Screen Writer

REMEMBER THAT story about the actress who was suing the Internet Movie Database for printing her real age? These sorts of dubious snippets emerge every week and, as often as not, prove to be publicity stunts by under-employed attention seekers. Before the paper has hit the budgie’s cage, an unimpressed judge will have flung the litigants onto the street.

Well, this case seems to have legs. Earlier in the week, it emerged that the court had required one Junie Hoang (for it is she) to reveal her name before progressing with the action. At time of writing, we are still allowed to note that the actor, who recently played "Triage Nurse" in an episode of I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant,was born as long ago as 1971. The Screen Actors Guild is offering its support.

First things first. Never having completed my studies for the State Bar of California, I am not in a position to comment on the chances of Ms Hoang winning her case. But every sane enthusiast for freedom of information will surely hope the judge tosses out the suit.

Respectable websites – and encyclopaedias and reference books and newspapers – should never be prohibited from reporting rudimentary biographical details. That’s how the Nazis got started, you know. (Okay, it’s not really how the Nazis got started, but it would still be an unwelcome development.)

It is, however, difficult not to sympathise with Hoang's position. A glance at her CV – "Sandy" in Gingerdead 3also jumps out – suggests the actor was never likely to land the lead in a film that started life anywhere other than the bottom shelf of MonsterVideo. But Hollywood is still disgracefully resistant to casting women over 40 in significant roles. Hoang is probably correct when she argues that the information on IMDb will deter casting agents from returning her agent's phone calls.

Meanwhile, actors such as Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt – both of whom are 48 – remain at the top of their profession. In the recent The Rum Diary, Mr Depp played a young man embarking on his first tentative steps into journalism.

Virtually nobody noticed the anomaly. For risk of lawsuits we won’t mention the age of Amber Heard, Depp’s love interest, but let’s just note she is easily young enough to be the old charmer’s daughter.

Was it ever thus? Not quite. In the mid-1940s, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, then approaching middle-age, were still able to secure leads in so-called "woman's pictures". Such things barely exist any more. Rather than noting the low quality of the film, analysts blamed the underperformance of Sex and the City 2on its "ageing" stars. Chick flicks tend to star chicks.

But let's not be too hard on the moguls. It's up to the world's decent moviegoers to buck the trend by queuing up for films starring older women. Of course you first have to locate such a rare beast. Is The Iron Ladyreally the best they can do? Harumph!