Lanna Hill: ‘Older’ women are finally having their moment in Hollywood

I don’t know if I’m noticing it more because I’m now a 40-something, but there certainly seems to be more older women dominating the big screen than ever before, and not before time.

The rise feels rapid, but we’ve seen a considerable jump over the past three years in the prominence of women in their 40s, 50s and even 60s not only starring in the Hollywood blockbusters, but taking home the gongs — this year’s Golden Globe awards saw stars like Demi Moore, Jodie Foster and Jean Smart all walk away with awards.

We’ve also seen the increase in Hollywood rom-coms featuring an older female star, with a significantly younger love interest, a trend also being heavily perpetuated on social media, marking a significant shift in societal and cultural norms.

The 2023 Academy Award-winning film Oppenheimer was a roaring success critically and at the box office, but was also subject to considerable criticism over the 20-year age gap between their two leads — double the real life age gap.

Culturally, we’re used to this, though. Long have male leads in their late 40s and early 50s been cast with significantly younger love interests. And while it’s easy to dismiss this as simply an artistic depiction, these portrayals impact how socially acceptable these things are, or aren’t, depending on gender.

And again, it might be easy to dismiss as just entertainment, but when we think about the flow-on effect of movie deals on things like celebrity endorsements and the consequential impact on company profits, it becomes a lot more serious.

Research confirms what we would all anecdotally know — celebrity endorsement is one of the most powerful levers in advertising in building consumer confidence, and speeding up the purchasing process.

One of my favourite examples is the long-term partnership between Belvedere vodka and ex-007 actor, Daniel Craig, now 56.

As his pay cheque has never been disclosed, we can only imagine the eye-watering sum of his endorsement deal. Celebrity endorsement doesn’t just work for products and services — we saw this campaign tactic used heavily by both candidates in last year’s US presidential election.

So, what does all of this mean in the context of better representation of older women on our movie and television screens and social media?

For one, better-performing advertising and more positive and inclusive perceptions within our communities. A study commissioned last year by the Australian Human Rights Commission found that media plays a key role in perpetuating or addressing harmful societal stereotypes.

We’ve all seen them — a white-haired couple playing lawn bowls, struggling to do the gardening, or worse, portrayals of anyone over 60 as frail, vulnerable, and a burden to society. And while these portrayals and the resulting ageism impact men as it does women, there remains a historical imbalance to correct.

When we see our own Nicole Kidman last year becoming the first Australian to win a lifetime achievement award at the American Film Institute Awards, at 57 years old, enjoying one of the most successful and prolific periods of her four-decade career, there’s something to celebrate.

When we see Demi Moore at 63 taking home her first acting award at this year’s Golden Globes, it’s a sign that finally, the tide may be turning.

Lanna Hill is a strategist, speaker and founder of Leverage Media