Lori Petty on Hollywood ageism: ‘If I was a dude, I’d have Johnny Depp’s island’

Lori Petty

If you’re one of the millions of people who streamed Orange is the New Black over the weekend, then you probably noticed a familiar face sitting on the prison airplane next to Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling). Piper’s helpful seatmate was none other than Lori Petty, who became famous in the 1990s for being “a punk rock princess in a Barbie world” known as Hollywood.

Most people remember Lori best from Tank Girl, but she did loads of movies before that. Like Point Break and A League of Their Own. Lori’s been out of the Hollywood scene as an actress, but she’s moved into directing. She directed Jennifer Lawrence’s first film, The Poker House (2008). In this interview with The Daily Beast, Lori talks about how she “discovered” JLaw. All you JLaw haters can now blame Lori Petty for your angst! Finally … a culprit. Lori also discusses working with Madonna and Keanu Reeves, and she touches upon ageism in Hollywood:

How she scored an OITNB role: “This is a true story that people don’t believe, but it’s true. I was visiting New York to see my friends in Porgy and Bess, and Orange was this big whoop that was new, and Girls was this big whoop, too. I’m a big fan of both shows–especially Orange, which is this groundbreaking new show, and I thought to myself, ‘I should be on that show!’ and then maybe, as a director, wiggle my way in there, too. I found out that the casting directors were in New York, and I called my manager and said, ‘I’m in New York for one more day and I want to meet Jennifer Euston, who casts Orange and Girls.’ She said, ‘You want me to call her and tell her you’re in town for just one day and want to see her?’ And I said, ‘Yes, please.’ She called her and they said, ‘Oh my god, we love her’–because to them I’m someone they grew up with and they probably went as me for Halloween or something.”

On her fight scene: “I got stomped! There were no stunt doubles during that scene, but no one got hurt. Jodie [Foster] did say, ‘Okay, you need to get really messed up,’ and it was minus-700 degrees out, and I had to lay on the ground getting stomped, and they couldn’t put anything on the ground because they were shooting it, so the costumers were wonderful and gave us all these hand warmers. I’d keep asking for more hand warmers, then give them to the extras who looked like they were dying, then ask for more. I became the hand warmer contraband girl. ‘Go to Lori, she’ll give you hand warmers!'”

On “discovering” Jennifer Lawerence: “No sh-t! You can quote me on that. No sh-t. I cast her in her first film. Look, she deserves 100% of her success, period. In addition to that, I think I passed along 25 years of experience of being an actress to her. But she’s amazing and the camera loves her, and that’s why I cast her. It’s like when I first saw Leo DiCaprio in This Boy’s Life. We were editing A League of Their Own and De Niro and them were editing This Boy’s Life next door. I’d go to post-production with [Penny]. So De Niro comes in and goes, ‘You’ve got to see this kid.’ We went into the room and saw some unedited scenes with DiCaprio and both went, ‘There’s another movie star.’ We’d already cast Selma Blair as the mom, and Selma is five feet tall and weights 90 pounds. Mary [Vernieu] sends me these tapes of these girls and goes, ‘This girl Jennifer Lawrence is a star. You have to watch this tape.’ But it said she was 5’9” on her resume, and I said, ‘I can’t fit them both in the frame! How am I supposed to have the mom be 5′ and the daughter be 5’9″?’ But she said, ‘Just watch the tape.’ I watched the tape and was like, ‘Okay, great, that’s another movie star.'”

On making Point Break: “It was me and 10 naked boys every day. I’m not kidding. We had to go surfing every day for three months, so we’d be in Venice or Huntington Beach with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Patrick, Keanu, and me, and they’re just wet and crazy twenty-something boys, and it was a blast. Every morning before work, all the boys–Patrick, Keanu, etc.–would go skydiving against the rules of the studio. They’d say, ‘Lori, come on!’ and I’d say, ‘You could give me a million dollars cash, and I wouldn’t do it.’ They’d go, ‘Oh, you’re such a p-ssy!” And I’d say, ‘Call me that all day, I’m not going!’ And that’s really Patrick in the movie doing all that skydiving/ballet sh-t in the air.”

Working with Madge on A League of Their Own: “That was the height of all Madonna-ness. She was the hardest-working woman I’ve ever met. She’d get up in the morning, run eight miles, and then come to work. She was never a diva. Ever. And she gave me a very nice vibrator for a wrap gift.”

She worked with Tupac too: “Tupac was the sweetest man in the world. That whole thug thing was an act–it was silly, and dumb. He was a complete gentleman and one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. He was a sweetie-pie, a genius poet, and a great actor. I loved him.”

Joel Silver fired her from Demolition Man: “It was the most uncool day in Hollywood for me. I just treat people the way I want to be treated, so I’d rather not gossip about his unkindness.”

Why the roles dried up after Tank Girl: “Well, because I was thirty-something and I hadn’t married my agent, married any guy co-stars, or gotten fake t-tties or Botox. I never wanted to be a bombshell; I wanted to be an actor. I would much prefer to be a woman than a man, but if I was a dude, maybe I’d have Johnny Depp’s island because women in this industry after a certain age definitely don’t get to do Pirates of the Caribbean. Poor Keira [Knightley], they even airbrushed huge t-ts on her on the poster, and she’s flawless! I was trying to play football with a baseball, and you can’t really do that.”

[From The Daily Beast]

Well … Lori definitely has a point about aging in Hollywood and the different treatment of male and female actors. Actresses tend to peak early, in their 20s, and then they’re usually washed up by age 40 unless they’re (literally) Meryl Streep. Whereas male A-listers continue well into their 50s (and beyond) with male leading roles, which often involve them sexing some hot young thing. The hot young things get younger and younger with each movie, it seems. And the men are permitted so many more “flops” than actresses would ever be allowed. How many financial flops has Johnny Depp had in a row? Four. If Johnny was a chick, he’d have been kicked to the curb two flops ago. Yet Hollywood continues to court him for plum roles. Lori may not have been the greatest, most versatile actress, but at least she has abilities beyond playing a makeup-covered weirdo in every single role.

