AARP Urges Hollywood to Represent Older Adults

Key Findings

* Most adults age 50 and above prefer movies and TV shows that feature characters similar to their age and life experiences.
* Over half (52%) of respondents believe that the perception of audiences favoring younger actors is a significant barrier to increased representation of older adults on screen.
* Industry bias (42%) and limited opportunities for older actors (46%) are also perceived as obstacles.
* 69% of respondents emphasize the importance of accurate representation of older adults in casting and storylines.
* 80% of male actors, 84% of female actors, and 83% of directors, writers, and producers age 50 and above are believed to bring unique perspectives.
* To address age bias, respondents call for more positive portrayals (55%) and equal opportunities for older professionals in the industry (53%).

Economic Impact

* 61 million adults age 50 and above attended movies in the past year.
* 84 million subscribed to streaming services.
* Older adults spent $10.7 billion on movies and TV streaming in 2023, up from $8.9 billion in 2022.

AARP Movie for Grownups Awards

* Nominations for Best Picture include "A Complete Unknown," "Emilia Pérez," and "Gladiator II."
* Best Actress nominees include Pamela Anderson and Nicole Kidman.
* Best Actor nominees include Adrien Brody and Daniel Craig.
* Best Director nominees include Pedro Almodóvar and James Mangold.

Call to Action

AARP encourages Hollywood to increase representation of older adults in movies and TV shows to reflect the experiences and perspectives of this growing demographic, which holds significant buying power and loyalty.