By Krissy Dolor
Think women over 40 don’t have a place in Hollywood? After reading this list you’ll see that isn’t the case. While The Moviefone Blog came up with 40 actresses over 40 that are killin’ it on the big screen, we wanted to narrow it down to our favorite 10 – but they had to be single. Why? Simple! While there’s no doubt that every woman on the list is sexy and successful, we wanted to highlight the celebrities who prove that you don’t need a man (or woman!) by your side to make it big. So go ahead ladies – keep doing what you’re doing! Read on to see our picks for powerhouse women in Hollywood:
1. Jennifer Aniston (42): Though Aniston is constantly singled out as the icon for unmarried and over 40 women (which some tabloids don’t view as a good thing), she brushes it aside and continues to make us laugh alongside funnymen like Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller. She’ll continue the comedy streak in Horrible Bosses, which includes a cast of Jason Bateman, Jason Sudekis and Jamie Foxx. With a list like this, being single is definitely a good thing!
2. Halle Berry (44): Not only is Berry a Revlon spokeswoman and a former Miss USA runner-up, she is still the only African-American woman to have won an Oscar for her role in 2002’s Monster’s Ball. Though she is currently in a custody battle with ex Gabriel Aubrey over daughter Nahla, she hasn’t let it slow her down completely. In fact, rumor has it that she’s dating Oliver Martinez, her co-star in their upcoming film, Dark Tide.
3. Sandra Bullock (46): This woman won a Razzie for comedic flop All About Steve, an Academy Award for The Blind Side the day after, then went through an excruciatingly public breakup with husband Jesse James, handling it with extreme grace. Need we say more? While baby Louis is the only man in Bullock’s life, she is working with a few good ones in her upcoming films, including Tom Hanks, John Goodman and James Gandolfini for 9/11-themed drama Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and George Clooney for sci-fi flick Gravity.
4. Courteney Cox (46): Though Cox currently has an estranged relationship with longtime husband, David Arquette, she openly supported his decision to check himself into rehab for alcohol abuse and depression. While their future still remains to be seen, the two currently star in this year’s Scream 4, the movie that brought them together in the first place.
5. Jodie Foster (48): We’ve all seen Foster on film – but did you know she’s a director, too? Check out May’s The Beaver, where she’ll co-star alongside drama-daddy Mel Gibson. If anyone came tame that guy for a few months of filming, that’s considered success!
6. Melissa Leo (50): You may not have heard of this longtime actress, but Leo made news when she won a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and an Oscar for best supporting actress in 2010’s The Fighter. You’ll see more of her this year next to Robert Duvall in Seven Days in Utopia and Jesse Eisenberg and Tracy Morgan in Predisposed.
7. Susan Sarandon (64): Though many have speculated that Sarandon is dating ping pong business partner Jonathan Bricklin, she insists she doesn’t have a boyfriend. But let’s be serious – who doesn’t like imagining a little cougar action when it comes to this sexy starlet? After all, she was in the Beastie Boy’s Fight for Your Right Revisited, a Sundance short – a sure sign of her staying with the times.
8. Sarah Silverman (40): This funny lady keeps it controversial, addressing racism, sexism and religion in her comedy stints, but everyone knows that a woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind is sexy. You’ll see in her in this year’s Take This Waltz with Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen.
9. Marisa Tomei (46): She’s starred in hits like My Cousin Vinny, The Wrestler and The Lincoln Lawyer, and you’ll see her next in Crazy, Stupid, Love along bigwigs like George Clooney, Ryan Gosling and Julianne Moore.
10. Robin Wright (44): After her highly-publicized divorce from Sean Penn, this former soap star threw herself into new projects, including crime thriller Rampart with Steve Buscemi and Sigourney Weaver; Moneyball, an adaptation of author Michael Lewis’ (The Blind Side); and the adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. With all that on her plate, who has time to think about exes?
