KCRW’s The Treatment is one of my favorite podcasts, thanks to the recommendation from a friend of mine.* Elvis Mitchell does a fabulous job researching and hosting. The show is very well done.
Recently Dustin Hoffman (IMDB) was on the show to talk about his directorial debut. The film he directed is Quartet, which is about a home for retired musicians. During the interview, Hoffman touched on the fact that there are few roles available to actors in their later years (60s+).
That has stuck with me.
Why are there so few roles for actors in that age bracket? I won’t lament over that question. Nor will I wallow in thoughts about a system that favors the young. That’d probably be a waste of time.
I will, however, write something for actors in that age range. I think it’d be a lot of fun. Based on the conversations I’ve been having with people in that age range, I’m really looking forward to those years of my life.
There are a lot of great experiences, emotions, and changes associated with one’s later years — all of which would be fun to work with in a screenplay. I can’t stop thinking about them. You know, things like retirement. Watching your kids become parents. Becoming a grandparent. Preparing a legacy for the next generation.
These thoughts may also be related to the many conversations I’ve been having lately about growing old and preparing for retirement. I seem to be surrounded by these conversations. I confess that it has fueled my fascination with the age range Dustin Hoffman mentioned in his interview.
One’s “later years” seem to be ripe with fodder for films, yet there aren’t that many roles available. Perhaps my fascination with it will soon enough turn into a screenplay. The wheels are turning, that’s for sure.
Want to listen to the interview? Get it here.
*Thank you, Andy Poe!