Anne Hathaway covers the new issue of Glamour. I kind of love this shoot! I usually think Annie does the “wispy pale color” thing too often, but it works well here. Plus, I love her hair at this length. It feels like we might be getting the old Annie back! Maybe. Probably not. Anyway, in the interview, Anne chats about how she’s seen an old lady at the age of 32, and she’s up for parts against 24-year-olds and the 24-year-olds keep getting the parts. Huh.
She’s losing roles to younger actresses: “I hate to admit it, but it’s true – there are fewer roles and the competition is just as fierce as ever. I look around at my peers and I’m so blown away by their talent and their beauty and their cool style, as well as their ability to be an actress and be a movie star and be good at it. I mean, they’re so good and we’re all trying to get the same parts.”
She used to be the younger actress stealing roles from older actresses: “I can’t complain about it because I benefitted from it. When I was in my early twenties, parts would be written for women in their fifties and I would get them. And now I’m in my early thirties and I’m like, ‘Why did that 24 year old get that part?’ I was that 24 year old once, I can’t be upset about it, it’s the way things are. All I can do right now is think that thankfully you have built up perhaps a little bit of cachet and can tell stories that interest you and if people go to see them you’ll be allowed to make more.”
Her friends Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain: “I’m trying right now to start a book club with Em and Jessica, because they’re working on a movie together. I said, ‘Let’s all read this book!’ But I’m not working and they are, so it’s not going very well.
On Taylor Swift: “She just seems to be following her heart. I met her – I hope it’s OK to say this – when she and Jake [Gyllenhaal] were together. She was 20 at the time, and we hung out one night. I was like, ‘You are a magnificent creature.’ She was on fire and I’ve watched her become this force of nature.”
Ha, Annie brought some old-school gossip at the end with the Taylor Swift reference! Yes, Taylor and Jake Gyllenhaal dated for a brief three or four months and it was full of apple-picking, cuddlefesting and photo-ops and it was GLORIOUS. I still miss them. I guess Jake introduced Annie to Tay-Tay then. I wonder if Anne was really like “Oh, she’s magnificent!” or if she was like “Um, why are you dating someone SO YOUNG, Jake?”
As for Anne losing out on parts to younger women… I feel like she’s trying to publicly say that it’s fine, that she’s okay with it and put a bow on it somehow. But it’s got to sting when you’re only 32 years old and suddenly seen as “too old” to play certain roles.
Photos courtesy of Glamour Magazine.
Just the way it is. Nothing I can do about it. <- The reason nothing changes.
Yeah and also the reason why it is getting worse. Ageism in general has gotten worse.
If she is not controlling the project there is nothing she can do.
She’s right. SADLY
Oh, my, this is is so True!! I’m 53, and I have several graduate degrees, and when I applied to about a hundred jobs last year, just looking around, you know how many responses I got?
None. Zero. Zip. Zilch.
I think Anne has classic gamine looks, and she will be marketable long after others like JLaw stop looking so good, especially if jLaw doesn’t learn to be healthy. Who here knows Kathleen Turner? That’s who I think about when I see JLaw. I think of Audrey Helburn and Diane Keaton when I see Anne. Not fair, but if you want to stay marketable in Hollywood, you’d better be wicked talented and stay thin. Very few exceptions and the road is littered with female Oscar winners who can’t find work once they get older and/or get out of shape. Even if they are in shape, where do they go? I often wonder if Kyra Sedgewick regrets quitting The Closer. What’s she done since then?
And if I were Anne, I’d find some good vehicles and produce them myself and star Anne, Emily and Jessica. She seems smart enough to do it herself.
And Meryl Streep is th per exception to this rule. Very few others.
@Jib I too was looking for work after relocating and was terrified that at the age of 46 I would face possible age discrimination. Luckily I didn’t and found a job I really love! However I can’t help but wonder if part of it is the fact that I don’t look my age. My family has some freaky genes and we all look about a decade younger than we are. It’s sad that we have to think about ageism at all but it’s real.
It has gotten way worse, and of course in Hollywood it doesn’t even exist for men, though it does out in the real world. (Not as badly as for women though.) The focus on incredibly youthful appearance for women has eaten everything up. Back in Hollywood’s Golden Age, there used to be tons of movies made about grown women, starring grown women. Now? Nothing.
@Jib Kathleen Turner developed severe RA, likely contributing to the changes in her appearance.
But there is nothing she can do about it. That kind of change has to come fron the top.
As discussed below, she could get into producing and change things from within. If that’s not her calling, she could start a public dialogue about ageism in Hollywood and try to get more reporters asking questions/holding feet to the fire on rewriting characters to cast younger actresses. She could partner with other actresses in solidarity to have a louder voice. There’s probably more that I’m not even thinking of, but for every woman in the workplace who says “I’m just a girl, what can I do?” There are other women doing something.
I believe she is getting into producing. She bought a script or the copy rights to some book and turning that into a TV show.
M.A.F. I hope that’s true. I’m actually a fan of hers, but I’m always annoyed by rhetoric proclaiming us helpless. A million small acts have given us a much freer society than our grandparents had. Change is always possible.
@bettyrose she could but she’d have to have the talent and mind for it and she might not have a business mind. She might not have what it takes to make her own projects (this isn’t a slam) not everyone has that killer go get them attitude or drive. She might just like the acting it might be her skill set. Which based on how she carries herself I can’t see her commanding a room- sorry but she doesn’t have that Mindy Kahling, Amy Pohler, Elizabeth Banks, Tina Fey, etc vibe.
