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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 3:45 am to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:
I mean, what under 40 year old is addicted to Judge Wapner in the 80s?
One that is an autistic savant?
Posted on 10/5/23 at 6:22 am to Wally Sparks
I can’t speak for older actors but I do know many studios and directors don’t want the BS that comes along with employing a minor(under 18) so they hire older.
California child labor laws are much different and can only work in a short window. That’s the main reason why it’s mostly 18+ actors playing High Schoolers
California child labor laws are much different and can only work in a short window. That’s the main reason why it’s mostly 18+ actors playing High Schoolers
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 7:20 am to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:
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.
10 years minus 20 months = about 12 years
Posted on 10/5/23 at 7:26 am to Nutriaitch
quote:
10 years minus 20 months = about 12 years
Do you mean plus?
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 8:24 am to PowerTool
Kierra Knightly was 17 during Pirates of the Caribbean
This post was edited on 10/5/23 at 8:24 am
Posted on 10/5/23 at 9:03 am to CocomoLSU
quote:
Do you mean plus?
no, the guy said Ray was 10 babysitting a 20 month old.
and he said Ray was 12 years older.
not sure how he was 12 years older if Charlies was nearly 2 when Ray was only 10.
Posted on 10/5/23 at 9:16 am to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:It was on every day in our fraternity house, I assure you.
I mean, what under 40 year old is addicted to Judge Wapner in the 80s?
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 9:42 am to PowerTool
Ever seen The Last Picture Show? They filmed the movie and then had to wait a month or two for Cybil Shepherd to come back and go full frontal on her 18th birthday.
This post was edited on 10/5/23 at 10:02 am
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