Lori Petty

Lori Petty

Photos courtesy of WENN

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142 Responses to “Lori Petty on Hollywood ageism: ‘If I was a dude, I’d have Johnny Depp’s island’”

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  1. Kiddo says:

    tldr.

    But I will say one thing. I haven’t heard of a lot of the movies she’s been in. Johnny’s schtick with the pirates movies got old, but he was a cult favorite for many years and did a great job in those types of films.

    I agree with her on the age aspect, in general. But it isn’t entirely about gender, in her specific case, she just never stood out quite like Depp did as an actor.

    • Esmom says:

      I was thinking the same thing. I do remember her and her films, and think she did have a certain charisma, but Depp isn’t a good comparison.

    • Ollyholly says:

      Who comments on something that they didn’t even read? What is the point? You just needed everyone to know your opinion on Jonny Depp?

      • Kiddo says:

        I didn’t read her entire interview. I read a portion relating to the headline. I made clear what I didn’t read the rest, to be transparent. My opinion wasn’t about Johnny Depp per se, but on her statement that her position in Hollywood was linked only to gender. If that is offensive to you, so be it.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        I read the whole thing and I completely agree with Kiddo’s comment. I’ve never heard of or seen most of the movies she has been in, and Johnny Depp is not an apt comparison. She never had his level of stardom, so stating that her lack of success was strictly gender related is a little delusional.

        I often skim the parts of an interview that don’t interest me, and comment on a small portion that does, Ollyholly, and strangely, I don’t consider that to be any of your concern.

      • Esmom says:

        Agree that you don’t need to read the whole thing to know that Petty and Depp just aren’t/weren’t in the same league, stardom-wise. The hostility seems really unnecessary.

      • Bridget says:

        Interesting question to those of you who are unfamiliar with Petty’s movies: aside from Edward Scissorhands, how many of Johnny Depp’s pre-Pirates movies can you name? He made a few decent movies and an awful lot of crap.

        Chances are, Lori Petty was never going to be Johnny Depp levels of fame, but she does have a point about the state of women in Hollywood. Its especially interesting to me to think about the fact that nowadays she’s never be cast for those roles – they’d go for someone much more tanned and bombshell-y, and Petty specialized in a toughness that we just don’t see in female movie characters anymore. She has something very interesting to say here.

      • Kiddo says:

        Benny and Joon, Ed Wood, Donnie Brasco and Fear and loathing in Las Vegas to name a few. These were all good to great films.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        @Bridget
        None, but I am just saying that his level of fame is greatly above hers, not comparing their abilities. And I do agree with her overall point, I just don’t think she chose an apt comparison.

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        @Ollyholly –Myself and a lot of people make comments on just the header–it’s really not uncommon around here. The fact is that usually the celeb’s asinine comments are secondary to the intelligent discussions that they generate.
        *shrugs*

        I like her but I had some problems with some of the stuff she said here, not the part about ageism in relation to gender, but some of the other comments.

        I wish I could hear the interview instead of read it because I have a feeling she presents better in person than in print.

      • Kenny Boy says:

        It’s hard for a discussion to be all that intelligent if it’s also ill-informed.

      • Kiddo says:

        I just read every thing in the box; didn’t miss a thing the first time.

      • Gypsy says:

        @Bridget
        That was a very thoughtful summary and conclusion….Thanks.
        Petty was always a favorite of mine. I was sad when she disappeared from TV and films. She’s right, women tend to be more disposable than men in Hollywood, even the greats like Glen Close/Susan Sarandon/Meryl Streep/Tilda Swenton/etc. they are struggling for roles far more than their male contemporaries.

    • Hmmm says:

      Johnny Depp stood out because he had nice cheekbones, not because he was a great actor.

      • Lucinda says:

        Maybe for you. As someone who has followed his a career since 21 Jump Street, he absolutely started out as the teenage heart throb but Edward Scissorhands showed he could do much more than that and he continued to do an impressive variety of roles for decades before the Pirates franchise. Lately he has really become the guy who seems to hide behind the make-up but Don Juan DeMarco needed no costume to be impressive. Or Chocolat or Benny and Joon. So I have to say I don’t think her comparison is really accurate. She’s reaching a bit.

    • LadySlippers says:

      I DO think gender plays into it. A LOT.

      There are a great many ho-hum actors that are gigantic stars while fantastic actresses are practically unknown or struggling to work.

      I think too many people get hung up on the specific examples while ignoring the wider concept.

      • Kiddo says:

        @LadySlippers, I said I agreed in general, but not with the specific example she set forth.

        @Hmmm, If that’s true then he was treated no differently than the pretty little ingenue. I do disagree with this because I think he did have a talent for the off the wall roles while also being pretty. But we can agree to disagree.

      • Esmom says:

        I don’t disagree, I definitely got her point. But I do think the specific examples she uses would be more helpful/effective if they were in fact more parallel.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        I see your point, but she’s the one who got specific and used Depp as a parallel. I just don’t think that’s realistic. Having said that, I do agree that gender plays a large tole in the longevity of an actor’s career. Totally.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        What is a large tole? You might well ask. I meant role.

    • Wren33 says:

      The headline made me think that, but she says “maybe” and I don’t think she was really comparing herself to Johnny Depp, more like older actresses are not going to be given opportunities for a major career revival in their 40s, sort of like John Travolta as well.

    • bondbabe says:

      She is talking age-wise – Johnny is 51 years old today, and Lori will be 51 in October. I don’t believe she was comparing herself to him acting-wise.

    • FLORC says:

      Yup!
      Her argument falls flat when you bring talent into the discussion.

      And i’m sure Helen Mirren, Judy Dench, Emma Thompson, and Meryl Streep just to name a few have shown there are roles for the aging actress with talent.

