Picture a film industry where a woman is 33.9% more likely to be shown in revealing clothing than her male counterpart, a statistic that starkly illustrates how far Hollywood is from achieving true diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Key Takeaways
- In the top 100 grossing films of 2022, women comprised only 44.7% of all speaking or named characters
- Across 1,200 popular films from 2007-2022, female characters were 33.9% more likely than male characters to be shown in sexually revealing clothing
- In top-grossing films from 2007-2021, only 29% of protagonists were girls/women under 30 years old
- Underrepresented racial/ethnic groups comprised 40.8% of the population but only 18.4% of lead actors in top 200 films of 2021
- Black actors held 8.5% of speaking roles in top 100 films 2022
- Hispanic/Latino leads in theatrical films: 5.8% in 2022, despite 19% population
- In top films 2022, only 1.1% of speaking characters were LGBTQ-identified
- Gay male characters: 0.7% of all roles in top 100 films 2022
- Lesbian characters: 0.4% in theatrical films 2021-2022
- Only 1.4% of speaking characters in top 100 films 2022 had disabilities
- Blind characters: 0.3% across 1,200 films 2007-2022
- Deaf/HoH leads: 0.2% top films 2022
- In top 250 films 2022, directors of color: 21%
- Women in C-suite at studios: 27% in 2023
- POC executives: 14.2% major studios 2022
Hollywood statistics show persistent underrepresentation and inequality across many identity groups.
Disability Representation
1Only 1.4% of speaking characters in top 100 films 2022 had disabilities
Verified2Blind characters: 0.3% across 1,200 films 2007-2022
Verified3Deaf/HoH leads: 0.2% top films 2022
Verified4Mobility impaired characters: 0.7% speaking roles 2021-2022
Directional5Autistic characters: 0.1% in Hollywood films 2010-2022
Single source6Disabled directors: 1.2% indie films 2022
Verified7Intellectual disabilities depicted: 0.4% top films
Verified8Disabled women: 0.6% of female characters 2022
Verified9POC with disabilities: 18% of disabled roles but 40% pop
Directional10Wheelchair users accurate casting: 25% 2022
Single source11Mental health disabilities: 0.9% characters 2022 films
Verified12Disabled producers: 2% major films 2021
Verified13Deaf actors: 15% cast as deaf in 2022 films
Verified14Invisible disabilities: 0.5% shown 2018-2022
Directional15Disabled leads in family films: 0.8%
Single source16Chronic illness characters: 0.3%
Verified17Disabled writers: 1.5% credited 2022
Verified18Blind characters with guides: 65% stereotypical
Verified19Disabled in action genres: 0.2% heroes
Directional20Neurodiverse crew: 3% Hollywood 2022
Single source21Disabled executives: 1.1% studios 2021
Verified22Prosthetic limb characters: 0.1% 2022
Verified23Mental illness recovery arcs: 22% positive 2022
Verified24Disabled children characters: 0.4%
Directional25ASL interpreters shown: 10% deaf scenes
Single source26Disabled VFX roles: 2.5% 2022
Verified27Dwarfism representation: 0.2% accurate
Verified28Disabled composers: 0.8% top films
Verified29Mobility aids invisible: 45% characters
DirectionalDisability Representation Interpretation
Hollywood's idea of diversity is like a broken vending machine: you press the button for representation and it mostly just gives you the sound of crickets, with an occasional, wildly inaccurate, token treat.
