AGEING AND ‘INVISIBILITY’

In an industry obsessed with youth and appearance, Julianne, now 60, has spoken out about the problematic notion of ‘ageing gracefully’ because she believes it’s inherently sexist and judgemental. Firstly, because nobody says it of men, and secondly, it implies that there’s an ungraceful way to age. Ageing is not optional; it is part of the human condition, she says. ‘So why are we always talking about it as if it’s something we have control over?’

With her typical sharpness, she also dismisses the notion of women becoming invisible as they age. ‘Invisible to whom?’ she asks. ‘If you think of yourself as an object in any kind of situation, then it’s going to be important for you to be visible to that person if you’re being objectified.’

What she wants to do is shift the conceptualisation of what ageing is. What we should be more focused on, she says, is inner growth, not the superficial changes that happen. ‘We are given a narrative as children that we keep growing through school, maybe go to college… and then after school is finished, the idea of growth is done. But we have all this life left to live.’ We should continue to challenge ourselves, learn new things, and be helpful to others, she says. ‘How do we continue to evolve? How do we navigate life to have even deeper experiences?’

Julianne is next set to dazzle in the upcoming musical teen drama Dear Evan Hansen. (We’re not sure whether she sings in it, but here’s hoping! The last time she sang on camera was in What Maisie Knew).

She will also produce and star in the Apple Original drama film Sharper. The premise is simply

‘a con artist [Julianne] takes on Manhattan’s billionaires’. Saucy.

Another exciting female psychodrama in the works is

May December, in which Julianne stars alongside Natalie Portman. Principal photography is set to commence in 2022.

See what we mean? She’s continuing to tell stories that reflect the multifaceted nature of modern womanhood. And that’s why we love her.