Only 4 women over age 45 played leads in 2025's top 100 films, compared to 31 men.
Veteran stars like Frances McDormand and Reese Witherspoon are producing their own work to bypass traditional studio biases.
Progress stagnated significantly, with female leads hitting a seven-year low (39 out of top 100 films).
In 2025, only 12% of US feature films were written by women over 40.
Initiatives like The Writers Lab are actively funding female screenwriters over 40 to create more complex, age-inclusive narratives.
Only 4 women over age 45 played leads in 2025's top 100 films, compared to 31 men.
Veteran stars like Frances McDormand and Reese Witherspoon are producing their own work to bypass traditional studio biases.
Progress stagnated significantly, with female leads hitting a seven-year low (39 out of top 100 films).
In 2025, only 12% of US feature films were written by women over 40.
Initiatives like The Writers Lab are actively funding female screenwriters over 40 to create more complex, age-inclusive narratives.