Julia Sawlha has criticized “sexist” TV bosses for always portraying her as the “bitter, twisted old bitch”.
The actress, 55, who played Saffy in Absolutely Fabulous, says executives have outdated views about women.
she told him RHLSTP with Richard Herring podcast: ‘They still write for women like we did in the 1940s.’ Younger actresses are always cast against older actors to play husband and wife, and that still hasn’t changed.
‘For actresses in their fifties, they send you roles and you’re a bitter, twisted old bitch that the husband doesn’t want. You never get glamorous.
Speaking about his Ab Fab co-star Jennifer Saunders, he added: “Jennifer said, ‘It wouldn’t be accepted today.'” I think the opposite.
Julia Sawlha has criticized ‘sexist’ TV bosses for always portraying her as the ‘bitter, twisted old bitch’
The actress, 55, who played Saffy in Absolutely Fabulous (pictured), says executives have outdated views about women.
“It wasn’t what we called ‘politically correct’ then, and that’s why everyone was saying, ‘You’re saying everything we can’t.'”
“Jennifer is smart enough to write it in a way where we can say things that need to be said, because of cancel and woke culture.”
She was cast as Ginger in the first Chicken Run movie in 2000, but says she wasn’t invited to return for the second movie because her voice sounded too old.
In 2020, he joined Aardman Animation after being told his role was being recast in the Chicken Run sequel.
The British actress posted a lengthy statement on Twitter, telling her fans that she had been “unfairly dismissed” from the recently announced sequel to the 2000 film.
Julia voiced Ginger in the original film, and with the plot synopsis for the sequel confirming the character’s return, the actress was hoping she would return.
Posting a statement on Twitter under the title ‘Chicken Run 2 Announcement! “I’ve been officially plucked, stuffed and roasted #ageism,” Julia wrote that she was told “out of the blue” that the film’s creatives were planning a recast.
‘Last week I was informed out of the blue, via email, through my agent that I would not be cast as Ginger in the Chicken Run sequel. “The reason they gave is that my voice now sounds ‘too old’ and they want a younger actress to reprise the role,” she wrote.
She told the RHLSTP podcast with Richard Herring: “They still write for women like we did in the 1940s.” Younger actresses are always cast against older actors to play husband and wife, that hasn’t changed yet.
“Normally, in these circumstances, an actress is given the opportunity to do a voice test to determine the appropriateness of her tone, but I was not given this opportunity.”
Determined to prove that her voice hasn’t changed in 20 years, Julia explained that she recorded a voice test at home and sent it to the producers, providing a link to the video.
But his efforts were in vain when he later received an email from the producers saying that they were still planning to do a recast.
“I received my termination letter the day before it was announced that the ‘Lone Free Ranger’ had been cut from the sequel and that the Rocky character was going to have another voice,” he continued, referring to the character voiced by Mel. Gibson in the original.
‘The reason given was that his voice is now too old. I feel like I’ve been fooled with the same excuse.
She was cast as Ginger in the first Chicken Run movie in 2000, but says she wasn’t invited to return for the second movie because her voice sounded too old.
‘I did everything I could to prove to the production that my voice is almost the same as in the original film. If they are going to use some of the original cast members…let’s be frank, I feel like I’ve been fired unfairly.’
She continued: ‘To say I am devastated and furious would be an understatement. I feel totally helpless, something about all of this doesn’t ring entirely true. I trust my instincts and they are waving red flags.
‘I am saddened to have missed the opportunity to work with Nick Park and Peter Lord, from whom I learned so much. The three of us, together, created Ginger.’
Julia ended her statement by saying she wished the production success, explaining, “Today I responded by wishing the production the best of luck and the greatest success with the sequel,” she concluded.