: In 2025/2026, she received widespread acclaim for her role in The Substance , a film that directly critiques ageism. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination.
: Studies found that while women over 40 make up a quarter of the global population, their representation in leading film roles dropped from 20% in 2015 to roughly 14% by 2022.
: The 2026 Women in Film ReFrame Report noted the fewest gender-balanced projects in six years, with a sharp decline in female directors on the Top 100 films list.
: A recent report showed that representation of people over 60 in ads dropped by 62% between 2022 and 2024, with older women often confined to domestic stereotypes. Women Over 40 Are Being Excluded from Hollywood
A rising generation of is currently redefining success in Hollywood. These women are not just filling supporting roles; they are headlining major projects and dominating award cycles.