Films Are More Likely to Star a Man Named Chris or a Talking Animal Than an Older Woman, According to Study

May 25, 2026 12:19pm PT Films Are More Likely to Star a Man Named Chris or a Talking Animal Than an Older Woman, According to Study

Emma Thompson commented on the U.K.'s Age Without Limits survey, saying "So where are the stories about us?"

By Pat Saperstein

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Pat Saperstein

Deputy Editor

@Variety_PatS

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A new study out of the United Kingdom found that out of the top films from the past three years at the U.K. box office, movies are more likely to feature a lead actor named Chris than a female lead actor over the age of 60. The Age Without Limits survey found that films are also four times more likely to have a talking animal as the lead character than a female actor over the age of 60.

Looking at the 100 highest-grossing films in 2023, 2024 and 2025, six featured a man named Chris in the lead, while just five starred a woman over 60.

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