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Viola Davis Leads AARP’s Movies for Grownups List Celebrating Gen X’s Most Fabulous Actresses
The inaugural ranking spotlights 25 powerhouse actresses, with Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz and Drew Barrymore joining Davis in the top five
WASHINGTON—AARP’s Movies for Grownups today unveiled its list of the 25 Most Fabulous Gen X Actresses, recognizing leading women who continue to redefine what it means to thrive with age while delivering some of the most compelling performances of their careers. Ranking No. 1 is Viola Davis, 61.
One of six children, Davis grew up rummaging through garbage cans for food and living in condemned, rat-infested apartments. “I grew up in abject poverty,” she told AARP’s Movies for Grownups. “There was no evidence of greatness in my life. So I had to have magic…. I had to dare to ask the big, big question: ‘What if, Viola? What if there’s something out there for you?’”
What those years gave her, she said, was resilience. “I have the ability to survive the hard stuff.”
Davis, for whom AARP The Magazine created a special digital cover, is joined in the top five by Charlize Theron, 51, Halle Berry, 60, Penélope Cruz, 52, and Drew Barrymore, 51. The inaugural list celebrates Gen X actresses who bring power, range and rich life experience to every role, whether they’re approaching 50 or already embracing the decade and beyond.
The list was developed using criteria that included the quality and ambition of recent work, awards recognition, cultural resonance and the ability to hold audiences’ attention across decades.
The full ranked list of AARP’s Movies for Grownups 25 Most Fabulous Gen X Actresses:
- Viola Davis, 61
- Charlize Theron, 51
- Halle Berry, 60
- Penélope Cruz, 52
- Drew Barrymore, 51
- Jessica Chastain, 49
- Amy Poehler, 54
- Nicole Kidman, 59
- Rachel Weisz, 56
- Lucy Liu, 57
- Gwyneth Paltrow, 53
- Jennifer Lopez, 57
- Cate Blanchett, 57
- Naomi Watts, 58
- Salma Hayek, 60
- Regina King, 55
- Reese Witherspoon, 50
- Rose Byrne, 47
- Toni Collette, 53
- Sarah Paulson, 51
- Amy Adams, 52
- Kate Winslet, 50
- Kerry Washington, 49
- Taraji P. Henson, 55
- Kristen Wiig, 53
Read the full story HERE.
AARP's Movies for Grownups is a year-round platform that celebrates storytelling that resonates with audiences 50-plus and showcases the talent shaping entertainment at every age. Through editorial coverage, screenings, events and its signature Movies for Grownups Awards, the program recognizes films, television programs and creators whose work reflects the depth, humor, ambition and complexity of grownup lives. By championing authentic representation and creative excellence, Movies for Grownups helps advance a more age-inclusive entertainment industry while highlighting the enduring influence and importance of older audiences.
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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.
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