Ageism is rife in Hollywood, with younger female actresses being cast opposite their much older male co-stars. One day you are the hot girlfriend, the next you are playing a mother to a man who is the same age as you! And in the pop world you get old overnight if you are a woman. Many actresses and singers are not prepared to stay silent on this double standard, read on to find out who has had something to say about the age bias...

The 55-year-old actress had no anxiety turning 50 and is confident that she can still be a major star in Hollywood, despite the ageism. She said: "I think that's made up, that at a certain age, the bell is going to ring and you are done. I don't think anybody buys into that. "I don't know what freak-out we're all supposed to have, turning 50. For myself, last year, I was quite proud and happy."

The ‘Practical Magic’ star gave a very powerful acceptance speech at the 2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards, and called on everyone in the industry to support actresses of all ages. Nicole, 55, thanked older stars like Jane Fonda and Susan Sarandon for their exceptional performances throughout their careers. She said: "I want to thank you all for your trailblazing performances you have given over your career and how wonderful it is that our careers today can go beyond 40 years old. Twenty years ago, we were pretty washed up by this stage in our lives, so that's not the case now. "I just beg that the industry stays behind us because our stories are finally being told. It's only the beginning, and I'm so proud to be a part of a community that is instigating this change. But I implore the writers, directors, studios, and financiers to put passion and money behind our stories. We have proven that we can do this; we can continue to do this, but only with the support of this industry and that money and passion."

Aniston, 53, says the dialogue needs to change around women suddenly being told they look good for their age once they reach 50. She said: "I don't feel any different. Things aren't shutting down in any way. "I feel physically incredible. So it's weird that it's all of a sudden getting telegraphed in a way that's like, 'You look amazing for your age.' I think we need to establish some etiquette around that dialogue and verbiage."

The Oscar-winning actress was only 37 when she was told she was “too old” to play the lover of a 55-year-old man. Something that astounded her. She said: "It made me feel bad, and then it made me feel angry, and then it made me laugh."

The fiery 45-year-old red head slammed Russell Crowe for his comments on older actress after he stated that they needed to act their age if they wanted career longevity past 40. Jessica said: “I think Russell keeps getting his foot stuck in his mouth. “There are some incredible actresses in their 50s and 60s that are not getting opportunities in films, and for someone to say there are plenty of roles for women that age… [that] is not someone who’s going to the movie theater.”

The ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ actress - who is the daughter of Melanie Griffith and granddaughter of Tippi Hedren - voiced her frustrations about ageism in Hollywood even though she is still relatively young. Dakota, 33, is unhappy that her mother Melanie has been put on the shelf at the age of 65. She said: "Why isn't my mother in movies? She's an extraordinary actress! Why isn't my grandmother in movies? This industry is brutal. No matter how tough you are, sometimes there's the feeling of not being wanted. It's absurd and cut-throat. Whenever I have downtime, I'm unsure that I will ever work again. I don't know what it is, but it's a definite thing that happens to me."

The ‘Say My Name’ singer was told at 29 that she getting too old for her style of songs by a music executive, but Bebe decided to out them publicly on Twitter. Bebe, now 33, wrote: "I recently had a music executive tell me that I was getting too old and that my brand was 'confusing.' Because... I'm a songwriter and I post sexy pics on my Instagram and that's not what female songwriters are suppose to do, especially for my age. I'm 29. I'm fed up with being put in a box. I make my own rules. I'm tired of women getting labeled as 'hags' when they get old and guys get labeled as sexy with age. "I'm turning 30 on August 30, and you know what, I'm not running away from it. I'm not gonna lie about my age or sing songs that I feel will sell better because they sound 'younger.' I'm gonna celebrate my age."

Dame Helen Mirren has been vocal on her criticism of Hollywood for imposing a double standard - with men's career's becoming more varied as they age, whilst roles dry up for women. Mirren, 77, said: "It's ridiculous. "We all watched James Bond as he got more and more geriatric, and his girlfriends got younger and younger. It's so annoying.”

The ‘101 Dalmatians’ star called out the irony in the situation and revealed that she hoped that Hollywood could one day be inclusive for women of all ages. Glenn, 75, said: "It's kind of ironic, because we're at the peak of our power... the advent of cable, and all the other places where people can express themselves, will hopefully be helpful for women, because there will be more places to find money for their projects."

Age is just a number to 49-year-old Heidi. The German supermodel and TV star called out ageism in fashion world, insisting she has no exploration date. Heidi said: "Why do we always have to see 20-year-olds or 30-year-olds doing campaigns? "Sometimes people say, 'Why are you not giving the baton to someone else?' But I always think there are a lot of women my age, 50s, 60s, 70s, what? Do we have an expiration date? Can we not also still feel sexy?"