: Many mature actresses report being pigeonholed into "grotesque" roles once they pass childbearing age. Meryl Streep famously noted that in the year she turned 40, she was offered three different roles to play witches.

For decades, Hollywood operated under a stark double standard: male actors were allowed to age into "distinguished" leading roles, while women often disappeared from screens once their youth faded.

The Resilient Lens: The Evolution and Impact of Mature Women in Global Cinema