What broke the dam? Three distinct forces converged in the late 2010s to usher in the new era for mature women in cinema.
By the 1980s and 90s, the situation had devolved. A famous study showed that male actors over 50 got leading roles at three times the rate of their female counterparts. When Meryl Streep turned 40, she was reportedly offered three scripts in a row where she played a witch. What broke the dam
Classic Hollywood operated on a strict expiration date for female stars. The studio system prized youth as synonymous with beauty, fertility, and box-office viability. As noted by film scholar Molly Haskell, once a leading lady reached 40, she faced three options: play the mother of a 35-year-old male lead, take a "freak" role (e.g., Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? ), or retire. A famous study showed that male actors over