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Liberal_in_LA

(44,397 posts) Fri May 22, 2015, 04:12 PM May 2015

37 year old Maggie Gyllenhaal ‘too old’ to play 55-year-old’s love interest [View all]

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/

164 replies

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37 year old Maggie Gyllenhaal ‘too old’ to play 55-year-old’s love interest [View all] Liberal_in_LA May 2015 OP

It's unbelievable what Hollywood does to women sharp_stick May 2015 #1

There was a funny video about that topic recently, I don't recall where I saw it arcane1 May 2015 #2

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' "no longer fuckable' video? randome May 2015 #63

Found it: arcane1 May 2015 #8

Love it. Women just gotta have fun Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #18

Love this. LWolf May 2015 #23

Too funny! And yes, I DID notice that about Sally Field and Tom Hanks Warpy May 2015 #101

It is sad the way actresses are judged... awoke_in_2003 May 2015 #105

Love that clip. Screw the media and screw Hollywood. liberal_at_heart May 2015 #108

Is Woody Allen producing/directing the movie? guillaumeb May 2015 #3

Woody does like those may / December romances doesn't he? Liberal_in_LA May 2015 #6

This message was self-deleted by its author guillaumeb May 2015 #22

Hollywood is pretty much Logan's Run ZX86 May 2015 #4

Actually I think that as well as Falling Down: Initech May 2015 #30

Dafuq? KamaAina May 2015 #5

He played for the Steelers, didn't he? madinmaryland May 2015 #129

... KamaAina May 2015 #156

Producer Pig should be outted imo. Rex May 2015 #7

She looks 50 4139 May 2015 #9

Um, nope. winter is coming May 2015 #12

Maybe he looks 40 Reter May 2015 #148

That comment nugget is sexist and ageist! 50 y o women are beautiful and many are wise. Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #17

It is neither sexist nor ageist... 4139 May 2015 #20

Ridicule and degradation are so easily apparent Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #21

...and how do you tell by one photo? Let me take 20 photos of you and then pick out... BlueJazz May 2015 #138

Wha? I was responding to 4319's derogatory comment about Maggie looking 50. Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #139

I'm an Idiot. Note to self: Do not eat ice cream, watch TV and post to the wrong poster. BlueJazz May 2015 #141

... Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #143

You must be very young gollygee May 2015 #24

60 4139 May 2015 #25

Then you can tell she doesn't look 50 gollygee May 2015 #26

In the pic she that was used in the OP, she does look a lot older Reter May 2015 #149

She looks younger than any of the 40-somethings I know gollygee May 2015 #151

Then you need to get out more. Lizzie Poppet May 2015 #40

I'm afraid so DavidDvorkin May 2015 #39

? Skittles May 2015 #43

My "Afraid so" was in reference to her looking 50 DavidDvorkin May 2015 #48

Uh, there's a well-established pattern. SusanCalvin May 2015 #55

Huh? DavidDvorkin May 2015 #56

If you hear hoofbeats, SusanCalvin May 2015 #67

Try responding to what I said, instead of making a general observation. DavidDvorkin May 2015 #70

OK. SusanCalvin May 2015 #72

While that's true, I'll still reserve judgement in this case DavidDvorkin May 2015 #74

Probably true if so. SusanCalvin May 2015 #79

That's a different discussion, and we'd probably find ourselves in agreement DavidDvorkin May 2015 #81

Movies, for me, SusanCalvin May 2015 #82

There's no way in hell she looks 50. I don't even think she looks 37. She looks younger than liberal_at_heart May 2015 #116

If I didn't know anything about her, I'd guess she was in her late forties. DavidDvorkin May 2015 #137

No she doesn't gollygee May 2015 #152

To you she doesn't, to me she does DavidDvorkin May 2015 #155

What does 50 look like? DawgHouse May 2015 #41

Here: kcr May 2015 #51

She might look like Hollywood's version of 50. But she doesn't look like a typical 50 year old. pnwmom May 2015 #60

No, she doesn't. Cha May 2015 #62

Post removed Post removed May 2015 #65

Well, every casting decision should be based on what makes you pitch a tent, huh? PeaceNikki May 2015 #83

