Women aged 60 and older are almost entirely erased, making up only 2% of major female characters in top-grossing 2025 films, compared to 8% for men in the same age bracket.
Female representation in film and television hits a significant drop-off precisely as actors enter their 40s. milf mature lingerie
New 2025 research from the Geena Davis Institute highlights how Hollywood handles midlife: Women aged 60 and older are almost entirely
The landscape for mature women in entertainment as of early 2026 is a study in sharp contrasts. While 2024 saw a historic "moment of parity" for female leads in general, 2025 and 2026 reports show a troubling decline in leading roles for women, particularly those over 40. 🎬 The On-Screen "Cliff" While 2024 saw a historic "moment of parity"
Only 6% of films featuring women over 40 mention menopause. When it is mentioned, it is usually portrayed as a joke or linked to "meno-rage" tropes rather than a realistic life stage.
On broadcast and streaming, female characters drop from 46% of speaking roles in their 30s to just 15% in their 40s.
In 2025, not a single top-grossing film featured a woman of color aged 45 or older in a leading or co-leading role. 🧠 Stereotypes & "The Menopause Gap"