Fire Country Star Says Age-Gap Romances Are ‘Hurting’ Hollywood After 2 TV Love Interests ‘Older Than My Father’

Earth of fire star Diane Farr talks about an overlooked problem in Hollywood.

The actress, 54, wrote the author’s text published in Entertainment Weekly on Thursday about the importance of casting middle-aged women — and casting them in roles their own age and opposite male actors of the same age.

The performer, who portrays Sharon Leone on the hit CBS series, notes that much of the show’s popularity is attributed to her chemistry with Billy Burke, who plays her husband Vince Leone on the show. She also considers Burke, 57, a rare costar she has worked with who is close in age to her.

Billy Burke and Diane Farr in ‘Fire Country’.

Sergei Bachlakov/CBS via Getty

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Farr writes, “This is the norm in American television, and even less so when you consider that we’re both over 50. Age parity – hiring women who are the age the character is written for, and within the same decade as their male actor – has yet to become a standard in film and TV, or even a consideration despite the move towards racial, gender, sexual orientation and pay parity.”

The TV star says that her second most successful project is American Save me, also includes wage parity. “In the other eight shows, my love interests were 10 years older; 20 years older; and twice as old as my father, 25 years older than me,” she writes. “And no one has had the same success.”

In the piece, Farr also recounts the experience of struggling to find work after leaving Numb3rs stay at home with your children. At that time, she became pregnant with twins shortly after the birth of her first child at the age of 41.

Diane Farr and Billy Burke in ‘Fire Country’.

Sergei Bachlakov/CBS via Getty

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“A year later, when I was ready to go back to work, I auditioned for roles twice [at CBS]. In both cases, I was the creator’s choice,” she reflects. “Letters were written to the president at the time, and male stars who advocated for me called. But both roles ended up going to women a decade younger, and the feedback each time was the same: ‘She’s too old. We need someone sexy.’”

Through a guest essay, Farr also shares the experiences of fellow TV actors, such as exes The walking dead star Sarah Wayne Callies, longtime movie/TV star Marcia Gay Harden, BearLiza Colón-Zayas and even Andy Garcia, who put Gloria Estefan opposite him in 2022. Father of the bride.

While Wayne Callies, 46, says it feels like a “fake” when women portray parts beyond their years and have much older actors, Gay Harden, 64, talks about how older actresses can be “dismissed as sexually unviable” by a certain age.

Diane Farr on ‘Fire Country’.

Sergei Bachlakov/CBS via Getty

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The Earth of fire star asks: “Is it possible to be authentic with your costar if you come from different generations, classes, educations and work methods? That. Is it better if people represent the gender, nationality, race and actual sexual orientation they live in? For now, as an industry, we believe it is.”

She continues, “It should also apply to women playing the age the character is written in because they have voices worth hearing and representation is important.”

As the actress notes in her Entertainment Weekly article, Michelle Yeoh sparked a conversation about the importance of giving meaningful roles to older actresses last year when she won praise for her lead role in Everything everywhere and at onceand she won the Oscar for best actress.

Yeoh, 61, said in her acceptance speech: “For all the little boys and girls who look like me and are watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibility. This is proof that dream big and that dreams do come true. And ladies, don’t let anyone tell you that you’re ever past your prime.”

Earth of fire premiered on CBS in October 2022 and was renewed for a second season in January 2023. The series became the most popular series on the air during its debut season, earning 8 million viewers per episode, per deadline.

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Earth of fire returns for Season 2 on Friday at 9pm ET on CBS and airs on Paramount+.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education