Rebecca De Mornay Calls Out Hollywood Age Double Standard While Eyeing New Film Roles

Quinn Parker here — and yes, I had three espressos before noon, so buckle up because Rebecca De Mornay has some hot takes and I have feelings. Let’s spill.

Rebecca De Mornay, the 1980s screen siren who turned heads as Lana in the 1983 hit Risky Business and terrified viewers as Peyton Flanders in 1992’s The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, is speaking bluntly about ageism in Hollywood as she promotes her latest movie, Saint Clare. The actress, who will turn 66 on August 29, told the New York Post that aging in the public eye is “its own animal,” and she didn’t mince words about the industry’s double standard for men and women.

De Mornay recalled being told she was “too old to play” the romantic partner of “a big movie star” when she was in her mid-thirties and he was in his mid-sixties, a remark that underlines how female actors are judged by youth while their male counterparts coast through decades without the same scrutiny. She placed some of the blame on broader societal expectations, noting that ageism toward women “has been a thing” for a very long time and is “very reflective” of what society values.

Still, she offered a hopeful note: attitudes are shifting. De Mornay applauded contemporaries like Helen Mirren as “amazing” and “sexy,” crediting such trailblazers with helping change the narrative about older women on screen. Yet she remained realistic, saying that while progress is being made, “it’s still a long road for women to be as cherished in their older years as men are.” That stark contrast — men flourishing into their 60s and 70s as leading men while women face shrinking options — remains a persistent Hollywood headache.

On the subject of remakes and reboots, De Mornay’s feelings skewed skeptical. When news surfaced that The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is being remade with Longlegs star Maika Monroe stepping into Peyton’s chilling shoes, De Mornay admitted she felt “perturbed” and a little betrayed that no one reached out to her. The original’s intense plot involved De Mornay’s character exacting revenge against the family she infiltrates, culminating in a gruesome climax that cemented the film as a ’90s thriller classic. De Mornay said she was curious to see if the new version can measure up, but she’s not wowed by Hollywood’s tendency to recycle what once worked rather than backing fresh stories.

That’s what drew her to Saint Clare, directed by Mitzi Peirone and featuring Bella Thorne: it feels original, she said, and that novelty appeals to an actor tired of retreads. De Mornay called out an industry laziness in relying on proven titles instead of taking risks on new material, which ties back to her larger complaint about how women’s careers are limited by ageist casting choices.

Her comments are rooted in decades of experience. De Mornay’s early career included a high-profile romance with Tom Cruise during Risky Business, and her portrayal of Peyton remains iconic. Now, using that legacy, she’s throwing shade at age-based hypocrisy and demanding more respect for women as they age professionally and publicly.

So what’s the takeaway? De Mornay is pointing out a cultural blind spot in plain language: Hollywood profits from nostalgia and familiar titles, yet it penalizes women as they grow older. She’s optimistic enough to praise change-makers while realistic enough to call out the long haul ahead.

Okay, I need to calm down after that — but keep your eyes peeled for Saint Clare and, frankly, any casting memo that dares to treat a woman over 50 like she still matters. I have THOUGHTS and I will not be quiet.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Collider
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed