I was watching television the other day and I heard someone say that it is difficult to find character actors to play older people these days because of all the plastic surgery.  They said that while the acting is great, the facial expressions don’t portray the character because after so much plastic surgery, the faces are expression-less.  I thought that was very sad.

A disclaimer:  Plastic surgery is miraculous.  It has saved lives and given lives to those who have really needed it.  It has also ‘fixed’ features which have been a source of shame to many.  But….as with so many things, have we gone a bit too far?  We are constantly finding new ways to slow the aging process, to be healthier and to live longer lives, and now….we have discovered how to erase wrinkles, smooth skin, and firm up the face (and other areas of the body), but what are we losing?

Personally, I think that faces that don’t (can’t) show emotion are frightening.  I want to see a beaming, broad smile when someone is happy, and I want to see a crinkled forehead when someone is filled with worry.  Lips curved downward and eyes closed and filled with tears show me that a heart is aching.  And,  eyes surrounded by laugh lines, cheeks with creases and lips with pucker marks tell me that a life has been lived in the fullest, joys have been shared and sorrows have been conquered.  I don’t want to be 16 again (well, most days), I’ve earned every one of these lines upon my face. 

I want to feel and I want my face to show my feelings.  It’s sad, Hollywood is having trouble finding mature actors that actually look their age.  Maybe it’s time for these faces frozen in time to consider another profession……playing poker???

Photo by Paul, Flicker