Torquemada

Is anyone else peed off with the policy of film-makers choosing almost entire casts of younger and younger actors?

For example I was really looking forward to Sunshine and watched a review with input by from both Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy. My heart sunk when both of them referred to wanting to cast off the idea of scientists being older and so deliberately choosing a younger cast. Come on guys I know it's Sci-fi - but why make it less believable than you have to? The thing is I don't think most people want it this way either? For example consider what happened to the BBC's ludicrous 'Innocent Project'. I don't watch 'Lost' but I have seen it a couple of times and the only interesting character? The one token oldie.

Young actors in young roles, real adults in real adult roles please.

batman

This infuriates me too .... when I was a teen actor in the 70s the trend was for people in their 30s+ to take on leading roles so it was doubly difficult to get work, as I got older the trend seemed to reverse .... I had a good couple of years in my mid 20s but then I found I was becoming too old .... cue unemployment and career change. Ho hum, if only I were in my 20s now ....

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Torquemada

This place seems to be full of people in, or who have been, in the business - any roles you want to admit to bats?

batman

Oh nothing too exciting ... I worked mainly in the theatre with the odd bit of TV and film throw in for good luck ... I had small roles in episodes of stuff like The Bill, Lovejoy and The Chief. My last pro job was in The Uninvited (1997) but I gave up full time in 1989. It was great fun and I still miss it after all these years. When I was a lad you didn't mind (too much) losing out on roles to actors who were obviously more suited to the part by way of being more experienced and of having a certain gravitas that comes with age. If I was still acting I would be getting really cheesed off to see parts that I was suited to (ie scientists, lawyers, doctors, the hero's brother etc) going to people who have little or no experience and have only just left high school, let alone drama school. It's a different world these days and us old farts seem to be getting sidelined at an increasingly alarming rate.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Torquemada

Sadly this has spread to all walks of life with companies hiring people who are young rather than because they'll do a good job.

DB7

I've never given it a great deal of thought but didn't Space Cowboys fill your criteria?

To be fair I think Danny Boyle likes working with relative unknowns. With older actors you may have to deal with ego's and greater studio influence.

Torquemada

But surely that's always been the case? I strongly suspect that film-makers will have far more trouble handling young people now than they once did. In the past young people at least had some humility now they have none and I know this because I work with them every day. At least with more seasoned actors you get the professional approach which comes with age and experience.