: Many actresses, such as Ali Larter and Patricia Arquette, have spoken out against an industry "expiration date" that traditionally limited opportunities for women over 40.

: Known as the "First Lady of the Screen," her career spanned 75 years, from silent film shorts in 1912 to leading roles in 1987. Mary Pickford

For decades, Hollywood treated turning 40 as an expiration date for actresses. Leading roles dried up, love interests vanished, and the only parts left were “wise grandmother” or “quirky neighbor.” But today, something remarkable is shifting.