She feels more passive. But yes the rest she could do. Although since she annoyed so many people I’m not sure she is the best voice. One of the reasons I can’t like her is she won’t push the envelope or stand up and rock the boat for what is right it seems. She just wants to be the adorable sweetheart. My assumption of course.
Who cares? She’s still getting parts and it’s not like she needs any more money. She should be thankful for what she has and let it go at that.
And it’s so telling how the woman start having issues around 30, while the guys tend to just be getting started. Even if an actor has worked steadily since their teens or twenties, the really big stuff happens post 30. For the women? Well there was Jessica Chastain but that hardly balances the scales.
Is she in a giant mop, on the first picture?
hahaha, my thoughts exactly.
She is working hard at changing her previous “doe-eyed” look and showing she can look different. But can she squint for an entire movie?
The problem is, like most women, she looks her age.
If she looked younger, like say, Alexis Bledel used to, she would probably still be getting those roles.
Alexis was like 20-25 and playing a 16 year old…anyway, yes the industry is very ageist but I wish these women would join forces and do something about it. Meryl Streep is very powerful and could gather talented women and producers and pool together money….but it doesn’t seem like she’ interested either. The problem is none of them seem interested in doing something about it and instead we get monthly interviews with actresses complaining and going “such is life..”.
That doesn’t seem fair. I’m sure some of them are using their success to try and create change. For instance, Reese Witherspoon started her own production company to tell stories about women, and Meryl Streep does actually fund a lab for women screenwriters over 40.
More women producing/directing is a good start. More women sending messages to Hollywood with their movie dollars spent on films with well written female characters and appropriate casting, also good.
I admire Reese for what she’s doing. She’s got TV shows in the works, more movies in the works through her production company with her partner. I loved In The Wild. She slipped in there and got the book rights to Gone Girl over much more powerful people. I like seeing success like that, because that gives her leverage from her successes and can get more movies with strong female leads made.
Yeah, Reese Witherspoon is really leading the charge in developing and producing films that star women. I’m not a huge fan, but I admire her for putting her time and power into trying to change the status quo.
I agree, and good point about the box office dollars, bettyrose.
I know people like to hate on Reese, but she has definitely stepped up in producing and creating work for herself, and other women (Laura Dern was superb in Wild).
Anne did produce a movie for herself last year (with a female writer/director too) but it only was in a handful of theaters. Hopefully that doesn’t discourage her from trying again.
I think Anne looks good, but the real problem is: women in their 20’s can get roles thought for women in their ’30s, but a woman in her ’30s cannot play a woman in her 20’s or in her 30′. Seems fair.
This is true, and I would add that there just aren’t that many movies made about women over 40. Too bad, because we are fabulous!
How many movies are you actually watching about women in their 20s? It’s not like it’s an every once in a while thing and the scales balance themselves out. Roles that are written older (or are paired with much older men as the love interest) are very frequently cast with much younger actresses. Jennifer Lawrence has made a career out of it.
There was an article about this recently in NYMag. As a woman in her 20s, it really bothers me to see say Margot Robbie (who is what, 25?) play Will Smith’s (50?) love interest in Focus (I watched it yesterday). It genuinely makes me cringe – how often does this happen in real life? I don’t have a single friend who would go and date a man her father’s age! Yuck!
The unfortunate thing is that this reflects how society is right now – how many times have I read about how guys will just chill and play the field, cos they “don’t have a biological clock”, and women once they’re over 30 are desperate and pathetic and will take any man that will settle with them. It’s disgusting. And I despise the pressure it puts us under to “lock it down” asap before we become sad cat ladies.
Oh and all the pressure to not age, and that once you have a single wrinkle you’re a used up old hag? Thanks.
Seriously, F the patriarchy.
(Sorry if this is incoherent, I have many things to say and I’m angry)
@Val, and this makes every guy, rich or poor, handsome or homely, fat or thin, over the age of 55 think he should have some 30 something dying to hook p,with him. My friends on a numberifmdating sites, and it’s sadly funny to see 55 year old men who want women 35 to 50 (haha! Like they would pick a 50 year old) and guys in their 60s and 70s want women 47 to 60. Yeah, sure, they’d pick a 60 year old.)
I think ageism is a big problem and has been for years but is kind of ignored because, like racism, people don’t shoot me because I’m over 50. They just ignore me. But it’s still a issue. I think we women over 50 have to start knocking down these walls people put around us so we will age and die far away from anyone young.
@Jib I think what needs to happen is respect for women as humans, and not just reduce us to our appearance – what do these men that are 20-30 years older have in common with the women they’re looking for? Nothing. They just want young tail, not a real connection, not an actual relationship.
Women remain objects.
I think depiction in movies is one thing and people dating in real life another. While I agree that films like Focus and Magic in the Moonlight are ridiculous in their pairings (because they glorify the guy getting the young hot piece), I’m against telling people in real life who they should fall in love with. I’ve never had a relationship with an age gap, not sure I can even imagine it, but I find it problematic in general when people label other people’s realtionships as disgusting. Why are they disgusting? It’s not exactly our problem (plus these days it seems some feminists are cheering for connections like Susan Sarandon/Jake G. and hating on it if it were the other way round).
As for the connection thing – I never understood this. For me a connection comes from how a person is wired (introvert, extrovert, calm, lively, adventurous, etc.), what kind of humor they have and what they are interested in. NOTHING of that is bound to any age. I’ve known opera geeks in their 20s who knew everything about Verdi, Mozart and Donizetti, but had no idea who Iron Man is. If they would have met another opera geek in his/her 40s I’m sure they’d have more connection than with a lot of people their age.
