Mikey Madison’s win for best actress definitely got people buzzing, a lot of chatter online, especially about Demi Moore and she was kind of snubbed. It’s so interesting, on the one hand, you’ve got Madison only 25 years old and giving this incredible performance in Anora.
And then on the other hand, there’s Moore in the substance playing this aging actress who actually uses the substance to become younger. It’s like the role was made for this whole ageism debate, Like it feeds right into it. And you know, in the movie, her younger self actually betrays her.
It makes you wonder if people are connecting that to real life, before we get too carried away, I think it’s important to remember that this win makes Madison the 47th actress under 30 to win an Oscar.
It really makes you think, is this really ageism? more just another talented young actress getting recognized. It’s easy to get caught up in a narrative without looking at the bigger picture. Reminds me of Maslo’s hammer, if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
And in this case, are we so focused on agism in Hollywood that everything automatically gets seen through that lens? Like we’re so ready to see agism that we don’t consider other things Like what if medicine just gave an amazing performance?
It’s like you walk into a room and trip over a rug. Your first thought is, “Oh, that rug shouldn’t be there.” But maybe you weren’t paying attention or your shoelace was untied. There could be other explanations.
So maybe instead of automatically assuming it’s age bias, we should be thinking about the actual performances, if Madison truly gave a fantastic performance shouldn’t she win regardless of her age? It should be about appreciating the talent and the art and not about age.
But I’m also thinking about the fact that Moore’s movie, The Substance, tackles this very topic of aging in Hollywood. So, it feels like on some level, it’s adding fuel to the fire. It makes you think about whether older actresses are getting the same chances as younger ones. And it’s not just about chances, but the kind of roles they’re offered, too. In the movie, Moore’s character feels like she has to actually become younger to stay relevant.
It’s a really good point. I mean, her desperation to be young again says a lot about the pressure on women in Hollywood. So, how do we reconcile these two sides? We have Madison’s win, which is obviously incredible for someone so young, and then we have this ongoing conversation about the difficulties actresses face as they age.
It’s about finding a balance, we can acknowledge those real challenges while still celebrating individual achievements. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. I think what I’m struggling with is are we so stuck on this agism thing that we’re missing a chance to just celebrate Madison’s win for what it is? I mean, a talented young actress achieving something amazing, isn’t that a good thing?
