Top 10 Times Celebs Clapped Back At Ageism
#10: Paulina Porizkova
This supermodel uses her online presence to call out an industry that exploits young women and then tosses them aside once they hit a certain age. Porizkova, who’s been in the biz since she was a teenager, watched attitudes toward her change as she got older and felt delegated to the “invisible women” club. This attitude to more mature women drove her to passionately advocate that older ladies can be beautiful, sexy, and vivacious. She also argues that no one should be reduced to just their appearance, however. When one internet rando took it upon themselves to comment on her bikini-clad Instagram photo, she swiftly took them down. Now that’s what we call fierce and fabulous.
#9: Bebe Rexha
Yes, even someone as young as Bebe Rexha isn’t immune from showbiz’s problem with age. At the age of 29 in 2019, the singer called out an unnamed music executive who told her she was too old to post sexy pics on Instagram. She fought back, saying she had no intention of changing who she was to suit someone else’s warped ideas of age-appropriate behaviors. She also challenged the double standards of how aging men are celebrated while aging women are put down. We admire her determination to stay true to herself, and for sticking a figurative middle finger up to anyone who tries to impose their ridiculous standards upon her.
#8: Sarah Jessica Parker
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When a “Sex and the City” spinoff was announced, some people seemingly didn’t get the memo that it would take place about 20 years after the original series aired. So, they were horrified to learn that— and try not to faint from the shock— the cast was no longer in their 30s. Carrie actress Sarah Jessica Parker couldn’t help but wonder why everyone was obsessing over her gray roots. Her co-star, Kristin Davis, slammed critics who pored over every change in the ladies’ physical appearances. Meanwhile, Cynthia Nixon applauded the show for not trying to reclaim its youth. “And just like that…” they tossed ageist criticism in the trash where it belongs.
#7: Maggie Gyllenhaal
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In a 2015 interview with “The Wrap,” the actress revealed that aged 37, she was told she was too old to be cast as a 55-year-old man’s love interest. Although this practice is arguably one of Hollywood’s worst-kept secrets, the actress shared her shock and disappointment. She said: “It made me feel bad, and then it made me feel angry, and then it made me laugh.” While she didn’t name names, this reason for rejection reverberates throughout the industry, even hitting some of its most prolific actresses. Fortunately, this “Honorable Woman” hasn’t lost hope that there are still interesting, complex, and relatable roles out there for her and other actresses in Hollywood.
#6: Halle Berry
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While promoting “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum”, the actress shared that she was baffled by the great interest in her age. So she decided to use her art and talent to prove that age is indeed just a number. In fact, she revealed that this partly piqued her interest in the role of former assassin Sofia Al-Azwar. Berry knows how old she is and doesn’t need or want the media’s constant reminders. Instead, she’d rather “kick this ageism in the face” and show that no number will determine her worth or abilities as an actress. And if you’ve ever watched a Halle Berry movie, you know she can kick butt!
#5: Rita Moreno
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This EGOT legend has endured a lot during her lengthy career - from racism and sexism to ageism. No matter what, though, she’s always refused to be pigeonholed. At a press conference, she shared how, in her early 50s, producer and writer Norman Lear told her that she looked too young to play the wife of Charles Durning, 8 years her senior, in a TV series that was ultimately never greenlit. Of course, she’d later work with Lear on the “One Day at a Time” remake, playing the exuberant Lydia. However, she only agreed to take the role if this Abuelita was “a sexual being.” She said, “The inability to conceive doesn’t mean you’re no longer a woman with feelings.”
#4: Helen Mirren
The English actress is another showbiz vet who’s batted all sorts of unwarranted criticism throughout her career. In 2015, During TheWrap’s Power Breakfast in New York, she was asked for her opinion on Gyllenhaal’s aforementioned revelation. Needless to say, Mirren didn’t mince her words and was met with applause from the approving audience. Seven years later, in 2023 the actress rolled her eyes at critics who took issue with her long hair. Like many of us during lockdowns, the actress let her hair grow and “couldn’t be bothered to cut it.” In what rulebook does it say older women can’t wear their hair long? None we want to follow, that’s for sure.
#3: Dakota Johnson
Coming from a famous family, Johnson had a front-row view of just how fickle the industry can be. She hit back at Hollywood for sidelining great talents like her mom, Melanie Griffith, and grandmother, Tippi Hedren, seemingly due to their advanced years. The “Fifty Shades of Grey” actress didn’t hold back either, calling the showbiz world “f-ing brutal” and clapping back at the “absurd and cut-throat” way it treats its stars. She reiterated that even the toughest skin can’t always protect you from the anxiety of never knowing when the calls will stop and the roles will dry out.
#2: Nicole Kidman
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Speaking to Dujour in 2021, the Aussie actress called out Hollywood for turning its back on women over 40. She shared that while no one’s explicitly told her she’s too old, she did notice a shift in her career upon reaching that age, including more rejections. Incidentally, this is also loosely addressed in the movie “Being the Ricardos,” where Kidman plays TV icon Lucille Ball. The actress also notably gave a heartfelt speech celebrating older actresses at the 2018 SAG Awards. She applauded their work and efforts to prove they’re still “potent and powerful and viable.” Unsurprisingly this was met with a standing ovation. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Pink We “Raise [Our] Glass” to a Comeback So Epic It Likely Left a Purple Bruise on This Troll’s Ego Jane Fonda This Icon Knows That Her Worth Stretches Far beyond Her Age & Cosmetic Decisions Meryl Streep She Opened Up About Fears Her Career Would End at 40 Gabrielle Union Her Clapback at a Troll Telling Her to “Dress [Her] Age” Was Perfect Doris Roberts The Late Actress Stood Up Against Ageism in the Media at a Senate Hearing in 2002
#1: Jennifer Aniston
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You know who’s so done with society’s obsession with age? Jennifer Aniston. The actress noted a change in how she was spoken to and about after turning 50, and she’s not here for it. For Aniston, hitting this new decade just reiterated that age truly is just a number, saying that she felt “physically incredible.” So it kind of rained on her parade when people started commenting that she looks good “for [her] age.” According to the “Friends” star, this is unacceptable etiquette, and she wants to see a change in the language surrounding age and aging. The only milestones she’s interested in discussing are the ones that make up her career.
