: Organizations like the Geena Davis Institute are advocating for "richer, more realistic portrayals" that emphasize agency and ambition rather than just physical decline.
Despite individual successes, recent industry reports highlight a troubling decline in overall visibility for women:
: High-profile actresses like Meryl Streep (76) , Helen Mirren (81) , and Rita Moreno (94) continue to be celebrated at major events like the 2026 Oscars , reinforcing the idea that talent and impact are not bound by age. milfed.21.10.08.jenna.noelle.milf.trainer.mp4
: A 2026 report found that in the previous year, not a single top-grossing film featured a woman of color aged 45 or older in a leading role.
: Analysis of films released through 2024 found that women over 40 are twice as likely as men to have storylines centered specifically on physical aging or the "sad widow" trope. : Organizations like the Geena Davis Institute are
and Jamie Lee Curtis (67) are currently co-starring in and executive producing the crime-thriller series Scarpetta .
Television has become the primary stage for complex, mature female characters, with several actresses over 50 ruling the medium in 2026: : Analysis of films released through 2024 found
: The number of top-grossing films with female protagonists plummeted from 42% in 2024 to 29% in 2025 .