Still Waiting for Hollywood to Catch Up? New Study Says Progress is SLOW
- Why Hollywood’s report card for 2025 isn’t great.
- Who is Dr. Stacy L. Smith and what did her team find?
- Our thoughts on why this matters.
You won’t believe what we just heard about Hollywood’s big movies from 2025. A new study just dropped, and it paints a picture we’ve seen before. Not exactly a vibrant one.
The report comes from Dr. Stacy L. Smith and her awesome team at the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. They’ve been watching Hollywood for almost two decades now. Twenty years! And guess what? Lasting progress for everyone still seems pretty far off. It’s frustrating, honestly.
Dr. Smith’s findings say that while there have been some bright spots for women on screen, overall, things are moving like molasses. The “pace of change has been slow,” she said. Really slow. It feels like the industry is stuck in a loop, you know? Like a movie with the same ending every time.
This report focused on the top-grossing films of 2025. Imagine all those blockbusters, all those stories. Yet, the visual aesthetic of who gets to be a hero, a lead, or even just a character with a real voice, hasn’t changed enough. It’s like Hollywood is afraid to use a broader palette of colors.
We’re talking about more than just numbers here. We’re talking about stories. The kinds of tales that shape how we see the world. It reminds us of when Anupama Parameswaran shared her heartfelt story about difficult times. Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected in powerful narratives.
Change needs to be real. And faster. We’ve seen stars like Jeremy Strong go all-in for a role, showing that dedication makes a difference. Why not this?
Even in friendships, you expect things to grow and evolve. Just look at Joey Fatone spilling the tea on his *NSYNC bromance—relationships are dynamic! Hollywood needs to be dynamic, too.
Our Take
Honestly, we’re a bit bummed by this news. After so much talk, so many pledges, it’s tough to see the needle barely moving. We believe in fresh perspectives and new voices. We hope that next year, Hollywood truly commits to painting a different picture. A much more inclusive one. It’s time to shake things up, don’t you think? Let’s aim for a blockbuster year for inclusion, not just box office.
