: Older actresses are increasingly playing "complicated" and "raw" characters, moving away from ageist stereotypes of frailty toward roles featuring ambition and agency.
The status of mature women in cinema currently reflects a paradox of critical acclaim versus declining volume:
: Lead roles for women in top films dropped to 39% in 2025, a seven-year low.
: Not a single top-grossing film in 2025 featured a woman of color aged 45 or older in a leading role.