I wish people would concentrate on their own relationships and be less judgemental about other people’s.
Yeah, it does kinda annoy me how so many of these actresses don’t seem to want to do anything beyond stamping their feet and pouting. These are wealthy, powerful women who could put together their own projects if they had the will to do so. They just don’t want to.
The men running Hollywood are not the gatekeepers of the universe, and these actresses really need to stop pretending that they are. Whining alone accomplishes nothing.
WTF?
The men in Hollywood don’t want women in powerful positions and they don’t let them rise that up.
Actresses are dependent on producers, directors and studio bossess who are overwhelmingly male.
Huh? “The men running Hollywood” are not the gatekeepers of the universe, but they are the gatekeepers of the film industry… you JUST admitted that they run Hollywood.
Your anger is incredibly misdirected.
I think Alicia made a fair point. Katie Holmes is c-list at best,but I see that she’s currently directing a movie. If she has the clout to get this done, then certainly more A-list actresses can create their own projects or use their clout to help finance other female filmmakers. Sure, men control most of the major studios, but you can get films made outside of the studio system.
Only 15% of movies star women. The ACLU investigated accusations that the Hollywood establishment will not hire women producers, directors or writers and found the situation so problematic that they recommended three government agencies investigate, though that’s not going to happen.
I read an interview with a female writer working in Hollywood and she was told not to bother writing scripts about women because they will go in the garbage unread.
Films can get made outside the studio system, it’s all the rest that’s hard. Getting distribution, getting funds for marketing, etc.
I do get the idea of wanting people to be pro-active instead of sitting around whinging … but I also think it’s unfair to suggest the actresses should write/produce/direct the roles they want to play. What if they just want to act? Acting, directing, writing and producing all require extremely different skill-sets. Just because you’re good at one doesn’t mean you’d be any good at the others.
@Lucrezia
Yes. Thank you. The expectations some people have for these actresses just because they’re the ones giving interviews acknowledging inequality in their industry, is unfair. They are a part of a much larger system, and their job really doesn’t afford them much power in that system, and it is unfair to say: well then, all you minority actors who can’t find jobs should stop whining and just become producers, screenwriters, directors etc. Like… ok, but they want acting jobs? They’re actors.
I do agree that not every actor has the skills to produce/ direct. However, some people have mentioned that it’s unfair for older actors like Will Smith and Tom Cruise to still get leading man roles while older actresses struggle to remain relevant. Part of the reason those stars have had longevity is because they’ve been producing their own projects for years. Tom Cruise bought the rights to the MI franchise over 20 years ago and has managed to keep it going. He probably would have faded by now w/out it. I do think it would be great if more male stars like Smith and Cruise would insist on having more age appropriate love interests instead of being paired with women 20 years younger.
I agree too Lucrezia, it’s great when they do produce and direct and create opportunities, but they shouldn’t HAVE to, simply to have work. The system itself needs to change to be more equal – and not just down gender lines.
Alexis has her own problems though- she looks too young to be considered for a lot of roles, like anything not set in high school or college. She has talked about that before. Women basically need to look early twenties forever.
Geena Davis started the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.
http://seejane.org
“The problem is, like most women, she looks her age.”
What an odd thing to say. Most men look their age and then some but while their wrinkles supposedly give them “character”, wrinkles make women look “old”. If women obey this double standard which undermines women and overinflated men, nothing will ever change. JLaw plays role after role meant for women much older than she is. She now has enough clout to shape her career into a different direction.
When Hollywood has women in their 20s playing women in their 30s I feel like it creates an expectation that women in their 30s will look like they’re 24… and puts even more pressure on women to not age.
It’s a terrible double standard that “men age like fine wine” while “women age like milk”… and it makes me really that I’ve been conditioned to think this way too – it’s such a massive subconscious thing.
> When Hollywood has women in their 20s playing women in their 30s I feel like it creates an expectation that women in their 30s will look like they’re 24… and puts even more pressure on women to not age.
Agree. I feel the same but couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
It also values youth over things like experience, personality, intelligence. Personally, I tend to think that ‘famous beauties’ frequently are their most stunning in their 30s.
I always thought Taylor and Jake were together a lot longer than the press thought because they spent Thanksgiving together one year, and Jake doesn’t seem the type to bring home his girlfriend of three months….Taylor on the other hands seem the type to fall quickly and madly for someone.
I kind of dislike this narrative of the younger actress stealing the role from the older actress because it’s the dumb producers and or directors that always tend to cast young. An example is that JenLaw isn’t stealing the role out from anyone, it’s D.O.R. rewriting parts to make them much younger (the real life mop lady from Joy was mid 30s…and I know it’s a “loosely” based on her but it’s interesting that her age is the main thing he changed). I’d like for a film journalist to question a screenwriter, director, or producer on having an early or mid 20 something actress portray a much older character but they never will never question the older (often) male figures who work behind the scenes.
This is an excellent point. I was put off by the way she framed it as well.
The thing is, how often are parts getting rewritten in this way for an older actress?
Jake introduced Alyssa Miller to his mother a few days after meeting her so I don’t know if he’s a good gauge for figuring out how long they were dating.
I can buy that he and Swifty were talking for a bit before all the public meetings happened but I don’t know that I believe they were having secret meetings for a year or whatever the rumors were to make her look less crazy for writing almost a whole album about him.
I agree with your second point though. No one dares to ask the ones making the decisions why they made that decision. Journalists have given their subjects entirely too much power to dictate the media narrative.
