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Out of the 100 top-grossing films of 2024, 54 featured a girl or woman in a lead or co-lead role, according to a new report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. This marks the first time representation has surpassed the US Census figure, where girls and women make up 50.5% of the American population. Without question, this is a celebratory revelation. However, it’s not time to pull out the fizz and party poppers just yet, as the same report revealed, sadly, racial diversity is still lagging behind.
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examined 1,800 top-grossing films from 2007 to 2024 and assessed the gender, race, and ethnicity as well as the ages of the leading and co-leading actors for each movie.
In this gallery, we examine the key findings and highlight some of last year's movies that are, at the very least, proving women are just as worthy of a lead role as men. Click through to get started.
Stacy L. Smith (pictured), an associate professor of communication and the founder of the Inclusion Initiative at USC's (University of Southern California) Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, stated, “This is the first time we can say that gender equality has been reached in top-grossing films.”
She went on to stress, “This is not the result of an economic awakening, but is due to a number of different constituencies and efforts, at advocacy groups, at studios, through DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives, to assert the need for equality on screen.”
Female-led films such as ‘Wicked’ with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, ‘Anora’ with Mikey Madison, ‘The Substance’ with Demi Moore, and Anya Taylor-Joy in ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (pictured) paved the yellow brick way for these gains in Hollywood gender equality.
Comparing the 100 top-grossing films of 2023 and 2024 reveals a major improvement. In 2023, 54 films featured a girl or woman in a lead or co-lead role, while in 2024, there were only 30 movies featuring a female-identified protagonist.
“Films such as ‘The Substance’ pushed back hard against a culture that considers women disposable,” Dr. Martha Lauzen, founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, publicly stated.
“In 2024, three of the top five films had a girl or woman in a leading role, as did five of the top 10 films—including the No.1 film of the year, Disney’s ‘Inside Out 2,’” continued Stacy L. Smith.
However, the study also highlights that leads and co-leads from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups have declined significantly, as only 25 of the top 100 films featured a lead of color in 2024. This was a decrease from 2023 when 37 leads or co-leads were people of color.
A third of all Paramount Pictures films released in 2024 featured a lead or co-lead of color, with Lionsgate (27.3%) and Universal Pictures (26.7%) having similar demographics. Walt Disney Studios (20%), Sony Pictures Entertainment (15.4%) and Warner Bros Pictures (11.1%) reflected even lower numbers.
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative report also revealed that in 2024, there were no nonbinary actors with a leading role among the top-grossing films, but, for the first time, there was one transgender actor with a leading role (Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo').
A separate recent study, titled 'It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World: Portrayals of Female Characters in the Top Grossing US Films of 2024,' by the previously mentioned Dr. Martha M. Lauzen, revealed that ageism remains a significant issue in Hollywood.
The percentage of female characters plummeted from 35% in their 30s to just 16% in their 40s. In stark contrast, the percentage of male characters increased as they moved from their 30s (25%) to their 40s (31%). Additionally, more than twice as many male characters as female characters were aged 50 or older.
The study also found that in 2024, white women dominated major film roles, rising to 67.3% from 54.7% in 2023. Black female representation saw a slight increase to 17.4%.
Latina (4.3%), Asian or Asian American (6.4%), Native American (0.4%), and MENA (0.4%) representation all declined. Multiracial representation remained steady at 1.1%, but the most significant drop was in the "other race or ethnicity" category, which fell sharply from 11.6% to 2.8%.
So, while representation for women in leading or co-lead roles may have hit a record high in the top-grossing films of 2024, opportunities for women of color and women over 30 appear to have taken a sharp decline.
“This downturn signifies a lack of investment in storytelling that reflects the audience as a whole. The reality is that audiences want to see stories about women and people of color, studios and filmmakers do not have to choose between the two,” Smith said, crediting Netflix as a company that has successfully reached proportional representation for gender and race/ethnicity.
