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A viral tweet using the film Father of the Bride as an example of age depictions of people in their mid-40s recently sparked an online debate.
In December 2022, a Twitter user named Jessica Ellis posted a picture of Steve Martin and Diane Keaton from the '90s comedy film, comparing how characters of the mid-40s age group were depicted in Hollywood back then vs. now.
"An unbelievable thing that has changed in 30 years is that in 1995, this was supposed to be what 45-year-olds looked like."
When the film, Father of the Bride, was released, Diane Keaton was 49 and Steve Martin was 50.
Several Twitter users compared today's celebrities in their 40s, viz Kim Kardashian, Jessica Chastain, etc., and how differently they dress as compared to the same age group shown in the films.
"They could be my parents": Twitter reactions on the viral picture from Father of the Bride
The viral picture from Father of the Bride shows two characters, who have a 22-year-old daughter. Martin is seen dressed in a beige business suit while Diane Keaton is seen wearing pears.
Aside from her initial tweet, Ellis also stated that the way these characters were depicted three decades ago is the reason why "Millennials live with a sneaking suspicion we have never gotten our s**t together."
The user also pointed out that it was Diane Keaton's character's appearance and "styling" in the film that made her look like an ideal person with twinsets and pearls by their 40s.
After the picture went viral, several users chimed in on the Twitter thread and compared how in thirty years, today's wardrobe will be considered old people's clothes.
Others just gave examples of other hits like Golden Girls and how characters of the show were supposed to be in their fifties but looked way older than that.
Some also gave examples of how today's celebrities in their mid-40s dress.
Father of the Bride is not the only film that has sparked a conversation about age depiction in Hollywood. Several other films, including Disney's High School Musical series, have also raised eyebrows as to how teenage kids are shown these days.
Fit celebrities like Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, and Anne Hathaway garner praise for their toned bodies and youthful appearance, which allows them to play characters much younger than their actual age.
In a 2015 interview with The Daily Beast, Diane Keaton stated that the depiction of women and writing off their characters after a certain age has certainly improved over the past few years.
She stated that the expansion of streaming platforms and television channels has added a number of possibilities for women:
"Regarding acting and the possibilities of anybody getting work, when you compare it to 20 years ago, it's so much better. There's so much more availability in so many more venues, so there are more jobs."
She stated that in today's time, there are several outlets and networks for entertainment, along with digital options like YouTube.
"There's a plethora of possibilities in comparison to when I was coming up. Back then, it was just the movies and some television shows."
Helmed by Charles Shyer, Father of the Bride was released in 1991 and starred Keaton, Martin, Martin Short, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kieran Culkin, George Newbern, BD Wong, Peter Michael Goetz, etc., in key roles.
