Venice Red Carpet Shift: The Over-40 Women Take Center Stage

Sydney Sweeney and Kendall Jenner can step aside. At the Venice Film Festival, the red carpets belong to women over 40, and their appearances are proving far more memorable than another round of skin-tight glitter gowns.

Parker Posey, 57, drew attention while promoting the premiere of “Wild Horse Nine” in an ivory Valentino gown that seemed made to move. Leslie Bibb, 52, appeared in a draped gown, while Phoebe Waller-Bridge, 41, chose a Celine-inspired tuxedo look. Maggie Gyllenhaal, 48, the festival jury president, continued to demonstrate why her style has become a talking point in its own right.

The enthusiasm reflects a broader change in an entertainment industry that long pushed actresses into supporting roles, then toward the margins altogether once they began to show signs of age. Sharon Stone once described that treatment bluntly: “As if you had leprosy.” She was 47 at the time.

Something has shifted. Women over 40 now appear more often in substantial roles, partly because they have fought for greater influence behind the camera. The Venice looks make that change especially visible. Nicole Kidman, 59, is also appearing elsewhere with Sandra Bullock, 62, to promote a sequel to “Practical Magic,” showing that these stars can be glamorous, intelligent and genuinely funny.

Still, the transformation is incomplete. At the festival opening, Gyllenhaal sharply criticized the small number of women represented in the competition program. The red carpet may be changing faster than the industry behind it.

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As if you had leprosy.