      If she wants to stick with gender to gender with multimillion dollar oprtunities that don’t require talent the pool gets smaller and it’s still less likely it’s a gender issue as much as it is a industry connection and name recognition issue.

      • mayamae says:

        I think it’s just a poor comparison. I think Lori Petty was pretty one-note. She did the androgynous thing well, but that doesn’t age well. Whoopi Goldberg made it work much more affectively. Not that Whoopi is necessarily androgynous, but she’s played roles that could have been portrayed affectively as a male character.

        Johnny Depp managed to be a heart throb at times, and the kooky oddball at times. He’s been able to compensate his age buy appealing to kids with the Pirates franchise, as well as hold on to a lot of the older women who thought he was hot decades ago. I’m not saying I think his female fans are “old”, just saying many of his fans have aged with him.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        FLORC, there are some roles for older actresses with talent…but there are very, very few of these roles.

        When you look at women in general, without age limits, there is only 1 female speaking role for every 3 males. When you look at ALL roles (speaking and non) both live-action and animated films only contain an average of 17% female characters . The 17% rate of female characters has not changed since 1946!!!!!.

        When you consider age, it gets even worse. Women age 41-50 have 64% fewer roles cast than men. Women age 51-60 have 74% fewer roles cast than men.

        Geena Davis noted that the 17% rate is also found in females represented in Congress, law partners, Fortune 500 board members, military officers, tenured professors, etc. She suggested that perhaps we SEE that rate as normal, and subconciously reinforce it.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Tatiana Maslany from Orphan Black, in the June 5 Variety:

        Variety: Have you experienced sexism in Hollywood? How have you handled it?

        Maslany: For me it’s about the parts that are out there. I think it’s changing. That’s where I feel the sexism the most. The stories that we tell are male stories and often male-centric and the women are accessories, but it is changing. It’s changing so rapidly…Our voices are getting louder. People are realizing that our stories are just as universal and just as relatable as male stories.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I think part of her comparison, but maybe I am reading into it too much, is that Depp was allowed to do a lot of projects in his 30s.

      Women aren’t really allowed to do that, as the number of roles for women in film and tv over the age of 29 are incredibly small compared to the number of roles for men over the age of 29. Depp had the opportunity not just to play with his type (hot guy) but he also had the opportunity to do character roles simply because those roles existed for men.

  2. notpretentious says:

    I love her, but her face on OITNB…gasp!

    • Mouse says:

      I know! Love Lori but when I saw her in OITNB I thought it was Ellen degeneres in bad makeup

    • Kenny Boy says:

      What’s wrong with her face, exactly? I didn’t know her at all before this, but I thought she was great in OITNB.

      • notpretentious says:

        She did not age well. I barely recognized her, she’ll only be 51 this year!

      • LadySlippers says:

        I think it’s just that she’s aged. And she allowed herself to age.

        More people than not, don’t ‘age well’. We’re just not used to seeing it on the screen.

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        What LadySlippers said.

        She wears ZERO makeup on Orange and is consistently filmed under fluorescent lighting or outdoor direct light (NOT flattering). She looks like a 51-year-old to me, maybe not younger but I hardly think she looks older.

    • Lucinda says:

      I haven’t seen OITNB but in these pictures I was thinking how she had aged very well in that she was aging naturally and looked like a real woman. She wasn’t a particularly beautiful woman when she was younger in my opinion. She was striking and had strong features which seem to have softened with age. I think she looks lovely in these pictures.

    • lucy2 says:

      I think OITNB really makes the women look as bad as possible, to be realistic about the setting and conditions. I just saw Nathasha Lyonne on that Jane Lynch game show and she looks WAAAAY better than she does on the show.

      • Esmom says:

        Downton Abbey hair and makeup, while not unattractive, has the same effect. The cast, out of period costume and with modern-day makeup and hairstyles, is practically unrecognizable!

  3. LadySlippers says:

    She still looks kick-a$$.

    • kri says:

      @LadySlippers as usual you are spot on. She has aged like a non-H’wood person might. As far as her acting, she was talented but never blew me away. I think she is totally right about women in H’wood having very little slack (see Robin Wright) as far as films being successful, aging like the men, etc. Turn H’wood in to LadyLAnd.

    • Londerland says:

      Agreed. I think she looks awesome. And this interview just makes me want to hang out with her and get fantastically drunk and hear the nasty things her sober self won’t say… 🙂

      • Gypsy says:

        She’s an excellent character actress, when you see her in a role you can’t un-see her, she carries that role.
        I think she just wan’t given a chance to be a renown actress because she wasn’t a raving (Amber Heard) beauty, but she was talented enough to be.

  4. Murphy says:

    Just watched it last night, I was thrilled to see her

  5. happymama says:

    Love it. Good words from a smart gal.

    • Josephine says:

      I was also really impressed by the interview. She sounds smart and also humble and gracious, saying so many nice things about so many people. I can imagine that it’s very hard to be a smart woman in Hollywood who refuses to butcher her body or sleep around.

    • renniej says:

      I’m thrilled to see anything come out about Lori Petty — I’ve only learned reading this now that she was on OITNB, and will race to find a copy to watch.

      I met her many years ago, before “league” came out. I was tending bar in NYC and she lived with this music biz mgr/producer right across the street from where I worked. She would come in all the time, and couldn’t have been nicer! I remember thinking so highly of her. She was very pretty, smart, engaging, it was easy to be impressed with her. I recall the only downside was that she wasn’t very happy in her relationship — the guy was significantly older than her — and she used to sit at the bar wanting a shoulder to lean on and share her unhappiness over that.

      I remember her very fondly. I’m glad to see she’s still hanging in.

  6. Tapioca says:

    There’s a difference between a flop movie and a flop movie for a big star who’s brought the studios billions, though, which is why JD still gets plum roles. Tank Girl was godawful and Lori just wasn’t a big enough star to escape being associated with it. It happens to guys too, just ask Taylor Kitsch and Armie Hammer… if you can remember what they look like!

