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Hollywood's Gender Gap Widens: Women Directors Hit Record Low
25 Mar
Summary
- Only 11 films in the top 100 for 2025 were directed by women.
- Female actors in central roles fell to 39, with women of color at a seven-year low.
- Producer roles for women saw a slight increase, reaching a near four-year high.
The annual ReFrame Report, analyzing Hollywood's top 100 films via IMDb Pro, indicates a concerning reversal in gender-balanced hiring for 2025. The number of films directed by women plummeted to just 11, the lowest figure observed since 2019. This marks a significant drop from 20 films in 2023.
Furthermore, the representation of female actors in central roles declined to 39, with only seven roles allocated to women of color, a low not seen since 2018. The report highlights a "significant divestment in women-led projects," according to WIF CEO Kirsten Schaffer. However, the position of producers saw a marginal improvement, with 55 of the top 100 films featuring at least one female producer, nearing a five-year high.
Initiated by the Sundance Institute and Women in Film, the ReFrame Stamp aims to identify productions with gender-balanced hiring. Despite some award-winning films like "Hamnet" and "KPop Demon Hunters" receiving the stamp, the report's authors expressed alarm that even baseline inclusion remains a minority achievement. This suggests a reversal rather than progress in equitable hiring practices.
