While cinema lagged, the golden age of television—specifically the "Peak TV" era beginning in the late 1990s and exploding in the 2010s—became the fertile ground for the mature female character. Long-form storytelling allowed for nuance, history, and the messiness of real life.
High-profile actresses (e.g., Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Viola Davis) forming production companies to option books and create their own complex lead roles. 4. Shifting Narratives and Themes Reclaiming Sexuality:
: Despite high-profile wins, a study found that in 2025, only four women over 45 played leads in the top 100 Hollywood films, compared to 31 men. No women of colour over 45 held a leading role in these top-grossing films.
For much of cinema history, mature women were relegated to one of two archetypes: the or the menacing hag .
Streaming platforms (Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+) have shattered the box-office model that once prioritized teenage male audiences. Data revealed that middle-aged and older women are voracious consumers of content—and they want to see themselves. Series like Grace and Frankie (starring Jane Fonda, 85, and Lily Tomlin, 83) ran for seven seasons, proving that stories about friendship, sexuality, and ambition among women over 70 have massive global appeal.