Speaking with a group of USC students, Justine Bateman said that when something really bothers her, she writes about it “to get to the core fear” behind why it troubles her so much.
Her 2021 book, “Face: One Square Foot of Skin,” was born out of such a process. Bateman, who found fame as a young actor on the TV series Family Ties in the 1980s, entered her name into Google, which prompted an autocomplete of “looks old.” She was 43 at the time, and she transformed the initial vulnerability she felt about the perception of her appearance into an investigation of ideas about aging, interviewing more than 20 people for the book of vignettes challenging the idea of older faces being “unattractive.”
“Women at any age, no matter how old you are; there’s something ‘wrong’ with your face,” Bateman said of the messaging that permeates society’s narrative around aging. She added that she hopes that the book helps readers realize the misplaced fear behind that notion: “When I see people who are critical of me, I know they’re critical of themselves.”
Filmmaker, author and advocate Justine Bateman on what she wishes for her legacy: “I hope I will have created a map to getting from fear-based decisions to instinct-based decisions. … If everyone could really be themselves, this world would be so exciting.”
Bateman’s comments were part of a wide-ranging conversation with students in GESM 131g, “Seminar in Social Analysis: Aging and the Media.” The course, taught by USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Instructional Associate Professor Caroline Cicero and USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Professor of Professional Practice Laura Castañeda, explores how aging and older people are portrayed in the news and entertainment media and how these portrayals impact individuals, their families, communities, and society as a whole.
Cicero, who first connected with Bateman via social media before inviting her to speak to the class, said Bateman’s perspective is a valuable one, especially for students facing a rapidly changing media landscape.
“While Justine Bateman is known by many as an actor in some of our favorite shows, what’s especially important for students is to hear Bateman’s point of view as a content creator, director, author, screenwriter,” Cicero said. “Her message of digging under the surface – our skin – to examine our fears about aging and ourselves is crucial as we navigate an overwhelming and endless terrain of social media, advertising, and attempts of many related industries to manipulate our fears for profit.”
Castañeda said the topic of aging and the media is becoming especially important because of our society’s changing demographics as well as recent news events that have brought aging and ageism into focus. In California, the population over the age of 60 is expected to reach 25% of the state’s total population in just six years.
“Aging is an element of diversity and inclusion that is often overlooked. But how media – news, entertainment and advertising – portray aging, can have a profound impact on public perceptions,” Castañeda said. “It’s more important than ever that media portray aging in an accurate and fair manner. Developing a course for first-year students seemed like a great way to tackle this important topic early.”
Bateman encouraged students to resist the stereotypes around aging, especially the idea that one’s creative or professional achievement is limited to a certain age. she said. “You may be dropped into a container [based on your age], but don’t let that dictate where you’re headed,” she said. “Most of what I’ve accomplished, I’ve accomplished after 50.”
At age 50, Bateman was a new UCLA graduate, having completed a bachelor of science in computer science. She called getting her degree “the most difficult thing I’ve ever done,” but added that it gave her “the biggest sense of triumph.”
Now, at 58, her experience in entertainment and storytelling blended with her technology knowledge gives her a unique understanding of artificial intelligence. She said she predicts it will one day automate content creation on a massive scale and deeply infiltrate other parts of life, and she strongly advocated for protections against AI during recent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
In response, Bateman founded Credo23, a nonprofit organization that certifies film and television projects that are made without AI. The upcoming Credo23 Film Festival, for which Bateman is festival director, will feature only AI-free submissions and will share all festival proceeds with filmmakers.
Alongside her advocacy work, Bateman remains a busy filmmaker. The film adaptation of “Face,” for which she is writer, director, and producer, is currently in preproduction. She has no interest in retirement: “I hope I die while directing a film on a set,” she said. “To me, there are two ages: alive or dead. … Until you die, it’s your time, and you can get anything you want done.”
When a student asked Bateman what she hopes her legacy will eventually be, she reiterated her determination to eschew stereotypes and limitations based on fear.
“I hope I will have created a map to getting from fear-based decisions to instinct-based decisions,” she said. “If everyone could really be themselves, this world would be so exciting.”
