Research from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film shows a steep decline in roles for women after 40. In broadcast and streaming, 60% of major female characters are in their 20s and 30s, while only 16% are in their 40s.

In top-grossing films, characters aged 50+ are overwhelmingly male. Women make up only 25.3% of characters in this age bracket.

Recent years have seen a surge in "prestige" roles for women over 40 and 50, yet they remain significantly underrepresented compared to their male peers.