The manicured, cold-hearted older woman cliché is dead. In The White Lotus (Season 2), Jennifer Coolidge (61) played Tanya McQuoid—a chaotic, lonely, wealthy, sexually open, deeply sad, and utterly magnetic character. She was neither a hero nor a villain; she was a person . Mature women are finally allowed to be messy, unlikeable, flawed, and fascinating.
The message was clear: A mature woman on screen must either be a monster, a joke, or invisible.
Despite this progress, there is still much work to be done. Ageism and sexism continue to affect the opportunities available to mature women in the entertainment industry. According to a 2020 report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), women over 40 face significant barriers in the entertainment industry, including limited access to leading roles, lower pay, and fewer opportunities for creative control.
