Older actresses hit back at Hollywood
By: Helen Bushby
The BBC News, May 17, 2002, May 17, 2002
Actress
Rosanna Arquette has an axe to grind, and it is a big one.
She feels
that Hollywood is over-obsessed with starring young, gorgeous women in its
films, and that roles "all but dry up" once they get a few
wrinkles and their bodies lose their "perkiness".
Arquette, 43,
the star of films including Desperately Seeking Susan and Martin
Scorcese's After Hours, decided to hit back by making a film exploring
exactly what her fellow actresses think about being sidelined.
She also
looked at how they juggle their careers with motherhood and relationships,
and probed them for their views on plastic surgery, which is becoming
increasingly common in the acting world.
The end
result is a fascinating documentary called Searching for Debra Winger,
shown out of competition at Cannes on Thursday. It included candid
interviews with 25 leading actresses including Jane Fonda, Whoopi
Goldberg, Sharon Stone and Vanessa Redgrave.
'Depressing
Arquette told
BBC News Online its title was inspired by actress Debra Winger, the star
of movies including An Officer and a Gentleman and Terms of Endearment,
who bowed out of Hollywood six years ago after 20 years and three Oscar
nominations.
Rather than
battle for ever-diminishing film roles, Winger decided to opt out partly
because it was getting increasingly difficult to balance her home and work
life, and it was now "depressing" to sit in front of a mirror
for an hour each day while shooting a film.
Winger said
her new "passion" was her family life, and Arquette's sister,
actress Patricia, told BBC News Online she thought Winger dropped out of
acting because "it was painful to be a part of it" when roles
became more infrequent.
But although
actresses including Meg Ryan and Robin Wright spoke of working only once a
year after they become mothers, most of the women interviewed seemed keen
to continue acting.
'Ridiculous'
Whoopi
Goldberg, who presented this year's Oscars ceremony, was philosophical
about ageing, saying: "I'm being stalked by my ass - it's gotten
bigger since I hit 45 and there's nothing I can do about it - no amount of
exercise will change it."
She laughed
as she said plastic surgery was not for her, saying: "If bits of my
body went from down there to up here people would notice immediately - it
would look ridiculous."
But although
she also resented the lack of parts for older women, she did not feel
vulnerable against the might of Hollywood, saying it had to accept her as
she was.
Sharon Stone,
who is on this year's Cannes jury, also said she would continue her career
through her 40s.
Interesting
comments
Stone, who
said on Wednesday she wanted to "play women of my age" and joked
about being regarded as an archaeological relic, said in the film it was
vital for actresses to support each other by saying "You go
girl!" rather than being competitive.
One of the
most interesting comments made in the film was by actress Salma Hayek, who
said: "We need more female writers and directors. It is important
that we take this responsibility as we have a lot to say."
But
surprisingly, when BBC News Online asked Rosanna Arquette about this, she
did not appear to take Hayek's comments on board, saying only that the
real problem was a lack of scripts for older women in Hollywood.
Rather than
comment on the number of female writers and directors currently working,
she would only add that better roles for women were found in the
independent film sector, where she had done much of her work.
'Regular-looking
women'
Several
actresses, including Martha Plimpton, who was in The Goonies and
Parenthood, spoke of excruciating casting sessions, in which men "as
ugly as Mr Potato Head" decided they would get a part if he found
them attractive.
There are
some men doing great work with a face like a foot," she said.
"But there are no regular-looking women."
Jane Fonda's
revelation in the film was perhaps the most surprising, as she said that
on only her second date with media mogul Ted Turner, he told her she would
have to abandon her career if she wanted their relationship to work.
Fonda, who
has won two Oscars, said that after working all her life she had never had
the time or space for an "intimate relationship", and so she
opted for Mr Turner, although their marriage ultimately did not work out.
Another
thought-provoking comment in the film came from the only man who appeared
in it - Roger Ebert, film reviewer for the Chicago Sun Times.
Boys' ideal
"Hollywood
is skewing towards the teen demographic", he said, adding that the
thirst for films with special effects had produced films such as Lara
Croft: Tomb Raider, a computer-generated woman whose body fits many
teenage boys' ideal.
It was a
shame that Arquette did not speak to older women who are still managing to
conquer Hollywood, such as Oscar-winners Dame Judi Dench, Susan Sarandon
and Meryl Streep, as it would have been interesting to hear their views.
But overall
the film raised some important issues, which will no doubt get a
sympathetic reception in Cannes. Whether they will be so well-received in
Hollywood will be another matter entirely.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This
page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been
specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Action on Aging
distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a
prior interest in receiving the included information for research and
educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such
copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to
use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go
beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|
