Rick Diamond/Getty Images; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
It's a great time in Hollywood for older women, and we're not the only ones who've noticed: Dolly Parton, 64, is coming back to the big screen for her first starring role in almost 20 years. Even better: her costar is Queen Latifah! The film Joyful Noise will star Latifah, 40, as a mother of two teenagers who takes over a local gospel choir after the director dies. Parton will costar as the widow of the previous choir director, who becomes Latifah's rival for the position. (Kind of like Sister Act meets Glee? We are so there.) The movie is slated to begin production in 2011. And we hope there's at least one Parton/Latifah duet written into the script!
Joyful Noise is the latest in an exciting new movie trend: major motion pictures with only women's names above the title. Angelina Jolie, 35, and Julia Roberts, 42, single-handedly sold Salt and Eat Pray Love, respectively, this summer. Come fall, we've got Sigourney Weaver, 60, and Jamie Lee Curtis, 51, facing off in You Again (also starring Betty White, 88 and Kristen Bell, 30). The buzzy winter thriller Black Swan will be headlined by Natalie Portman, 29, and Mila Kunis, 27. Meryl Streep, 61, and Tina Fey, 40, will play mother and daughter in the upcoming comedy Mommy & Me. And Cher, 64, like Parton, is basically coming out of acting retirement to star in Thanksgiving's Burlesque opposite Christina Aguilera, 29.
Granted, a majority of the names on new movie posters still belong to male actors. But it's wonderful to see the film industry acknowledging that women can sell movies, too. Even better: The women whose names are splashed above the titles span every age -- from 27 to 64 to 88! No wonder Oscar winner Cher and Golden Globe nominee Parton are finally coming back to the movies -- for the first time in years, there are good roles for strong older women. Let's all buy tickets for opening night and hope that Hollywood keeps 'em coming.
Do you like seeing women over 40 in starring roles? Chime in below!
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