Catherine Zeta Jones - Zeta-Jones Embracing Life After 40

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES is adamant it's a "myth" there are less "juicy" movie roles for actresses over 40 - because she has succeeded in finding "interesting" parts since reaching the milestone age.

Many Hollywood stars including Juliet Stevenson, Kristin Scott Thomas and Andie MACDowell have all complained that the movie industry is obsessed with youth and there is a lack of challenging roles available for middle-aged women.

But Zeta-Jones, who turned 40 years old last September (09), is adamant there are plenty of "good" film parts out there, but older actresses must be prepared to work for them.

She tells Britain's Daily Mirror, "It's a natural progression... I'm going to play more mums than sex symbols. A lot of people talk about how it is hard to find good roles for older women, but I, frankly, haven't found that. I've actually seen an influx of interesting and compelling roles that makes me confident the over-40 myth in Hollywood is just that.

"I'm out to prove 40 year olds can do it just as well as 20-somethings ever did. I'm not going out to pasture. I'm going after the juicy roles and I intend to prove older women have just as much strength in Hollywood as young women and men... You have to take it into your own hands and look for the roles."