Unfortunately, it’s well-documented that Hollywood has a tendency to be sexist and ageist as told by various women in the industry over the years. As we continue to observe Women’s History Month this year, we’re looking at the actresses across movies and television currently working today that have carved out a place for themselves despite the status quo favoring younger actresses, whilst it's the norm for the male actors to enjoy careers well into their 60s, 70s and beyond.
It was reported a few years back by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media that while characters over 50 make up a fifth of characters on television, only a fourth of them are played by women (via Buzzfeed). With that in mind, there’s a gender gap with opportunities being favored for older men much more than women. Thankfully, these actresses have found a way to thrive in Hollywood after turning 50.
Michelle Yeoh
Recently, at the 2023 Oscars, the ceremony actually celebrated numerous actresses that are thriving after 50, including Best Actress winner, Michelle Yeoh. The Everything Everywhere All At Once lead accepted the award not only as the first Asian actress to win in the category, but as a “beacon” of hope for more women her age to be seen in major roles. As she accepted the trophy, she said: "Ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are past your prime."
Yeoh has been over 50 in Hollywood for over a decade now, and is enjoying an exciting era in her career by finding key roles in successful movies like Crazy Rich Asians and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, or finding empowering roles in recent TV series like Star Trek: Discovery and The Witcher: Blood Origin.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Yeoh’s Everything Everywhere co-star Jamie Lee Curtis also took home an Oscar for the movie in the Best Supporting Actress category after over 45 years working in Hollywood. Curtis was a teenager when she found her breakout role in Halloween, but decade after decade she has continued to be cast in exciting roles, especially after turning 50. In Curtis’ fifties and sixties the actress has revived her role as Laurie Strode in a new Halloween trilogy, starred in Knives Out and has a wealth of roles on the horizon, including Borderlands and Haunted Mansion.
Angela Bassett
Curtis’ fellow nominee in the Best Supporting Actress category in 2023 was Angela Bassett, for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, who also remains a working icon into her mid-sixties. Aside from starring as Queen Ramonda in the Marvel franchise, the actress continues to lead the network series 9-1-1 along with appearing in multiple seasons of American Horror Story and recently being part of the Mission: Impossible franchise.
Helen Mirren
One of the most iconic actresses to consistently nab interesting roles for herself following turning 50 is Helen Mirren. The British talent hit the milestone in 1995, before she’d made some of her most beloved and best movies, like 2001’s Gosford Park, 2003’s Calendar Girls or her 2006 Oscar-winning performance in The Queen. Mirren has continued to play leading roles in the past decade, such as starring in the Red films, her incredible role in the Fast and the Furious movies along with leading 1923 and Shazam! Fury of the Gods within the past year.
Jane Fonda & Lily Tomlin
While I could certainly talk about Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in their own right, the fact that this pair got themselves their own hit comedy series, Grace and Frankie, in their late seventies (across seven seasons, no less) deserves to be celebrated. These two have modeled, brought life to and joked about the lives of older women who are best friends, and we’re so blessed it exists. The pair hit 50 in the late ‘80s and thrived, remaining booked and busy. Among the 2023 new movie releases, they are in back-to-back movies together, too, 80 For Brady and Moving On.
Rita Moreno
One of Rita Moreno’s first roles was in 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain. Seventy years later her career is still very much popping, between starring in Netflix’s sitcom, One Day At A Time, and voicing the role of Carmen Sandiego for the original animated series. This year, Moreno also starred in 80 For Brady and has joined the Fast and the Furious franchise as Dominic Toretto’s grandma.
Sally Field
Speaking of 80 For Brady leads, Sally Field has continued to remain relevant and very much respected in Hollywood at the age of 76. From being nominated for an Oscar for her role in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln to bringing new life to Aunt May in The Amazing Spider-Man movies, or starring in critically acclaimed movies like Hello, My Name Is Doris and Spoiler Alert, Field has continued to impress after a massive first half of her career.
Emma Thompson
In the nearly 15 years that Emma Thompson has been over 50, she has accomplished a lot. She gave a powerful performance as P.L. Travers in the sweet Saving Mr. Banks' movie alongside Tom Hanks, she gave Cruella a formidable foe of her own in the titular 2021 Disney prequel, and tackled the usually taboo topic of exploring sexuality past one’s “prime” and filmed nude scenes for Good Luck To You, Leo Grande.
