'80 For Brady' Cast | ADVOCATE TODAY

Tomlin also believes it was especially important to showcase the intricate inner lives of older women, as they are often unrepresented onscreen.

"People of our age particularly might think that, well, I can't do that. I'm too old to travel now, I'm too old to just put money into something when I may not have enough to live on," she says, adding it's significant that the characters "have this one last great memory that they can all share about something that's important to each of them."

There are few stories involving women's involvement in the sports industry, despite making up large portions of viewers. Fields says that the reason she was drawn to take part in 80 For Brady was the "different side" it portrays.

"One of the reasons I wanted to do the movie is ... it was this friendship of older women, but it also included sports," she explains. "Women sometimes just get relegated to talking about the men in their lives or their children. And they you overlook the fact that women are huge sports audience."

Fields adds: "I love that we were looking at some different side of of older women and that ultimately it is about friendship."

As it a campy comedy comprised of LGBTQ+ icons, Fonda believes the movie could bring together queer audiences and sports fans alike, at a time when unity is particularly important.

"If ever there was a time when we need to bring disparate groups together, it's now," Fonda says. "I know we're all hoping that people will come together to love and laugh together because we need that now."

While all four women are icons in their field, the movie also features Broadway legend Billy Porter, who shares that working with the group was "one of the top three experiences of my career." He says the movie is not just important for its portrayal of women, but for showcasing talent that has paved the way for women in entertainment.

"These four women have been real giants in my life — aspirational giants that I aspired to be like, as an artist individually, and sort of have them all in the same space," Porter says, continuing, "Who would have thought that my little black queer self would be in the middle of all of these giants in such a major moment?"

Plenty of queer fans enjoy sports, but they do not usually have a presence in sports-related media. Porter views 80 For Brady as a chance to change that, and by extension, change how people view both communities.

"I know that art has the power to shift hearts and minds. And the way that we do that — an example of the way that we do that — is this film," he explains. "This is such a great way to bring disparate people, ideas, communities together, and try to get us in a room so that we can just talk and understand each other, and remind remind ourselves of our inherent humanity."

Porter adds: "Football is a major crossover, connective thing. And I'm proud to be involved in it for that reason."

80 For Brady is available to watch in theaters now. For more interviews like these, watch Advocate Today on The Advocate Channel.