The Era of Female Leads Opens in Hollywood... Surpassing Male Leads for the First Time in History

Led by "Inside Out 2" and "Substance"

A study revealed that last year, more than half of the movies in Hollywood featured female lead characters.

Movie 'Substance' Still Cut

According to a recent report released by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Southern California, among the top 100 North American box office films last year, fifty-four had female lead characters. This is an increase of twenty-four films compared to thirty in 2023.

This is the first time that the number of films with female lead characters has surpassed those with male leads. When the report was first published in 2007, there were only twenty such films. Dr. Stacy L. Smith, the founder of the institute, explained, "This is the first year we can say gender equality has been achieved," adding, "Among the top five highest-grossing films, three were led by female protagonists, and among the top ten, five were led by women."

Films that led this trend include last year’s box office topper Inside Out 2 ($652.98 million), as well as the 3rd place Wicked ($472.51 million), 4th place Moana 2 ($458.09 million), and 33rd place Furiosa: Mad Max Saga ($60.47 million).

Substance ($17.29 million), starring Demi Moore, was also recognized for its groundbreaking story. The film depicts what happens when an actress, who had fallen out of the public eye, encounters a drug that restores her beauty. It strongly opposes a culture that treats women as disposable.

Meanwhile, among the top 100 North American box office films last year, only twenty-five featured lead characters of color. Films with women of color as leads numbered just thirteen. The report pointed out, "The film industry is failing to reflect the reality that people of color make up 42% of the U.S. population."