ABSTRACT

This article approaches ageing and gender in the context of the Oscar prizes. The goal of my research is to determine the average age of winners according to their gender. I also set out to find out if young women actresses get recognition for their physical appearance, as opposed to male actors, for whom prestige is more important. The analysis is structured on two sections: the first one focusing on the actors and actresses who won the Oscar prize for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the second on the actors and actresses who won the Oscar prize for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Since there are different prizes awarded for actors, respectively, actresses, no gender differences can be found – and this has led me to research the age differences between the gender categories. Gender, linked to age, is a rich cultural resource that generates a whole set of expectations, as soon as a person is defined as a woman or a man of a certain age. In the context of the Oscars as most prominent awards in the industry, it is relevant to find out what is the most likely age at which actors, respectively, actresses, are given recognition – and if this age can be correlated to gender-specific attributes.

Keywords: Ageing; gender; representation; film; Oscar awards.

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