I have to admit that I didn't think the age gap was 20 years between Sam Neil and Laura Dern. I thought Laura looked much older actually.
And why are age gap relationships being shamed anyway?
https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/1614465/jurassic-world-laura-dern-sam-neill-chris-pratt-age-difference
I always thought she was in her thirties at that time, because presumably the character was in her thirties. Dr. Ellie was an established scientist in the kind of field where people don't typically establish themselves until their thirties, and she had the right air of maturity. And since Sam Neill had a slight air of immaturity, they just didn't come off as a younger-woman-older-man couple.
And in my experience, people usually only age-shame couples when the older partner treats the younger one like a trophy or a toy. Or when the age gap is >30-40 years.
I never suspected an unusual age gap either, nothing more than what is the typical between men and women especially for the time. Good point about her character being older than 23 as it is unlikely she would have that level of influence as someone who would really be just out of college in her field. She also did act older than 23.
shareA 23-year-old paleontologist might be a grad student, but probably their first year of grad school! But to be a top paleontologist, well, I'd think thirties at the youngest.
And yes, Dern did seem older than 23, and I'm not surprised by that as really good actors can play younger or older than they are, or even play beauties when they're not physically beautiful (Cate Blanchette did this for years). Also, Dern seems to have that naturally ageless quality that's so useful to an actor, people like Angela Lansbury and Patrick Stewart spend decade after decade looking vaguely middle-aged, never seeming to be young, and never seeming to be old until they passed 80.
It’s just funny how make a big deal about things so many decades later. All in the name of Woke, Molly Ringwood did the same in regards to the upskirt scene in The Breakfast Club.
I know it’s all publicity driven. If woke never happened they would be coming up with something else or just praising the 20 year age gap.
I was aware of it, knowing at the time that Dern was in her early twenties. I think because she had been acting in mature movies from a very early age - the Lynch films, Smooth Talk, Rambling Rose etc - she perhaps seemed older than her years.
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