: Research from the Geena Davis Institute found that characters over 50 constitute less than 25% of roles in blockbusters, with male characters outnumbering females 4 to 1 in this age bracket.

continues to dominate with intense leading roles, such as her Volpi Cup-winning performance in Babygirl .

, at 57, has reinvented her image with her role in The Last Showgirl and her public decision to go makeup-free, challenging Hollywood’s rigid beauty standards.

: The 2026 Celluloid Ceiling Report noted a "regression" for women in pivotal roles like directing, with only 13% of the top 250 films of 2025 being directed by women.

earned her first career Golden Globe for her performance in the 2025 body-horror hit The Substance , a film that subverts beauty culture and aging.

: In 2025, not a single top-grossing film featured a woman of color aged 45 or older in a leading role, highlighting a critical area where progress has stalled. The Rise of Multi-Hyphenates