AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan
AARP
Black audiences are among the intermezo industry’s astir engaged consumers, attending movies and watching tv and streaming contented astatine higher rates than the wide population, according to caller investigation from AARP. Yet, while Black viewers are consuming much entertainment, galore opportunity they are not seeing themselves accurately reflected connected screen—particularly Black women complete 50.
In its caller study, “Bridging the Gap: The Path to More Authentic Portrayals of Black Adults successful Movies and TV,” AARP recovered that 95% of Black adults opportunity it is important to spot Black women property 50 and older represented connected screen. At the aforesaid time, only 1 successful 4 respondents judge existent portrayals of Black women of each ages are accurate.
AARP is releasing the findings coming astatine the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, 1 of the nation’s premier gatherings celebrating Black storytelling and imaginative voices. The investigation underscores an opportunity for Hollywood to amended bespeak the experiences, aspirations, relationships, and contributions of Black audiences—a user group pinch an estimated $2 trillion successful buying power, according to Nielsen.
“Black audiences are telling america intelligibly what they want to see, and there's a existent opportunity for studios and creators to meet this moment,” AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan said. “Our investigation findings constituent to an assemblage that is profoundly engaged and fresh for stories that bespeak the afloat scope of their lived experiences. Expanding the scope of stories depicted connected surface tin create stronger connections pinch viewers while helping the manufacture scope a broader spectrum of moviegoers.”
The study is based connected a nationalist study of 1,801 Black adults ages 18 and older conducted June 1–15, 2026. Beyond representation, the findings constituent to the broader effect storytelling tin person connected really Black audiences position aging, relationships, family, and themselves.
More than half of respondents, 54%, said seeing Black women 50 and older portrayed connected surface made them consciousness much affirmative astir their ain aging.
Additional findings from the study include:
- 96% opportunity it is important to show aggregate generations together connected screen, a sentiment shared broadly crossed property groups. Among them, 63% opportunity it reflects real-life relationships and family dynamics, while 57% opportunity it helps break down stereotypes astir age.
- 57% of Black adults consciousness underrepresented successful storylines involving family dynamics, friendship, and societal connection.
- 68% of Black women said they want to spot much stories focused connected emotion and romance.
- 46% judge Black women 50 and older person important power successful shaping really aging itself is portrayed successful movies and television.
The investigation reveals a powerful disconnect: Black audiences want to spot Black women 50 and older represented connected screen, but galore do not judge those portrayals accurately bespeak their lives. Minter-Jordan believes the spread illustrates wherever Hollywood has fallen short.
“We created Movies for Grownups to observe stories by and astir group 50+, and Hollywood has made awesome strides successful that area,” she said. “What we’ve recovered is that audiences are profoundly engaged and fresh for stories that bespeak the afloat scope of their lived experiences. In our caller research, Black audiences are telling america what they want to see, and there's a existent opportunity for the manufacture to meet this infinitesimal and proceed to make improvements.”
Nearly half, 46%, of Black adults indicated that they consciousness underrepresented successful movies and television.
The findings besides propose that authentic practice is astir much than visibility—it tin power really group spot themselves and their ain aging. More than half of respondents said portrayals of Black women 50 and older make them consciousness much affirmative astir aging.
Minter-Jordan believes storytelling is simply a powerful instrumentality for shaping perceptions of aging, identity, and possibility, and the investigation reinforces that idea.
“Our investigation has recovered that astir 90% of each audiences opportunity what is portrayed connected surface shapes really nine views aging. That is simply a powerful instrumentality that creators and storytellers possess,” she said. “One of the reasons we created Movies for Grownups, and why we are participating successful the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, is to show that intermezo tin beryllium a tremendous affirmative unit successful helping group create much nuanced views of aging.”
Black audiences besides correspond important taste and economical influence. According to Minter-Jordan, authentic practice is not only a societal work for studios and creators, but besides a business opportunity.
“The information is clear, and the business lawsuit is straightforward. Audiences respond to authentic representations of themselves connected screen. Black adults unsocial correspond astir $2 trillion successful buying power, positive our Longevity Economy study recovered that adults 50+ lend $12.5 trillion to the system annually. If you’re not speaking to them successful a measurement that connects, you are missing a important business opportunity,” she said.
One of the study’s astir notable findings is that 96% of respondents want to spot aggregate generations represented connected screen, mostly because doing truthful reflects real-life relationships and helps break down stereotypes astir age.
Minter-Jordan says what is missing from galore of Hollywood’s stories astir Black families, friendships, and intergenerational connections is authenticity.
“The astir communal stories Black audiences want to spot much of themselves reflected successful impact family dynamics, including blended families and raising grandchildren, arsenic good arsenic astir relationship and societal connection, and romanticist relationships,” she said. “These are besides galore of the themes we attraction connected astatine AARP for 50+ audiences much broadly, arsenic group are progressively surviving successful multi-generational households, becoming caregivers, and navigating relationship and making love astatine different stages of life.”
When respondents were asked really African American/Black women property 50 and older are typically portrayed successful movies and tv today, 45% described those portrayals arsenic “limited aliases stereotypical.”
“That’s different opportunity for Hollywood to correspond Black audiences authentically,” Minter-Jordan said.
AARP has progressively go a sound challenging outdated ideas astir aging done its Movies for Grownups program.
“Our ngo pinch the Movies for Grownups programme is to beforehand property inclusivity and practice successful Hollywood and item the stories of adults 50+. We precocious expanded the franchise from an yearly awards ceremonial and a screening programme to a year-round editorial level truthful we tin further that ngo each day,” Minter-Jordan said.
The inaugural has included honoring Angela Bassett past twelvemonth arsenic its inaugural Most Fabulous Woman Over 50, arsenic good arsenic platforming original, nuanced stories astir icons including Alfre Woodard, Octavia Spencer, and Vivica A. Fox.
As Hollywood looks toward the early of movie and television, Minter-Jordan has a connection for executives, writers, producers, and creators seeking to show richer, much inclusive stories that bespeak the afloat lives of Black adults 50 and older.
“The reality coming is not the aforesaid arsenic the reality from 20, 30, 40 years ago. Continue to attraction connected really we are surviving today, pinch greater vitality, variety, and longevity than ever before,” she said.
The connection from AARP’s investigation is clear: Black audiences want to spot themselves reflected connected screen—not simply done greater visibility, but done stories that seizure the complexity, diversity, and vitality of their lives.
Learn much astatine AARP.org/blacklegacy
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