Older Models

Courtesy of My Generation.

If you’re over 50, chances are you’re never going to be America’s (or anywhere’s) next top model. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up the dream of a modeling career, says ROBYN YOUSEF.

You mightn’t have the face to launch 1000 ships, and over the years your body may have been subjected to series of slips, but there could still be work out there for you as a model. Happily, there is a real demand in the market for older, character models – especially for television commercials.

“We are always looking for great character faces for television commercials and photographic work,” explains Lisa Williams who is now at the helm of Vanity Walk Model & Talent Agency, launched by her mother Margaret Farry-Williams more than 40 years ago in Dunedin.

Now Auckland-based, the agency represents a wide range of multi-cultural talent of all shapes, sizes and ages for both local and international advertising campaigns, television series and movies.







Neither age nor location have stood in the way of one of our best known older models, Wanaka-based Peter Nolet.








The company has represented Wanaka-based model Peter Nolet since he was in his 20s. Suave and silver-haired, Nolet moved back to his own country about four years ago, but still works at the top end of the market and travels all over the world on assignments.

“Peter is in his late 40s now and with his look, he’ll definitely keep working for many years as a mature model,” Williams predicts.

“The market for more mature models is definitely growing and we’re always looking for natural looking faces, which people can totally relate to. Experience is not necessary. When we cast a grandmother role, they are often grandparents in real life so readily pull from their life experience.”

Williams points out that there are many overseas television commercials being shot in New Zealand. “We’ve just provided talent for an American potato crisp commercial where one of the main roles featured one of our older males.”

At 56, Joy Farry enjoys the modeling and film extra work she does to complement her new career as a real estate agent.  Farry landed her first modelling role when she was aged 17 and worked as the house model for the fashion label, Miss Deb.

Last year she had an assignment for the Fijian Tourism Bureau, which she describes as her dream job.  Now she smiles down from billboards across Fiji and in magazine advertisements selling the tropical holiday destination.

She was an extra in that raunchy Roman party scene in the television series Spartacus starring Lucy Lawless as Lucretia. She has also appeared in Legend of the Seeker and enjoys the social side of working as an extra.

She's worked on several other television commercials and is always happy to line up for an audition. “For the commercials, the producers are looking for certain people to fit their customers’ requirements so if you have that look it’s a real plus.”







At 56, Joy Farry gets both film and commercial roles, and enjoys this change from her ‘real’ job in real estate.







“We are absolutely always looking for mature models, says Josh Rudd, head booker for Nova Models in Auckland. “There is always a steady demand for older models to cover the range of print and television advertising - especially for women’s cosmetics and clothing.
 
“We provide models for the advertising done for the clothing ranges produced by The Warehouse, Postie Plus and Ezibuy so we need models representing all age groups. New Zealanders relate well to the more realistic look and if they see a model from their own age group wearing a piece of clothing well, they think: ‘Well, if she can wear it, I can too.’”
 
One of Nova Models' top rating baby boomer models who always has a steady flow of bookings made it on to the cover of one of this country's best-selling magazines. And she was a fabulous covergirl with her chic, silver hair and natural Kiwi good looks.
 
Mirella Hall (81), who features on our food page in this issue, has in recent years used her classical Italian looks in acting and television commercial roles. She played the Italian ‘Nonna’ on Shortland Street, the role of Lucia in The Visitant (a short film written and produced by Kim Gunter on the plight of Italians living in Wellington during World War II) and was the quintessential Mediterranean grandmother in an olive oil commercial.







Even at 81, Mirella Hall has had both television and advertising roles.








One mature couple who obviously had just the right look are the smiling oldies  with the mismatched dentures in the television ad for DYMO Labelling.  This commercial was made in the United States, but adapted for the New Zealand and Australian market by the Melbourne-based company Graphic & Creative.

Greg Di Natale, senior business manager with the agency, says it is ads like this that people remember. “The feedback from the public has been great,” he says.

He also sees a growing demand for mature models and generally sources talent through modelling and talent agencies. “All the major (Australian) agencies have several mature people on their books,” he says.

Di Natale says there can be a stereotyping problem. “Generally when a face or faces become associated with a brand, they won't be used together for other brands. However good models of any age are hard to find, so yes, they do tend to get more work once they are recognised.”

But, this depends on the new product or script, according to Paul Courtney, operations director of Colenso BBDO. “The same rules apply to all models. If they have done Telecom we won’t use them for Vodafone.”

In the acting arena, the shortage of good roles for more mature actors is often discussed. Younger film-goers at a recent screening of the comedy It’s Complicated were slightly squeamish about the mature Alec Baldwin as a sexual being, but agreed Meryl Streep at 60-plus looked magnificent. The film also sends out a subtle message that sexual shenanigans can be fun for both sexes well after 40.

Gabriella Larkin-Bruce, director of the Robert Bruce Agency, works with many of New Zealand’s leading dramatic actors. She says older actors tend to have had long careers in the industry and have ‘grown into’ the age group rather than deciding to become actors in their latter years. “Creatives are beginning to realise there’s an untapped, under-utilised wealth of experienced talent in this age group.” 

She believes there are plenty of mature actors, but sadly not enough roles/ opportunities for them. “But that’s the nature of the industry – always more talent than can be cast! However, I think older actors suffer more from the lack of roles than most other age groups.”







It may not be the set of America’s Next Top Model, but there are opportunities for those whose looks appeal to the baby boomer market.  







While fees paid to actors are negotiated to reflect their experience and calibre and not their maturity, stereotyping for older performers is a particular problem. “Every performer faces this dilemma and I believe especially the older age group. Happily as baby boomers are remaining more active, stereotypes will inevitably be challenged. With our aging society creatives have a wonderful opportunity to write a broader range of material for a broader audience – and hopefully that will translate into more work for our senior actors.”

Larkin-Bruce enjoys working with mature performers. “You’ll find mature actors will get the job done without fuss and efficiently and that’s down to their experience. It also means they’ve survived the frustrations and pitfalls of a career in a very challenging and often fickle industry – so egos tend not to get in the way.”

Along with others in the industry, she speculates that advertisers are going to consider using older performers more often in an effort to appeal to an aging audience.
 
Says Di Natale: “advertisements are created to communicate with a certain segment of the population.”

And Courtney: “I couldn’t imagine a mature model in a Karen Walker swimsuit, so… it’s horses for courses.”
 

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