Films more likely to star talking animals than older women
A recent report highlights that films are more likely to feature talking animals or male leads named 'Chris' than women over 60. The research indicates a significant representation gap for older female characters in popular films. Emma Thompson advocates for more stories centered on older women, emphasizing their relevance and complexity.
- ▪Among the top 100 grossing films from 2023 to 2025, only five featured women over 60 as lead characters.
- ▪Films are four times more likely to have a talking animal as the lead than a female actor over 60.
- ▪Only one in three speaking characters in films are aged 50 or over, revealing a significant representation gap.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Films more likely to star talking animals than older women Rob Beschizza 4:52 am Tue May 26, 2026 Emma Thompson. Photo: Euan Cherry / Shutterstock Motion pictures are more likely to star a man named "Chris" or a talking animal than a woman over 60 years old, according to Age Without Limits, a British charity campaign. "Among the 100 highest grossing films for 2023, 2024 and 2025, six films featured someone called Chris as the lead actor compared to just five featuring women over 60 as the lead character," it reported.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Boing Boing.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Boing Boing
