Women actors over 35 need not apply

FAR from being the preserve of the politically correct, the acting profession is afflicted by “deeply ingrained discrimination”, particularly affecting older women and those from ethnic backgrounds.

According to Europe-wide research over the course of a year by the International Federation of Actors (FIA) and Warwick University into actors’ employment prospects, the most glaring discrimination uncovered related to older women.

While women constitute two-thirds of performers under 30, this ratio is reversed among performers over 50.

Speaking at the report’s launch in Dublin, Kathleen Barrington, an Abbey Theatre actress of 40 years’ experience, said the perception among play and film producers is “women cease to be sexy at 33 or 34, whereas men stay sexy till 70”.

The report also confirmed the stereotype of the penniless actor. Most performers earn very little from their work, with 5% of respondents saying they earned nothing from performing in 2006-07.

However, a greater proportion of women are in the lowest income group, with a smaller proportion in the highest income group.

These inequalities were compounded for actors from ethnic backgrounds or with disabilities.

The research found Ireland followed European norms in providing the best acting opportunities for men.

President of the Irish Equity Group in SIPTU, Pádraig Murray, said: “The study shows that the same investment goes into training male and female performers, but through the lack of adequate portrayal of women and their roles in society, their work opportunities begin to peter out after 40.

“Acting should hold a mirror up to society so let’s reflect reality rather than a distorted version of it.”

Mr Murray drew attention to one casting brief which stated “no dogs, please”, saying the finding that acting jobs were skewed in favour of younger women was “not something we didn’t know”.

“But to have the findings there in black white means we can now start working on changing mind-sets,” he said.

Actress Ronnie Masterson said she felt the bias was related to the continued gender imbalance in those writing and producing plays and films: “They tend to be writing about the younger set, they don’t want old fogies.

“But there are all sorts of parts now where women can play a role they wouldn’t have in the past. Perviously, if it was a doctor or lawyer, it had to be a man, that’s not the case now, acting has to catch up with social change,” she said.

SIPTU official Des Courtney said that although the findings “make for depressing reading”, as they illustrated “deeply ingrained inequalities existing in the acting profession”, the report should be used as a springboard for change.

The research was published in several European capitals, with Dublin MEP Proinsias De Rossa hosting its main launch in Brussels.