Great point. I remember reading that since the male role is usually cast first, they also often have co-star approval too, particularly if they are a big name actor. Why does no one ask male actors why they never raise any objections to being paired with women, often young enough to be their daughter?
I thought Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal spent Thanksgiving with his family because of that cover for US Weekly.
With Joy it is even a great thing the film is even made. Have you noticed how many top directors never direct films with a female lead? It is so little. DOR has not even directed a film with a female lead before. Usually when an actress is director’s muse she is the the love intrest in the film like Jennifer was in Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle (where the role in the original sricpt was much smaller, it was expanded for her by DOR). But now DOR wanted to work with Jennifer and found a sricpt he liked. This film would not be made without Jennifer at all. And also Spielberg who has made his last film starring a woman about 20 films ago is going to direct Jennifer starring film. So I am not complaining about Jennifer being too young for the role, I am just glad as a fan that she manages to get real starring roles in studio films directed by name directors. It is so rare for women to manage that.
I actually disliked JLaw in those roles because it felt out of place that she would be someone’s disgruntled wife with a kid while looking 21…or a jaded widow… age gives you depth and experience to play certain emotions and parts, and it’s sad that we miss out on that in favour of a young face.
I agree. This pattern of casting JLaw as significantly older women with significantly more life experiences is just, as a woman, insulting. It’s like non-20-something women’s stories aren’t interesting enough, aren’t worth telling, unless those stories are being wrapped up in a 20-something body. Ugh.
Yep, she looked too young, not mature enough in Silver Linings. I didn’t like her casting there at all. It felt unconvincing. But she got an Oscar for it . So, I guess other see what I couldn’t see.
It is her and Emma Stone who keep getting cast as older women and they are still so young! Yes, they are mature for their age but they still cannot pass for a 30-40 y.o. There is always something that gives them away.
@EN
The life experiences her character had supposedly had in the Silver Linings Playbook was entirely unbelievable.
Emma Stone has a whole other set of casting problems…
lol. ugh.
@lurker Nope, they don’t matter, because if you’re not at least pretty (and “pretty”=young, etc), no one will care about your story.
Waiting for someone to say Margot Robbie is getting lots of work and she looks 32. ..
I actually think her age-ambiguity is an advantage for her. She looks young and old at the same time, which allows audiences to project onto her what they wish.
I wonder how much of her specific difficulty in getting roles has to do with the backlash after her Oscar campaigning.
I do think that’s part of it and that it is not just age. If she had been polarizing from the beginning, I think it wouldn’t have mattered as much when the public turned on her (or the public wouldn’t have turned on her quite so much and would have just shrugged and gone Anne’s always annoying, move on). However, she went from being America’s sweetheart to America’s most hated and the overreaction on the internet was extreme…even the NY Times was talking about “hathahate.” She was one of those actresses that got by on their goody goody reputations more than their acting, even if she is a great actress.
But much to Kaiser, Bedhead and CBers chagrin Tom Cruise is facing no such problems at 50+ years despite internet backlash. Outrageous ?
@Meow
I do think internet backlash gets blown out of proportion—it’s a small percentage of the population that actually keeps up with celebrity gossip beyond knowing the names of Brad, Angelina, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, and George and maybe a few basic facts about them but it seems much larger because the internet it an echo chamber. It goes in one ear or out the other or it never reaches them at all. My boyfriend for example can only name a handful of stars and had no clue Gwyneth Paltrow had haters (granted, he didn’t even know her name…he described her as the “woman who was married to the dude from Coldplay and who was in that Shakespeare film and Iron Man”. At the same time, Anne’s backlash reached the freaking NY Times and I can’t think of another celebrity who has had it blown up quite as much…
That said, there are obvious double standards in how men and women are treated and the Tom Cruise/Anne Hathaway divide is one. Another thing is to look at how the press glosses over how much f*ckry has gone down in Sean Penn’s life but analyzes every move of Goop (and I hate to somewhat defend Goop, but it is true).
I agree. For other actresses age is the problem, but people don’t like Anne, why hire her if she’s going to annoy people during the promotion of the film?
She’s not somebody people want to see, and she’s blaming it on age.
The thing is… people will blame anything but the system… when it’s Anne complaining it’s “Oh but it’s because she’s annoying” if it’s Maggie Gylenhall (sp?) then they say “Oh it’s because she’s just ugly”… at the end of the day, those factors probably influence it yeah, but mostly it’s ageism.
I was actually thinking about Michelle Williams who is 34 and I don’t remember her age being an issue? I’m not saying that there’s not a problem, but I see it more about women in their 40’s who disappear from films. And we don’t know what kind of roles she is losing to these younger women. My sense is that pretty much until the oscar stuff she had it “easy” in the sense that she was working steadily and didn’t seem to struggle much to get parts. The oscar does change careers and not always for the best and I don’t think we can ignore that as a factor.
Michelle Williams works consistently, but also because she supplements her bigger movies with tiny indies. Even then, she’s not working a crazy amount like a Jennifer Lawrence.
But why is it normal or desirable to work on a crazy amount of films? And Michelle if anything has been smart in her choices independently of liking her films or not she does take risks. I don’t know Anne’s career that well, has she done any independent films?
> But why is it normal or desirable to work on a crazy amount of films?
I think it is because the bankability of a star, especially female, is very short. 10 years , at most (from 22/25 to 35 y.o.) . And so they have to fit in as much work into that time period as possible.
With men it is somewhat similar. They usually get a break closer to their 3o y.o., so for them it is 35-45 y.o. period to do or die.
Is it desirable to continually have a job? That’s essentially what you just asked.