Gender Diversity
1In the top 100 grossing films of 2022, women comprised only 44.7% of all speaking or named characters
Verified2Across 1,200 popular films from 2007-2022, female characters were 33.9% more likely than male characters to be shown in sexually revealing clothing
Verified3In top-grossing films from 2007-2021, only 29% of protagonists were girls/women under 30 years old
Verified4Women directed just 16% of the 250 highest-grossing films in 2022
Directional5Female characters in PG-rated films from 2018-2022 were depicted as having higher body sizes only 8.2% of the time compared to 14.5% for males
Single source6In 2021 top 100 films, women over 40 made up only 6% of speaking characters
Verified7From 2010-2020, women accounted for 11.2% of directors on top 250 films annually on average
Verified8Female leads in animated films dropped to 23% in 2022 from 32% in 2019
Verified9Women comprised 28% of producers credited on top 100 films in 2022
Directional10In family films 2018-2022, girls under 18 were 12% less likely to have jobs depicted than boys
Single source11Only 22.4% of cinematographers on top films 2019-2022 were women
Verified12Women writers on top-grossing films averaged 19% from 2007-2022
Verified13In 2022, female characters were 18% less likely to be shown as STEM capable than males
Verified14Top 100 films 2022 featured women in 35% of on-screen nudity scenes
Directional15Women held 24% of executive positions at major studios in 2021
Single source16From 2015-2022, female-directed films grossed 15% less on average due to fewer releases
Verified17In horror films 2010-2020, women were victims in 62% of death scenes
Verified18Women editors on top films: 21% in 2022, up from 14% in 2010
Verified19Female characters with disabilities: 2.1% in top films 2022
Directional20In rom-coms 2015-2022, 78% of leads were women
Single source21Women in VFX roles: 18% in major films 2021
Verified22Top-grossing films 2022: 41% female speaking roles in non-white leads
Verified23Female composers: 4% of top 100 films 2022
Verified24In superhero films 2018-2022, women were 25% of major heroes
Directional25Women grips and electrics: under 5% in Hollywood films 2022
Single source26Female characters aged 0-5: 48% in top films 2022
Verified27Women in marketing roles for films: 37% in 2021 studios
Verified28In indie films 2022, women directors: 28% vs 16% studio
Verified29Female voice actors in animation: 52% in 2022
Directional30Women department heads: 22% on big-budget films 2022
Single sourceGender Diversity Interpretation
The film industry's persistent gender disparity is a masterclass in cinematic imbalance, where the leading roles, directing chairs, and even realistic body types are conspicuously reserved for men, leaving women perpetually cast as supporting characters in their own professional story.
LGBTQ+ Inclusion
1In top films 2022, only 1.1% of speaking characters were LGBTQ-identified
Verified2Gay male characters: 0.7% of all roles in top 100 films 2022
Verified3Lesbian characters: 0.4% in theatrical films 2021-2022
Verified4Transgender characters: 0.2% across 1,200 films 2007-2022
Directional5Bisexual characters: under 0.1% in top-grossing movies 2022
Single source6LGBTQ+ leads: 4.8% of top films 2022
Verified7Queer directors: 5% of indie films at Sundance 2022
Verified8Non-binary characters: 0.05% in Hollywood films 2020-2022
Verified9Gay characters of color: 22% of LGBTQ roles but stereotyped 35% more
Directional10Lesbian leads in top films: 1.2% 2022
Single source11Trans actors cast as trans: 12% in 2022 films
Verified12LGBTQ+ producers: 7% on major projects 2021
Verified13Queer women directors: 3% top 250 films 2022
Verified14Bi+ characters killed off: 50% by mid-film avg
Directional15LGBTQ+ in animation: 2.1% characters 2022
Single source16Gay male nudity: 28% of LGBTQ scenes 2022 films
Verified17Queer POC leads: 1.8% top films
Verified18Trans directors: 0.3% festival films 2022
Verified19Lesbian stereotypes: 41% in rom-coms 2015-2022
Directional20Non-binary writers: 1% credited 2022
Single source21LGBTQ+ executives at studios: 4.2% 2021
Verified22Queer characters under 18: 0.9% top films 2022
Verified23Gay dads depicted: 0.2% family films 2020-2022
Verified24Bi women hypersexualized: 62% of depictions
Directional25LGBTQ+ composers: 2.5% top films 2022
Single source26Queer VFX artists: 6% in 2022 surveys
Verified27Trans characters in action films: 0.1% 2018-2022
Verified28Lesbian couples in leads: 0.8% rom-coms
Verified29LGBTQ+ grips/electrics: 3% Hollywood 2022
DirectionalLGBTQ+ Inclusion Interpretation
Hollywood’s idea of diversity looks a lot like searching for a single, specific grain of sand on the entire beach, announcing a victory when it’s found, and then forgetting there’s a whole ocean of people still missing.
