Despite high-grossing years for female leads (peaking at 55% in 2024), there remains a "dearth of roles" specifically for older women.
While the data suggests systemic hurdles, recent years have seen a surge in acclaimed performances that challenge traditional boundaries: Beyond the Stereotypes: The Reality of Aging Women in Films milf sharing daughter
: Representation drops significantly as women age; only about 8% of television characters are women over 50, despite them making up 20% of the population. Despite high-grossing years for female leads (peaking at