    Of course the ageism and sexism in Hollywood is horrifying, but I don’t think it’s the only reason why she doesn’t have an island.

    • Leah says:

      I think you are being a bit literal.
      Depp is obviously more talented than her but there are lots of bad to average male actors who become filthy rich and continue a lucrative career well into their 50s. For the women the work dries up somewhere in their 30s unless they are a meryl streep or julianne moore type. As a woman you either have to be extremey good or extremely attractive. So she still has a point.

      • LadySlippers says:

        I said essentially the same thing.

        Totally agree.

      • LAK says:

        People forget Meryl’s fallow period in the 90s and early 00s. Her career was revived to it’s stratospheric heights after THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA.

        That’s not to say she wasn’t working, but she wasn’t as lauded in the late 90s/early 00s and her career was mostly in the doldrums and she was taking on primarily support character roles.

      • FLORC says:

        Streep or any actress that takes a career break, takes on more personal and less box office roles can be said to have a low point in their career even if they mean to take that time off for their reasons and refuse bigger roles.
        I don’t think it’s a fair assessment of using Streep and a low box office point in her career unless she was saying at the time she couldn’t get roles. Or roles were not being offered to her.

        I guess my point is her name was still a big name and she still commanded a screen and peer presence.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        Women who are aged 51-60 have 74% fewer roles available than men of the same age.

    • Molly says:

      I’m kind of sad Taylor Kitsch never regained his footing after that terrible Mars movie. I thought he could go somewhere after Friday Night Lights.

      Armie Hammer always comes across as a d-bag in real life so he can stay gone.

      • lucy2 says:

        Me too, but I think he’s taking supporting roles in better films now and doing better. He got 2 big budget, starring roles way too soon in his career and too close together. I don’t blame him for taking the opportunity, but it didn’t end up so good.

    • Pamela says:

      “Of course the ageism and sexism in Hollywood is horrifying, but I don’t think it’s the only reason why she doesn’t have an island”

      THIS!

      Her points on ageism/sexism are correct in general. But even had she managed to remain 25 forever–she wouldn’t have an island. She is just not at that level. There ARE actresses that could buy an island if they wished…despite all the hurdles.

  7. jinni says:

    IIRC, it was for the King Arthur movie they did the airbrushing of Keira’s chest not the Pirates movie.

    • Lilacflowers says:

      That’s what I remember as well. For King Arthur, they totally changed her appearance in the posters. For Pirates, they created the illusion of cleavage in the film itself through corsets and make-up and Keira is hilarious on the DVD commentary when she talks about it.

  8. Lucy2 says:

    She’s right about the ageism and sexism. But also as someone who grew up seeing a lot of her films, I can’t picture her being a bigger star than she was, regardless of gender or age.
    I watch the entire second season of OITNB over the weekend, it was so good!

  9. The Wizz says:

    I get Lori’s point, but she was never at any time in her career at the height Depp is/was for the majority of the time. And let’s remember Naomi Watts is still a working actress and she was roaming around with Lori in tank girl, not that much of an age difference.

  10. hunaww says:

    Why do you say that?

  11. Anon33 says:

    Um yeah. I get what she is saying and I don’t doubt that it’s true in general,but…IMO she was an absolutely terrible actress. I HATED Kit in A League of Their Ow, and she was “not believable as a human being (tm Friends)” in Point Break. That’s why she stopped getting roles. Maybe being behind the camera is where she belongs.

    • RedWeatherTiger says:

      I agree. There IS an ageist thing in Hollywood, absolutely. But she is using that as an excuse. She hasn’t been getting parts because she is not someone a lot of people want to watch. Part of the reason is she is nowhere near a Blanchett-level talent. I wanted to hit Kit in the back of the head with a baseball bat through that entire League of Their Own movie, though everyone else was terrific in it and the movie overall was really quite good. She also has that annoying voice.

      • Delta Juliet says:

        But were we *supposed* to like Kit? I think she did a good job at portraying an unlikeable character.
        I love A league of Their Own. Hated Kit though.

      • RedWeatherTiger says:

        I considered that, and while I think we were not supposed to like her, we were supposed to feel for her on some level. Lots of people might be able to connect with a character whose older sibling was always the best, the most praised. LP, however, just made the character into a shallow well of brattiness and immaturity IMO.

      • FLORC says:

        Delta
        Also hated the character Kit, but I think that’s more to do with her being the only actress to not pull me into their character. I even found Madonna more believable.

        End of the day this woman just doesn’t have the talent imo.
        Tank girl was and is as only as big as it is because it has a cult following. Quirky concept with fantastic actors early in their careers or established made that.

  12. Mari says:

    Mhmmm but Hollywood does benefit actresses over actors in many ways too…..I remember reading a THR article that said something like actresses make more than actors from early twenties to early thirties, evens out at late thirties, and then men make WAY more from forties onwards. Also, actresses get WAY more endorsement deals than actors throughout their careers.

    How is it fair that someone like Ioan Gruffold (is that how you spell his name) who was Mr. Fantastic is having financial difficulties (not anywhere near broke) but Jessica Alba is doing great with her “mocktress” career. THR said she gets paid up to 50k an appearance and she did about 50 appearances in a year. That’s probably anywhere from 1-2.5 million in a year for being a crappy, crappy actress.

    • Bridget says:

      That’s not a thing. Not only do actors salaries far outweigh their female counterparts (the Gruffuth-Alba comparison wasn’t particularly appropriate as Alba was and still is the biggest name attached to that movie) but maybe half of Hollywood movies pass the Bechdel Test.

    • PennyLane says:

      Okay, so from age 21 – 31 female actors earn on average more than male actors do, but then from 32 – 72 male actors get paid significantly more than female actors.

      How is this equivalent???

      • Tiffany :) says:

        I completely agree, PennyLane.

        Additionally, from my experience, even “young” female actresses get paid less than their male counter parts. There are just more roles to play the T&A, so cumulatively they make more as a group….but not individually.

