business no doubt is already very well aware of this reality so I'm not sure why they would be surprised.

If you want to play strong characters as you get older, maybe consider doing theatre. The pay is less, but the parts usually have a lot more depth and the ageism is not quite as pronounced.

[Bluenorthwest]

71. Maggie G has frequently appeared in the theater in challenging roles, she is excellent on stage.

She's also a liberal Democrat and activist. A person does not have to be surprised by bias to object to it.

[oberliner]

73. But she says that she was surprised

From the OP:

"There are things that are really disappointing about being an actress in Hollywood that surprise me all the time… It was astonishing to me."

[SusanCalvin]

80. True. "Surprise" is the last thing I'd feel. nt

[gollygee]

90. Women don't prefer men in their 50s and 60s

It's really men's fantasy land. Not just fantasy land in general.

[oberliner]

92. George Clooney is 54

He is considered a heartthrob by many women.

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a 54 year old woman who is considered a heartthrob by similar numbers of men.

[gollygee]

93. This is a result of sexism, not an explanation

And really it's just older women who find him to be a hearthrob. Older women like older men. Younger women like younger men. But older men and younger men like younger women. This is the exact problem she's talking about.

[seabeyond]

95. exactly. but a myth needed by so many. nt

[seabeyond]

96. age diference in marriage is like 2.3 years. and yearly, is going down. pretty much tells us

we stick to our own age, on average. 2 yr difference is nuthin'.

[treestar]

119. True. Real 55 year old men don't want a woman in their twenties

And most couldn't get one anyway. In the rare cases where they could and did, they get what they deserve. To be used for their money.

[seabeyond]

121. that is exactly it. use and be used. nt

[oberliner]

97. How so?

Not sure I understand how women being attracted to George Clooney is a result of sexism.

[gollygee]

98. OK you obviously didn't read my post

Young women are attracted to younger men, like the guy who was in Twilight. Older women are attracted to older men like George Clooney. Older and younger men are all attracted to younger men. And men run the entertainment industry.

[oberliner]

99. Huh?

I've read your post and your re-posting of the same thing. Again, what you've described does not really reflect sexism. Since, according to your thesis, no group is especially attracted to older women then it would make sense for films not to feature them in romantic leads. If both older and younger men are attracted to younger women (you wrote men here, but I think you meant women) then it would make economic sense to feature them in such roles since they appeal to both age demographics.

[seaglass]

100. Because older and younger men are the only ones who spend money to watch movies? n/t

[oberliner]

103. No

Because older and younger women do not generally have the same sort of hangups about the age of the male leads in the film.

[seaglass]

109. Do you see that as a problem for women? That executives/casting directors kowtow to male hangups to

the detriment of women?

[oberliner]

124. Absolutely

However, I do not find it surprising under the circumstances. Thus, it seemed strange to me that the actress in the OP was astonished when faced with this unpleasant situation.

[seaglass]

134. I think when it happens to you, it is an oh wow moment. Don't know how old you are but

there is that surprising moment when you don't feel old but suddenly you are too old for something, or at least others think you are. 37 is young for that moment, except maybe for professional athletes.

[oberliner]

136. Fair point

But she has been in the business most of her life and her parents are Hollywood people too.

[gollygee]

102. Why do you think both older and younger men are attracted to younger women?

Because of our sexist culture. It's a result of sexism.

[oberliner]

104. Not sure

Men of All Ages Want Women in Their Mid-20s, Study Says

Whereas women tend to prefer men of the same age or slightly older

Straight men of all ages tend to have their romantic sights set on women in their mid-twenties, while women prefer men who are about the same age as they are, according to a new study.

The survey out Friday, financed by the government-backed research funding group Academy of Finland, gathered data on 12,000 Finns and found that women, on average, are looking for partners who are about their age or slightly older. But men across the age spectrum have a sexual preference for women in their mid-20s. This remains true for men of all ages—men in their early-20s or younger are attracted to women older than themselves and older men are attracted to younger women.

The findings are similar to data culled from the dating website OKCupid, which found that male users of the site of all ages, by far, are looking for women in their early-20s

http://time.com/3433014/men-women-dating-mid-20s/

This study is from Finland, for what that is worth.

[gollygee]

107. You don't think there's sexism in Europe?

You said the exact same thing I said. Men of all ages are attracted to young women, and women are attracted to men about their same age. That is a result of our sexist society (and western society includes Finland.)

