The biographical drama “The Fossils”, directed by Simon Stone, is an adaptation of the John Preston novel. It tells the story of wealthy widow Edith Preeti, who hired an archaeologist just before the outbreak of World War II to investigate the mysterious hills of her estate in Suffolk. Together, they make a historic discovery that will shock Britain. The plot is based on facts – it’s the reconstruction of the famous three-month-long excavation at Sutton Hoo, which resulted in the discovery of a boat with an intact tomb-chamber of the Anglo-Saxon King Redwald. The main roles in the film were played by Ralph Fiennes and Carrie Mulligan.
The choice of the British actress, who flaunts her Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations, sparked much controversy. Some viewers are even angry that she was assigned the role of Edith Peretti. However, the audience’s accusations are not related to the star’s alleged lack of acting skills, but rather to her age. According to the commentators, the 35-year-old Carrie is simply too young to play the owner of the Suffolk Mansion, who was 56 years old during the events presented in the movie. Initially, the role of Pretty was entrusted to Nicole Kidman, who withdrew from the project. Then Mulligan’s engagement took place. Viewers do not hide their frustration with the decision of the creators.
Among the dissatisfied was Betty Edney, star of the “Boldark – Cherry Lusso” fashion series. “They wouldn’t just let a woman in her 40s appear on screen, would they? In my experience, you get roles when you’re sexy, and then you rarely work until you become a grandmother. We are 51%. Population, and we’re still not visible” – Adult Actress The 58-year-old is furious on Twitter.
It was echoed by members of the group Behind the Woman, whose mission is to break down age stereotypes and help postmenopausal women. “We feel very sorry for the idea of all the great actresses in their fifties who may have played Mrs. Pretty. As long as the 30-year-olds are still in the 50’s movies, we will remain invisible,” they commented in a Twitter post.
Critical reviews also continue to appear on Twitter. I watched yesterday Fossils And I did not understand why this young actress played the main role. After all, the heroine should have been 56/57, “one commenter asked.” I liked the movie so much and I think Carrie Mulligan did a great job. But the question is, why is the 35-year-old actress portrayed as 50 years old? Are Older Women Really Reduced? “I asked another.” Gee, what a missed opportunity to dedicate the role to an actress of the right age. Curry is cute but definitely inexperienced. Women in their 40s are still not visible in pop culture, ” – said another Twitter user.
The film’s director had previously defended Mulligan’s participation. Simon Stone admitted that even before the premiere, he faced allegations of an unfortunate choice. He said in an interview, “The novel deviates from the truth in many respects and does not seem to be a completely honest record of those events, so at the stage of making the film we had the opportunity to abandon historical accuracy.”
The same actress admitted in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that she was too old to perform the role of makeup artists. However, she does not see anything inappropriate in her performance. “There is an age difference between me and the heroine I play, so I am with makeup. I think the most important thing was to honor the generous and humble woman Edith. It was the feeling of her presence that was the most important” – said the star.
