In 2024, the film industry achieved a historic milestone where approximately featured a female lead or co-lead, reaching proportional gender representation for the first time . However, this "parity" is largely driven by younger actresses.

In 2024, only 8 out of the top 100 films featured a woman aged 45 or older in a leading role .

While women in their 20s and 30s dominate female roles, representation drops sharply for women in their 40s and beyond .

Research - Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film

Recent studies, including reports from the Geena Davis Institute , highlight that when mature women are shown, they often fall into repetitive tropes:

Despite statistical gaps, established "mature" actresses are leveraging their industry status to create their own opportunities through production ventures.