        I have seen name female actresses who have been steadily working make less than $500k to star in a major motion picture. They won’t publically admit this, of course, but I think you would be shocked by difference between what men in a similar role would be paid.

    • WTF says:

      I don’t know that Jessica Alba is a good example. Her body is INSANE. I think people cast her in movies because they just like to look at her. I agree with Lori’s point about ageism and sexism in hollywood though.

  13. Hannah says:

    To be fair, Reese Witherspoon has had a whole bunch of flops now and she keeps getting huge roles. I know she’s only in her thirties. Whilst I think there’s definitely a lot of sexism/ageism towards women, I also think it has a good deal to do with your star power. “Once A-list, always A-list.”

    • Esmom says:

      +1

    • TG says:

      Reece I Am An American Citizen Witherspoon also married a big time Hollywood agent which is exactly the point Lori was making that it is even harder for women actresses if they don’t marry their agent, director, producer, or another actor. Naomi Watts married another actor as well. I like this interview even though I have never heard of Lori. I love when Hollywood folks dish it out like this without sounding bitter or jealous. She seems like a cool and honest person.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      Males make up 74% of the roles cast for people over 51 years old. It isn’t just about star power, it is about a severe lack of female roles.

  14. hm says:

    Johnny has played more characters without than actually with make up and he nails these roles when he wants to.Black Mass will prove it

    • lrm says:

      Totally. Agree. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape is another great movie. Leo D was awesome in that as well. Chocolat , benny and joon , don juan , blow and many others. Also, I didn’t love scissorhands myself, but I appreciate its unique ness at that time. I think Robin Wright could have been a big stah dahling, had she not taken a hiatus and not married penn. She’s having a comeback now but as far as comparisons, she is a better talent match for Depp imo

      • Truthtful says:

        @lrm: yes sure but these movies were 20 years ago! Blow being the “newest” of them … was released 14 years ago!…..sorry but an early interesting career cannot makeup forever for low quality movies and the guy is maire of the genre by now!

  15. Leah says:

    Great interview. She sounds like really good company, unpretentious and cool and of course she has a point about ageing in hollywood.

  16. patata says:

    I wanted to be her in Point Break.

  17. Talie says:

    OMG — if it wasn’t for those eyes, I would’ve forgot she was in League of their Own. Love that movie.

    • Nicolette says:

      Great movie, it’s one of my favorites. Very well cast, so much so that I even enjoyed Madonna’s role, and definitely one of the best baseball movies ever. And Point Break, another great movie….. Keanu and Patrick (RIP) never looked better IMO.

      • Mel M says:

        Totally agree. Rosie O and Madonna before they were totally irritating. Tom, Gena, love it all.

    • KodochiiR says:

      Me too. Phenomenal cast

  18. paola says:

    I always wonder why people in the showbiz never think of the days ahead where the work is not as consistent as in the up days. I don’t know in this specific case but many seems just to squander money around and then they get upset when they’re broke and no one give them a job anymore.
    It’s such a weird job category that actors really should aknowledge the fact that they might not be able to keep up with a rich lifestyle every day of their lives.

  19. Anon says:

    I know that being a movie star is is a different experience for women, but there are many women in their 40s and 50s still big in Hollywood other than Meryl Streep. Off the top of my head there is: Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, Jennifer Anniston, Oprah Winfrey, Diane Lane, Sandra Bullock, Robin Wright, Viola Davis, Catherin Zeta-Jones, Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham Carter, Judie Dench, Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, etc. etc. etc.

    • Farah says:

      How many of those are movie stars though? How many get a Leo or Johnny check? Heck, most of them have escaped to television, or they barely make movies. Meryl, Jennifer, Helena and Kate are the only ones who consistently make movies, AND THEN they are only second billing to their male lead.

      In 2013, Angelina Jolie was the highest paid actress with 33 million dollars. That same year, Liam Neeson was number 10 of the higest paid actors. He made 32 million dollars. Robert Downey Jr. topped the male list with 75 million. The highest paid actress and the lowest paid actor made the same amount!!

      Leo makes 22 million a movie, yet actress only get paid half. I’m not going to cry over rich people’s money, but there’s a huge discrepancy here.

      • LadySlippers says:

        •Farah•

        Exactly!

        People don’t see there still is a huge discrepancy between men and women everywhere — it’s not just Hollywood.

      • Star says:

        “In 2013, Angelina Jolie was the highest paid actress with 33 million dollars. That same year, Liam Neeson was number 10 of the higest paid actors. He made 32 million dollars. Robert Downey Jr. topped the male list with 75 million. The highest paid actress and the lowest paid actor made the same amount!!”

        Jolie doesn’t make anywhere near the amount of movies that Neeson makes, so that comparison doesn’t work very well.

        “Leo makes 22 million a movie, yet actress only get paid half. I’m not going to cry over rich people’s money, but there’s a huge discrepancy here.”

        Yes, but can you name any actress who puts asses in the seats at the level DiCaprio does?

        This is all a bit like complaining that Seimone Augustus doesn’t get paid what LeBron James gets paid. You’re comparing apples to oranges.

    • bluhare says:

      What I’d like to know to really validate what she’s saying is what movies she auditioned for that she didn’t get, why, and who was cast. That would say more, IMO.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      You can name check with a list…but that doesn’t reflect the larger reality. There will always be exceptions to the rule. If you went to list all of the mature male actors that work, you wouldn’t have enough space.

      74% of the roles that exist for people over 51 years old are for men. Overall, no matter the age range, females make up only 17% of people seen onscreen (including both live-action and animation). There is a SERIOUS disparity in male/female representation on screen.

  20. Mandy says:

    Tank Girl, of course!!!! Now, I remember her.
    I was watching OITNB over the weekend and I KNEW that I knew her but I just couldn’t place her!

  21. SnarkySnarkers says:

    Wow, she really comes across as very “up her own ass” in this interview and the name dropping, my goodness. Settle down lady.

