back to article Bit-part actress slings sueball at IMDb over age gripe

An actress who claims work dried up after her age was revealed on movie compendium website IMDb is suing the Amazon-owned company. The identity of the minor TV star had remained anonymous until a lawsuit was filed last Friday revealing Huong Hoang from Texas was slinging a sueball at the site. The actress, whose stage name is …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    profile boost

    This article will make her more bankable than any of the previous 10 years of her work.

    Check back on her imdb pro next week when the hit-meter stats are updated and look at what a boost this article and others will have given her. Seeing as most producers use this imdb pseudo measurement as a yard-stick for bankability on obscure actors, this will definitely help her career.

    1. Uncle Slacky Silver badge
      Holmes

      No such thing as bad publicity

      Or, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.

      In related news, I expect a sudden resurgence of interest in certain bearded, rotund celebrity chefs...

      1. Pete 6
        IT Angle

        And all this talking has her rocketing into the top 100 actors on IMDB already. Was at #99 as of this posting.

      2. oddie
        Happy

        Yep...

        Watch Gary Glitters career take off any day now...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Yawn...

    Another washed up faliure whom is having a mid life crisis....

    You live, you get old, you die...Trillions before you, squillions after..Deal with it...

    Daft twat.....

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      A washed up failure ?

      Given the amount of films she has appeared in since Y2K, I don't think the term "failure" applies.

      Mid-life crises certainly, but not failure.

      1. c-hri-s
        Facepalm

        "Given the amount of films she has appeared in since Y2K, I don't think the term "failure" applies."

        Yes, such memorable appearances as "Girl In Bar" (The Communicator), "Woman" (Take Out), "Tough Asian" (Back on Topps), "Ghetto Girl Three" (Hoodrats 2: Hoodrat Warriors) and "Triage Nurse" (I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant) ... and a bunch of other extra parts.

        She's definitely hit the big time ...

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @c-hri-s

          So "c-hri-s" what have you done with your life that's so amazingly stunning that you consider yourself in such a superior position you can criticise what others have done with theirs? Hmmm?

          Almost every one starts at the bottom and if they work hard and make a few lucky breaks, they might get big in their chosen field, be that acting, music, sciences, humanitarian causes, etc. Some others work bloody hard and never get the breaks no matter how hard they try.

          So if you ever bother trying to chase your dreams and fall flat on your face trying, can we all have a bloody good laugh at you too?

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Pascal

        Quantity doesn't make quality.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Cynic alert..

      Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Cry and the world laughs at you"

      I have some sympathy with the lady concerned. I went for a job interview yesterday, for which I am eminently qualified. I have the evidence to support all of the skills and results that I highlighted. I made a point of confirming that I am available at quite short notice and prepared to relocate at my own expense.

      Whilst driving home, I received a call; they won't be taking me on. Their view was that I lived "too far away". Considering that they knew where I live before I went for the interview this seems a bit odd; and I would suggest that the real reason was that the resumé doesn't have my age, and they only realised that once I was sat in front of them.

      It's crazy but people really do seem to believe that a person's skills are inversely proportional to the number of years experience. One day cornz 1, you will also find yourself in the same situation; you may not think that now, but trust me, it will happen. What will you do then?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Why did you list where you live?

        Then they would have to come up with a better bogus reason not to hire you.

        At least in the US it is illegal to ask where an applicant lives. Why does that matter in determining if you can perform the job - but could be used to determine if you live in the "wrong" part of the town.

        They can ask if you can be on site within x minutes of notices or 24x7 - if the job requires it.

        Time to sue.

        1. LateNightLarry
          Coat

          Why did you list where you live?

          @AC 16:26... It is NOT illegal for a prospective employer to ask your address. Before the days of cell phones and email, there were only two ways a prospective employer could contact you... by mail (requires your address, although you could use a P. O. Box or a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency), or by landline, which had an area code and prefix which would, in general terms, identify the area of town in which you lived, unless you used an answering service,

          When I was doing hiring for a federal agency, if the application or resume (CV if you're on the other side of the pond) did not have an address, it was not even considered.

          I would fully expect anyone who lived on the "wrong side of the tracks" to use a P. O. Box or CMRA, and to have a cell phone tied to a good neighborhood.

          Coat please, the one with all the hijacked resumes in it. Hey, I've got to beat out the competition some way.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        I stopped

        bleating about it and got on with the rest of my life........Try it!!!

        Retirement is only just round the corner....

    3. Laurel Kornfeld

      Mid-life? Please. This is a young woman. As an actress myself, I applaud her in fighting injustice and doing whatever it takes to get the career she deserves.

  3. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    Complaining because her "real" age was revealed ?

