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Hollywood and "age"/suspension of disbelief
Posted on 10/5/23 at 2:40 am
Posted on 10/5/23 at 2:40 am
Hollywood has long played fast and loose with casting. The classic example is Grease, with most of the principal cast pushing 30 or older, with Travolta kind of being the "kid" and playing a HS senior in his early 20s.
Breakfast Club is maybe a touch better, overall, with Ringwald and AMH being about perfect for HS seniors, Estevez and Sheedy early 20s and really only Judd Nelson standing out for being too old for the part.
Sometimes age is kind of an obvious issue with pairings (either a romantic situation or familial relationship) that don't quite fit. Anne Bancroft (Mrs. Robinson) was less than 6 years older than Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Now, she was playing older (obviously supposed to be in her 40s) and was only 9 years older than Katherine Ross who played her daughter in the same film.
Similarly, in the HBO series Succession, Brian Cox plays older, explicitly, as they have his character's 80th birthday celebration, despite Cox still being in his mid-70s. Alan Ruck plays his oldest son, despite being just 10 years and 1 month younger. Of course, Ruck could also be in this list for Ferris Bueller, where he was almost 30 playing a HS senior.
In Sanford and Son, Red Foxx and Demond Wilson were about 24 years apart in age, so that part wasn't too bad, but Foxx was still in his 40s when he started that role, playing a character roughly 15 years older (without prosthetics or any significant age enhancements, other than hair and wardrobe).
(What triggered this was a discussion about the Penny Benjamin character from the Top Gun series. Obviously, folks do not want to consider that character the same age as the actress (Jennifer Connelly) in the sequel, because that would have entailed an *ahem* "uncomfortable" conclusion about the events immediately prior to the original film, in which the character is not portrayed, but only referenced.)
Obviously, I'm excluding the age issues where it is explicitly addressed and part of the drama (or comedy) - e.g. Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver, or the May-December situation in Modern Family.
On a related note, Hollywood tends to pair older men with younger women in situations relatively routinely. A rare reversal of this was The Jeffersons. Isabel Sanford (Weezy) was 21 years older than Sherman Hemsley (George), although obviously, she was playing a younger character than her age and he was playing older (both credibly, IMHO).
Obviously, going back to Charlie Chaplin, their IRL relationships often result in eyebrow raising age differences.
Any other age-related casting or Hollywood (Leo would be good fodder, there, right?) age gaps/discrepancies to consider?
Breakfast Club is maybe a touch better, overall, with Ringwald and AMH being about perfect for HS seniors, Estevez and Sheedy early 20s and really only Judd Nelson standing out for being too old for the part.
Sometimes age is kind of an obvious issue with pairings (either a romantic situation or familial relationship) that don't quite fit. Anne Bancroft (Mrs. Robinson) was less than 6 years older than Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Now, she was playing older (obviously supposed to be in her 40s) and was only 9 years older than Katherine Ross who played her daughter in the same film.
Similarly, in the HBO series Succession, Brian Cox plays older, explicitly, as they have his character's 80th birthday celebration, despite Cox still being in his mid-70s. Alan Ruck plays his oldest son, despite being just 10 years and 1 month younger. Of course, Ruck could also be in this list for Ferris Bueller, where he was almost 30 playing a HS senior.
In Sanford and Son, Red Foxx and Demond Wilson were about 24 years apart in age, so that part wasn't too bad, but Foxx was still in his 40s when he started that role, playing a character roughly 15 years older (without prosthetics or any significant age enhancements, other than hair and wardrobe).
(What triggered this was a discussion about the Penny Benjamin character from the Top Gun series. Obviously, folks do not want to consider that character the same age as the actress (Jennifer Connelly) in the sequel, because that would have entailed an *ahem* "uncomfortable" conclusion about the events immediately prior to the original film, in which the character is not portrayed, but only referenced.)
Obviously, I'm excluding the age issues where it is explicitly addressed and part of the drama (or comedy) - e.g. Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver, or the May-December situation in Modern Family.
On a related note, Hollywood tends to pair older men with younger women in situations relatively routinely. A rare reversal of this was The Jeffersons. Isabel Sanford (Weezy) was 21 years older than Sherman Hemsley (George), although obviously, she was playing a younger character than her age and he was playing older (both credibly, IMHO).
Obviously, going back to Charlie Chaplin, their IRL relationships often result in eyebrow raising age differences.
Any other age-related casting or Hollywood (Leo would be good fodder, there, right?) age gaps/discrepancies to consider?
This post was edited on 10/5/23 at 2:42 am
Posted on 10/5/23 at 2:57 am to Ace Midnight
the entire cast of Beverly Hills 90210
Posted on 10/5/23 at 3:22 am to Ace Midnight
Dustin Hoffman was 51, Tom Cruise was 26.