[oberliner]

120. I do think there is sexism in Europe

I am not sure that men of all ages being attracted to younger women and women being attracted to men about their same age is a result of our sexist society, however.

[seabeyond]

111. you think us women dont want a hot 19 yr old? ya right buddy. then the reality.

maybe because our wants are not constantly fed to us all our lives as some illusion to the right to have that 19 yr old, we handle reality a little better then you men

you are still under the illusion that 20 yr old really really wants you at 50

us women know better

[oberliner]

122. I don't think that

I certainly am not under any illusion that a 20 year old woman really wants a 50 year old man.

I am merely observing that some women do view men in their 50s and 60s as heartthrobs in a way that is much rarer when the genders are reversed, and I think that is reflected in casting choices to some extent.

[seabeyond]

126. i think whats his name, you used? clooney stepped over the line of old the last couple of years.

it happens with all men. we say how mature women still have it and mature men still have it. many dont.

a lot of it is simply created by hollywood and pr.

clooney is done, with the hot factor. as much as any woman his age. growing up with the same actors, i have found this to be true with ALL of them. i have yet to find one actor that has not stepped over the line to aging.

life

what we are talking about, and what you are talking about, is the exact same thing. an illusion created for ALL of us to live to coddle and stroke male ego.

no more.

[oberliner]

128. Definitely disagree with you here

Specifically this comment:

"clooney is done, with the hot factor. as much as any woman his age"

I think if a survey was taken there would be a pretty high percentage who think he is hot.

[seabeyond]

130. old is old. we all have had a lifetime of being told men do not count in old. nt

[gollygee]

131. He looks much older this year than last

He's probably not particularly attractive to women younger than 50 anymore, though they use a lot of makeup in the movies so he'll look younger in a movie. But of course, so would Maggie (however-she-spells-her-last-name.)

[davidn3600]

144. I think it may have more to do with biology

The purpose of sexual activity, at the biological level, is reproduction. Not just in humans but throughout the entire animal kingdom...the male searches for a healthy female to mate with. In humans, a woman who is young and looks healthy would appear attractive because she would have the best chance to produce a healthy baby.

That's the Darwinian answer. Think about it... humans spent most of their existence in the stone age. A woman pregnant at somewhat older ages in that day and age could be deadly.

[seabeyond]

145. because back in stone age, it was all about attractive. fuck....

[davidn3600]

146. It was about creating offspring

Just like the drive of every species of life on this planet...survive and reproduce. That's Darwinism. And it's the only reason humans even exist.

If you have a problem with how that works...take it up with Mother Nature.

[seabeyond]

147. i want to know how "attractive" stone age women were. do tell. you are the one linking "attractive"

you know, being fuckable, to the reproduction of man kind. so tell me about this "attractiveness" you envision.

come on, tell me. your fuckin argument. how gorgeous were these women. lol

[davidn3600]

153. You are confusing attraction with appearance. They are not the same.

Attractiveness in biological terms isn't necessarily based on appearance. It's largely based on fitness, health, body language, instinct, etc.

I'm not going to sit here and argue with you over basic high school biology. If you can't even accept the obvious fact that a younger woman has a higher chance of a successful pregnancy than an older woman, then you need to pick up a book.

[treestar]

117. Then there is the double standard.

You've admitted it.

[oberliner]

125. Of course there is

I think that most actors and actresses are aware of this when they go into the business. That's why I am an admirer of theatre which seems a lot less hung up on these sorts of things than movies.

[treestar]

133. Well I guess we are saying there should not be

That is our aspiration.

Frankly Hollywood is stupid not to keep older women in roles - there are plenty of older women now with the baby boom and plenty of men too who would be interested in older female characters. Hollywood is sticking to much to its traditions when the world is changing.

[oberliner]

135. Agreed

Here's to an end to double standards in all of society.

[treestar]

115. This ^^^^^^^^^

Exactly.

[treestar]

114. You're in essence saying yes it's sexist but it's the way it is so just accept it

Nothing ever changes.

[oberliner]

118. No I'm not

I'm saying that it's not surprising.

[HassleCat]

76. Pedophile Fantasy

You have to wonder what's in this guy's mind. Apparently, he wants an actress young enough to be the granddaughter. It's illegal to have someone 12 years old, or he'd probably go that way. Gyllenhaal is fabulous, and I'm sure she'll continue to get great roles.

