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US actors condemn IMDb for revealing birthdates (again)

US unions have criticised IMDb again for revealing ages of actors which they claim is 'facilitating age discrimination.'

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If you’ve ever visited IMDb (and frankly who hasn’t) then you would have seen the birthdate, and more specifically, the age of some of your favourite industry names.

John Cleese is 72 today, Roberto Benigni is 54, Ivan Reitman is 65.

But the website has been criticised by The Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA for revealing ages of actors because it believes it is affecting casting opportunities for their members. The problems first started a year ago.

IMDb and its owner Amazon.com have refused to delete or change the data even when requested to do so.

Talks between IMDb, SAG, AFTRA and other unnamed guilds, have now broken down.

One anonymous actress even filed a law suit claiming IMDb took information she provided when signing up for the IMDb Pro subscription service and used it to publish her age on the IMDB website.

SAG and AFTRA said they “strongly believe that businesses like IMDb have a moral and legal obligation not to facilitate age discrimination in employment.”

It isn’t readily clear how publishing factual information is ‘facilitating age discrimination’ (isn’t it the casting directors doing that?), nor the matter of hundreds of other websites, including Wikipedia, also publishing the same data.

But the guilds are defiant.

“It is time for IMDb to step up and take responsibility for the harm it has caused, and to take appropriate measures to protect entertainment industry workers, including actors, from losing jobs for the enhancement of IMDb’s financial statements,” they said.

And yes, for the record, Glee‘s Cory Monteith is really 29.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

26 Responses

  2. I guess they’ll go after the government next with their “policy” of birth certificates. Actors should be allowed to keep their ages secret so they can prevent the younger generation of actors from playing high school aged and uni kids.

  3. I don’t believe there is actually any age discrimination – if anything, people are chosen for roles that clearly don’t reflect their age.

    How can you apply for any position without detailing your age? Sounds like they’ve finally being called on the lies they tell.

  4. IMDB not at fault at all here – it’s an issues between actors and studios – the former if they’re lying about their age – and the latter if discrimination is truly occuring.

  5. I think it was back in the 90s that “The Simpsons” made a gag about the age of actors playing “teenagers” in 90210 or somesuch. Honestly, this is the biggest no-news story.

  6. Pretentious and precious, I would like to see a list of the main protagonists as I would have my own little protest and not watch their whiny work.
    Hope Harrison Ford is one of them really don’t need to watch him any more.

  7. Jim Parsons was talking about his age [38] on Craig Fergurson a couple of weeks ago.Is SAG going to sue him for revealing his own age ?

    Typical Americans – sue,sue,sue

  13. WTF? IMDB says Dylan McDermott is 50!!! Having seen American Horror Story i’m kind of shocked/jealous. He’s got to have a painting of himself in an attic somewhere…

  16. Seems like a rather stupid and pointless complaint from the SAG. Anyone with brains who wants to know an actor’s age will just go to Wikipedia or Google and find the information.

  18. Just checked IMDB Jim Parsons was born in 1973 so he is 38. A classic example of why we love IMDB and the importance it plays in all those silly but fun pub arguments!

  21. Jim Parsons (Sheldon on BBT) is 49!! Looks good for his age. I suppose he is portraying a character of about 30. He is believable in the part. Are actors now blaming publication of their birth dates for lack of work? Maybe they should look at their talent or lack thereof first. IMDb is not to blame.

  22. What BS. Wish they’d name the actors complaining about this. Cory Monteith is 29 playing a 17 year old. Clearly people are getting roles regardless of age. If they aren’t getting roles because of age a) either they’re auditioning for roles they probably aren’t suitable for anyway, b) take up with the casting directors for discrimination. Don’t blame IMBD for publishing facts.

  24. Seriously!

    I get emails daily with actors birthdays and their age, ET does it daily at the end of the show, I’m sure any good casting agent can quite easily find their real age if they just spent 5 minutes on Google or looked at Wiki.

    I’d be more concerned when an actor (or anyone) hides their age.

  25. This sounds like a frivolous and pointless lawsuit.
    Are the actors vain and wish to continue lying about their age? To make themselves feel better?
    Everyone knows the teens ages on TV are quite often in their 20’s and even 30’s.

    There’s no reason they should get rid of age data. It’s also available on a thousand other websites.

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