(Old) Age is not a barrier

Tom Hanks, America's male sweetheart.

CONSIDERING Hollywood is such an “ageist” town and the nature of showbusiness seems to favour young(er) stars, it is a surprise that major studios still prefer “veteran” actors to headline their projects.

Sure, people like Channing Tatum, Zac Efron, Josh Hutcherson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are the toast of Tinseltown and flavours of the month. But as much as they are good to look at, they are not as bankable as, say, Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis or even Liam Neeson.