continue to break barriers, a recent study by the Geena Davis Institute found that characters over 40 are still twice as likely as men to have storylines exclusively focused on their physical aging.
: Jean Smart (73) continues her award-winning streak with the fourth season of Hacks , while Angela Bassett (66) reigns as the highest-paid Black actress in broadcast TV history for her role in 9-1-1 . continue to break barriers, a recent study by
. While systemic barriers like ageism persist, 2026 marks a turning point for cultural visibility and market influence for older women. Women’s Media Center Current Representation & Storytelling Trends The "Complicated" Protagonist While systemic barriers like ageism persist, 2026 marks
Furthermore, the streaming revolution has been a critical catalyst. Platforms like Netflix, Apple TV+, and Hulu, hungry for prestige content, have funded character-driven stories that traditional studios ignored. This gave us Jean Smart’s legendary, career-redefining performance in Hacks —a ruthless, hilarious, and heartbreaking look at a legendary comedian in her seventies facing a changing world. It gave us the simmering revenge and quiet fury of The Last Duel and the radiant, aching romance of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande , where Emma Thompson, at sixty-two, delivered a masterclass in vulnerability and desire. it earned Huppert an Oscar nomination.
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, it's clear that mature women will play an increasingly important role in shaping the narrative. With more women taking on leading roles, both in front of and behind the camera, the industry is poised for a revolution.
Across the Atlantic, (now in her late 60s) continues to be France's most daring export. In Elle , she played a cold, powerful video game CEO who is violently assaulted—and then proceeds to play a cat-and-mouse game with her attacker. The film was shocking not for its violence, but for its refusal to make Huppert’s character a victim. She was predatory, complicit, and inscrutable. Hollywood would not have greenlit that role for a 60-year-old woman a decade ago; today, it earned Huppert an Oscar nomination.