Anne Hathaway hasn’t done many independent films (which was why Rachel Getting Married made such a splash) and typically works in more studio fare – but also keep in mind that for all of these great, risk taking parts, there’s huge demand and competition (and don’t forget that the riskiest movie of them all, Brokeback Mountain, featured both Anne AND Michelle). Michelle Williams works consistently, but also not a crazy amount, which in itself is notable considering that she’s been nominated for an Oscar 3 times and that if she were a man she’d be in incredible demand with a resume like hers.
Actors don’t manage their lives like most of us, so yes, working too much can damage their image and over expose them. Picking roles carefully instead of working all the time can actually be smarter (when possible) and give them longer careers.
I guess it all depends of what the actor also wants as a career when they are in a position where they can afford it. Working consistently seems pretty good to me and that’s why asked about the sort of roles Anne is loosing, because maybe she was just getting too much before. And about Michelle, she may be asked for many roles and just picks the ones she really, REALLY wants.
With all of this I’m pretty much questioning Anne’s expectations and her justification for losing roles.
I think there’s a LOT between working like crazy like JLaw and starve because you’re out of a job. There are some actors that have a steady stream of work and most of us have never really heard of them. And while they might not be extremely rich, they are also not starving. Maybe it applies more to European actors who mix it up between theatre, TV and film (both indies and bigger productions). But for example the whole cast of Game of Thrones is now super popular, but everyone except the young actors (because they were kids) and Sean Bean was not very well known internationally, I’d say. But most of them were still working actors for most of their lives and often had several awards under their belts.
Didn’t hurt her being booked in Interstellar, and the competition for that would have been fierce. She was mildly annoying for a few months, she didn’t kill someone. AND she showed up and hustled her heart out for that movie – some people would actually consider that a good thing, knowing that they could count on their star to promote the movie when it counts.
I think she was cast in Interstellar because she worked with Nolan in Batman.
She was a mis-cast there in my opinion.
But I still respect her for her work ethic. I don’t get it when people get upset about all the promotions and call actors “thirsty”.
Movies need a lot of marketing and all actors are “thirsty”, whether they admit it or not. They all want recognition for their work. But some might be unwilling to hustle for it. Which is a bad decision on their part, imho. Competition in movies is fierce.
It’s their job to get out and hustle! Half of their job is making the movie, half of their job is selling the movie. I’d way rather someone be over-enthusiastic than act like they’re too cool or too big of an artiste to promote their work and make sure that people actually see it. And at this point, campaigning is necessary to win that Oscar, unless someone really lucks out; even then, those ‘sure thing’ folks still have to get out there and campaign lest they be overtaken by someone more enthusiastic (like Eddie Redmayne). If we don’t want to get sick of someone, we now have to pick and choose what we read between November and March.
I actually really liked Anne in Batman (though didn’t like the movie very much). Different strokes for different folks, right?
> I actually really liked Anne in Batman (though didn’t like the movie very much). Different strokes for different folks, right?
I liked her as a Catwoman too ( though I know many people didn’t). I didn’t like her in Interstellar, don’t know why. May be it was for the fact that her and McConahey where like oil and water, no chemistry whatsoever.
I kind of thought Interstellar was just one giant misfire.
Anne looks fantastic. Thank God she’s grown her hair out. She has beautiful hair. Love the photoshoot. She will come back and get some great roles again. I love her as an actress.
I love her hair longer. I’m a short hair fan, but she looked like a newborn bird.
I love her too. She’s one of the best actresses around. And so beautiful.
nothing but love for her, too.
she’s an incredible actress and quite lovely.
gender bias is everywhere in every profession.
i see it now more than ever as the years gain on me.
the only difference is that i am solid in who i am now and i don’t let it affect me like it did when i was very young.
women need to take the reigns and not falter when roles (or jobs or men or whatever) go to younger women.
once we let the mantra into our heads we lose.
keep going!
I think she was talking about jlaw because of slp but then it not their fault when Hollywood is doing this
I forgot that Anne had the part right before JenLaw….I think the rumor was though that she and DOR did not get along at all when they first met.
She’s definitely talking about JLaw.
Ah, damn. I don’t even like Anne but I think she would have been great in that part. Especially having seen Rachel Getting Married.
I’m so annoyed that everybody name drops Taylor Swift. I know it means you get guaranteed exposure but why did I need to read that Anne thought Taylor was a magnificent creature? What did that add to the interview. I get that’s she’s a hot commodity but I’ve reached maximum exposure with that one.
Maybe she was asked about Jake? Didn’t they work together on that movie about pharmaceuticals?
I’m sure actresses in their 50’s and 60’s are like what is she talking about. She is 32 years old and admittedly took roles that older women should have had when she was in her 20’s. Ageism is alive and thriving in this country, but 32, really Ann? She loves to be the victim doesn’t she now.
She’s relating her experience. I don’t know why you would say, “she loves to be the victim.” You even acknowledged that she admitted to benefiting from the system. Do you really think that actresses in their 20s don’t have way more opportunities than actresses in their 30s?
She comes across the opposite of victim and whining. She comes across pragmatic and acknowledged she enjoyed the same benefits in her 20s.
She looks beautiful in that coat photo. Never seen her look so interesting.
Anne looks great on the cover. Nice to see a celeb that doesn’t look airbrushed to the point of unrecognition for once.
I think it’s because of herself, not a general thing. Amy Adams, Jennifer Garner, Reese, etc are all older than she is and are not playing “old” roles.
