A recent study found that women over 60 appear less often in major film releases than talking animals or a leading actor named Chris.
Representation of older women in the film industry has been an issue for many years, with stars such as Geena Davis noting the diminishing opportunities for women over a certain age compared to men in Hollywood. Now, anti-ageism charity Age Without Limits (via The Guardian) has shown the extent of the issue.
The organisation compiled the 100 best-performing movies from 2023-2025, and found that 20 of those films featured an animal that talks, six featured an actor named Chris, but only five starred a woman over 60. Those films were 2023 releases, Allelujah, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, and Book Club: The Next Chapter, 2024 Oscar winner The Substance, and last year’s Freakier Friday.
Of the six movies featuring a lead actor named Chris, three starred Chris Pratt, while Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, and Christian Friedel (The Zone Of Interest) made up the rest. Talking animals have often been a staple of animated family movies, with the top two grossing films of last year, Zootropolis 2 and Chinese blockbuster Ne Zha 2, both featuring them prominently.
Oscar winner Emma Thompson reacted to the survey with a statement, saying: “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 on ageing women, we are compelling, relatable, and overdue for centre stage. Older women don’t need permission to exist on screen. They already exist in the world, cinema just needs to catch up.”
In the past, Nicole Kidman has remarked that “There’s a consensus in the industry that as a female actor, at about 40, you’re done.” Meanwhile Davis, who launched the Geena Davis Institute On Gender In Media, has said: “It’s much different for female actors past 50 than male actors past 50. The majority of female characters, I believe, are in their 20s, and the majority of male actors are in their 30s and 40s.”