When mature women do appear on screen, they are often relegated to one-dimensional archetypes rather than complex protagonists.
Historically, Hollywood has prioritized youth and beauty for female characters, leading to a phenomenon where actresses "age out" of leading roles far earlier than their male counterparts.
: Research indicates that roles for women decline drastically after age 40. In recent broadcast and streaming data, only 29% of major female characters were over 40, compared to 54% of major male characters.
