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Gender and racial representation on the big screen dipped once again in 2025, with the sharpest decline among women in lead roles, a new study found.<\/p>\n
The industry has failed \u201cto better incorporate diversity,\u201d according to the 2026 UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report<\/a>, released Thursday. The study, which analyzed 109 of the top English-language theatrical film releases of 2025, found that racially diverse and gender diverse representation regressed despite reaching highs in previous years.<\/a><\/p>\n Still, audiences of color and women contributed meaningfully to the box office, buying the majority of opening weekend tickets for at least four of the top 10 films last year. <\/p>\n Not embracing diversity means \u201cstudios are leaving money on the table and losing their chance to draw people back to theaters,\u201d study co-author Michael Tran said in a statement.<\/p>\n The number of women in lead roles nosedived to 37% among last year\u2019s highest-grossing films, down about 10% from 2024 \u2014 a year in which the industry nearly reached gender parity. The share of lead roles held by people of color also declined slightly from 25% to 23%. <\/p>\n The sharp drop indicates that previous gains toward gender parity in film \u201chave been largely cosmetic or tenuous,\u201d Jade Abston, a UCLA doctoral candidate in cinema media studies who co-authored the study, said in a statement. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like the progress women experienced disappeared,\u201d Abston said.<\/p>\n The data also \u201calmost guaranteed more downward trends. Not just for diversity and gender parity in film, but also for the industry\u2019s success,\u201d Darnell Hunt, the executive vice chancellor and provost at UCLA, said in a statement.<\/p>\n Movies with cast diversity enjoyed the most economic success. Films in which 41% to 50% of the cast were people of color had the highest median domestic and global box office hauls and, on average, secured top spots at the box office during opening weekend, the study found.<\/p>\n Audiences of color also over-indexed as ticket buyers for movies with high cast diversity, indicating that audiences who are Black, Indigenous and people of color flock to theaters when they feel represented, according to the study.<\/p>\n \u201cThe industry cannot afford to turn away from women and people of color during this time when the theatrical industry is still struggling,\u201d Ana-Christina Ram\u00f3n, director of the Entertainment and Media Research Initiative at UCLA, said in a statement.<\/p>\n This is especially important as Hollywood struggles to top the global box office, the study found. The highest-grossing film globally in 2025 was the Chinese animated movie<\/a> \u201cNe Zha 2,\u201d only the second time a film produced outside of Hollywood has taken the top spot. <\/p>\n Film production in Hollywood has slowed following years of uncertainty due to the dual actors\u2019 and writers<\/a>\u2019<\/a> strikes<\/a> and COVID-19.<\/a> Attracting these demographics \u201cwill be integral to the major studios\u2019 survival in the next decade,\u201d Ram\u00f3n said.<\/p>\n People of color found small gains in other film jobs, including directors, writers and actors. They, however, are still underrepresented in each field. The number of movies with at least one female writer rose by 4% to 27% \u2014 the only area where women gained ground in 2025.<\/p>\n The percentage of actors with known disabilities in top films rose slightly among film leads and in total actors. There were no lead actors with visible disabilities among last year\u2019s major theatrical releases.<\/p>\n The report highlighted \u201cSinners\u201d \u2014 Ryan Coogler\u2019s vampire horror hit<\/a> \u2014 as a film that \u201chit all the right notes.\u201d \u201cSinners,\u201d the highest-grossing original movie in 15 years, features a diverse cast<\/a> and has made waves<\/a> during awards season, snagging an Actor Award for best ensemble. The film broke Oscar records<\/a> with 16 nominations, including for best picture. At least half, if not more, of opening weekend tickets for the film were purchased by audiences of color.<\/p>\n