The era of Hollywood putting actresses 'out to pasture' at age 40 is becoming a thing of the past, according to Vivica A. Fox. In an industry where women of a certain age have historically struggled to find leading roles, Fox insists society is relinquishing its obsession with archaic beauty standards, with female baby boomers now taking center stage.
Fox herself is proof of this progress, as the actress is busier than ever as she prepares to celebrate her 62nd birthday this summer. From returning to Days Of Our Lives to a starring role in the thriller Plan C, Fox marveled at the barriers being torn down by her peers in an exclusive interview.
'There used to be a time in Hollywood that once you turn 40, they put you out to pasture, like you couldn't get it no more and like you weren't still desirable,' she said. 'I'm so glad with the baby boomers that we have of today from your girl, Vivica A. Fox, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez. Look at Meryl Streep! 70 in Devil Wears Prada, who's just killing the game and owning the scene! Fashionable and still desirable and fun!'
Fox praised Meryl Streep, who is now gracing the big screens in Devil Wears Prada 2 at age 70, as 'desirable.' 'Life doesn't end when you start aging,' she continued. 'If anything, it's empowering. You're blessed to age, and that's what we've got to let the younger generation know that it is a blessing to age.'
Fox, who will turn 62 on July 30, called for an appreciation of all 'chapters' of life and insisted one can still be 'sizzling at 70.' 'I believe that you can be fabulous at 50, sassy at 60, even more sizzling at 70 and awesome at 80. What you do and how you live your life is a journey that you own, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Embrace all the chapters.'
Indeed, Hollywood appears to be adopting a more open-minded perception of beauty. Both Meryl Streep, 76, and Jennifer Lopez, 56, starred in major films this past year, and in a further sign of progress, Martha Stewart became the oldest woman to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit edition at age 81.
A showbiz legend, Fox has seen first-hand the evolution of Hollywood since getting her start in 1988 on Days Of Our Lives, with roles opposite Will Smith in Independence Day and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill to follow. The industry now faces an existential crisis with the rise of artificial intelligence, a controversial tool Fox isn't thrilled by.
'I'm not crazy about AI. I won't kid you because I believe that it curbs the creative, the creativity when it comes to being an actor. Actors, so many times, organic moments happen,' she said. 'That's why you hire actors to bring a character to life and to kind of plug that into a computer, you're missing out on that human element of the creative process of filmmaking.'
The changes artificial intelligence could make on Hollywood remain to be fully seen, but Fox is overall optimistic about filmmaking, particularly for women. 'I'm optimistic about Hollywood, especially for women, where we're at right now, just due to the fact that we have women in more power positions. You know, we have Shonda Rhimes, her own studio, her own productions. My girl Sally Richardson has her show [The Gilded Age], which is doing amazing. So you have women in more power positions when it comes to directing, producing, writing. Alicia Harris, when it comes to Is God Is, my new film that's coming out... that are allowing women to own their power, to own their stories, to control their narrative.'
Fox stars as nurse Rita in the new film Plan C, a Canadian thriller about a plastic surgery office taken hostage by a young woman desperate to save her brother. The movie is now signed with Red Water Entertainment for Canadian distribution and Cardinal XD for global distribution. So devoted was Fox to the film, she even incurred a minor injury shooting a fight scene.
'I had a fight scene in a very small corner with the guy who was the villain, and he was like, trying to be gentle with me. And I was like, 'Dude, I did Kill Bill. Come on,'' she recalled. 'And then in my eagerness to be a tough girl, I bumped my head. And everybody was like, 'oh!' And I was like, 'Chill out! I got this, I got this!' But I did have a little knot.'
Kill Bill is a film that remains dear to Fox's heart. 'I was thrilled to be honest with you when I got cast in Kill Bill just to be able to work alongside Uma Thurman, Daryl Hannah, Lucy Liu and directed by the incredible Quentin Tarantino,' she said. It's also a story she would love to continue: 'I'd love for us to be able to do Kill Bill three soon.'
Tarantino fans will be delighted to learn that Vivica would love to do a third Kill Bill. The movie would be another film Fox would have to squeeze into her busy schedule. Her latest film, Plan C, which stars Claire Cavalheiro, Daniel De Santo, Jamie Spilchuk, Kris Holden-Ried, has made the rounds at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and the Canadian Film Festival, and she is also promoting her new movie Is God Is.
'Everyone's celebrating the 30 years of Vivica. Listen, I am so blessed and so great to still be doing what I absolutely love doing,' she said. 'I just want to say to everyone out there, thank you so much for supporting my career over the years, movies, television shows, my new clothing line, the Vivica Fox hair... whatever y'all do. Y'all support it. And I'm grateful. I'm so grateful to be here and stay tuned for more.'
