The Unstoppable June Squibb
June Squibb, 95, knows how to play to her age–and defy it. Last week, I saw a screening of her new movie Eleanor the Great, directed by Scarlett Johansson. Squibb plays Eleanor, a 94-year-old woman living in Florida, who loses her best friend and is then pressured into moving back to New York City to live with her daughter, played by Jessica Hecht.
As she wrestles with the dueling factors of being treated like an incapable old woman by her daughter while still, as she puts it, feeling like the same person she’s always been, she stumbles on an unconventional way to memorialize her dear friend, which stirs up a bit of trouble.
Along the way, the movie shines a light on the beauty and mutual benefits of intergenerational friendships.
Squibb, who has no plans to retire, (you might remember her from the movie Thelma in 2024) will also be hitting the stage on Broadway in December, starring alongside Cynthia Nixon in Marjorie Prime. Learn more about Squibb’s career at E!News.
The Brilliance of Jean Smart
All hail Jean Smart. At the 2024 Emmys, the inimitable and talented, and sexy 73-year-old Smart won “Lead Actress in a Comedy Series” for her role as the inimitable, talented, and sexy 70-something-year-old Deborah Vance on “Hacks.” In the third season of the show, Vance pursues her dream job—host of a late-night talk show, and Variety writes, “This sets up an astoundingly rare situation for a television comedy – a female character over 70 aggressively and strategically going after a traditionally male-identified and very public position.”
These Aren’t Your Father’s Grandparents
Forget babysitting or spoiling the grandkids, today’s grandmas and grandpas are forging a different path: joining their young descendants in embracing adventure travel. As older adults are increasingly fitter, and for longer periods of time, they’re bonding with their grandchildren while trekking, hiking, and scuba diving.
Success Has No Age Limit
Forbes recently released its 2023 "50 Over 50" list, sharing inspiring stories of women who have made significant strides, personally and professionally, later in life.