Amy Adams had openly said that when she hit it big at age 32 with Enchanted, she was pressured to lie about her age. She refused to do it because she didn’t want to negate her life experience but she was absolutely pressured to do it. Adams has also been the victim of horrific and vicious ageism since she was cast as Lois Lane in her late 30’s and still remains the only woman except for Viola Davis in ANY of the comic book properties that is over 35 and not playing an old mother role in a world where most of the Avengers are over 40, Affleck is Batman and Robert Downey Jr, Renner, Ruffalo, Paul Rudd are also heading franchises in their late 40’s or early 50’s. Amy Adams is well aware of how ageism and gender intersect even though she still gets great roles.
Erm, what about Gwyneth as Pepper Potts? Isn’t she early 40s? Older than Amy.
But she’s getting the roles. They’re not going to younger women.
Just checked online – Gwyneth is 43 at the end of this month, and Amy just turned 41 last month. So not much in it.
I should admit though that Gwyneth would have been much younger when she started in the Iron Man franchise (younger than Amy was when she was cast as Lois). But the point is, she (Gwyneth) hasn’t been replaced by someone younger.
Except that Gwenyth Paltrow was playing opposite Robert Downey Jr who is 8 years her senior, guys. So she was allowed to play the love interest at 40 but only to a guy who was like 48 so the older man/younger women stereotype stayed intact. Amy Adams is actually reversing the trend of that as she is older than Henry Cavill in an arena where love interests are always younger than men which is why Adams is subjected to an ageism/sexism there that Paltrow did not face and why her casting was way more progressive than Paltrow’s was in a comic book franchise. Kind of a key difference.
RDJ would flip out if they tried to replace Goop. Not only are they tight, but while the Marvel stuff sells itself now, she was a big part of selling the first movie (especially overseas).
Isn’t Reese a producer too? That could paly into her getting roles.
Kate, that’s a fair point and fair enough. However, in your original comment you said about no women over 35 playing anything other than ‘old mother’ roles in superhero films, I was just pointing out Paltrow as an example of someone older than 35 who plays a love interest and not an ‘old mother’ role.
So the only example we can think of is a Best-Actress Oscar winning, absurdly well-connected Gwyneth Paltrow?
@Bridget This. You’re so nice. What is it with people? This isn’t math. You can’t disprove something that is statistically significant with your one counterexample. You have to look at it in it’s entirety.
My god. It’s like Natalie Dormer went up and down this page.
Actually, applying math and statistics DOES prove the point that older actresses aren’t getting the roles. Outliers are just that–outliers.
Not to mention, if we want to be truly precise, that Goop was 34 when she was cast.
@Totally Biased …. I’m really not sure at all who you are replying to. If it’s me I’m AGREEING with your point. I’m getting annoyed by the people (insert insulting term here) who are trying to say that what she’s saying doesn’t really happen or diminish what she’s saying because they simply don’t like her. Bringing up one or two counterexamples proves nothing.
Kate I agree that this sexism problem exists re older women losing out on roles! And TotallyBiased, I admitted myself that Paltrow was much younger when she was cast in the first movie. But Kate’s factually incorrect statement at the beginning is still factually incorrect.
And by the way I love Anne Hathaway and I agree with her that women in their thirties, let alone forties, are almost definitely losing out on roles to women in their twenties. And it sucks and it needs to change.
I don’t think she is saying she’s OK with it. I think she’s recognizing that she had privilege as a younger woman that she may not have fully understood at the time given that she sees now that she benefitted from the exclusion of older women. What many younger women fail to realize is that they become active participants of the patriarchy that says that men are sexy and vibrant until they are 60 and women are “old” after 35. It’s not actually women’s fault bc women are not responsible for a cultural system that oppresses us nor is it our sole obligation to fix the problem. That said, there is a piece of ownership here bc many younger women scorn older women and feed into the culture that views women over 35-40 as old. When you grow up a bit (as Anne did) and face the reality that you too—whether by accident or not—contributed to problem in your own youth it is a very sobering reality. What we need to be doing is educating our kids—both boys and girls—to adjust the way we view women and age.
Well said.
Maybe she is using the age thing, as to why she is losing parts in movies or maybe there are some people in the industry that don’t want to work with her or maybe she refuses to move into other mediums, like TV or netflix or HBO where some of the meaty parts for women are right now. Many actors see this is a step down, but it is not.
Anne’s been in Hollywood for almost 2 decades – she’s definitely already used to missing out on roles. She doesn’t come across as trying to justify anything.
Still annoying as f*ck. Sorry Anne with an e.
Whatever, love. You still have it better than WOC and gay actors.
She’s realizing that, when the game is about beauty and age, women can’t win. Even if you benefit from it at a time, it will eventually bite your ass later.
I can’t stand this woman, but still hate this sexist/ageist practice more!
Yes, and there’s ageism and sexism EVERYWHERE, in every industry! It’s something you don’t see until you experience it firsthand, or see it happen to someone you know well.
I think Anne will eventually transition into good character actress roles one day since she can actually ACT. But yeah it sucks that Hollywood is so ageist. I agree with everyone above saying wealthy film actresses should try to take charge more behind the camera if they want to see real change.
She looks so stunning in that last pic. I have to admit that she’s one of my favorite actresses, despite the fact that people hate her. I’m sad that such a talented person is considered “too old” at such a young age. Hollywood sucks.
I don’t like her as an actress but I like her looks, very much so. Wouldn’t mind looking like that myself.
Also, people often find an issue with what she is saying but to me it just sounds like the truth.
Every time I watch The Devil Wears Prada I get hair envy. It makes me want bangs.
