Three network news and talk shows, including the all-woman show, The View, may have declined to interview Dame Judi Dench because she was too old. At least, that is the claim of Harvey Weinstein, co-founder of Miramax Films and head of the company distributing “Mrs. Henderson Presents”, for which Dench received an Oscar nomination earlier this week.
NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein says Judi Dench was snubbed by three network talk shows because of her age while promoting “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” according to New York magazine.
Dench, 71, was nominated Tuesday for an Oscar for her performance in the film, which was distributed by Weinstein’s new production company, The Weinstein Co.
Weinstein, who co-founded Miramax Films, says Dench was turned down for interviews by NBC’s “Today” show and ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “The View.”
“They said that she didn’t fit their demographics,” the outspoken movie mogul tells the magazine in this week’s issue.
This could be a calculated claim on Weinstein’s part to create more buzz about the film, and the full text of the above article includes statements from The Today Show, Good Morning America and The View disputing (somewhat nervously) that age is the reason they declined opportunities to interview the actress who previously won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love.
Would The View turn it’s tailored back on an older woman? You wouldn’t think so, not with Barbara Walters (who’s 40+ years in the business would mathematically make her much closer to Dame Judi than the target demographic) as co-host, co-owner and co-executive producer. If so, however, this is almost cosmically laughable. Surely there must have been some other reason? Perhaps the ladies were trying to hold a space open for James Frey.