[liberal_at_heart]

127. my thoughts exactly.

[Gothmog]

77. This is so very very wrong

[liberal_at_heart]

84. What an idiot. That movie will be missing out on outstanding actress. Probably even an actress that

would have given that movie an Oscar winning performance. It truly is their loss. She is phenomenal and will no doubt get many other fantastic roles.

[AgingAmerican]

85. What if the plot calls for a much younger woman?

?

[liberal_at_heart]

86. They all call for a younger woman and an older man. That's the problem. We're obsessed with seeing

actresses like Emma Stone with actors like George Clooney. It's not a realistic representation of what happens in the real world. Are there couples like that in the real world? Yes. Are they they only kind of couple in the real world? No. Maybe in Hollywood and maybe that's why that is all we see in Hollywood scripts, but it is not a real representation of the world that you and me live in.

[AgingAmerican]

87. Some story plots are based on such things

Should plots be regulated?

I agree it isn't realistic as a general rule. I don't think movie plots have to be real representations. They are stories.

Harold and Maude, for example. Not very realistic, but a very good movie.

[liberal_at_heart]

88. Of course they don't have to be realistic, but sometimes it is nice to see Hollywood do something

other than what they always do. They have a formula that brings in the big bucks, and that is the formula they use every time. It gets boring. You have to go to the indie movies to truly get something that does not come out of the Hollywood cookie cutter formula for making money.

[AgingAmerican]

89. I'm not talking about formulas

I'm talking about story plots.

I am curious what film she is talking about, that would give us a little perspective.

[liberal_at_heart]

91. You may not be, but I am. The reason some plot stories call for a younger woman and an older man

is because Hollywood knows that is what will bring in the money. I rarely go to the movies anymore. They are too expensive and they are all the same. I can't even remember the last time I was so excited about a movie coming out I said I have to see that movie. Let them make their summer blockbusters that blow things up and show women's breasts. I won't be one of the people paying $12 for a ticket to see it.

[CrispyQ]

106. "I'll See You in My Dreams"

I'm looking for a theater that has it. Blythe Danner & Sam Elliot. Nice!

http://www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com/#!ill-see-you-in-my-dreams/cvk9

I'm sick of every movie featuring a older man with a woman young enough to be his daughter. I find it creepy. When I was in my 20s I hardly looked at men in their 30s, much less 40s or 50s. And if they were looking at me, I found them creepy, too.

[treestar]

123. Maybe, but that plot has been overdone

It would be more interesting to explore the cougar thing that goes on these days.

Women watch movies too.

[AgingAmerican]

157. What is an 'over done plot'?

I have never heard of that before.

[treestar]

162. Well I at least would not be interested

in yet another saga of older man and younger woman fall in love.

[AgingAmerican]

163. How do we know it was a romance movie?

We dont.

[treestar]

164. she was deemed to old to play a love interest

love interest usually means that. If the movie was not a romance as a whole, it was still going to include a relationship of some type of "love interest" involving a 55 year old man.

For a romance movie it would be even dumber. That would be meant to attract female viewers. Make the hero in his late 30s. That's when men are at their most attractive.

[MrScorpio]

94. Hell, I'm 53...

If I were single again, I wouldn't be kicking 37 year old women to the curb. Shoot, the same goes for 45+ year old women as well.

What the fuck was this casting director talking about?

Pure Hollywood bullshit. I'm glad that Maggie the G called him on it.

[PersonNumber503602]

113. No mention of what the movie is about?

I agree that the way women in media are treated is very disturbing much of time, but I'll hold off on an opinion about this specific instance until I know what the movie is about. If the movie is about a old guy going after a much younger woman, then well, that's just what the movie is about. Although I doubt that is the case, because I couldn't see Gyllenhaal or anyone else making an issue out of it if that was the case. Still, I'll hold off on my opinion. If the character is supposed to play someone in her 30's or 40's then we'll know that the exec is an asshat.

[TheManInTheMac]

140. My guess is that "too old" might have meant something else.

[Blue_Tires]

158. Sadly, that mindset is almost as old as Hollywood itself...

I remember Meg Ryan having a similar high-profile issue in the late 90s, and there have been plenty of women before her..