Progress is hampered by structural imbalances in power and funding. Menopause Representation and the Big Screen
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".
A 2025 study titled “Missing in Action” highlighted that of 225 films featuring a woman over 40 in a lead role, only 6% mentioned menopause, and often only as a punchline. 🛠️ Industry Barriers and Behind-the-Scenes
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.