Feature Story: New Frontiers for Age-Gap Dating in the Movies

Coming to Hulu this summer

From Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas to Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson, today’s most talked about celebrities aren’t shying away from age-gap dating. The growing popularity of these female-forward relationships is reverberating throughout Hollywood and fascinating the public. Despite these pairings becoming more culturally commonplace, provocative new survey data by dating app Cougar Life and Ipsos indicates a curiosity persists. Representation on screen can undoubtedly help mainstream surprising  relationships, and none other than Oscar winner Emma Thompson is seeking to break some barriers with her buzzy summer film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. Directed by Sophie Hyde, the film debuting on the Hulu streaming service focuses on Thompson’s empowerment journey to find pleasure and perhaps love. Thompson isn’t the only actress to have a younger guy: Remember Kelly McGillis romancing Tom Cruise in the original Top Gun? And who can forget the hilarious turn by Jennifer Coolidge in the original American Pie, owning the screen as the MILF who occupied the imagination of Stifler’s friends? Anne Bancroft was an original barrier breaker opposite Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, and the classic cult comedy Harold & Maude featured an uncanny age gap as well. Here are a half dozen empowered women getting to embrace their inner cougar on screen:

  • Uma Thurman plays a 37-year-old businesswoman who falls in love with Bryan Greenberg’s 23-year-old artist character in the comedy Prime. Meryl Streep plays Thurman’s therapist who sometimes successfully analyzes her client’s mixed emotions.
  • How Stella Got Her Groove Back is a sexy, fun, flirty romp with a career-driven single mom played by Angela Bassett courting Taye Diggs on a Jamaican vacation.
  • Kim Cattrall is on the brink of 50 and consistently on the prowl in the movie of Sex and the City, with younger love interest and former fashion model Jason Lewis rivaling a potent cosmopolitan cocktail or swanky times with friends for iconic character Samantha’s attention.
  • The film Hello My Name is Doris casts Sally Field who is romantically interested in a colleague played by Max Greenfield of New Girl fame. Field is strong in a role with equal parts heartwarming and comedic results.
  • In Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Annette Bening plays a timeless actress opposite younger boyfriend Jamie Bell. Both are acclaimed in this romantic biographical drama.
  • Bull Durham famously stars Susan Sarandon as a poetry-loving minor league baseball team super fan who takes on Tim Robbins as her brash new recruit to inspire him with the religion of baseball. The two actors went on to enjoy an off-camera relationship for years.

That’s the reel update. Check out https://www.cougarlife.com/ for real-life dating opportunities! 


Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.