@Bridget: I LOVE her bangs-hair in that movie; I know it was supposed to be a judgement on looks vs. her ‘realness’ or seriousness as she began-then-returned to schlub, but man, she looked so chic & put-together in the Paris scenes.
The cover photo is stunning too. I don’t hate her. I never understood all the hate.
It is great that her hair is finally growing, she has beautiful hair and looks so much better when it is longer.
And for those who are annoyed for women not getting good parts she has a film opening so you should see it and other female starring films. I am unfortunately poor student with no job so I can not go to see films right now 🙁
I’ll never get the hate towards Anne. Yes, she was annoying but she hasn’t even been the most annoying in the awards race (I’m looking at you Natalie Portman, Benedict, Cooper, Redmayne, Lawrence, et al.).
On the other hand she seems like a nice down to earth person, her live interviews are funny and most important, she can actually act.
Anyway, I hope she keeps on getting good roles, same thing I wish for my other favourite Hollywood actresses, Jessica Chastain and Amy Adams.
I’ ll take Anne over the righteous, boring and not so talented Portman anyday!
While I never got the hate towards Hathaway, I did find her annoying, cloying, etc.,…Lawrence was charming during her campaign run, imho, and the others were eh, okay but not as annoying as Hathaway.
I also find her attitude in this interview is…really passive aggressive.
@Sunsetsnow: Agreed. Plus one million.
She’s deluded herself into believing this to avoid the reality of why she is not getting plum roles. Her not getting roles has nothing to do with ageism. I am not discounting the issue because it is a big problem in Hollywood. While talented, to me, she does not have that “it” factor. She is no Jolie, Theron, Lawrence, Stone, Williams, Blanchett, Mulligan, Johanssen, or Blunt. I put her in the same category as Portman and Seyfried, pretty to look at, and a great supporting actress in ensemble movies.
It’s funny, people’s perceptions are so different. I think Anne is fabulous to look at on screen, gorgeous eyes, lovely face, much more captivating than many you mentioned. The only ones I would put above her are Blanchett and maybe Theron because of her sheer beauty.
I find Mulligan, Michelle Williams and Johanssen all kind of odd looking and not very charismatic. I don’t find Lawrence appealing at all. I do like Emma Stone, I think she’s a good actress, but she just doesn’t have that Blanchett charisma. Her appeal reminds me of Anne. Nice woman, good actress, more chill than others. I’m not a Jolie fan, but she’s making her own way, so good for her!
Good thing we don’t all like coffee or no one would drink tea!
It is funny how differently we perceive people. She is talented for sure, but something is just off for me.
I was thinking that when we make these comparisons we should look at these actresses like a casting director. The physical attributes, voice, posture and natural charisma (or lack of) can allow them to play some roles and not others. I find it difficult as an example to see Charlize play a fragile character because she comes across as strong and she is very tall. And she is a very good actress and I could say the same for Blanchett. And I can’t imagine seeing Michelle Williams or Emma Stone play a Queen. This goes much beyond their ages.
It is indeed funny how differently we percieve people. From the actresses you mentioned those who truly capture me while they’re on screen are Anne, Blanchett and Mulligan. And I like to watch Emma Stone and Jolie because they are ridiculously beautiful.
Emily Blunt, for me, is the typical actress who has talent but doesn’t have “it” which makes her so boring to watch.
I think Anne will be ok as an actress as she ages. I think that because, as I said above, she has gamine looks and will age well, (which is a stupid reason, but it’s Hollywood) and she seems smart (no continual fart jokes) and she seems like a very nice person. (Sorry, I don’t care how talented, I wouldn’t hire Theron or any other diva who would cause a tense set when there are many talented actresses who wouldnt) which can help her in the long run. “Difficult” women are often scorned. “Unattractive” women – forget it! I can also see her transitioning into producing/ directing with a bit more age and confidence.
I do think many young stars, and their fans, think that they will be marketable forever and this caught her by surprise. I don’t think many will. I think Anne has a chance, definitely Blanchett, Chastain, Amy Adams, Portman, the smart ones who choose their roles wisely. I think talented women of color have an even harder time. What has Lupita done this year? She will need to be super smart in her career. JLaw is the flavor of the year, but I think she will go the way of Julia Roberts, Kathleen Turner, and many other “hot” stars. Jane Fonda, anyone? I don’t think JLaw will age well, both because she tends to look fuller (as do I, not a knock, she has a rounder face) and because she doesn’t seem to take good care of herself. And she still makes jokes that mostly 14 year old boys appreciate. Oh, and I think Angelina will be around, mostly because she has taken the bulls by the horns and made her own films. Smart. That’s what a lot of these women should do. Anne should get together with her buddies Jessica and Emily and form a Three Women production studio. In her shoes, that would be my path.
Go, Anne!!!
At the grand old age of 32, I fear the weight of that extra “E” is beginning to slow her down. Perhaps a little discreet surgical treatment to her name might perk up her career? Or maybe she could enhance it by going with Ann! instead.
? Don’t understand the Anne/Ann jokes I see here. Both are common versions of the name where I’ve lived (eastern and Midwestern USA).
At the Critics Choice Awards in 2013, she made a big stink about her name being misspelled, complaining they left off the “e” when identifying her on the video display. Hence, the jokes.
She is so inauthentic…
Hathaway is a good actress but yeah, annoying during her Oscar campaign and annoying now…stop whining Anne!.
I agree that she does not have that “IT” factor that Jennifer Lawrence, Theron, Blanchett, Stone, Jolie, etc.,…have. I don’t rush out to see a film starring Hathaway as the lead. Hathaway as part of an ensemble, sure…I suppose.
