- Title: The 'Queen Bees' cast on age and the role of older women
- Date: 9th June 2021
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JUNE 4, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS ELLEN BURSTYN SAYING: "The joys, it depends on your mindset, you know, what you do with your life and how you, how you think about getting older. I mean, if you, if you think about it as the end of the road, you know, and for all the fun is gone, it's not very fun. But if you keep on learning, like I try to keep on learning all the time, it just goes on being better and better. You feel more secure, you feel more confident, and you feel like you know what's going on, you know what you care about, and you know who's important to you. It's a more secure time of life in a way in a way because, you know, things are clearer." LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 4, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS LORETTA DEVINE SAYING: "You get to say things you never would have had the courage to say when you were younger. I have always given advice and talking to people like I'm their parent and they let me. And it's amazing to me. I've always had a very high, soft voice and so when I was your age or younger, I would say something and nobody would hear me. And I was like, well can't they hear me? I'm talking. I felt like that. And then as I got into my career, there were many times I was afraid to speak out because I was afraid I was going to lose my job, or you were learning and trying to make sure that you did everything perfectly so that you be used again for something else. But when you're older, you've already saved whatever you're going to save. You've already figured out I can't spend everything. You can only wear one pair of pants and you can say whatever the hell you want." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS ANN-MARGRET SAYING: "Just, I notice - people, you know, take my arm. Are you OK? Are you all right? Oh, I'm fine, thank you. It's very sweet. Very sweet. Are you sure you're OK? Yes, I'm sure I'm OK."
- Embargoed: 23rd June 2021 16:03
- Keywords: ANN-MARGRET ELLEN BURSTYN LORETTA DEVINE aging film movie old queen bees senior
- Location: UNKNOWN LOCATIONS / NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK + LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- City: UNKNOWN LOCATIONS / NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK + LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Film,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA008EGOIMVH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn plays a reluctant new arrival at a retirement home in comedy "Queen Bees", where she comes face to face with a gang of "mean girls".
Despite insisting on a temporary stay while her home is renovated, Burstyn's character Helen soon makes friends with the women as well as finds romance.
The 88-year-old, known for her work in Hollywood, television and Broadway, spoke to Reuters about the role alongside co-stars Ann-Magret and Loretta Devine.
Below are excerpts edited for clarity and length.
Q: What made you want to do this film?
Burstyn: "It was a different image of a retirement home that I was carrying in my head ... We were in a real retirement home and it was beautiful. I was surprised at how many activities there were and the swimming pool and the beautiful dining room and good food and then a lot of love affairs were going on there."
Q: Did you have any hesitation in doing the film?
Ann-Magret: "No hesitation at all, no. And it was so much fun having (actor) Christopher Lloyd as my boyfriend. He was so dear and full of life and so endearing."
Burstyn: "Writers don't write very often films for four women in their 70s and I'm in my 80s ... it's a rare thing and it's a relief for me to see people that I recognize as somebody that I might actually know ... and not older people just pictured this doddering old folks on their way out. I like that about it, it's fun." (what does she mean here - ie fun to see characters like the ones in this movie?)
Q: Why are films like this important?
Devine: "Someone very rich and famous told me to never tell my age ... Now everything's on the Internet so, you go, what the hell? This is what it is. And so, what's the point of hiding, you know?"
Q: What are the joys of getting older?
Burstyn: "It depends on your mindset ... if you think about it as the end of the road and all the fun is gone, it's not very fun. But if you keep on learning, like I try to keep on learning all the time, it just goes on being better and better. You feel more secure, you feel more confident, and you feel like you know what's going on."
Devine: "You get to say things you never would have had the courage to say when you were younger."
Ann-Magret: "I notice people take my arm (and ask) 'Are you OK?' It's very sweet."
The film will be released in theaters and streaming on June 11th.
(Production: Alicia Powell) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None