Leading men and their much younger partners

[writergirl747474]

Just been to see Three Billboards ... (Bit too dark/depressing if you're thinking of seeing it). I was slightly surprised to see Woody Harrelson (56) was paired with Abby Cornish (35). But when I thought about it, it's not surprising at all, is it? While leading men get older and get roles, their love interests remain under 40 and no one bats an eyelid that all men are married to people 20 years younger than them.

For example in the Greatest Showman Hugh Jackman (49) and Michelle Williams (37) are supposedly childhood sweethearts (played by same age kids at the beginning) yet by the time they're adults he's obviously a decade or so older.

Hollywood sexism never stops?

www.vulture.com/2015/05/emma-jlaw-and-scarletts-older-man-problem.html

Made me think of these great charts.

It can be a bit of a trope - A Star Is Born, for example (although I'll own to being word perfect on the theme tune as something of a Streisand fan).

On the other hand when you think of the history of women in cinema, you would have to acknowledge Lauren Bacall and Kathryn Hepburn, both of whom were long time partners of older men (Bogart and Tracy respectively).

I tend to find the 'younger woman finally tames older man to settle down' aspect of it pretty tiresome as well. I dated a couple of older fellas in my youth, and honestly, they weren't the ones doing any 'teaching'...

This topic comes up repeatedly here (with good reason). My favourite anecdote from a previous thread is that Sheila Hancock was apparently turned down for the role of John Thaw's wife on account of her age, despite actually being married to him.

Those charts Lally

Now we know that young actresses were being selected based on sexually harassing older men's tastes in Hollywood it does put a new and repulsive spin on this.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was told recently at 37 that she was too old to play the love interest of a 55 year old man.
www.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/21/maggie-gyllenhaal-too-old-hollywood

It's endemic in Hollywood, the girlfriend or wife must be played by a woman who is AT LEAST ten years younger than the man. Also, it's ok if the man is not very attractive. The woman has to be perfect, slim and young looking but it's fine if he's a bit fat, bald, whatever. I watched a movie recently with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn where she looked perfect and tiny and he was, frankly, fat.

Yes agree with you.
I won't pay to see any film with such rubbish age differences.
When will they learn?

Now we know that young actresses were being selected based on sexually harassing older men's tastes in Hollywood it does put a new and repulsive spin on this.

Quite, MrsTP. Also puts another spin on why actresses so often vanish at 40 - are they "too old" to be seen on screen, or are they "too old" for the casting couch? Bleuch. I've all but given up on cinema at the moment. I just don't care about the movies that are getting made, because they're not getting made for me. I bloody love Jennifer Lawrence, and she lights up everything she's in, but that chart is an eye opener.

I know it's not a box office smash but I watched heavenly Christmas on channel 5 and it's was refreshing to see Charlotte from SATC as the love interest of will from will and grace, both early 50s.

Yep, lots of other instances and it's all ridiculous. In Three Billboards Woody Harrelson was chubby and balding while his wife looked young and perfect and it all just looked wrong. I think my new year's resolution is not to bother with films with age inappropriate love matches.