  22. Jen says:

    Ahh, I was wondering where I recognized her from.

  23. daisyfly says:

    I think it’s funny that there’s this article about her complaining about female ageism when just a few posts down is another article about Sandra Bullock (a proud card carrying member of the IBTC herself) getting an award for a decade of hotness. Given the fact that she’s in her 40s and still getting good work, it would seem to contradict Lori’s comments.

    I mean, yes, it is difficult for women to get certain roles in Hollywood, but that has more to do with the way roles are written rather than how they are cast. You want to change that then change the writing. Hire more female script writers, first and foremost. There are several production companies owned by women that produce quality films and shows, and there are several shows and films out right now that give older women starring roles, roles where they are more than just the matron, grandmother, or old bag lady.

    OITNB gives dimension to the older female characters. HoC’s Robin Wright is fierce and sexy, feminine and vulnerable, without once sacrificing anything because of her age. Halle Berry’s over 40 and she’s starring and producing her own television show for CBS. Julianna Margulies stars in the Good Wife, and she’s 48, playing a strong woman doing what she needs to do for herself and her family. The Closer was a fantastic series with an older female lead. Angelina Jolie’s had her flops, but at 39, she’s still pulling in acting roles. And if you want more names, how about Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones (who starred in the Rebound about an older woman getting with a younger guy), Famke Janssen, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Thompson, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Tina Fey… Do I need to go on?

    If Lori’s acting career isn’t going anywhere maybe, just maybe, it’s less about her age and more about something else. Katherine Heigl is much younger, beautiful and busty, but her career stalled out after her attitude and ego took over. I’m not saying that’s what is plaguing Lori, but if the smoke is coming from a different direction, maybe she should stop checking to see if her birth certificate is on fire.

    • Leah says:

      Lots of the women you name have complained about ageism and women in hollywood. Even Meryl streep has come out and said this is a problem. So you can dismiss this woman as irrelevant but it doesn’t take away the fact that it is not only her that feels like this.

    • LadySlippers says:

      •daisyfly•

      The problem is that most of the power in Hollywood, and elsewhere, still rests with men. If you look at journals and trade magazines, women all throughout Hollywood, are actually less represented than they were two decades ago. People aren’t willing to invest in female-helmed projects or female written/directed/produced/composed etc..

      And to top it off, most of the women you listed have stated quite clearly that sexism AND ageism have completely slowed their careers down. Meryl Streep probably the only real exception to the rule.

    • eva k says:

      You said it all better than I could, daisy fly! Agree!

    • Bridget says:

      Dairly did you notice that at least half of the actresses you named barely work at all anymore? What was the last movie you saw Uma Thurman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jennifer Connolly, Catherine Zeta Jones? Amd if they were in a movie, were they top billed, or down the line? Sandra Bullock being phenomenally successful into her 40s does not prove that there is no ageism or sexism in Hollywood, it merely makes her an exception – and proof that when you let women top line movies they CAN be successful, and its the Powers That Be, not market forces, that result in fewer women-driven movies.

      • daisyfly says:

        Did those women complain about ageism? Of course. Does that negate in any way what I said? No. The problem isn’t the actresses. The problem is the WRITING. The WRITING is the problem. When roles for women are written as younger, then there’s a problem.

        But let’s look at the roles these women have had recently. Julia Roberts has done a film a year since 1993, regardless of her age. Halle Berry took time off to have her daughter, but she’s also been pretty busy in between with films and her new show. Cate Blanchett’s film schedule is pretty massive – busier than Brad Pitt’s and George Clooney’s combined. Uma Thurman took time off to have her youngest son, but she’s been pretty busy in films and television. Catherine Zeta-Jones was dealing with her health but she did three films in 2013. Tilda Swinton’s film schedule is always busy.

        All of these women have had busier schedules than some A-list actors and most B-list actors and actresses. Lori’s statements DO have a grain of truth to them, but her bitterness shows through in a way that does a disservice to the women who are her age and older who are working and working well in the industry. She’s not Johnny Depp. We get that. But you know what? Johnny Depp isn’t Cate Blanchett either. And her statement also implies that the only way to stay relevant in Hollywood as a female is to sleep/marry your co-star/director. Halle Berry up until recently, has been known for dating non-actors. Her first husband was a professional baseball player. Her second a musician. And her career isn’t exactly flourishing because of her current marriage to what’s his beatupyourface. Melissa McCarthy’s husband’s career is actually only successful because of her. Tilda Swinton’s current beau is a small screen actor and her previous partner is an academic and an artist. Meryl Streep’s husband is a sculptor and if we’re going to use her career as the exception then one would think, based on Lori’s claim, that it would be exceptional because of a marriage to some famous director or screenwriter or movie star.

        Not to say that that doesn’t happen. Robin Wright’s career stayed relevant for years because of Sean Penn. Mila Jovovich also stays on the big screen because of her husband, Paul Anderson. Kate Beckinsale’s career would be pretty flat without her husband, Len Wiseman. But is that any reason why Lori’s career hasn’t been as “successful” as theirs? Of course not.

        And I also want to point out that Johnny Depp gets lots of roles, but most of them are as a fantastical character. He got the role of Jack Sparrow because he’s a great character actor. That’s a niche in the world of movies that when you find it, you hold on to it. Without the PotC franchise, what would Johnny Depp have been doing? Without Tim Burton, Johnny Depp would have probably gone the way of Peter Deluise or Richard Grieco. If we’re going to compare actors to actresses, let’s use George Clooney or Richard Gere or Harrison Ford. They’re the actors that screenwriters write for, which brings up again my point that the main issue is the writing.

        Change the writing and you change the scene.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      “You want to change that then change the writing. Hire more female script writers, first and foremost”

      This is true.
      * When women write a screenplay, 40% of the characters are female on average.
      * When men write a screenplay, only 29% of the characters are female on average.

