A new study has revealed that actors named Chris and talking animals are receiving more screen time than women over 60 in Hollywood's top-grossing films. Despite recent successes by older actresses such as Demi Moore, 63, who won a Golden Globe for The Substance, and Jamie Lee Curtis, 67, who staged a comeback with Everything Everywhere All at Once and Freakier Friday, ageism persists in the film industry.
Study Findings
The analysis, conducted by Age Without Limits, reviewed the 100 highest-grossing films from 2023, 2024, and 2025. It found that only five films starred an actress over the age of 60, while six featured an actor named Chris in a lead role. Additionally, films were four times more likely to have a talking animal as a lead than a woman over 60.
Emma Thompson's Reaction
The findings have irked two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson, 67, who called on the film industry to be more inclusive of older actresses. "Women are half the population and we get older. So where are the stories about us?" Thompson said in a statement. "The older we get, the more interesting we are. I want to see more films centering aging women. We are compelling, relatable, and overdue for center stage."
Coincidentally, Thompson stars in the recently released film The Sheep Detectives, a live-action murder mystery featuring CGI sheep voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, and Patrick Stewart.
Films with Actresses Over 60
The study identified five films released in the UK over the past five years with a lead actress over 60, including Alleluiah starring Jennifer Saunders, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 with Nia Vardalos, Book Club: The Next Chapter featuring Diane Keaton, and Freakier Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis. A poll by Age Without Limits found that 39% of women surveyed believe there are not enough films featuring women in their 60s.
Actors Named Chris Dominate
Several actors named Chris have dominated the box office. Chris Pratt starred in three blockbusters: The Super Mario Bros Movie and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023, and The Garfield Movie in 2024, where he voiced the titular cat. Chris Pine led Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves in 2023, and Chris Hemsworth starred in Transformers One in 2024.
Thompson's Theater Hesitations
Despite her advocacy for older women on screen, Thompson has avoided theater roles recently, citing her preference for morning work. "I'm a morning person, and theater actors are often night people," she told The Times. She recalled being "faintly traumatized" by performing eight shows a week for 15 months in Me and My Girl in the 1980s. Thompson last appeared on stage in Sweeney Todd in 2014-2015 and recently participated in Whodunnit Unrehearsed 2, an improvisational show. She said she might consider a short run if the right role comes along.
