The archetype of the crone or the dragon lady became the only vehicle for older actresses. They were either wise, asexual grandmothers or bitter obstacles for the younger protagonist. Sexual desire was the exclusive domain of the young. Adventure belonged to the twenty-somethings. Learning and growth? Those were for first-act characters, not those in the twilight of their lives.
She is not "aging gracefully" into irrelevance. She is aging fiercely into her most interesting role yet: the author of her own narrative.
This isn't just about representation for its own sake. It’s about economics and truth.