Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy are both over 40 and big movie stars. Just don’t ask them to try and sell a magazine cover.
Hollywood actresses are at a strange crossroads. Or that is what two articles published in the last week would lead one to believe. The first “On Newsstands, The Allure of the Film Actress Fades” (New York Times, June 5) focuses on how film actresses cannot compete with the likes of the Kardashians and thus cannot sell magazines. The second, “Revenge of The Over-40 Actress” (The Hollywood Reporter, June 14) suggests that actresses over the age of 40 are in the midst of career boom. Here are the main points we can take away from these articles.
- Movie stars are less revered.
- Magazine covers with films stars are not guaranteed to outsell those with TV or music stars.
- Movies don’t appeal to women.
- The film audience is aging.
- Television is in the midst of a boom.
- Actresses who were A-list as 30-somethings are still A-list as 40-somethings..
- Women over 40 are no longer expected to look matronly.
- A TV role can nurture and enhance an actress’s career.
- Melissa McCarthy’s career success at age 40 is something to marvel at.
- Angelina Jolie is more than a film star. Continue reading »
