In the Golden Globe award-winning movie “Barbie,” one particularly moving scene features Margot Robbie’s character meeting an elderly woman in “the real world” (played by the film’s costume designer, the legendary Ann Roth) and telling her that she’s “beautiful.” Director Greta Gerwig told Rolling Stone that she fought to keep that scene despite being strongly encouraged by movie execs to scrap it because it wasn’t integral to the plot.
She told the powers that be, “If I cut the scene, I don’t know what this movie is about,” adding, “That’s how I saw it. To me, it is the heart of the movie.”
That message is part of the reason “Barbie” resonated with so many women. It reminds us that beauty is ageless, and as ten of this year’s Golden Globe nominees prove, so is talent. The following women have owned every stage or screen they’ve graced. Whether they are making us laugh, cry, or think, they are redefining what women in their prime can do on and off-screen.
Annette Bening, 65, “Nyad”
Nominee, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama
In 2013, at 64, Diana Nyad famously defied the odds when she successfully swam more than 100 miles from Cuba to Florida. In 2024, four-time Oscar nominee 65-year-old Annette Bening earned a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of the title character in the film “Nyad.”
Bening, who has two Golden Globe Best Actress awards under her belt, vigorously trained for nearly a year to tackle the role and did all her own swimming in the film. It’s that kind of dedication that has earned Bening multiple awards on stage and screen. And though she has a penchant for playing spunky, outspoken characters, including a lobbyist turned presidential love interest in “The American President,” and a frustrated wife in the 1999 Academy Award-winning film “American Beauty,” her “Nyad” costar Jodie Foster says art doesn’t imitate life. In an interview with the LA Times, Foster said, “She’s really good at portraying these intimidating, grandiose [characters], but she couldn’t be further from that. She’s super stoic, never complains. She’s a real San Diego girl.”
Jodie Foster, 61, “Nyad”
Nominee, Best Performance by a Female Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
As Diana Nyad’s best friend and coach, Bonnie Stoll, 61-year-old Jodie Foster brings a lot of heart (and some pretty impressive abs) to her role, earning the three-time Golden Globe winner yet another nomination to add to her extensive list. Since appearing in a Coppertone commercial at three, Foster has spent nearly six decades building a career that most actors only dream of, earning her first Academy Award nomination at only 12 years old for playing a child prostitute in “Taxi Driver.” While she didn’t leave with an Oscar that night, she now boasts two coveted statues for her work in “Silence of the Lambs” and “The Accused.”
You might think that someone so successful would be immune to the pressures of being an older woman in an industry that glorifies youth. On the contrary, Foster admitted to The Guardian that she struggled with “how to be a woman above a certain age in Hollywood” and looks to friends of all ages for advice and inspiration. She also focuses on mentoring up-and-coming actresses as they navigate the industry and its ideas about women and, specifically, sexuality. It’s something that Foster, who has always kept her personal life relatively private, says she wishes she’d had in her early years as an actress.
“I do a lot of reaching out to young actresses,” she said, adding that there is more freedom today for young women to express themselves. “I’m compelled. Because it was hard growing up.”
Julianne Moore, 63, “May December”
Nominee, Best Performance by a Female Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Whether she’s playing a coke-addicted porn star, a suicidal housewife, or a woman dealing with Alzheimer’s, Julianne Moore inhabits her characters in such a way that you forget you are watching a performance. Perhaps that’s why the 63-year-old Oscar and Golden Globe winner has enjoyed such a long and successful career, punctuated with multiple awards and nominations.
Her latest performance in “May December” earned the talented actress her 11th Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Gracie, a woman who has an affair with a seventh-grade boy whom she goes on to marry despite their vast 23-year age difference. Natalie Portman plays an actress hired to portray Gracie in a movie about the scandal.
Moore’s character might have come off as less vulnerable in someone else’s hands, but the actress imbued the role with subtle nuances, including an unscripted lisp. Moore told W Magazine, “That vocal choice was not in the script. I made the decision based on two things: I wanted to give Natalie’s character some things she could copy. I hit upon this idea of Gracie’s lisp, which is something we attribute to children. That’s the second reason: Gracie is childlike.” That intuition and ability to make every role her own keeps this actress at the top of her game and keeps us wanting Moore!
Helen Mirren, 78, “1923”
Nominee Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Is there anything Helen Mirren can’t do? At 78 years young, she holds an Oscar, a Tony, three Emmys, and several SAG awards for a body of work that has spanned nearly 60 years. After performing on stage with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company, Mirren made her big screen debut in the film, “The Age of Consent.”
The rest is history as Mirren’s star rose to stratospheric heights and continues to shine bright in “1923,” a “Yellowstone” prequel. But even playing a pioneer woman, Mirren can’t disguise the elegance, beauty, class, and style that caught the eye of Loreal Cosmetics, who named her as a spokesperson in 2014. And, in 2022, People Magazine put her on the cover of its “Beautiful” issue.
