There’s a raging dispute going on between the show business industry and the media, in which there is no easy answer.
The Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA (American Federation of Television& Radio Artists) is condeming the website Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB.com) for publishing the true ages of actors and actresses.
For more information see here
“SAG and AFTRA contend this is costing performers jobs, especially those who can pass for younger, because casting directors make use of IMDB.”
Really?
I thought casting is the process to match a role with actors to make it click.
How is it that we have so many teen movies (“coming-of-age”) and high-school settings with actors somewhat older than the age of the characters they play?
Besides, the length of the resume in the IMDB gives some indication how old the actor is, and how long he/she is in the business (isn’t that in favor for older, more mature actors?).
And even if it costs an older performer’s job, the job would be done by a different performer, presumably also a member of one of the unions.
There is no job loss here.
Of course, you can find the age of an actor from other sources, too.
This just amounts to censorship and cover-up.