: Behind the camera, the number of women directors in the top 100 films fell to just 10.1% in 2025, the lowest share since 2018. Key Trends and Breakthroughs
: High-profile wins for actresses like Hannah Waddingham , Jean Smart , and Michelle Yeoh in recent years have shown that audiences crave nuanced portrayals of midlife agency and ambition. fuckin milfs
: In 2025, not a single top-grossing film featured a woman of color aged 45 or older in a leading or co-leading role. : Behind the camera, the number of women
: Actors like Anne Hathaway (42) and Demi Moore (62) are leading high-profile psychological and emotionally charged dramas in 2026, such as Verity and Flowervale Street . : Actors like Anne Hathaway (42) and Demi
: Women over 40 are twice as likely as men to have storylines focused specifically on physical aging (15% vs 7%).
As of early 2026, the representation of (typically defined as those over 40) in entertainment is in a state of high volatility . While some veteran actresses are doing the best work of their careers, industry data shows a recent decline in lead roles for women overall. Current State of Representation
: Female lead roles in top-grossing films dropped to 37% in 2025, down from 47.6% in 2024.