Perhaps the most damning comparison comes from a study by the anti-ageism charity Centre for Ageing Better. Across the top 100 films of 2023, 2024, and 2025, six films had a man named Chris as the lead actor, compared to only five with a woman over 60 in the lead role. Talking animals, the study found, were four times as likely to be leads. As Emma Thompson, a vocal advocate for change, put it: "Women are half the population and we get older. So where are the stories about us? The older we get, the more interesting we are. I want to see more films centre ageing women, we are compelling, relatable, and overdue for centre stage".
Iconic figures like Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda have sustained decades-long careers by evolving their personas while maintaining immense commercial appeal. The Rise of the Multi-Hyphenate redhead milf curvy