Films Are More Likely To Star Actors Named Chris Or A Talking Animal Than Women Over 60, UK Anti-Ageism Analysis Finds
A recent analysis reveals that top-grossing U.K. films are more likely to feature actors named Chris or talking animals than women over 60. The study, part of an anti-ageism campaign, highlights the underrepresentation of older women in leading roles. Emma Thompson, a supporter of the campaign, emphasizes the need for more stories centered on aging women.
- ▪The analysis covered the top 100 highest-grossing films in the U.K. from 2023 to 2025.
- ▪Only five films featured women over 60, while six starred actors named Chris.
- ▪Movies are four times more likely to include a talking animal as a lead character than an actress over 60.
4 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 17 hours. Coverage spans 2 points on the political spectrum — 1 lean left, 2 centre.
- ▪ Films more likely to star talking animals than older women — Boing Boing
- ▪ You’re more likely to see talking animal or actor called Chris in a film than a woman over 60, study finds — NME
- ▪ Films Are More Likely to Star a Man Named Chris or a Talking Animal Than an Older Woman, According to Study — Variety
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| Original publisher | Deadline |
| Canonical URL | https://deadline.com/2026/05/films-star-actors-named-chris-talking-animal-older-women-1236920528/ |
| Publication time | Mon, 25 May 2026 20:50:47 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-25T21:07:40.563Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-25T21:07:40.563Z |
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| Cluster | fC-IUTmzsrH0 · 4 stories |
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| Publisher visit | Yes — open original |
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Emma Thompson Alessandro Levati/Getty Images A new analysis of the top-grossing U.K. films of the past three years has unveiled that they are more likely to star actors named Chris or feature a talking animal in the lead role than a woman over the age of 60. The study, conducted by the Centre for Aging Better as part of the nation’s first anti-ageism campaign, found that among the 100 highest-earning films for 2023, 2024 and 2025, six films featured someone named Chris as opposed to just five centering on older women. Movies are also four times more likely to include a talking animal as a lead character than an actress over the age of 60, per research from the Age Without Limits campaign.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Deadline.
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