37-year-old Maggie Gyllenhaal was recently told by a Hollywood producer that she was “too old” to play the love interest of a 55-year-old man. In an interview with The Wrap, Gyllenhaal said she was surprised by the producer’s admission, but that it’s just one of the many “disappointing things about being an actress in Hollywood.”
It was astonishing to me. It made me feel bad, and then it made feel angry, and then it made me laugh.
Astonishment, sadness, anger, and laughter – all in quick succession? Sounds to me like Ms. Gyllenhaal is experiencing the rapid mood swings commonly associated with dementia. It’s sad to see anyone go through this, but particularly a woman who, in her early life, was so talented and beautiful.