Thirteen films in 2024 had a woman of color star or co-star, which is similar to USC’s 2023 report and higher than the 2007 report. The study’s lead author Katherine Neff said: “While this year’s findings mark a historic step towards proportional representation for women, there is still work to be done for women of color.”
One movie exquisitely celebrated female leads, racial diversity, disability inclusion, LGBTQ+ representation, and even animal rights! It may not have made number one in the box office charts, but this green phenomenon was undoubtedly the number one film on everyone's lips by the end of the year.
When it comes to movies, 2024 was the year of ‘Wicked.' With two powerhouse female leads—one, a globally renowned American pop star of Italian descent, the other, an award-winning British stage actress, singer, and songwriter with Nigerian roots, the film was a cultural moment in itself.
But beyond its star power, 'Wicked' also broke barriers in authentic representation. Cynthia Erivo took on the iconic role of Elphaba, making history as only the second Black woman to play the Wicked Witch in the musical’s 22-year history.
The first was Alexia Khadime in the West End production from 2008 to 2013. Cynthia was also given artistic space to influence how Elphaba looked, which is why she has braids, freckles, and long nails, so the role still celebrated and recognized that under the green there is a black woman.
Another significant landmark came with the casting of Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Elphaba’s paraplegic younger sister. Since the musical’s Broadway debut in 2003, the role had never been played by a disabled actor—until now. Bode became the first wheelchair user to portray Nessarose, marking a long-overdue milestone in authentic representation.
The major box office films featuring women of color as leads or co-leads in 2024 include: Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked,' Auli’i Cravalho in ‘Moana 2,' and Lupita Nyong’o in ‘The Wild Robot,’ and ‘A Quiet Place: Day One.'
Naomi Scott in ‘Smile 2,' Anya Taylor-Joy in ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,' DeWanda Wise in ‘Imaginary,' Melissa Barrera in ‘Abigail,' Naomi Ackie in ‘Blink Twice,' Nika King in ‘Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot,' Ryan Destiny in ‘The Fire Inside,' and Ariana DeBose in ‘I.S.S.’.
Continue to discover the top five female-led films of 2024, based on worldwide box office earnings.
The prequel features a strong female protagonist portrayed by Lupita Nyong'o. She must find her way to safety after monsters descend in a terrifying, post-apocalyptic world.
Blake Lively plays Lily Bloom, leading a complex story of love and resilience based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel.
Featuring two powerful female leads, Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba while Ariana Grande portrays Glinda, 'Wicked' breaks new ground in its film adaptation, showcasing the strength, complexity, and vulnerability of women in a magical world.
Auli'i Cravalho reprises her role as Moana, the courageous and inspiring leader who embarks on a new adventure in this empowering sequel.
'Inside Out 2' follows character Riley’s emotional growth as she navigates adolescence with her emotions; Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, continuing to play crucial roles in shaping her experiences. The film highlights the complexities of growing up through a female-driven emotional narrative.
While Hollywood has made significant strides in achieving gender equality in top-grossing films, the industry still has a long way to go in ensuring that diversity of race and age is not just an exception but the norm.
Sources: (Reuters) (Box Office Mojo) (The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative) (The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film)
See also: The best movies of 2024
Hollywood reaches gender equality but still lacks racial diversity, according to report
The triumphs and challenges of 2024
MOVIES Diversity
Out of the 100 top-grossing films of 2024, 54 featured a girl or woman in a lead or co-lead role, according to a new report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. This marks the first time representation has surpassed the US Census figure, where girls and women make up 50.5% of the American population. Without question, this is a celebratory revelation. However, it’s not time to pull out the fizz and party poppers just yet, as the same report revealed, sadly, racial diversity is still lagging behind.
The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examined 1,800 top-grossing films from 2007 to 2024 and assessed the gender, race, and ethnicity as well as the ages of the leading and co-leading actors for each movie.
In this gallery, we examine the key findings and highlight some of last year's movies that are, at the very least, proving women are just as worthy of a lead role as men. Click through to get started.