The days of popular culture being dominated by men and male characters are certainly changing, but we still have a long way to go to reach parity. According to the latest statistics from San Diego University’s ‘Boxed In: Women On Screen and Behind the Scenes on Broadcast and Streaming Television’ report for 2023-24, the percentage of women working as creators on original television series appearing on broadcast networks and streaming services declined for the second year in a row, making up only 23% of creators, whereas the previous year it was (still an abysmal) 26%. Unsurprisingly, the percentage of female characters in speaking and major roles also declined.
But there is progress, and the larger scale conversations being had about rethinking gender norms when it comes to famed characters, for instance, are a sign that audiences are ready to see something different. By looking at a few different areas of the entertainment world, we can see how women are playing a more influential role in shaping how we experience entertainment than ever before.
Action Heroines and a Woman as James Bond?
There’s no guarantee that the next James Bond will be played by a woman, but the fact it’s even being seriously discussed is a sign that female characters now play an important role in the action film genre. Gemma Arterton, who starred in the ‘Quantum of Solace‘ movie, said that the idea of a woman as 007 is outrageous, but not everyone agrees. The performance of Ana de Armas in 2021’s ‘No Time to Die‘ showed how this could work, as her Paloma character was a huge hit in her action scenes.
Ana will be back in the thick of the action in 2025 in ‘From the World of John Wick: Ballerina‘, where she plays the role of ballerina Eve Macarro in a spin-off from the successful ‘John Wick‘ series of films. It’s good to see she has a woman as her on-screen mentor, with Sharon Duncan-Brewster playing Nogi in this role. Anjelica Huston also appears in this film, as a character known as The Director. Stunt co-ordinator Tiger Lilli Rudge recently pointed out that more women now work as stunt doubles, meaning that the outdated idea of men acting as doubles for female action heroines needs to stop.
Slot Characters and Live Dealers in Casinos
The way that casinos have moved online has changed the way we play and has also introduced new characters and roles. When we look at the live dealer section of this UK casino, we see women taking the role of dealers or presenters in games such as Treasure Island, Roulette Azure, and Sic Bo. Many of these live games switch between men and women as their dealers during the day, giving players the chance to choose the type of presentation they prefer.
We can also find a growing number of women as the main characters when we bet slots online. Cleopatra has long been one of the most important characters in this industry and the range of Cleo-themed games now includes Eye of Cleopatra, Heart of Cleopatra, and Slingo Cleopatra. Jane Hunter and the Mask of Montezuma shows how a global-trotting heroine can be used as the focal point for varied slots with bonus features like free spins.
More Women Directors Emerging
The lack of women working as directors in the TV and movie industry has always been a sore point. Yet, Greta Gerwig has achieved success by directing big movies including Lady Bird, Little Women, and Barbie in recent years. Kate Winslet insisted that a woman had to direct the movie about photojournalist Lee Miller’s life, titled ‘Lee’, leading to Ellen Kuras being hired for her directorial debut.
These varied areas of the entertainment industry reveal how huge strides have been made and how we should see further advances as women continue to pave new paths and defy the status quo.
