Scarlett's Secret Weapon: Why Directors Are Bowing to 95‑Year‑Old June Squibb

At 95, June Squibb has redefined what it means to be a leading lady in Hollywood. Her starring turn in Eleanor the Great, directed by Scarlett Johansson, stunned critics at the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard section earlier this year.

Johansson told Reuters the film 'centres on forgiveness and empathy,' a theme that resonated deeply with Squibb. 'When I began to read the script,' the actress said, 'I felt that this is something I had to do.'

For Johansson, casting Squibb was a deliberate artistic statement. 'I could imagine June walking the Croisette at age 95, starring in this incredible dramatic role,' she said. 'She's amazing.'

The Allure of Experience

Squibb's decades-long career spans Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, and film. Her Oscar-nominated performance in Nebraska (2013) came at the age of 84—an age when most actors typically retire.

She has since led independent dramas, such as Thelma (2024), in which she performed her own stunts. 'I have more security in my physicality than a lot of people do,' she said in one interview. 'I just knew I could do this.'

That confidence and emotional depth give directors like Johansson something invaluable: authenticity. Squibb brings to her roles a lifetime of lived experience, grounding even the most heightened scenes in truth.

Johansson's Vision Meets Squibb's Craft

During promotion for Eleanor the Great, Squibb praised Johansson's direction. 'She's such a leader,' Squibb said. 'She worked from the standpoint of what she knew as an actor—it was a wonderful experience. Everything was very easy.'

Johansson, meanwhile, told CBS News that she hoped audiences would feel 'compassion and empathy for Eleanor, understand what she's going through, and why she does what she does.'

That mutual respect between a first-time filmmaker and a nonagenarian lead exemplifies a quiet revolution in Hollywood—where veteran performers are no longer background figures, but central storytellers.

Casting Older Leads as Cultural Statement

Squibb has spoken openly about ageism in the industry. 'I think Hollywood has changed,' she said. 'I've just done two films about a 90-year-old, and that never happened before.'

Her success signals a broader shift: older women leading prestige projects, not as sentimental curiosities but as complex protagonists. For studios, this is also a smart business move—older audiences are loyal, affluent, and underserved.

The Guardian's review of Eleanor the Great noted that while some critics found its heavier themes uneven, 'Squibb's performance is the film's beating heart.'

Age, Art, and Influence

By pairing her own mainstream star power with Squibb's gravitas, Johansson has created a film that bridges generations—commercially intriguing yet artistically serious.

Industry analysts suggest that the collaboration could influence casting trends, prompting other directors to reevaluate what kind of faces carry emotional and box-office weight.

As Squibb put it, 'Each role is an opportunity to learn something. Each one is an adventure.'

If Eleanor the Great performs well, that adventure may extend beyond her own career—reshaping how Hollywood defines relevance, longevity, and star power itself.