SAMI’S BLOG: Hollywood
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It seems us middle-aged women are having a moment in the sun. Mid way through life. Not old.
It is awards season in Hollywood and I am swooning over how damn good so many of the nominated stars look who are indeed over a certain age. Demi, Nicole, Naomi, Jodi, Angelina and plenty more are all stunning. Yes we all know they have worked hard to try to beat gravity and wrinkles. But there is more to it than that: they have a confidence that shows at last they are being acknowledged, that they are at the top of their game.
They have a new swagger that Clooney and Pitt have nailed long before them. We still have a long way to go but we are in a golden era. And in turn, our Queens we grew up watching are delivering some of the best acting work of their professions. They are in demand. Playing interesting and complex characters that have us entranced and captivated.
Once in Hollywood when you hit 40, you were discarded like some used up dish cloth. The only roles for women over 50 were saintly roles or the horrid mother of the hot-daughter-in-law.
There is a theme in many of the big films this season that is ageing. Firstly, the film Maria is a tumultuous and tragic story of the world’s greatest female opera singer, set in Paris in the 1970’s. Jolie trained for 7 months to perfect her singing and delivers a poignant and powerful performance of a star fading from fame.
And to Nicole Kidman who is prolific in her art more than ever. If you have not seen Babygirl, I am sure you have heard of it. The sex scenes are wild and provocative. The character is a brave choice as Nicole deals with ageing and the struggle of unsatisfying sex with her husband. There are close ups that are incredibly uncomfortable and that is what makes it genius. It is not a movie we are used to seeing on the big screen.
And then there is Demi Moore. The actor is inching closer to winning an Oscar after picking up a Golden Globe award for her performance in ‘The Substance.” It is the first time the 62 year old has won an acting award in a career that spans 5 decades. The first time. It is about an aging Hollywood star who embraces a secret cloning procedure to save her career.
So, go forth mid ladies. Now is your reign. The 97th Academy Awards will be held on March 3.
