Aging Actresses Make Less Money Than Men. Obviously.

Boo and ugh. A new study finds that actresses get totally screwed financially as they age, compared to their male counterparts. (Is it too early in the day to start drinking or what?)

According to a study published in the Journal of Management Inquiry lady movie stars make BANK on their films right around they hit the age of 34. However, their salary plummets after that.

Male movie stars peak in their earnings per film at age 51, and their compensation steadily increases over time. While in their 20s, female actors’ compensation outpaces their male counterparts. Researchers examined the compensation of 265 film actors and actresses who have starred in movies from 1968 to 2008.

Are there exceptions to this? Sure! We know Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock aren’t reading this and crying into their diamond encrusted tea cups filled with sweet nectar harvested at an exclusive orchard on one of the moons of Jupiter. But those women represent the top tier of Hollywood stars. For many women in Hollywood, the reality is much bleaker as the jerk known as Father Time makes himself more and more comfortable in your house.

“This is a microcosm of what happens in society,” said Timothy Judge,
a management professor at the University of Notre Dame and one of the
study’s lead authors, in an interview with USA TODAY Network. “We are such an appearance-based society,” he said, offering one theory as to why this disparity exists.

Researchers
suggest roles for older female actors are limited, creating more
pressure on female stars to maintain a youthful appearance. “Men’s
well-worn faces are thought to convey maturity, character and
experience. A woman’s face, on the other hand, is valued for appearing
young,” according to the study.

Yes, old wrinkly men are “hot” and ladies have to look like they’re 20 all the time. Seriously, is it Vodka Time yet?

Here’s the study for all my academics and grad students out there (HOLLA AT ME) who want yet another excuse to blow off grading and/or writing that paper like you’ve been doing all weekend. Don’t look at me like that. You know you’re still procrastinating.