Evaluating the 100 top-grossing films of 2025 alongside historical data beginning in 2007, the report reveals that while some hiring metrics show incremental gains, overall demographic representation behind and in front of the camera remains stagnant or cyclical.
Gender Representation Stagnation on Screen and Behind the Camera
Women and girls accounted for just 33.6% of all speaking or named characters in 2025 top-grossing films, according to the Annenberg report. That figure shows virtually no movement from the 29.9% recorded in the initial 2007 dataset. While lead and co-lead roles for women reached 38 films in 2025—up from 20 films in 2007—that number represents a decline from a nineteen-year high of 55 films in 2024, as noted by researchers.
Behind the camera, women directed only 9 of the 111 helm positions across 2025’s top movies. Designated female directors for the year included Nisha Ganatra for “Freakier Friday,” Emma Tammi for “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian for “Elio,” Celine Song for “Materialists,” Jennifer Kaytin Robinson for “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” Maggie Kang for “KPop Demon Hunters,” Hikari for “Rental Family,” and Chloé Zhao for “Hamnet.” This total matches the 9 female directors recorded in 2008 and marks a sharp drop from the record high of 16 women directors in 2024. Across the nineteen-year study period, women account for just 7% of all directors.
Did You Know? Women comprised 16% of screenwriters and 24.4% of producers on top-grossing films in 2025, figures that remain largely unchanged since 2007. In contrast, women composers experienced a measurable employment increase, rising from zero working composers in 2007 to 10 credited composers (8.5%) in 2025.
Racial and Ethnic Diversity Trends in Hollywood
Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups made up 41.5% of all speaking or named characters in 2025 films, marking only the fourth time in nineteen years that representation reached proportional levels relative to the global population, according to the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. The longitudinal data shows that while the percentage of white characters fell by 19.1% since 2007, Asian characters represent the only specific demographic group to see a statistically significant increase, climbing by 11.1% over the same timeframe.
Despite these broader figures, significant exclusionary gaps persist across major releases. The 2025 sample reveals that 30 movies featured no Black characters, 46 films lacked Hispanic or Latino characters, and 26 movies excluded Asian characters entirely. Dr. Smith noted in the study’s statement that meaningful representation gains frequently encounter a systemic return to business as usual across the entertainment industry.
Stagnant LGBTQ+ and Disability Metrics
On-screen representation for marginalized communities outside of race and gender showed little momentum in the 2025 findings. LGBTQ+ characters accounted for 36 speaking or named roles, representing less than 1% of the total sample—a statistic completely unchanged from 2024 figures. Furthermore, the 2025 study recorded zero transgender characters across all 100 evaluated films.
Characters depicted with a disability fared similarly, remaining largely static at 2.8% of the sample, which translates to 121 total characters. Nonbinary representation also remained minimal, with researchers coding just 4 nonbinary speaking or named characters across the entire 2025 release slate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What period does the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study cover?
The longitudinal study, titled “Inequality in 1,900 Popular Films,” evaluates representation metrics across the top-grossing films released annually from 2007 through 2025.
How many women directed top-grossing films in 2025?
According to the Annenberg report, women filled 9 of the 111 directing roles across the top 100 films of 2025, down from a record high of 16 women directors in 2024.
What demographic group has seen the most growth since 2007?
Asian characters are the only specific racial or ethnic demographic group to experience a statistically significant percentage increase since 2007, rising by 11.1% over the nineteen-year period.
Explore More: To read the complete methodology, demographic breakdowns, and historical datasets, visit the official Annenberg Inclusion Initiative website. Share your thoughts on Hollywood representation trends in the comments below.
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