Now, films that star Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, Cate Blanchett, et al, in the lead?…YUP, in a heartbeat.
Or maybe she’s not getting the parts because people got sick of seeing/hearing/reading about her…and she’s just placing the blame on her age.
these women (emma, margot) go back to their similar aged boyfriends after a movie wraps. Its such a joke. hollywood will forever sell the fantasy of the young woman-older man love story.
Ginger is sadly spot on: she doesn’t look her expected age. My former classmates voted me the most youthful of them all. It’s genes (my mother looks 25 years younger than she is), my life style (no drinking, no smoking, no drugs, no promiscuity), my vanity, my water loving, no children, and my hatred of dirty-looking tans. The sad part is when a handsome younger man mistakes me for someone younger than him, the minute he finds out my true age, he says he can’t go there. Sadly, for men-less women, life is pretty much over at 40 and society puts you out to pasture. For most women, it is sadly and terribly true. I know tons of beautiful, fit, fabulous women over 40 and men in their 40s say forget them and all that, they want the 20-year-old bimbos because they’re coveted and the dew is still on the rose. Older women are yesterday’s headlines long forgotten and yellowed with time.
Well damn, that was depressing to read. Hey, maybe we’ll start seeing a new trend of women lying about their age or making it law that anyone over 18 are to have their birth date and real age hidden and you’d be forced to deal with what you see only. 🙂
But seriously…I think more women are going to start lying about their age, more than ever before because I am seeing this youth obsession and fear of dying in men and they are going for younger and younger women.
This is why I don’t blame so called golddigers for getting as much resources they can get while they still have youth on their side. Milk ’em for all they got so at least you will be financially OK when you are old(er).
Ummmmmm @Dinah, did you just try to attribute your alleged “youthful” looks to not being promiscuous?!??! Wtfffff?
Thank you for noticing that. I did a spit take myself when I read it.
What you never heard of the youthful innocence that virgin blood gives you?
“Sadly, for men-less women, life is pretty much over at 40”
What on earth? That is utterly and totally untrue. Ageism, sexism, yeah, but you seem to have some personal issues you need to deal with on your own. Romantic relationships with men are not the alpha and omega of existence.
The “promiscuity” comment, and generalizing young women as “bimbos” are just — you’ve got some serious hangups of your own here that you need to fix before you start on your untrue generalizations about the lives of others.
Her quote has probably gotten too high.
Not surprised, though I do appreciate her candor in acknowledging that she once took advantage of the sexism in Hollywood to get roles. I suspect a lot of young women like to skim over the reality of beauty privilege in patriarchy until they get older and begin to understand what all those “other” women were complaining about.
I also think she is a self-possessed woman who reads as “mature” in a good way, doesn’t have that silly girlish vibe that might be looked for in an early twenty-something. Also, she’s been around for quite a while and is no longer the new hot young thing. Of course I think ageism and sexism still prevail, but I think some of the issues are more about personal maturity, relative longevity, and “flavor-of-the-month” mentality.
Yes to all of it. It’s easy to reduce it to an age thing, but it’s more layered than that.
Sorry, but “waahh”. I turn 51 on Tuesday. If Anne can’t handle 32, how the hell is she going to handle 51 and menopause. If you choose – and she chose – to work in a field that worships youth and beauty, then you have to know that the chances are your career is going to be short-lived (the same holds true for athletes). Scant few female actors have lifelong careers. That’s because scant few actresses have the talent of a Meryl Streep, Kathy Bates or Helen Mirren. Is it fair that actresses careers are limited by their youth and beauty while men’s are not? No, of course not. But in truth, Hollywood is only peddling to public demand and the public seems to demand youth and beauty, particularly from women. We are a youth and beauty obsessed culture. Anne signed up for this, so my sympathy is limited. Instead of complaining about it, she should just hone her acting skills. That’s how she will stand out and continue to work.
Hollywood CREATES public demand. It does not just somehow happen out of nowhere as if it’s a natural law. Hollywood also makes mistakes about what the public wants, time after time after time. And men in Hollywood are allowed to mess up countless times, while women have to scramble for a chance and if they don’t consistently make tons of money, they’re out.
I didn’t see her complaining nor asking for your sympathy.
This girl irks me.
If I lived in LA or was a Hollywood actress or singer, I would be so DEPRESSED. I’d advise Anne to head to Europe where women of all ages and looks are cast. America seems largely very one dimensional in its casting choices and that must be harrowing for the majority of women. You must fit a very narrow mold and even then you may only fit it for a very small time. This is why I smile when I see women who don’t fit the typical standard make it; Adele, Rebel Wilson, Jodie Foster etc because they represent a breaking away from the mold and that can pave the way for other women who don’t fit for whatever reason.
I don’t know when Mila Kunis replaced the talent and wise experience of people like Jodie Foster but it seems to have happened. I hope actresses and actors continue to speak about this. I hope producers and directors follow. I hope Hollywood changes and diversifies. If not, come to Europe 🙂
Nobody cares about age if you are really talented, like Julianne Moore, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Meryl Streep or Cate Blanchett. The real issue is most of these actresses who complain about not getting parts are not that good and their only asset is the way they look.
Let’s call a spade a spade. I find J Law as bland as Anne Hathaway, nothing to write home about.
This is more about some comments here than what she said: We didn’t get where we are as human beings because oh that’s how things are. We would still be living in caves if that were how human society worked. Society has changed so much, so often, to pretend that we’re all just along for some uncontrollable, unchangeable ride is INCREDIBLY ignorant.