From playing moms to grandmothers, older women are a vital part of cinema. Times have changed since men played all of the leading roles in the majority of movies, and women are stepping up to the challenge. The key is to find roles that fit your physicality as well as your personality. If you're a fun-loving, laid-back grandmother type, you can capitalize on that in a variety of different films, even if you're playing smaller roles. It may be a challenge to find them, but there are jobs out there, you just need to seek them out.
Some of the best-loved television characters have been older women, such as on The Golden Girls. As an older woman, you need to find your niche and really know what you do best. Although you might not be able to play all the roles you used to, you can still capitalize on your particular strengths and talents. So many wonderful television personalities are older women, and between prime time shows, soaps and other daytime programs, there are still many acting opportunities out there for older women.
If you have the ability to look distraught and can then quickly turn happy, you might have a place in TV commercials. A major category of television advertisement involves prescription drug commercials, and older women figure largely in these ads. Commercials are usually about having a certain look, since they are so often visuals with a voiceover on top. If you can find your niche in this type of work, you can earn a living through your acting regardless of your age.
Voiceover is potentially a significant place in the entertainment industry for older women later on in their acting careers. The advantage of voiceovers is that you can play any age or sex that you can sound, and you are freed from the constraints of visual parameters. There are a plethora of roles in animation, commercials, narration, promos, trailers, audio books, industrials and many more. With acting skills and a versatile voice, an older woman can thrive in a voiceover career.