On broadcast and streaming, female characters drop from 46% of speaking roles in their 30s to just 15% in their 40s.
New 2025 research from the Geena Davis Institute highlights how Hollywood handles midlife: milf mature lingerie
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
There is a massive "blind spot" between what mature women spend and what they see on screen. There is a massive "blind spot" between what
Female representation in film and television hits a significant drop-off precisely as actors enter their 40s.
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.