Scarlett Johannson criticises ageism in Hollywood

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Scarlett Johansson has criticised Hollywood's treatment of older actresses, saying women believe their careers 'wilt' beyond a certain age.

The Lost in Translation star who has recently been promoting Woody Allen's latest offering, Vicky Christina Barcelona, said she thinks the film industry is harder for women.

'Women kind of wilt as men sort of achieve as they get older, like wine or whatever. It's like, 'Oh, she's past her prime and she can't play a sex symbol,' she said.

The 23-year-old continued: 'It's just a preconceived notion about women in general and particularly in this industry. It's a very vain, vain industry.'

Scarlett is something of a sex symbol herself, particularly in Allen's new movie which sees her steaming up the screen with Penelope Cruz.

'My hair and make-up artists spend hours upon hours plastering things on me to make me look sexier,' Scarlett said of her movie roles. 'I think that it's rare that you feel beautiful. I never look at myself in the mirror and say, 'I look really beautiful,' [but] I look at myself in the mirror and say, 'Yeah, I look hot.'"

Scarlett is the latest in a string of actresses to slam Hollywood's treatment of ageing actresses.

Sharon Stone, 50, joked once: 'When I went to the Oscars, it was like, 'Oh, there's been an archaeological dig and look what we've found, a 40-year-old'.'

Brit actress Charlotte Rampling has also spoken out over the treatment of older women in the industry saying: 'The system in Europe is nothing like in Hollywood. It is no so barbaric in terms of the ageing process.'

Demi Moore has also felt the industry pressure to remain looking a certain way. Following extensive cosmetic surgery, the 45-year-old was last year quoted as saying: 'It's been a challenging few years, being the age I am. Almost to the point where I felt like, well, they don't know what to do with me. I am not 20. Not 30.'

She added: 'There aren't that many good roles for women over 40. A lot of them don't have much substance, other than being someone's mother or wife.'

Wednesday 13 August 2008

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