Studies show a precipitous decline in major female roles transitioning from the 30s (46%) to the 40s (15%). In contrast, the percentage of male characters actually increases slightly as they enter their 40s.
Even in the realm of fantasy and superheroes, the "wise old man" trope is being overtaken by the "powerful matriarch." milfs over 50 tgp link
The American industry is catching up, but international cinema has long treated mature women with more respect. French cinema, for instance, has never stopped casting actresses like Isabelle Huppert (70) and Juliette Binoche (59) in erotic thrillers and complex dramas. In Elle , Huppert played a 60-year-old video game CEO surviving a rape—a role that Hollywood would never have conceived for a woman her age. Studies show a precipitous decline in major female