However, Mirren told the publication that she would rather be known for her swagger than her looks. “I love the word swagger because I think swagger means I’m confident in myself, I’m presenting myself to the world, I’m enjoying the world around me.”
Imelda Staunton, 68, “The Crown”
Nominee Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Imelda Staunton has terrified “Harry Potter” fans as the evil Dolores Umbridge and given Maggie Smith’s character a run for her money in the “Downton Abbey” films. Most recently, however, the 68-year-old has lent her considerable talent to “The Crown” with a brilliant portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, earning the actress a 2024 Golden Globe nomination. That honor is just one in a long list of nominations and awards the Staunton has earned since she got her big break playing the title character in “Vera Drake,” in 2004, a role that earned an Academy Award nod.
As the versatile actress wraps up the final season of “The Crown,” she reflected on the role in Town and Country magazine, saying, “What I’m going to carry with me is being part of a unique piece of television history. You’ve had a long narrative being played by three different casts. Being part of that experiment is a real privilege.” It’s also been a privilege for viewers.
J. Smith Cameron, 66, “Succession.”
Nominee, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Musical, Comedy, or Drama
Tony-award-winning actress J. Smith Cameron is best known as the cool-headed corporate counsel for the Roy family business on the hit HBO series (and last night’s Golden Globe winner) “Succession.” But, while this role may have brought her recognition and fame later in life, she’s been an acclaimed theatre star in New York for years, and she says she finds the new recognition a little strange.
“In my 60s, to have this attention, it’s just weird,” she told The New York Times. Weird or not, she’s earned it. Her portrayal of the eye-rolling Gerri Kellman is the stuff memes are made of- literally, and her bizarre relationship with the youngest Roy, played by Kieren Culkin, was television gold and helped propel her character to an audience favorite.
Just ask her close friend Matthew Broderick, who told the Times via phone, “It’s been thrilling to watch J. cross over from a fixture on the New York stage into the collective consciousness.” He added, “She’s so smart, and her humor is so slyly funny. She doesn’t miss a joke.”
Meryl Streep, 74, “Only Murders in the Building”
Nominee, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Musical, Comedy, or Drama
Recognizing Meryl Streep for another outstanding performance? Groundbreaking. Considered Hollywood royalty, three-time Oscar winner and eight-time Golden Globe winner Meryl Streep may be the industry’s most revered and respected actress. She holds the record for most Academy Award nominations with 21 and the record for most Golden Globe nominations with a staggering 33 nods.
Her talent is legendary; once she inhabits a role, it is hers for life. Could you imagine anyone else playing Miranda Priestly? Comedy, musicals, or heart-wrenching dramas, Streep has an undeniable gift that has kept the 74-year-old relevant in an industry that is always looking for the next “big thing.” Her award-nominated work in “Only Murders in the Building” proves that Streep is still a force to reckon with and likely will be for years.
Rachel Weisz, 53, “Dead Ringers”
Nominee: Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Rachel Weisz is a bit of an anomaly in the industry in that she didn’t dream of acting or fame. In fact, according to The Guardian, she says, “I wasn’t burning to act. It was something that came later on. It just came my way.” An intensely private person who still doesn’t have a social media presence, Weisz was almost 30 years old when she found commercial success with “The Mummy.” Since then, she’s gone on to balance box office hits with critically acclaimed films and picked up a few awards, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her work in the 2005 film, “The Constant Gardner.”
Her latest offering is the television show “Dead Ringers,” which Weisz starred in and produced. She plays twins on the show, and her performance earned the actress yet another Golden Globe nod. The challenge of playing not just one but two female characters appealed to the actress, who says that what she looks for in roles are “complicated characters” and “interesting, complex writing.”
She told Net-A-Porter that she’s been frustrated with the lack of roles like that for women, but she’s beginning to see a shift. “Oftentimes, with roles for women in the past, I’ve found them very oversimplified, and I think that’s changing, which is really good,” she says.
Sarah Silverman, 53, “Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love”
Best Stand-Up Comedian on Television
Sarah Silverman’s comedy career was almost over before it began. After landing a coveted spot on “Saturday Night Live,” she was fired after just a few months because none of her sketches were making the cut. Where other comedians might take that as a sign to choose a different career path, Silverman dug in her heels and kept trying. Her grit paid off, and today, at 53, Silverman’s resume boasts several minor movie roles, successful stand-up shows, two Emmy awards, a popular podcast, and a 2024 Golden Globe nomination for her recent HBO special, “Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love.” Guess who’s laughing now?
Wanda Sykes, 59, “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer”
Best Stand-Up Comedian on Television
Wanda Sykes won her first Emmy as a writer on “The Chris Rock Show.” Today, the 59-year-old comedian and writer has appeared in movies and television shows, showing off the sharp wit that has made her a household name in comedy. Her latest offering, Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer,” airs on Netflix and earned Sykes a 2024 Golden Globe nomination for its astute and hilarious observations on daily life delivered with the comedian’s trademark razor-sharp wit. Who says women over fifty aren’t funny?
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