The Impact of Aging in Media

• cinema

A topic regarding how people in their 40s were portrayed in films during the 1990s was recently ignited by a Twitter post that featured a picture from the movie "Father of the Bride." In the movie, Steve Martin and Diane Keaton are depicted as being 45 years old.

Many have noted how older characters were portrayed in movies throughout that decade in a very different way from how they are today. Actresses who are over 40 yet still seem young, like Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston, Sofia Vergara, Penelope Cruz, and Angelina Jolie, continue to enchant audiences.

However, the 1990s saw a significant difference in how their peers were portrayed in movies. In contrast to the assured and glossy roles these actresses play now, older female characters in 1990s movies were frequently portrayed as frumpy, dowdy, and lifeless.

This disparity draws attention to the changing ideals of beauty and age portrayal in the movie business. While it is true that fashion trends vary over time and that how people dress can have an impact on how they look, it is also clear that society's attitudes toward aging have changed.

Nowadays, there is more emphasis on honoring age and accepting the wisdom and experience that come with it. In the past, it was customary for older people to be depicted as beyond their prime and no longer relevant. Insider's digital culture editor, Sirena Bergman, commented on the issue, saying: "There's definitely something super weird about how TV and movies portrayed someone over 25 in the '90s that messes with my ability to judge how people of a certain age behave and they look".

Bergman cited examples of more recent productions, such as the series "The Good Nurse," in which Jessica Chastain appears quite young, and the movie "Venom," in which the main role is played by 45-year-old Tom Hardy, who is portrayed as a young man.

An unbelievable thing that has changed in 30 years is that in 1995, this was supposed to be what 45 year-olds looked like. pic.twitter.com/UZ0DR8wEWm — Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) December 20, 2022