    How old was she passing herself for, 25 ?

    To think that we're in the 3rd millennium and all that, and we still get women who can't stand their age being revealed.

    I thought that kind of behavior was for my grandmother.

    1. CaptainHook

      How old was she passing herself for, 25 ?

      Actually, Yes.

      In reports I read in other places, she used to play a lot of 20s and 30s characters and to be fair her photos don't make her look 40.

      I bet now the age is listed, the agents don't even look at her profile (or at least weren't, as mentioned above I bet her phone is ringing off the hook now) because it'll be filtered at the search box.

      1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

        15 films in the last three years - isn't that supposed to set some sort of level of performance ? Shouldn't agents be more interested in that than in a simple number ?

        She has obviously proven herself to be reliable, that should count for something.

      2. Laurel Kornfeld

        I do the same thing

        And so do many other actors. All that matters is how you look. I'm going to exploit the cute look as long as I live. Retirement--never??? Yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck, yuck!

        1. Evil Auditor Silver badge
          Joke

          @Laurel

          It's part of the job and there's nothing wrong with concealing age. But, since we are among ourselves, how old are you?

    2. jonathanb Silver badge

      If the photos on other news sites are recent ones, she could easily pass for 25.

    3. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      I was hoping for roles as a hot asian chick before IMDB unfairly - although totally accurately - identified me as a 40year old Yorkshireman.

  4. Alan B

    Is it really her age that stops her getting work?

    If the photo on IMDB is a recent one, I doubt her age would have anything to do with her not getting work, as she looks young enough to act the part of someone many years younger. Maybe her acting talent isn't quite as good as she thinks.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Talent vs Age

      Acting talent has little to do with getting decent work. I'm not saying this to be facetious, but nearly every drama school graduate (of which there are tens of thousands every year) is well within the skill range needed to deliver 99% of dialogue in any tv / film / play.

      If she doesn't have connections in the industry, then she'll need star power to get cast in anything decent. And age has an enormous amount to do with it. Acting is probably the most 'agist' profession there is. (if you call it a profession).

      1. Tom 13
        Paris Hilton

        Shouldn't that be the

        [b]second[/b] most agist (sic) profession?

    2. dssf

      Maybe a combination...

      Her chronological age, and her bad comic jokes "My brother is so gay that he...", and something possibly unlisted but which she-hopes-won't-be remembered in cliquish Hollywood probably ired her.

      But, it's probably time that for some professions, there be two additional questions:

      -- Age you THINK you appear or can pass off as

      -- Age OTHERS think you appear to be

      But, maybe this is just me, i cannot STAND to watch shows in which actors over their age try to pass themselves off as younger types of characters. Usually, I can spot it in the body language and if the camera reveals too much in the face. I get turned off and will quit watchnig. To me, some acting is about looks, looking the part, being recruited for it due to versatility, and getting out of the way for new replacements who *earn* their way there, not retain it due to connections.

      Not that that is how she landed roles, but maybe she should diversify her acting portfolio or do smaller projects that gradually mature her persona on screen. Turning silver before the silver screen isn't bad. The bad part is being typecast for so long that roles are not even offered.

      Besides, it doesn't take IMDB to out her age. Agents and industry players who schmooze and booze it up can and already DO do such outing. She should probably specialize in hiring or retaining someone who writes scripts around HER and a small cast, and puts them to digital camera, and "floats" them out there on YouTube and other outlets. It would keep her active, keep her in the minds of the right people, and work better than firing a broadside via lawsuit.

      The lawsuit action i dare say probably has gotten her blacklisted by now. Lots of connections all over the place...

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

    3. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge
      I think that is her whole point - if casting directors looked at the photo they would hire her. But if they simply search IMDB for people under 25 they never get to see her photo.
  5. Justin 9
    IT Angle

    Watch out

    She may sue the reg yet for claiming she is a "Bit part actress".

    She is the leading actress in "The Gingerbread Man 3"

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Maybe she should complain about the ageism in the industry rather than complain about displaying her age.

  7. Richard 116
    IT Angle

    It's criminal how this woman is treated

    Who could possibly forget her electrifying performance as 'Zombie Postwoman' in the '07 production of Z: A Zombie Musical? Or as 'Sandy' in last years Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver. A performance sure to be noticed by the Oscar nominations committee. Or whatever it's called.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      And...

      Who could forget Richard 116's performance as keyboard warrior slagging of people he'll never meet from the computer in his bedroom.

      1. Kubla Cant
        Mushroom

        And then again...

        For all you know, Richard 116 may be a Nobel prize winner who has appeared in major film roles and who is also intimate with the lady in question. He may not even have a computer in his bedroom. At least he doesn't post anonymously.

