However, despite this progress, challenges persist. The entertainment industry remains largely ageist, with women over 40 facing significant barriers to employment and career advancement. A 2020 report by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that women over 45 were severely underrepresented in leading roles, comprising only 11% of the total number of leads in films. Moreover, the report highlighted that women of color and women over 55 were almost entirely absent from leading roles.