Favourite 50 something female actors? Opinions wanted

[Viewofhedges]

I'm making a microbudget feature film which has as its main character a 50 something woman with teenage children. It's a black comedy about grief.

I'm really interested to know who mumsnetters love and who would make them take a chance of a film if they were the lead actor. Who do you love / loathe? Helena Bonham Carter or Rebecca Front? Anna Chancellor or Kristen Scott Thomas? Who do you look out for?

This is an unusual project but I'm proud to be making it - a film about family with a woman at the heart and centre. There aren't enough of them out there! Would love fellow MN's opinions as I try to do the impossible.

I absolutely love Imelda Staunton, I always think her performances are exceptional and she has so much character.

Ooh and Harriet Walter. Such a great voice!

Anna Chancellor is great, also what about Tamsin Greig?

Joan Cusack is my favourite female comedic actor. She's massively underrated. And American and I think you may just be talking about British actors.

Love Julia Davis.

Of the ones you mention

Helena Bonham Carter - too twee for me
Rebecca Front - love her in Grandma's House.
Anna Chancellor - love her
Kristen Scott Thomas - like her a lot but find her a bit brittle at times.

Walter is (quite unbelievably) 64 and Staunton is 59 so it depends on how fifty-something-ish you want :) (That said I assume this is a dream list rather than 'who can I get who is both awesome and works for micro-budget pay'). Both are incredible actors. Plus - fun fact I didn't know - Staunton is married to Carson off Downton.

Obviously Mirren, despite being 70 and thus probably not able to pass as 50-something :) (Wouldn't put it past her)

Emma Thompson is in your demographic but, great as she is, I haven't seen her do any proper acting of late?

Sarah Lancashire
Julie Walters
Emma Thompson

(Sorry - are you looking 'close to 50' or 'over 50' ?
British? or any ?)

Thanks all for some really interesting views so far.

50 ish simply means that the character has to believably have kids who are between 17 and 21. We really don't want to cast someone who is just too young to have a young adult family. (Similarly if she's nearly 70 as some of the bigger names are then that really is a bit old.)

It is wish-list casting - but there are ways and means to attract big names to small projects if the part is good enough, and we think that as it's the role that carries the film we should be ambitious in who we approach. I've made a few films before with well known faces in so I've got an outside chance!

Gillian Anderson would be fabulous

For black comedies about grief, the go-to actor must be Juliet Stevenson - Truly, Madly, Deeply is hard to top.

Oh and another vote for Joan Cusack. She is amazing.

Some really interesting responses so far - thank you! So glad to have posted here as the directors are both boys and it's great to get a more female-led POV (assuming most posters are girls)...

@tribpot YES I only just found out recently about Imelda Staunton being married to Carson fron Downton, what an awesome couple!!!

I don't know if these two are too young but Emily Watson and Sally Hawkins are both fantastic - I think EW could pull off having children that age definitely. Emma Thompson is always great.

Watson is 48 so just about the right age. It's interesting that you're not trying to cast someone in their early forties, OP, as that would be the normal 'Hollywood' response to a mother of teens. Pretend she had them at 20 so you can cast Kate Winslet.

I saw the trailer for Cinderella today - I always think Helena B-C is Miranda Richardson in this until I remember it's actually her, if you see what I mean. So, I submit Richardson's name for consideration too - she's brilliant.

Maxine Peake? I know she's around 40, but she is superb.

Lesley Sharp
Amelia Bullmore
Both of Scott and Bailey and both fabulous.

Doon Mackichan or Tamsin Grieg.

Though I can't forget Imelda Staunton in her grief in Peter's Friends - she and Gilda Radner providing the only bearable minutes in that awful car crash of a film.

Damn, Marianne Jean-Baptiste is 3 years too young.

It was Rita Rudner in Peter's Friends (Gilda Radner was sadly dead before it was filmed) - she and Imelda Staunton were certainly the best (least one-dimensional) in that film.

Oops, memory and accuracy failure, thanks tribpot

I like Gina McKee but maybe not a big enough name?

Alex Kingston? She's 52 (and has much greater range than the TV parts people associate her with).

Julianne Moore?

Was coming on to say Julianne Moore. Fantastic actress.

JOSIE LAWRENCE!! Totally and utterly in love with that woman! (She's 55) Plus I know she does do a few 'indie' films and shorts so you may be able to get her for your film.