Andie MacDowell hailed for questioning double standards about aging in show business: ‘She is on point’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Andie MacDowell was applauded online after an old clip of the actress blasting double standards on aging in Hollywood recently resurfaced.

The ‘Groundhog Day’ star gave a very powerful statement during a 2023 interview at Cannes, where she pointed out that men are “allowed to get older” in show business, whereas women in the industry aren't, BuzzFeed reported.

The interview, which resurfaced on Reddit, shows MacDowell asking, “Why do we have this expectation for women to not age? You wouldn’t question Hugh Grant or George Clooney!”

Andie MacDowell questions why only men are ‘glorified as they age’

“I feel debonair. I’m sorry, I do. I feel that. I feel just like a man, I do. I feel fabulous,” Andie MacDowell said in the clip.

The actress, who turned 67 in April, further asked, “Why have men been glorified as they age? I’ve always talked about this, and I think it really is a psychological thing we have imprinted in us.”

MacDowell, who loves to rock her grey hair, then went on to say, “If you want me to look different, I can wear a wig. But I’m not coloring my hair — it took me three years for my hair to grow out. I’m not going to color it!”

Andie MacDowell says only ‘very, very powerful’ women are treated well in industry

The former fashion model also revealed how she found it difficult to get work in her 40s, but she’s “more appreciated now… We have this idea that men age and get sexy and women don’t, and they don’t know what to do with you.”

During the interview, ‘The Way Home’ performer shared the difference between the treatment a man receives and a woman. 

She said, “So as soon as a man turns 40, they just put him with a younger woman. And then, psychologically, we give them this power. We think that they are sexy because they’ve got this younger woman.”

“We give them this power, but we don’t do the same thing for a woman. We go: ‘Woah! Well, what do we do with her?’ Unless she’s very, very powerful in Hollywood,” she continued.

“Then it’s different. But for the majority of women, it’s a big struggle. And then we turn 60 and we get to play great characters!” the mother of daughters Margaret and Rainey Qualley, and son Justin Qualley, added.

Andie MacDowell hailed as she talks about double standard in Hollywood

People on Reddit hailed Andie MacDowell after the video of her remarks went viral on social media. They agreed with her point of view and slammed the double standard when it comes to aging in Hollywood.

A Reddit user commented, “Propaganda I’m not falling for: ‘men age like fine wine.’”

Another wrote, “It’s rude but I always think of Leonardo DiCaprio when I think about people who say that men age better than women. Like, he’s certainly not terrible to look at or anything, but he’s just regular looking now. I would challenge anybody to say he’s aging better than, say, Penelope Cruz, who’s almost the same age as him and as beautiful as ever. imo women generally age better than men.”

“She is on point. It's absolutely correct. And she looks fabulous. Hair is gorgeous. We really need to move away from 40 plus male actors paired with 20 something female actresses. It is just ridiculous at this point. The age gap thing is finally becoming gross in the cultural zeitgeist, thankfully. If we could dump it in entertainment then it would go away quicker,” one person shared.

Another remarked, “This is what always rubs me the wrong way about the whole Silver Fox hype and how men just aging decently is way more gushed over and praised than the women who do the same and how they're allowed to age and not take care of their skin but older women that get work done are constantly clowned on. I want to see a middle-aged actress get the opportunities and love and insane amount of thirst and support Pedro Pascal does for looking his age.”

One individual noted, “That line about wearing a wig instead of changing her hair is sooooo relatable!! I have been going grey/white since my mid 20s, and at 38 I decided I’d had enough and went back to my natural hair. I love it, I’m never colouring my hair again. Wigs are awesome.”

“It’s because women’s value is cemented in their beauty at 20 years old and are only seen for that. Men are allowed to exist in their identity and be seen as people. They also have beards that hide most of their aging while only very affluent women can get all the plastic procedures done to barely be accepted. As a woman if you’re ugly, fat or old you are invisible and lord forbid you’re any combination. Take anyone of those and add an attitude and you suddenly become detestable,” another added.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.