      However, I disagree with your post overall. Sexism does have a lot to do with how many women we see on screen. I really dislike when people accuse actresses of sour grapes, when the facts are out there for everyone to see. Females make up only 17% of the overall characters we see in TV and movies. Time to face the facts so that we can change them.

  24. No Way says:

    Any one who truly believes that Hollywood hasn’t been rigged for the gentlemen is deluding themselves. Whether you think Lori would have been that big a star as a male or not, she makes a good point. There are fewer females who are given the multiple chances that the male stars are, and the more men are acting long past their prime than the women. Now I think the Depp comparison annoys people because he is such an amazing actor, but not sure what he has been taking these last years but he needs to chose better projects. Lately they have been awful.

    Now maybe the girls have a chance to even the score a bit with the younger generation. With the economical Fault of our Stars besting Tom Cruise’s expensive blockbuster, maybe the “geniuses” in Hollywood will take notice that women do have a lot of power, and we don’t need the expensive special effects to sell a movie just a good story.

  25. Adrien says:

    I only know two movies of her, Tank Girl and League of their Own. I do not recall her being on Pointbreak and I love that movie. She really wasn’t the leading lady type. But I do agree with some of the things she said regardng ageism. Her “League” costar, Geena Davis wasn’t as lucky as Johnny when she did a pirate movie.

  26. BleedingHeartLibra says:

    Love Lori Petty. She’s still got it. She is definitely talented. There has always been an issue with HW and bad movies being made as well as good movies made with with bad actors. She will always make a movie better in my opinion. Tank Girl was a hoot. One of those kinda crappy movies that doesn’t really suck though. I am glad she is still in the game no matter which side of the camera she is on.

  27. Amy Tennant says:

    Well, honk if you love Lori Petty! I was actually a big fan of hers back in the day.

  28. Emma13 says:

    “…male leading roles, which often involve them sexing some hot young thing. The hot young things get younger and younger with each movie, it seems.”

    THIS a million times again. I am so sick of seeing young women as the love interest to men who could be their fathers!

    • ann says:

      +1. I will not go see / rent a movie if the female love interest in several decades younger. I’m not subsidizing that kind of unrealistic thinking that’s detrimental to women.

    • LadySlippers says:

      Or grandfathers….

      *gag*

  29. eva k says:

    Well, her schtick was playing roles of girls who were tomboys. That doesn’t go a long way. Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Robin Wright, Julia Roberts (I could go on and on) all had very successful careers in their 30’s and even now in their 40’s. And as far as I can tell, none of them have fake t-tt–s. Sour grapes.

    • Truthtful says:

      But will they in their 50’s??? Will they have the possibility to make as much flops as Johnny Depp and still have projects handed to them?….. THAT was her point!

      • FingerBinger says:

        Meryl Streep, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon,Jessica Lange,Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates,Helen Mirren,Charlotte Rampling, and Krisitn Scott Thomas are all women in their 50’s and 60’s that still getting roles and are still successful. I agree it sounds like sour grapes and nothing to do with age or being a woman.

      • Truthtful says:

        @Fingerbinger: the sad thing is that you name all of them… from the 50’s to nearing 70’s…

        Try to just list all male actors between 50 and 55 in just 3 lines like you did…

        Oh and Kirstin Scott Thomas or Charlotte Rampling are not really hollywood as they are based in Europe and more specifically in France… and we are way much more tolerant regarding the age of our actresses…

        So what do we have left… 6 actresses left… wow… she did not have a point at all right??? -major eye roll-

      • FLORC says:

        Truthful

        I’m going to sound sexist here, but my point is valid. The ratio of actresses in that age range to actors is extremely unbalanced. NOT because they can’t get roles. Many women willingly stepped away to have families or retire from acting. They act here and there, but mostly have other careers.
        Other actresses make sure they get the market cornered on all the good roles. Reese, Julia, Jennifer all do this actively.

        The ratio without understanding this will prove your point, but you’re willingly ignoring key information to prove your point.
        FingerBinger was correct in their point and it appears because it countered your point you change the requirements to better suit the outcome you want.
        You can’t amend the whole discussion by narrowing the pool of information.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        “The ratio of actresses in that age range to actors is extremely unbalanced. NOT because they can’t get roles”

        That is not factual and is not supported by data.

      • Truthtful says:

        @FLORC:

        Can you please provide some numbers and official datas the supposed key information you are giving???
        ….Or is just you trying to make your very own sexist view into a valid point?…

        In France no matter what age range you pick there is a quite equivalent ratio for actors and actresses ( 40s, 50s, 60S and even 70s)… and actresses have children and families too. So How can you explain that?

        Maybe it’s because in France there are parts written for both genders…

        “You can’t amend the whole discussion by narrowing the pool of information.”

        Please now provide yours… a real , valid, proven information that is not narrowed by just sexist belief. Please informe me…

  30. Anon33 says:

    See I don’t think anyone here is denying that sexism and ageism exist in Hollywood. Absolutely no one has denied that. But when you have Lori up there making a specific example using herself, you’re going to have people commenting specifically on her and her acting ability and her career. The larger point of the article is lost on no one. And I stand by what I said before-to me, she was not very talented, had no range, and had a very annoying quality that came through all too well on screen.

    • Miss Melissa says:

      Yup.

    • FLORC says:

      And she fits in well on OITNB
      I might be in the minority here, but it’s the worst Netflix exclusive series.
      Scandal and HoC are far better.
      I guess I needed to feel some sympathy for the characters since story line and acting quality was lacking. Since the main character had no sympathetic quality it fell flat with me.

      • pru says:

        OITNB is way overrated IMO. It’s pure fluff – entertaining but forgettable. I have to say I think the acting has gotten better in S2.
        I’m not a fan of Piper’s either. The other story lines are much more interesting to me.

  31. Rando says:

    Love her comments about Madonna, Tupac and the age thing.
    🙂

  32. mkyarwood says:

    Johnny Depp was a GREAT actor. He could assume anything without the weird makeup. He also used to take time off and not be everywhere all the time. If you’ve not seen Dead Man (a Jarmusch) before deciding on his acting skills, you just have to. Also, the very unloved Libertine. He was just excellent at being horrifying. Rosamund Pike has a small role as well, and is polarizing.