Ming-Na Wen
When Ming-Na Wen turned 50 back in 2013, she was just getting her start playing Melinda May on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, a badass and highly-skilled operative she continued to play for over 100 episodes. Since finding success with that series, which is now her most famous role outside Mulan, Wen has joined the Star Wars universe as Fennec Shand, a female bounty hunter and master assassin.
Catherine O’Hara
Catherine O’Hara is well-known to an entirely new generation than those who grew up seeing her in movies like Best In Show, Beetlejuice or Home Alone, thanks to her beloved role in Schitt’s Creek as Moira Rose. O’Hara will go down in history as playing one of the funniest TV characters in a big role she found well after 50.
Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch booked her most popular role of Sue Sylvester on Glee right as she was turning 50 and played the character for six seasons before finding all sorts of work in showbiz otherwise. She notably voices the role of Calhoun in the Wreck-It Ralph movies, along with having major roles in the hit shows The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Party Down and with hosting 75 episodes of the original celebrity game show, Celebrity Game Night.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
The Seinfeld star not only found herself a whole other well-loved TV show to lead and produce after 50 with HBO’s Veep, which she also won nine consecutive Emmy awards for, but she’s a major player in the Marvel universe now. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been consistently quick on her feet on the comedy front and proved to be an impressive dramatic actress as well, with roles in films like Enough Said.
Jennifer Coolidge
Then, there’s Jennifer Coolidge’s recent comeback for The White Lotus that has the actress literally everywhere right now. Along with the 61-year-old recently winning her first Emmy for her hilarious role as Tanya McQuoid, Coolidge has had loads of projects she has stolen the show in, in the past couple of years in particular, like Promising Young Woman, The Watcher and Shotgun Wedding alongside Jennifer Lopez.
Jessica Lange
Four decades after Jessica Lange became a star for roles like her Oscar-nominated work in Tootsie and Frances, she is still a huge name, particularly thanks to her move to TV in collaboration with Ryan Murphy on his numerous shows. Lange always provides strong performances in her ever-changing American Horror Story roles, along with portraying Joan Crawford in Feud.
Allison Janney
Allison Janney is another actress who got wide recognition for being in one of the best-regarded TV shows of all time, The West Wing. After starring in 155 episodes of the drama, Janney has continued to explore all sorts of interesting characters across her career, especially after 50, whether it be in the sitcom Mom, winning an Oscar for her chilling mother role in I, Tonya or her booked 2022 that put an additional three movies under her belt. Janney is even more famous now than she was when she was a younger actress.
Julianne Moore
A new role from Julianne Moore is never too far away these days. The 62-year-old actress has accomplished a lot over 50 and has even been in with the kids because of her key role in the Hunger Games franchise or starring alongside Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard in the recent indie, When You Finish Saving the World. Moore has starred in so many great movies just within the past decade that it can be hard to recall she’s also the same actress from Boogie Nights and Far From Heaven.
Tilda Swinton
We don’t have enough female character actors in the world, but Tilda Swinton embodies someone new so frequently that we can barely imagine what she’s like in real life. The majority of Swinton’s best roles have occurred since she turned 50, such as We Need To Talk About Kevin, or her numerous times working with Wes Anderson and Bong Joon-Ho.
Viola Davis
Viola Davis is one of the most acclaimed actors of our time right now and it feels like she’s also just getting started. Recently, the actress did just about every stunt as a warrior and leader in The Woman King and has become the most-nominated Black actress in Academy Awards history.
Meryl Streep
I mean, it’s Meryl. What else do we have to say? The 73-year-old actress has always been magnificent on screen no matter her age and has proven her great talent and ability to be a chameleon on the screen again and again. Since turning 50, Streep has starred in all-time great movies like The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia, and Iron Lady, and looking forward, she's about to guest star in Only Murders In the Building.
It’s great to see so many women have broken through and found roles for themselves after 50 in the industry. It really comes down to great roles being written for women of all ages for their opportunities to exist.
