Julia Duffy, 73, beloved for her role as Stephanie Vanderkellen on Newhart, recently opened up about the struggles of aging in Hollywood on Steve Kmetko’s podcast, Still Here Hollywood. Duffy described the experience as “very awkward,” noting the industry’s tendency to write older women into limited, stereotypical roles.

“It’s disappointing that even younger writers often create characters like Aunt Bee,” she said, referring to the old-fashioned role from The Andy Griffith Show, rather than writing individualized characters.

Reflecting on her experience playing Myrna in Melissa & Joey, Duffy shared her frustration with how women of her generation—many of whom were part of the Woodstock era—are often assigned names and personalities that lack depth. “You have to write the person and not the type,” she emphasized, advocating for authentic character development for older women.

As a seven-time Emmy nominee for her role on Newhart, Duffy hopes that writers will create more realistic, layered roles for older women in Hollywood. “I hope they’re listening,” she added.