Still 5 years younger than him treestar May 2015 #112

Damn Solly Mack May 2015 #10

casting directors etc.....are below street pimps olddots May 2015 #11

I wonder if it was tje casting director's opinion TexasBushwhacker May 2015 #13

I know when I, as a middle-aged woman, am looking for movies to go see, tanyev May 2015 #14

Is Hollywood targeting woolldog May 2015 #78

Maggie Gyllenhaal is worth $15 Million. As with $300M J. Lopez, closeupready May 2015 #15

economic vs social justice. she has $ so fuck misogyny. doesnt matter, irrelevant. financially, seabeyond May 2015 #36

No. Misogyny matters, but Maggie's welfare is secure. closeupready May 2015 #45

In your world, THIS is your example of social justice? Bonobo May 2015 #58

Steve Buscemi Dorian Gray May 2015 #64

Yup. 99Forever May 2015 #66

so if a white director told Chris Rock he was too dark-skinned for an African American role, that'd be ok? zazen May 2015 #110

Actors get chosen based on their looks. It is part of the job. Bonobo May 2015 #142

I would never be picked to play Bill Walton AngryAmish May 2015 #154

Then that would be a social issue involving short-shaming or something I guess. nt Bonobo May 2015 #159

It is women being treated unfairly treestar May 2015 #132

You need to be really careful because falling from a high horse that high CBGLuthier May 2015 #52

Most casting directors do not deserve to saved if falling over a cliff. Dawson Leery May 2015 #16

Maybe he didn't want to tell her she wasn't pretty enough. Bonx May 2015 #19

Right and I'm sure the 55-year-old man looks perfect gollygee May 2015 #27

Meh, Its hollywood Travis_0004 May 2015 #32

You are also missing the point gollygee May 2015 #35

they are intentionally ignoring the point. again. economic justice vs social. SURELY if there is seabeyond May 2015 #37

Yeah and people wonder gollygee May 2015 #44

Is this performance art at this point? nt Bonobo May 2015 #59

Not true. Helen Mirren is still smokin hot Bonx May 2015 #49

Mirren is not smoking hot, and getting great work. kwassa May 2015 #53

That made no sense, but OK. Bonx May 2015 #54

This Reter May 2015 #150

Women are supposed to crawl off and die when they hit 35. Manifestor_of_Light May 2015 #28

What's the movie about? davidn3600 May 2015 #29

I agree. Maybe the movie is about some old guy chaising after 20 year olds. LisaL May 2015 #75

I was actually wondering if Gyllenhaal got her start in the business hughee99 May 2015 #160

In the 1959 movie "North by Northwest" Lydia Leftcoast May 2015 #31

Also 1985 film "Murphy's Romance". no_hypocrisy May 2015 #33

i liked the movie and i like both actors. i had a tough time watching the movie because of the age seabeyond May 2015 #38

Relationships do happen like that, but they should be the exception ... dawg May 2015 #47

Crispin Glover was younger than Michael J fox in back to the future Travis_0004 May 2015 #34

Anne Bancroft was only 6 years older than Dustin Hoffman, yet "Mrs. Robinson" Tanuki May 2015 #57

In the Manchurian Candidate (the 1962 version), Angela Lansbury was only 3 years older hughee99 May 2015 #161

Guy is 55? Wonder if he's James Spader/Rupert Everett/Hugh Laurie/Vincent D'Onofrio/Kevin Spacey/ valerief May 2015 #42

What a ridiculous statement by the movie executive. ladjf May 2015 #46

STUPID DonCoquixote May 2015 #50

Yeah, a lot of that type of thinking from the Suits of Hollywood and it is so boringly wrong. It's Cha May 2015 #61

I bet this is about the actors' enormous egos too. Oneironaut May 2015 #68

Hollywood is fantasyland oberliner May 2015 #69

Maggie G has frequently appeared in the theater in challenging roles, she is excellent on stage. Bluenorthwest May 2015 #71

