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- It doesn’t matter how old you are, just how old...
“Julia Sawalha (@JuliaSawalha1), who voiced Ginger in the 2000 film “Chicken Run” has published an open letter on social media — using the hashtag “#ageism — in which she says she was “devastated and saddened” to be told via an email from her agent that she would not be cast in the follow up film, which Netflix recently announced it had picked up.” According to The Hollywood Reporter (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chicken-run-voice-star-accuses-producers-ageism-being-axed-sequel-1302736 – 7/10/2020 by Alex Ritman).
She also stated: “the second lead character of Rocky — who was voiced by Mel Gibson — was being recast as well, again with the reported reasoning being that his voice was too old.” “I feel totally powerless, something in all of this doesn’t quite ring true. I trust my instincts and they are waving red flags.”
Alex also said: “The Chicken Run sequel — due to go into production in 2021 with Sam Fell (Flushed Away) directing — is set to pick up on the human-free island where the chickens now live and feature Molly, the daughter of Ginger and Rocky. When a new threat emerges, Ginger is forced to get the chickens back into action.”
Stigma RTS: The problem with animated pictures in the movie business is that child or young adult actors get in the way of the franchises’ next great blockbuster. The film industry is obsessed with the idea that their characters don’t get old. What is really required to keep everyone happy is an end to aging, and at the moment we are not up to speed. The producers are also getting older.
Why can’t the unrelenting problem of aging be reflected in the story line?
The real situation is the executive producers just can’t get the money together in time. Or the directors can’t film the scenes quickly. Normally the long queue is made up of writers. There is always another reason not related to the most obvious.
Rocky and The Hollywood Reporter article: (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chicken-run-voice-star-accuses-producers-ageism-being-axed-sequel-1302736 – 7/10/2020 by Alex Ritman).
Photos of Mel Gibson and Julia Sawalha: (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mel_gibson) and (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julia_sawalha) – 12 Jan 2021