Leadership and Employment Equity
1In top 250 films 2022, directors of color: 21%
Verified2Women in C-suite at studios: 27% in 2023
Verified3POC executives: 14.2% major studios 2022
Verified4Union diversity: IATSE craftspeople POC 28% 2022
Directional5Women producers on top 100: 29% 2022
Single source6Below-the-line POC: 22% grips/electrics 2022
Verified7LGBTQ+ department heads: 4% 2022 films
Verified8Disabled hires in crew: 2.1% 2022
Verified9Women cinematographers: 12% top films 2023
Directional10POC writers rooms (film equiv): 18% 2022
Single source11Internships diverse: 35% underrepresented 2022 AMPAS
Verified12Studio VPs women: 38% 2023
Verified13Black producers: 8% major 2022
Verified14Gender pay equity: Women directors earn 72% of men 2022
Directional15POC in post-production: 19% 2022
Single source16Women editors: 24% top 250 2023
Verified17Latino executives: 5.5% studios 2022
Verified18Training programs impact: 15% increase diverse hires 2020-2022
Verified19Union leadership POC: 16% IATSE 2023
Directional20Women in finance roles: 32% film cos 2022
Single source21Retention of diverse talent: 62% leave within 5 years
Verified22Board diversity: 25% women/POC at majors 2023
Verified23Hiring pipelines: 40% diverse applicants 2022 guilds
Verified24Pay transparency: 18% studios 2023, aiding equity
Directional25Mentorship programs: 28% participants POC/women 2022
Single source26Crew diversity standards: 30% adopted by 2023
Verified27Women sound mixers: 11% 2022
Verified28POC art directors: 13% blockbusters 2022
Verified29Inclusive apprenticeships: 45% diverse 2023
Directional30Executive turnover diverse: 35% higher 2022
Single source31Guild training efficacy: 22% diverse membership growth 2020-2023
VerifiedLeadership and Employment Equity Interpretation
Hollywood's DEI report card is finally getting some passing grades, but if this were a movie script, we'd still be stuck on the first draft, with most of the characters still waiting for their cue to enter the scene.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity
1Underrepresented racial/ethnic groups comprised 40.8% of the population but only 18.4% of lead actors in top 200 films of 2021
Verified2Black actors held 8.5% of speaking roles in top 100 films 2022
Verified3Hispanic/Latino leads in theatrical films: 5.8% in 2022, despite 19% population
Verified4Asian actors: 7.1% of leads in top films 2021
Directional5Native American/Indigenous characters: under 1% in Hollywood films 2007-2022
Single source6Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) speaking roles: 1.2% in top films 2022
Verified7Films with nonwhite directors: 20% of top 250 in 2022
Verified8Black women leads: 2% of top films 2022
Verified9Latino producers: 6% on major films 2021
Directional10Asian characters under 40: 9% more likely to be foreign-born than white
Single source11POC in ensemble casts: 25% average in top films 2022
Verified12Black directors on top 100 films: 7% in 2022
Verified13Hispanic characters with jobs: 15% less than whites in films 2018-2022
Verified14Native leads in films: 0.3% from 2010-2020
Directional15MENA directors: 0.5% of top films 2022
Single source16POC writers: 12% on top-grossing films 2022
Verified17Black actors in Oscar-nominated films: 14% speaking roles 2015-2022 avg
Verified18Asian women stereotyped as exotic: 22% in 2022 films
Verified19Latino characters aged 40+: 4.2% in top films
Directional20POC in horror films: 28% victims vs 18% heroes 2010-2022
Single source21Black composers: 2.1% top films 2022
Verified22Indigenous crew members: <1% in studio films 2021
Verified23POC VFX supervisors: 11% in 2022 blockbusters
Verified24Multi-racial characters: 3.4% in films 2022
Directional25Black leads in comedies: 12% top films 2022
Single source26Latino editors: 5% major films 2022
Verified27Asian grips: 4% Hollywood 2021
Verified28POC in animated leads: 32% 2022, up from 18% 2010
Verified29MENA characters killed off: 45% earlier than whites
DirectionalRacial and Ethnic Diversity Interpretation
Hollywood's idea of a "supporting role" for 40.8% of the population seems to be a tragically consistent cameo in its own story.
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