But she says that she was surprised oberliner May 2015 #73

True. "Surprise" is the last thing I'd feel. nt SusanCalvin May 2015 #80

Women don't prefer men in their 50s and 60s gollygee May 2015 #90

George Clooney is 54 oberliner May 2015 #92

This is a result of sexism, not an explanation gollygee May 2015 #93

exactly. but a myth needed by so many. nt seabeyond May 2015 #95

age diference in marriage is like 2.3 years. and yearly, is going down. pretty much tells us seabeyond May 2015 #96

True. Real 55 year old men don't want a woman in their twenties treestar May 2015 #119

that is exactly it. use and be used. nt seabeyond May 2015 #121

How so? oberliner May 2015 #97

OK you obviously didn't read my post gollygee May 2015 #98

Huh? oberliner May 2015 #99

Because older and younger men are the only ones who spend money to watch movies? n/t seaglass May 2015 #100

No oberliner May 2015 #103

Do you see that as a problem for women? That executives/casting directors kowtow to male hangups to seaglass May 2015 #109

Absolutely oberliner May 2015 #124

I think when it happens to you, it is an oh wow moment. Don't know how old you are but seaglass May 2015 #134

Fair point oberliner May 2015 #136

Why do you think both older and younger men are attracted to younger women? gollygee May 2015 #102

Not sure oberliner May 2015 #104

You don't think there's sexism in Europe? gollygee May 2015 #107

I do think there is sexism in Europe oberliner May 2015 #120

you think us women dont want a hot 19 yr old? ya right buddy. then the reality. seabeyond May 2015 #111

I don't think that oberliner May 2015 #122

i think whats his name, you used? clooney stepped over the line of old the last couple of years. seabeyond May 2015 #126

Definitely disagree with you here oberliner May 2015 #128

old is old. we all have had a lifetime of being told men do not count in old. nt seabeyond May 2015 #130

He looks much older this year than last gollygee May 2015 #131

I think it may have more to do with biology davidn3600 May 2015 #144

because back in stone age, it was all about attractive. fuck.... seabeyond May 2015 #145

It was about creating offspring davidn3600 May 2015 #146

i want to know how "attractive" stone age women were. do tell. you are the one linking "attractive" seabeyond May 2015 #147

You are confusing attraction with appearance. They are not the same. davidn3600 May 2015 #153

Then there is the double standard. treestar May 2015 #117

Of course there is oberliner May 2015 #125

Well I guess we are saying there should not be treestar May 2015 #133

Agreed oberliner May 2015 #135

This ^^^^^^^^^ treestar May 2015 #115

You're in essence saying yes it's sexist but it's the way it is so just accept it treestar May 2015 #114

No I'm not oberliner May 2015 #118

Pedophile Fantasy HassleCat May 2015 #76

my thoughts exactly. liberal_at_heart May 2015 #127

This is so very very wrong Gothmog May 2015 #77

What an idiot. That movie will be missing out on outstanding actress. Probably even an actress that liberal_at_heart May 2015 #84

What if the plot calls for a much younger woman? AgingAmerican May 2015 #85

They all call for a younger woman and an older man. That's the problem. We're obsessed with seeing liberal_at_heart May 2015 #86

Some story plots are based on such things AgingAmerican May 2015 #87

Of course they don't have to be realistic, but sometimes it is nice to see Hollywood do something liberal_at_heart May 2015 #88

I'm not talking about formulas AgingAmerican May 2015 #89

You may not be, but I am. The reason some plot stories call for a younger woman and an older man liberal_at_heart May 2015 #91

"I'll See You in My Dreams" CrispyQ May 2015 #106

Maybe, but that plot has been overdone treestar May 2015 #123

What is an 'over done plot'? AgingAmerican May 2015 #157

Well I at least would not be interested treestar May 2015 #162

How do we know it was a romance movie? AgingAmerican May 2015 #163

she was deemed to old to play a love interest treestar May 2015 #164

Hell, I'm 53... MrScorpio May 2015 #94

No mention of what the movie is about? PersonNumber503602 May 2015 #113

My guess is that "too old" might have meant something else. TheManInTheMac May 2015 #140

Sadly, that mindset is almost as old as Hollywood itself... Blue_Tires May 2015 #158