Charlie (Cruise) is also supposedly around 26 in the movie.
Raymond Babbitt was supposed to be about 12 years older than Charlie Babbitt as Ray was 10 years old when he was babysitting 20 month old Charlie.
So that means Ray is supposed to be around 38 and definitely definitely under 40.
I mean, what under 40 year old is addicted to Judge Wapner in the 80s?
Dustin Hoffman's character was really over 50 just like IRL, but maybe it sounded weird if acknowledged that they were brothers 25 years apart.
Charlie (Cruise) is also supposedly around 26 in the movie.
Raymond Babbitt was supposed to be about 12 years older than Charlie Babbitt as Ray was 10 years old when he was babysitting 20 month old Charlie.
So that means Ray is supposed to be around 38 and definitely definitely under 40.
I mean, what under 40 year old is addicted to Judge Wapner in the 80s?
Dustin Hoffman's character was really over 50 just like IRL, but maybe it sounded weird if acknowledged that they were brothers 25 years apart.
This post was edited on 10/5/23 at 3:23 am
Posted on 10/5/23 at 6:40 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
The Jeffersons. Isabel Sanford (Weezy) was 21 years older than Sherman Hemsley (George), although obviously, she was playing a younger character than her age and he was playing older (both credibly, IMHO).
Never would have guessed this.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 6:40 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
A rare reversal of this was The Jeffersons. Isabel Sanford (Weezy) was 21 years older than Sherman Hemsley (George), although obviously, she was playing a younger character than her age and he was playing older (both credibly, IMHO)
Also, in Good Times, Esther Rolle was appx. 19 years older than John Amos.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 7:10 am to Ace Midnight
The actor in this movie was not actually 10 years old.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 7:32 am to Ace Midnight
quote:
Any other age-related casting or Hollywood (Leo would be good fodder, there, right?) age gaps/discrepancies to consider?
In Miami Connection, the "father" was actually younger than the "son." But since the movie is a masterpiece, it totally gets away with it.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 8:12 am to Ace Midnight
Watched Heathers last night for the first time in forever. Was thinking about how hot prime Winona Ryder was. Looked it up, she was like 18 when the movie was released.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 9:22 am to Ace Midnight
The OC
Barton was actually high school age. The other 3 were in their 20s.
Barton was actually high school age. The other 3 were in their 20s.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 9:39 am to Ace Midnight
Bianca Lawson played a teenager in 3 different decades.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 10:02 am to Ace Midnight
Sons of Katie Elder
John Wayne and the youngest brother were 36 years apart in real life.
Still a great movie.
John Wayne and the youngest brother were 36 years apart in real life.
Still a great movie.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 10:14 am to Ace Midnight
Phoebe Cates was 18 (?) when Fast Times @ Ridgemont High was filming.. Assuming she was playing a HS Jr or Sr? I forget , but not too far off. Just that pool scene came to mind.
No pun intended.
Probably.
No pun intended.
Probably.
This post was edited on 10/5/23 at 10:15 am
Posted on 10/5/23 at 2:41 pm to Ace Midnight
The cast of Stranger Things will all be in their 30's playing high schoolers by the time season 5 comes out
Kidding aside though, the actors that played Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan are all about 7-10 years older than their characters in the show.
Kidding aside though, the actors that played Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan are all about 7-10 years older than their characters in the show.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 2:49 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
Alan Ruck plays his oldest son, despite being just 10 years and 1 month younger. Of course, Ruck could also be in this list for Ferris Bueller, where he was almost 30 playing a HS senior.
Ruck still looked really young in Ferris Bueller but looked so old in every single thing he did after that.
Posted on 10/6/23 at 8:29 am to Ace Midnight
Most of the FNL cast looked way too old for high school.
I think Freaks and Geeks actually was the one show that got it mostly right.
I think Freaks and Geeks actually was the one show that got it mostly right.
Posted on 10/6/23 at 8:24 pm to Ace Midnight
On Golden Girls, weren't Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty around the same age?
Vicki Lawrence on Mama's Family
Vicki Lawrence on Mama's Family
Posted on 10/7/23 at 12:14 am to Ace Midnight
I mentioned this in the other thread, but it's worth repeating...
father and son
But Harrison Ford was born in 1942, Sean Connery in 1930.
So "Dad" is only 12 yrs older.
Ford was 47 and Connery 59 when it was released.
father and son
But Harrison Ford was born in 1942, Sean Connery in 1930.
So "Dad" is only 12 yrs older.
Ford was 47 and Connery 59 when it was released.
Posted on 10/7/23 at 3:53 pm to Ace Midnight
Sam Neil and Laura Dern are 17 years apart... as she has let everyone know was a problem thirty years after the fact.
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