: In 2025, not a single top-grossing film featured a woman of color aged 45 or older in a lead role. Women over 60 accounted for just 2% of major female characters, compared to 8% for men in the same age bracket.

: Only 1 in 4 major films passes this test, which requires at least one female character over 50 who is essential to the plot and not reduced to a stereotype. Common Cinematic Tropes

: Older women are frequently portrayed as physically frail, senile, or "passive problems" for their families.

A major study of 2025's top-grossing films highlights a "seven-year low" for female leads, with women over 40 facing a steep drop-off in visibility.

: Many roles reduce mature women to their relationship with a younger protagonist, often depicted as "doddering" or "whining".

While 2024 saw a historic high for female protagonists in top-grossing films, reaching near parity at 42%, the representation of mature women—specifically those over 45—remains a significant challenge in entertainment and cinema. The Current State of Representation

Critics and researchers identify several recurring, often harmful, tropes for mature women: