Intersectionality remains a major barrier; in 2025, a USC Annenberg study found that not a single top-grossing film featured a woman of color age 45 or older in a leading role. Streaming as a Catalyst for Change
Recent research from the Geena Davis Institute and AARP highlights a persistent gap between audience desire and industry output: milf clipz
frail-frumpy-and-forgotten-report.pdf - Geena Davis Institute Intersectionality remains a major barrier; in 2025, a
Only 3% of major female characters are age 60 or older, compared to 6% for men. In fact, among characters over 50, only one in four (25.3%) are women. While the entertainment industry reached a historic high
While the entertainment industry reached a historic high of 54% of top-grossing films featuring female leads in 2024, this parity is largely driven by younger actresses. Representation for women drops precipitously with age: 45% of major female characters are in their 30s , but that number plummets to just 14% for women in their 40s .
Major female characters on streaming platforms rebounded to 49% in 2024-25. Narrative Shifts & Portrayal Challenges
Mature women are finding more substantial opportunities in streaming than in traditional broadcast or cinema: