Discover what it’s like to be an actor over 50

Getting older doesn’t mean you have to give up the spotlight. In this article, the stars of the Age Co TV advert – Ian and Keeley – share what it means to them to be an actor and represent those in later life

Ian Waller has been a performer for more than 30 years. After studying musical theatre at Laine Theatre Arts, his first job was something of a baptism by fire: at 21, he worked as a magician's assistant at Phantasialand, Germany. “We had a live lion and tiger in the wings and I had to bring them on,” he recalls.

There haven’t been many wild animals since, but Waller has worked on a range of West End musicals and tours, including Me and My Girl, Tommy, Miss Saigon and Mamma Mia. He was also the resident choreographer for Billy Elliot and worked on West Side Story as the right-hand man to director Arthur Laurents.

Dancing through life

If you’re not familiar with the stage, you might recognise him from an airliner’s ad where he played a dancing executive (tagline: ‘The more you save, the more exotic the dance').

“I think I’ve embraced my niche,” he laughs, “doing 50-plus dad moves. I’m fully aware I’ll no longer play the juvenile lead.”

At 54, Waller thinks back to how his grandparents seemed at that age: “We thought they were old!” he says. “But I’ve got loads of energy.”

Waller stars in Age Co’s new Feel Good Phone Call advert, where Barry (played by Waller) and Linda (played by Keeley Harker) are a vibrant couple in their sixties. Barry feels so energised after switching his insurance to Age Co that he can't help but dance.

A shift in perceptions

Barry and Linda’s house, decorated with colourful and quirky items from Dunelm, defies stereotypes of over-60s living. “But then, like many my age, I still see myself in the 30-45 age bracket,” Waller says. 

Harker, who has been acting for more than 30 years and has appeared in everything from Coronation Street to conservatory adverts, agrees. “The perception of 50-plus women has changed,” she says, “I mean, we’ve still got a way to go but things have definitely improved. We don't have to ‘dress our age’ any more, for example.”

Originally from Yorkshire and now living in Birmingham, Harker juggles acting with business coaching. “The skills of an actor – body language and voice tone and how we present ourselves – lend themselves very well to the corporate world,” she says.

A touch of chemistry

Filming the advert was very different from the red-curtain experience Waller is used to. “I just sent in a self-tape of me jumping around the living room,” he says, “and thought no more of it.” It was a similar experience for Harker, who landed the role with a self-tape, followed by a single day of filming in Manchester. “They obviously saw something in me and Ian they liked,” she says.

“You really bond with people when you’re doing something like this,” Waller adds. “But unlike a stage show, it’s all over so quickly and you’re back on the train.”

It’s unclear whether or not there will be an encore for Barry and Linda, but Waller has his dancing shoes at the ready just in case.