While women vanish, men often gain prominence. Over 50% of major male characters in streaming and broadcast are older than 40, compared to only 29% of women.
Research from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film indicates a steep drop-off in roles for women once they hit 40. 60% of major female characters are in their 20s and 30s. Only 16% of female characters are in their 40s. Milfed.22.06.10.Rachael.Cavalli.Big.Butt.MILFs....
2024 and 2025 saw a surge in "age-gap romances" that flip traditional tropes. Films like The Idea of You (Anne Hathaway) and Babygirl (Nicole Kidman) are credited with making aging "visible and aspirational". While women vanish, men often gain prominence