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.

(Or I'll do it! I'm not a big name and I'm only 30, but I age up VERY well on stage to play older women, which I have done a few times. )

Yonic: couldn't agree more. And she has great range. Can totally see her in the project the OP is talking about.

Or how about someone like Sandra Bullock for that quirky deadpan delivery? I think she's quite an underrated actress. I thought she'd be too young but she's 50!

Also Simone Lahbib or Mandana Jones (Helen and Nikki from ITV Bad girls) are both fantastic! Simone has just turned 50 I believe and Mandana must be in her late 40s/early 50s.

What about Maria Doyle Kennedy. She's amazing in Orphan Black and she's just above 50.

Miranda Richardson is a fabulous actress. I'd watch her in anything

Jessica Hynes is a little too young still at 43, but she wowed me as grieving Nurse Joan Redfern in Doctor Who.

Michelle Gomez is 49 and I have loved her since Green Wing. She can do no wrong.

Josie Lawrence is 56, I saw her play Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew,(OK, some time ago) she is magnificent.

Siobhan Redmond is 56, she positively radiates strength, and I've seen her do comedy too.

Olivia Williams is only 47 but perfection in everything she does.

YY to Emma Thompson, Juliet Stevenson and Anna Chancellor.

And YY to American actresses Sandra Bullock and Joan Cusack. Has anyone mentioned Elizabeth Perkins (55) yet?

If I see any of these actresses are in something, I will automatically pay a bit more attention to it than I would have done otherwise.