It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World: Portrayals of Female Characters in the Top Grossing U.S. Films of 2023
EXCERPT
It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World has monitored portrayals of girls and women in the top 100 grossing films since 2002. It is the longest-running and most comprehensive study of women’s representation in film available. The percentage of females in speaking roles declined from 37% in 2022 to 35% in 2023, and the number of female characters in major roles remained the same at 38%. The percentage of films with female protagonists contracted from 33% in 2022 to 28% in 2023. 77% of films featured more male than female characters in speaking roles. Only 18% of films had more female than male characters, and 5% of films featured equal numbers of female and male characters. Female characters were younger than their male counterparts, experiencing a precipitous drop from their 30s to their 40s. 33% of female characters were in their 30s but only 15% were in their 40s. The percentage of male characters in their 30s and 40s remained steady at 28%, and men didn’t experience a decline until they reached their 50s. Females over 60 remained dramatically underrepresented, accounting for just 7% of all female characters. Films with at least one woman director and/or writer were more likely than films with no women in these roles to feature higher percentages of females as protagonists, in major roles, and as speaking characters.