Research from the Geena Davis Institute and the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film highlights a steep drop-off in visibility as women age.
: Despite the previous year's success, 2025 saw a significant downturn. Only 39 of the top 100 films featured female leads, the lowest since 2018.
: On films with at least one female director, women comprise 53% of writers; on films with exclusively male directors, that number drops to 12%. milfs next door gallery
Representation on screen is directly tied to the diversity of those in decision-making roles.
: Eight of the year's top-grossing films featured women age 45 or older in leading or co-leading roles, including Inside Out 2 (Amy Poehler), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Winona Ryder), and The Substance (Demi Moore). Research from the Geena Davis Institute and the
Recent data indicates that the "older female" demographic is a major economic driver, though studios often fail to capitalize on it fully.
: Mature women are four times more likely than men to be depicted as "senile" (16.1% vs. 3.5%) and are more frequently shown as physically frail or homebound. Critical Success and Award Recognition : On films with at least one female
: In 2025, only 12% of US feature films were written by women over age 40, indicating that "mature" voices are frequently excluded from the script-writing stage. Beyond the Stereotypes: The Reality of Aging Women in Films