Dr. Joaquin Barroso's Blog

Scientific log of a computational chemist – "Make like a molecule and React!"

For decades, the unwritten rule of Hollywood was as cruel as it was simple: a woman had a "shelf life." The ingénue had her moment in her twenties. The romantic lead had until her mid-thirties. But once the fortieth birthday candle was lit, the offers dried up, replaced by roles as the "concerned mother," the "wise grandmother," or, most damningly, the "unseen voice on the phone."

Mature actresses face an impossible bind: they are criticized for looking "old" (and losing roles), yet criticized for looking "plastic" if they undergo cosmetic procedures. This scrutiny is rarely applied to their male counterparts.

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