We seem to be publishing a lot of “well, this won’t come as a surprise” stories, and here’s another one. We all know women are discarded pretty quickly in Hollywood once they pass a certain age, and Maggie Gyllenhaal has only confirmed it yet again. You see, she recently auditioned for a role as the lover of an older man… only to be told that she’s too old for it. Uhh… what?
From The Wrap (via People):
“There are things that are really disappointing about being an actress in Hollywood that surprise me all the time,” Gyllenhaal told the site. “I’m 37 and I was told recently I was too old to play the lover of a man who was 55.”
Despite the remark making her feel bad, Gyllenhaal has been able to laugh it off and still holds out hope for women in Hollywood.
“A lot of actresses are doing incredible work right now, playing real women, complicated women,” she said. “I don’t feel despairing at all. And I’m more looking with hope for something fascinating.”
So, 37-year-old Maggie Gyllenhaal is too old to be the lover of a 55-year-old man? What kinda bullshit is this? Why is it that male actors are always marketable until they’re crotchety as hell, but women past 40 get a hard time? I mean, there are some amazing actresses over 40 who are doing their thing, as Maggie points out, but still. So disappointing.
Reminds me of this amazing Amy Schumer sketch:
Ginger Roger in the movie The Major and the Minor played a woman disguises herself as a child to save on a train fare and is taken in charge by an army man who doesn’t notice the truth., and also plays her own mother in the film with ease.. and she was 31 .. but Maggie wants to be old, she looks old, she dresses like a much older, dowdy woman and her hair and makeup do not compliment her at all.. ugh