In the 2020s, high-profile projects have celebrated mature women as nuanced, flawed, and powerful leads.

: Despite these wins, women over 50 represent only 8% of television characters and 25.3% of film characters over 50 , while comprising 20% of the general population.

: In blockbuster films, male characters over 50 outnumber women by nearly 4 to 1 . Stereotypes and "The Ageless Test"

The onscreen disparity is mirrored by a lack of women in leadership roles who could advocate for better representation. Nicole Kidman

: Portrayals of mature women are overwhelmingly white, middle-class, and heterosexual; ethnic and sexual minorities in this age bracket remain virtually invisible. Behind the Camera: The Power Gap

When older women are shown, they are frequently confined to narrow archetypes: