2024 Was a Record Year for Women in Film but Representation for People of Color Took a Sharp Decline, Study Shows

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2024 saw a historic high in female representation as lead or co-lead actors in top-earning movies, whereas chances for actors of color significantly decreased.

For the first time in their decade-long study of the 100 top-grossing movies each year (amounting to 1,800 films since 2007), Dr. Stacy L. Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that gender equality was achieved – as 54 films prominently featured women or girls in leading or co-leading roles.

As per a research conducted by Katherine L. Neff, Smith, and Dr. Katherine Pieper, the number of female characters as main figures in various works has soared to a record-breaking 54%. This is a significant increase from 30% in 2023 and over twice the initial figure reported in 2007 (20%). Remarkably, this percentage not only matched but surpassed the proportion of women in the U.S. population (50.4%).

According to Smith, by 2024, nearly half of the top-earning films featured a female protagonist. This included the highest-grossing film of the year, Disney’s ‘Inside Out 2’. It’s not a new discovery that movies with female leads are profitable. Instead, this trend is a reflection of various groups and initiatives pushing for on-screen equality, which have been ongoing for some time now.

The study, focusing on the analysis of gender, racial/ethnic background, and age of primary and co-primary actors in movies, revealed an interesting finding. Namely, it discovered that in 2024, no nonbinary actors held leading roles among top-earning films. However, for the first time, a transgender actor (Hunter Schafer from “Cuckoo”) was found to have a leading role.

The findings revealed that while there had been advancements in gender diversity, progress regarding race and ethnicity lagged behind. In 2024, only 25 films out of the top 100 showcased main or co-main characters from underrepresented racial or ethnic backgrounds, which was a significant drop compared to the previous year when 37 leads/co-leads were people of color. Even though this representation remains significantly lower than the U.S. Census figure of 41.6%, 2024 represented an improvement compared to 2007, where only 13 top-performing films had lead characters of color.

This decline indicates a shortage in narratives that resonate with diverse audiences, including women and people of color. However, it’s important to note that these stories are desired by the audience, not an either-or situation. Studios and filmmakers should take notice of this demand, and Netflix is a prime example of a company that has effectively achieved balanced representation in terms of gender and ethnicity.

Reflecting on the latest cinematic offerings, it’s disheartening to note that opportunities for actors of color seemed to shrink overall this year. Yet, representation for women of color in leading roles appears to have held steady compared to last year, which is a small glimmer of hope amidst the larger trend. Interestingly, thirteen films featured underrepresented female leads or co-leads, mirroring the number from the previous year and significantly more than a decade ago when only one film showcased such representation.

Cynthia Erivo (from “Wicked”), Auli’i Cravalho (for “Moana 2”), Lupita Nyong’o (in “The Wild Robot” and “A Quiet Place: Day One”), Naomi Scott (in “Smile 2”), Anya Taylor-Joy (featured in “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”), DeWanda Wise (from “Imaginary”), Melissa Barrera (starring in “Abigail”), Naomi Ackie (in “Blink Twice”), Mia Goth (in “MaXXXine”), Nika King (for “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot”), Ryan Destiny (in “The Fire Inside”) and Ariana DeBose (in “I.S.S.”) are the main stars of these films, listed in no particular order.

Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”), Auli’i Cravalho (“Moana 2”), Lupita Nyong’o (“The Wild Robot”, “A Quiet Place: Day One”), Naomi Scott (“Smile 2”), Anya Taylor-Joy (“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”), DeWanda Wise (“Imaginary”), Melissa Barrera (“Abigail”), Naomi Ackie (“Blink Twice”), Mia Goth (“MaXXXine”), Nika King (“Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot”), Ryan Destiny (“The Fire Inside”) and Ariana DeBose (“I.S.S.”) are the stars of various upcoming films.

According to Neff, this year’s findings signify a significant advance towards equitable representation for women, but there is still much work required, particularly for women of color. Waiting another 17 years would be far too long before we see a diverse array of women, their narratives, and their voices showcased on our largest platforms.

Absolutely, as the research delves deeper, it reveals a more complex picture when examining how factors such as gender and age overlap and influence each other in people’s identities.

In the past year, eight movies among the highest earners were either headlined or shared lead roles by women aged 45 and above: Amy Poehler in “Inside Out 2”, Winona Ryder in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, Nicole Kidman in “Babygirl”, Hilary Swank in “Ordinary Angels”, Demi Moore in “The Substance”, Cate Blanchett in “Borderlands”, Nika King in “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot”, and June Squibb in “Thelma”. This number is significantly greater compared to 2023 (three films) and 2007 (one film), but it falls short of the remarkable 11 movies from 2018 that showcased older female protagonists.

In stark contrast, the number of films featuring women over 45 is significantly fewer than those starring men of the same age group. To be precise, while just one film showcased a leading or co-leading role for an older woman, there were approximately 2.6 such films for older men. This is according to the study’s findings.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but add my thoughts to the buzz surrounding the film industry finally striving towards gender equality in its leading roles. Here’s the deal: this supposed equality is predominantly represented by younger females. Men, on the other hand, don’t encounter the same limitations in their career paths. This isn’t just a matter of entertainment; it affects women in mid-career and beyond, limiting their chances to work and earn a living. The lack of representation doesn’t only have cultural implications – it’s an economic truth for many women.

When it comes to intersectionality in film production, only one movie was headed or co-headed by a woman of color (King), whereas five movies spotlighted underrepresented male characters in leading roles. As has been the norm, white men exceeded the collective number of lead roles for older underrepresented characters, according to the study. In 2024 alone, no less than 16 films showcased a white male protagonist aged 45 or above, driving the storyline. To put it simply, across the top 100 movies of 2024, older white men appeared 16 times more frequently in leading roles compared to older women of color.

The research summary additionally assesses the representation of genders in each film distributor. Some studios matched or surpassed the expected gender balance; Universal Pictures showcased the most number of leading/co-leading roles for females (66.7%), followed by Warner Bros. Pictures (55.6%) and Lionsgate (54.5%). Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, and Sony Pictures, however, fell short of this benchmark with 44.4%, 40%, and 38.5% respectively.

Regarding racial and ethnic diversity among distributors, none achieved a proportion that mirrors the U.S. population (which is 41.6%). However, when it comes to the representation of underrepresented leads or co-leads in their films, Paramount stands out with one-third (33.3%) of its productions featuring such characters, followed closely by Lionsgate (27.3%), Universal (26.7%), Disney (20%), Sony (15.4%), and Warner Bros. (11.1%).

In this research project, distributors like A24 and Neon, who have traditionally been less prominent, are categorized as “other.” Interestingly, when it comes to representation, 62.5% of the films from these “other” studios were directed or co-directed by women, making them pioneers in the industry. Additionally, 31.3% of their films featured protagonists from underrepresented groups, positioning them as leaders in this aspect too.

Read the full study here.

Shown clockwise: Amy Poehler as Joy from “Inside Out 2”, Nicole Kidman in “Babygirl”, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked”, June Squibb in “Thelma”, Auliʻi Cravalho voicing Moana in “Moana 2”, and Lupita Nyong’o in “A Quiet Place: Day One”.

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2025-02-11 21:24