JENNIFER ANISTON: EXPIRATION DATE FOR ACTRESSES IS THING OF THE PAST
Jennifer Aniston has said women in Hollywood no longer have an “expiration date”.
The Friends star, who is appearing in a new series of Apple TV’s The Morning Show alongside Reece Witherspoon, 49, said that there is no longer a cut-off point at which ageing actresses are jettisoned by the film industry.
The 56-year-old made the comments as leading ladies such as Cate Blanchett, 56, Kate Winslet, 50, Nicole Kidman, 58, and Demi Moore, 62, enjoy a run of successes and accolades for their work.
Speaking to Bazaar UK, Aniston said: “The societal idea of an expiration date just doesn’t exist any more – it’s an old ideology.
She added: “We’re here and we’re more than half the population … and would any of you schmucks be here if it weren’t for us anyway?
“The wisdom older women have to contribute is quite extraordinary and it’s one of the areas where we’ve seen genuine progress in the film world.”
The longevity of female stars was on display during the 2025 awards season, with Moore nominated for an Oscar for her role in The Substance.
Isabella Rossellini, 73, was nominated for an Oscar for Conclave, while Pamela Anderson, 58, was lauded for The Last Showgirl, and Nicole Kidman for Babygirl.
However, not everyone believes that the film industry has changed its attitudes towards women.
Elizabeth McGovern, who played Cora in Downton Abbey, has claimed that films only portray older women as alcoholics, Alzheimer’s victims or grandmothers.
The 64-year-old said in a 2025 interview that older women are rarely portrayed as intelligent or attractive.
Speaking to Tatler, the American actress said: “I think it’s so important for my daughters to see older faces being represented, who are also still alive, sexy, attractive, intelligent, vital.”
Aniston has previously spoken out about her particular struggles with ageing and her difficulties in trying to conceive.
She took issue with false claims that she was such a careerist that children were not a priority, and publicly clarified that she had in fact attempted IVF but it had been unsuccessful.
She said: “The narrative about how I won’t have a baby, won’t have a family because I’m selfish, a workaholic. It does affect me – I’m just a human being.”
The November issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK is on sale from Oct 9.
2025-10-09T07:10:43Z