        I can't help noticing a lot of thespian defensiveness in this forum. A group of people who choose to earn their living with skills that are, apparently, so commonplace that every vacancy is massively over-subscribed should, perhaps, learn to roll with the punches.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "He may not even have a computer in his bedroom. At least he doesn't post anonymously."

          The computer-in-bedroom accusation was a bit of a low blow, but the comment was still entertaining. As for posting anonymously, I'm sure the debate is enriched substantially when pseudonyms are involved. Isn't that right, Mr Cant?

          Richard 116 sounds like some kind of "future Shakespeare" adaptation. Maybe Ms Hoang and the commenter could be put together in some kind of Playmobil production if it doesn't make it to the West End, Broadway or Hollywood (or Blockbuster).

      2. Steve Ives

        Indeed...

        I have an image of 'Comic Store guy' in my mind...

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Yes..

        But at least he has the minerals to reveal whom he is...

        As you sit behind your keyboard not daring to reveal yourself....

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @cornz 1

          The thing is that I currently suspect that you're Richard's 2nd ID, maybe I'm Richard double bluffing, who knows.

          1. Richard 116
            IT Angle

            It's true...

            All the above characters are played by me. Anonymous Coward (all three of them), Mr Cant, The Comic Store Guy, Cornz 1, the 115 other Richards. Unfortunately since turning 40 the work has just dried up. It was all I could do to get this gig. Now I just sit in my bedroom, stroking my Nobel prize, slaging off actresses.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              "the 115 other Richards"

              I was at least hoping for Kenneth Branagh as one of the other Richards.

    2. L1feless

      Actually...

      She might not even have a case...2006 & 2007 were her busiest years from what I can tell. In 2008-2010 it did slow down for her but certainly wasn't horrible. She has clearly picked back up in 2011. So if her case is that she has fewer roles just simply based on her age being posted I think will be an uphill battle in court. Considering she has never really been a top tier choice for TV or film it is reasonable assumption that when money is tighter (like it is now) someone in her position would receive fewer roles.

      I will give her credit for trying to find a way to boost her career though,

  8. Marvin O'Gravel Balloon Face

    Perhaps she did have a reasonable expectation that data she provided to Amazon for the purpose of validating her account should not be published online.

    If Amazon did this with my account, I think I'd be a little hacked off as well.

    1. Ian Yates

      Agreed

      But hopefully she has some evidence that this is what has happened and isn't spuriously throwing claims around.

      Seeing as she is a registered actress, is it not also possible IMDb got the information from more public records? (I don't know)

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I would be hacked off as well. I wonder why she gave her actual age on a web sign-up form if she thought that it was a sensitive bit of information. Normally all that is looked at in the age block is that the person signing up claims to be at least 13 years old.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    She should sue her parents

    For scheduling her dumping upon the world for 40 years ago rather than 20 years ago.

  10. Efros

    Trivia quote is priceless

    "Her scene in "Big Momma's House 2" and "Tropic Thunder" was deleted."

    Grammar as per IMDB.

    1. Gwaptiva

      Maybe it was the same scene?

      or -- due to lack of acting talent -- the two scenes were indistinguisable?

    2. Minophis
      Happy

      The real tragedy is not that they deleted her scenes but that didn't delete all the other scenes as well.

  11. FredScummer

    IMDB

    Maybe I'm wrong but I wouldn't have thought that the movie business would use IMDB or Amazon as its first port of call when looking for an actress. It seems much more likely to me that word of mouth would have more effect, as in Directors who have used actresses or where other actors/actresses have made a suggestion.

    Using IMDB/Amazon to find someone to play a part in a film sounds a bit like the LibDems referring to the good sense guide when choosing a policy.

    1. Captain TickTock
      Joke

      Well...

      if the Vatican uses Wikipedia...

      1. admiraljkb
        Coffee/keyboard

        Well (you mean that thing hole in the ground with water?)

        "if the Vatican uses Wikipedia..."

        hehehe Yeah, still chuckling on that one myself...

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Not a first port of call but...

      Since the invention of the IMDB star meter, it is one of the most used indexes when producers are researching supporting cast members. (This does not include mainstream actors who are already household names ofcourse).

      The IMDB is treated as an approximately reliable impartial reference that doesn't have the inherent bias that peoples agents, resumes, cvs and websites have. When you have a list of 20 applicants from the casting director the IMDB can be a good tool to narrow them down into 'recall' and 'bin' piles.

      Or, if you are the casting director, the IMDB can be a good tool to narrow down a list of 100 applicants into a list of 'cast' and 'dont call us...' piles.

      Everything on the IMDB has a big impact, age not the least.

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