: They have paved the way for a broader range of roles for older women, moving beyond traditional stereotypes to complex characters.

Historically, cinema has favored youth for female performers while allowing men to age into "distinguished" leading roles. Recent studies from the Geena Davis Institute revealed that characters over 50 made up less than a quarter of major film and TV personas between 2010 and 2020, with men significantly outnumbering women in this bracket.

Historically, older female characters were often relegated to one of two tropes: the "passive problem"—a character defined by frailty or disability—or "romantic rejuvenation," where the woman attempts to reclaim her youth through a romantic affair. Recent studies highlight a persistent on-screen disparity; for instance, characters over 50 are significantly more likely to be men, outnumbering women in this age bracket by nearly 4 to 1 in films.