Hollywood's ageism isn't much of a secret, but stars are now vying for the right to protect their ages. Actors have continuously had trouble finding work once they reach a certain age, so the Writers Guild of America is
campaigning IMDb.com (the Internet Movie Database) to wipe their birth dates from the site.
"The Guild has a contract with IMDb to provide credits information and does not release information on age," said a spokesperson for the WGA. "We have raised our concerns with IMDb about its listing of ages."
The group most affected by ageism is actors who haven't hit it big. Representatives from the Screen Actors Guild have asked IMDb to remove ages for non-movie stars, but the company is hesitant to follow suit.
"IMDb is committed to being the most comprehensive source of film, TV and celebrity information," a spokesperson said. "Customers of IMDb trust that when they use our website, they are receiving comprehensive and accurate biographical information."
I can sympathize with the actors who prefer to not reveal their ages, but do you think they give up this right to privacy when they become an actor? As the tabloids have shown us, being a celebrity requires one to give up his or her personal life. What was once private becomes public. Therefore, if an actor is asking to be in the public eye, is it fair to restrict certain information from the public? What do you think about the ongoing saga?
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I don't think anyone cares about age as much as they care about look. You're not gonna get the part of the 22 year old girl if you don't LOOK like you're 22, even if your birth certificate says you are.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment GirlGoesEast! I agree with what you're saying - you have to look the part in order to get the part. The number on your birth certificate doesn't determine if you'll be cast or not, and IMDb should be allowed to publish actors' ages. If you don't want the public known details about your private life, don't become a public figure.
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