    Lori was cute and I grew up with her movies… I did not go as her for Hallowe’en, but my sister was a Peach.

    • Truthtful says:

      @Mkyarwood: your wording regarding Johnny Depp is perfect and the substantial keyword here is the repetition of”WAS”…. and that’s also her point, maybe the comparison to herself is a bit unfortunate but how many actresses in their 50’s are allowed to have so much flops and still have jobs waiting for them?

      Do you think if Julianne Moore was topping 5/6 flops she still would be considered for any part?

      Her point is an actor that is no more talented, attractive or even bankable can still work in his 50s … to just be able to have just a part an actress the same age has to be immensely talented, incredibly attractive and with proven track records of successful movies! And that is an immense gap

  33. RobN says:

    Women tend to make less in Hollywood because the movies that star them tend to make less. Movies with a central character who is a woman tend to rely on language and this simply doesn’t translate to an international audience. Showing my age, but When Harry Met Sally was a great movie but how much of it do you think an international audience reading subtitles was going to appreciate? On the other hand, Ironman is watchable if it doesn’t even have sound. They can ship that movie to every country on the planet and make money. When the pie gets smaller, everybody gets a smaller piece.

    As for Lori Petty, I remember her as a bit of a poser who alienated a lot of people. Hollywood will hire you as long as you make money and I think there is a certain glee in getting to say “no” to people on their way down when they were a p.i.a. on their way up.

    • No Way says:

      I am not entirely disagreeing with your assessment from 1989 with When Harry Met Sally, and also there was data back then that more young males go to the movies than females. However, it is 2014, and the landscape is different some movies are pulling both domestic and international numbers with female protagonist. Hunger Games, Divergent, even the Twilight crap all had female leads pulling great numbers both foreign and domestic. Mainly the young adult genre, but still the girls show up too. When I was younger most of the protagonist were male so maybe things will change to more of an even balance. Hollywood should get with the program overall.

      I also remember Lori wasn’t that great of an actress, not Depp quality, but certainly Vin Diesel quality and he has his franchise making movie stuff.

      • Star says:

        You make a good point, but RobN is still correct. With the decline of the DVD market, Hollywood has become increasingly dependent on pulling in revenue from overseas. This means making more visually-oriented movies that don’t rely much on dialogue. Which means more movies from the science fiction, action-adventure, and fantasy genres — genres that skew more male than female (though not always, as you pointed out).

  34. roxy750 says:

    She;s great!

  35. lola lola says:

    I love her! Wish she were acting more often. I’d love to see her as an action lead…she’s soooooo good!

  36. Penelope says:

    She seems like a cool and fun person but please–people probably went as you on Halloween and you’re comparing yourself to Johnny Depp? LOL

  37. Kelly says:

    She’s right. And very cool.

  38. Jen34 says:

    Is she possibly the only actress over 40 who has never had any work done? I am impressed.

  39. Shiba says:

    Don’t you think she used the JD comparison because they both started out on 21 Jump Street together?

  40. siri says:

    I actually think she looks much better now than when making Point Break (love that movie, by the way). She never was the hottie, or pretty, so the only thing that could have make her stand out, was extraordinary talent. IMO, she doesn’t possess that. But I like the interview, because there is definitely a difference in the public as well as the professional perception about ageing male, and female actors. And not just for actors, as we all know. However, I believe it starts with the writing, so it would need more female writers to create roles for strong, independent, yet vulnerable female characters. There seems to be another element to this. If an actress ones, or twice gets labeled a box office magnet, it doesn’t seem to matter that much anymore if her acting is special, or particularily good. Sandra Bullock is a good example for this. I’m sure Lori could act these parts well, too. Just she doesn’t have that special appeal, business- and otherwise. I don’t think she wanted to compare herself to Depp. Yet she actually picked a good example, since Depp does have this aforementioned label, although delivering quite a few flops over the last years. This business has a lot to do with luck, and with the ability to ‘kiss ass’, but I think Lori would rather kick than kiss it.

  41. Miss Melissa says:

    Except she was never a great actress. Her niche was cute and spunky, and that doesn’t endure in real life, let alone Hollywood.

    And Johnny Depp actually has talent, hence his career longevity.

    Good that she is working again, but it’s not like she had ever had the trajectory of an enduring career.

  42. MSat says:

    Just because all we ever got to see of Lori Petty was “cute and spunky” doesn’t mean that’s all she was capable of. She was typecast, like so many other actors. Some can make it out of their little box, others can’t.

    She seems like a fun, down to earth person.

  43. paranormalgirl says:

    I freaking LOVE “Tank Girl.” Just sayin

  44. rkintn says:

    I didn’t read all the other comments but I wanted to say that I love Lori Petty! I’ve been a huge fan of hers for ages and had no idea she was directing now! She was totally bad ass in “Tank Girl” and “In the Army Now”. I love that she has remained true to herself and is aging gracefully. She rocks:)

  45. Amulla says:

    Actresses know what kind of field that acting in Holly wood is. Many actresses got into Hollywood based on their youth and looks, which were a crutch for them, because they had no real acting talent to carry on with in their later years.

    Meg Ryan is just one example. She’s washed up now, over 40. But in her 20s and 30s she was pretty. I swear, if she were not a blue-eyed blond, she never would have made it in Hollywood. Because that seemed to be her only “asset”; and back in the 80s and early 90s, it was still hard to be anything but blond in the acting or modeling fields. She only portrayed one type of character in romantic comedies. She, like many other actresses, hit 40 and then started whining that Hollywood was “ageist”. It is only ageist for those who lack native talent.

  46. Chris says:

    Yes. Hollywood is sexist. However over 52% of movie goers are female. So the question is why do so many women support such a sexist industry? And given that they do where’s the incentive for Hollywood to change?