In New York Magazine this week, the former Phoebe on Friends, reasserted herself as someone I totally respect. (Weirdly, I can’t find the piece online to link to–sorry.)
When my friends and I sit and drunkenly fantasize about My Formerly Hot Life (my book, due out August 17th) being made into a movie or a TV show, we run through the list of female actresses of the right age with comedic chops who could conceivably play the main character–a woman my age (43 on the 27th!). First we go through the names (remember, this is fantasy): Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, Brooke Shields, Elizabeth Hurley, Jennifer Lopez, etc.
And then my friend Jen, who is a fabulous talent manager in L.A., says something to the effect of, “Yeah, but it would have to be someone who doesn’t mind being identified as being her actual age. And it would have to be someone who hasn’t had anything done, so she looks her age.”
Then we all idealistically cast about for someone who seems cool and confident enough to own her age for the sake of her art (and my fantasy). There must be someone! Jen goes on to explain how impossible it is for women in Hollywood to avoid the must-look-young trap, for fear they won’t get any work. We know she’s right. In fact, when I accosted Brooke Shields in the playground about pretty please reading and blurbing my book, she mentioned being passed over for a role of 43-year-old mother in favor of someone in her late 20s. Ultimately we sigh and change the subject.
And then there’s Lisa Kudrow, who would be on the list for my fantasy star of the fantasy long-running and critically acclaimed hit TV show My Formerly Hot Life, but for the fact that she had an awesome show with a similar theme on HBO. Remember The Comeback? It was about a formerly famous sitcom star who, as a not-young woman, is cast as the asexual dorkasauraus wacky aunt in a sitcom about 20something hipsters. I loved it, but it lasted a year.
But still, she rules. From NY Magazine: “You were on Courteney Cox’s show, Cougar Town, and I have to say you look great–not like a taut alien,” the reporter, Emma Rosenblum says.
“Oh, because I’m aging? Look, time marches on. You still want to look good, but there’s a line between looking like yourself and like a character from a Batman movie.”
LOVE.
And I’m sure she wasn’t overtly dissing her friend and Friend Courteney Cox, but, you know, if someone were to take a hint, that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
I like Marisa Tomei, maybe, for the star of my fantasy show My Formerly Hot Life. Any other suggestions? Who would you like to see?
Tags: aging, Batman, Brooke Shields, Courteney Cox, Demi Moore, Elizabeth Hurley, Emma Rosenblum, Friends, HBO, hollywood, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Lisa Kudrow, Marisa Tomei, My Formerly Hot Life, New York Magazine, The Comeback
How about Natalie Portman? She still looks good.
WAIT!!!! What about Annabella Sciorra????? I think she is perfect for the role: right age, you guys resemble each other in some ways (beautiful, dark wavy hair, confident attitude) and looks her age in a beautiful way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annabella_Sciorra
Lemme know what she says when you call her!!! XXOO
How about Valerie Bertinelli? She’s actually 50, but looks early 40’s to me. And that’s without surgery, ’cause she has crow’s feet, lol, but she still looks great! You’re right about Marisa Tomei being perfect, though. I could totally see that!
hmmmm. Vanessa Williams can do no wrong and has proven her comedic chops…but you’re not black. But you could be?!? Helen Hunt? Mariska Hargitay (she’s very funny and might be ready to stop beating people up). Virginia Madsen (funny in a serious way, not slapstick) maybe could not carry a funny sitcom, but she might surprise. Maria Bello (LOVE). I love Annabella but I don’t know if she can do formerly HOT, the way it plays in my head
Great post. The thing I hate most about plastic surgery is that it makes everybody look the same . . . and it just screams “age” in a new way. I’ve started to look at women who are about 10 years older me and think about what I admire about the way they look. It isn’t about lines on their faces; it’s about having a sense of style, knowing what works on their body, and being comfortable in their own skin. You can’t buy that at the doctor’s office.
I, too, *loved* “The Comeback” and was sad to see it die. Its portrayal of what is considered “ancient” (for women) in Hollywood was horribly true to life. I second the vote for Lisa Kudrow.
How about Andie McDowell, but with a voice coach that gets rid of her flirty southern drawl in favor of gritty new york-speak. The hair is a no brainer in any event.