Mediascapes Journal

This special issue of Mediascapes Journal explores the intersection of celebrity and ageing, focusing on audiovisual (film, TV, social media) and sports celebrities. It examines how ageing challenges the youth-centric ideals of celebrity culture, revealing social anxieties about body, time, and visibility. For screen stars, particularly women, ageing often leads to invisibility or stereotypical roles, reflecting gendered ageism, while male stars may gain cultural capital. Celebrities manage ageing through media performances emphasizing authenticity or resilience. In sports, ageing athletes face physical decline and shifting roles post-retirement, with media narratives often romanticizing them as symbols of endurance or nostalgia. Digital platforms allow ageing celebrities to challenge stereotypes, promoting active ageing, though often within neoliberal frameworks. The papers about celebrity and ageing included in this special issue engage with at least three disciplinary perspectives: Film Studies and the history of audiovisual media; Sociology of Communication and Culture; and Media Studies. The dialogue and interweaving of different approaches makes it possible to provide a rich, varied and complex picture of the various possibilities for investigating the relationship between contemporary celebrity forms and ageing processes.