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Women make strides in Hollywood but still lag far behind men Amy Schumer. Charlize Theron. Daisy Ridley. Something is missing from this list.
(about 3 hours later)
There was Amy Schumer as the hard-partying journalist in “Trainwreck.” Charlize Theron as the rebel warrior Imperator Furiosa in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Daisy Ridley as the Jedi mind-tricking Rey in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” There was Amy Schumer as the hard-partying journalist in "Trainwreck." Charlize Theron as the rebel warrior Imperator Furiosa in "Mad Max: Fury Road." Daisy Ridley as the jedi-mind-tricking Rey in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Hollywood is casting more women with three-dimensional personalities in lead roles. White women, that is.Hollywood is casting more women with three-dimensional personalities in lead roles. White women, that is.
Actresses held 22 percent of leads in last year’s 110 biggest box-office hits, a 6 percent increase from 2014, according to a new report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film ­at San Diego State University. Actresses held 22 percent of leads in last year’s 100 biggest box office hits, a 10 percentage point increase from 2014, according to a new report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
It’s progress, the authors noted, but far from representative of the viewing population. Put another way, men held 78 percent of lead roles.It’s progress, the authors noted, but far from representative of the viewing population. Put another way, men held 78 percent of lead roles.
Women also played 34 percent of major characters — those who are featured but aren’t leads — a 5 percent boost compared to 2014. They were 33 percent of speaking characters, a 3 percent bump. [Researchers have found a major problem with ‘The Little Mermaid’ and other Disney movies]
The data also revealed why, year after year, the roster of Oscar nominees looks, well, monochromatic. Silver-screen diversity appeared to stagnate. The share of black women in major roles barely budged, from 11 percent in 2014 to 13 percent in 2015. Latina actresses stayed at 4 percent. Asian characters dropped from 4 percent to 3 percent. Women also played 34 percent of major characters — those who are featured, but aren't leads — a 5 percentage-point boost compared to 2014. They were 33 percent of speaking characters, a 3 percentage-point bump.
Diverse movies are a huge business. Why doesn’t Hollywood make more? The data also revealed why, year after year, the roster of Oscar nominees looks, well, monochromatic. Silver-screen diversity appeared to stagnate. Of all women who appeared on screen in 2015, 13 percent were black, an increase from 11 percent in 2014. Latina actresses stayed at 4 percent. Asian characters dropped from 4 percent to 3 percent.
Getting women into marquee roles is only half the struggle, the report said. Filmmakers tend to give male characters more depth. Women of color were also less likely to hold lead roles.  While 38 percent of white women nabbed marquee roles, 27 percent of black, Latina, Asian and women of other races played major characters, while 38 percent of white women nabbed marquee roles.
While the professional status of men was more emphasized in movies, for example, the marital status of women received more creative attention. More men than women, meanwhile, were shown in work settings (64 percent, compared with 44 percent). Filmmakers might be leaving significant money on the table. For the past five years, the typical white American has bought a ticket to fewer films than the average black, Hispanic or Asian filmgoer, according to industry data. Minorities comprise 37 percent of the population, but they bought 46 percent of the $1.2 billion in tickets sold in the United States in 2015.
Last year, a report from the University of Southern California’s Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative found that 30 percent of all speaking characters in the 700 most popular films from 2007 to 2014 were women. That was one leading lady for every 2.2 leading men. Landing roles is half the battle, the report authors noted. Male characters appeared to display more depth. While the professional status of men was more emphasized in movies, for example, the marital status of women received more creative attention. More men than women, meanwhile, were shown in work settings (64 percent, compared with 44 percent).
The women in the analysis were mostly young, white and straight. They were more likely than the men to don skimpy attire and play love interests. Last year, a report from the University of Southern California’s Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative found that 30 percent of all speaking characters in the 700 most popular films from 2007 to 2014 were women. That was one leading lady for every 2.2 leading men.
Audiences show up to movies with people of color. So why are #OscarsSoWhite again? The women in the analysis were mostly young, white and straight. They were more likely than the men to don skimpy attire and play love interests. At the time, Stacy Smith, who co-authored the study, said that women were not only underrepresented — they were misrepresented, setting bad examples for girls who want to become, say, economists. Especially girls of color.
At the time, Stacy Smith, who co-authored the study, said that women were not only underrepresented — they were misrepresented, setting bad examples for girls who want to become, say, economists. Especially girls of color. “It sends a message about who’s valued," Smith said, “and who’s not.”
“It sends a message about who’s valued,” Smith said, “and who’s not.” The good news, echoed in both reports: Women who make films tend to hire a lot more women. Movies with at least one female director or writer featured women in 40 percent of all speaking roles, the San Diego State University report found. They starred in half of the films with female directors and writers, compared to a mere 13 percent of exclusively male-created movies.
The good news, echoed in both reports: Women who make films tend to hire a lot more women. Movies with at least one female director or writer featured women in 40 percent of all speaking roles, the San Diego State University report found. They starred in half of the films with female directors and writers, compared with a mere 13 percent of exclusively male-created movies. Correction: In the San Diego State University study, the percentage of lead roles played by women increased by 10 percentage points between 2014 and 2015. Also, the percentage of major characters played by women increased by 5 percentage points and their share of speaking characters increased by 3 percentage points. A previous version of this story incorrectly reported the size of those increases.
 
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