Dame Emma Thompson urges bigger roles for older women in films

Monday, May 25, 2026

Dame Emma Thompson has urged the film industry to increase the representation of women aged 60 and over in leading roles, following research showing these older female protagonists are vastly underrepresented in major UK films. This call highlights a broader issue of ageism and gender disparity in cinema, emphasizing the need for stories that reflect the lived experiences of older women.

Oscar-winning British actress Dame Emma Thompson has called for greater representation of older women in leading film roles, highlighting recent research that reveals a significant underrepresentation of female protagonists aged 60 and over in major movies. The findings, compiled by the Age Without Limits campaign, show that among the 100 highest-grossing UK films from 2023 to 2025, more featured a lead actor named Chris—including stars such as Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth—than a woman in her seventh decade or older.

The research further found that movies were four times more likely to cast a talking animal in a leading role than a woman aged 60 or above. Only five films during this period had older women as central characters, including performances by Demi Moore, Diane Keaton, and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Addressing the findings, Thompson, 67, stressed the need for change in cinematic storytelling. “Women are half the population and we get older, so where are the stories about us?” she said. “The older we get, the more interesting we are. I want to see more films centre on ageing women. We are compelling, relatable and overdue for centre stage.”

Thompson, one of Britain’s most decorated actors with two Academy Awards and multiple nominations, has previously spoken out against age discrimination and gender double standards in the film industry. She emphasized that older women should not need permission to appear on screen, noting, “They already exist in the world, cinema just needs to catch up.”

The issue of limited roles for older women is not confined to the UK. A 2025 study by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film in San Diego highlighted similar disparities in American cinema, where women over 60 accounted for about 2% of starring roles, compared to 8% for men of the same age group.

Carole Easton, chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, described the scarcity of leading roles for older women as “absolutely ludicrous” and urged the film industry to confront ageism in all its forms. She called on cultural gatekeepers to push for more inclusive representations across all stages of life in the media audiences consume.

Together, these voices underline a growing recognition within and outside the entertainment sector of the need for more diverse and balanced storytelling that reflects the demographic realities of society, particularly the experiences of older women.