The limelight may favor the young, but as Hollywood strives for inclusivity, a recent study entitled “Over Sixty, Underestimated: A Look at Aging on the ‘Silver’ Screen,” reveals senior citizens are woefully underrepresented on the big screen. With the Terminator eligible for social security, and Die Hard’s Jon McClane just a few years shy of retirement, it might be time for filmmakers to expand their character demographics. Nevertheless, according to the study, a joint effort between Humana and USC’s Annenberg School, though senior citizens make up almost one-fifth of ticket buyers, only 11.8% of film characters over the last two years have been over the age of 60. “This underrepresentation is unfortunate,” says Dr. Stacy Smith, Associate Professor at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and co-author of the study. “Aging is one of those areas where exposure to stereotypes can initiate negative cognitions, and those negative cognitions can have negative health effects.” “It seems important to take this [exclusion] just as seriously, if not more so, than some of the other groups that are included in the inclusion conversation.” Cartoons and Action Figures Hollywood film producer Gary Lucchesi, who participated in a recent panel on the topic, lays some of the blame on lack of opportunity. Last year’s top ten films included four animated films, five superhero movies, and another entry into the Star Wars canon. Not much room for dramatic turns by some of the industry’s seasoned professionals. While perennial Oscar nominees like Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington managed to nab some meaty rolls, many older performers are left scrambling for work. “We’re not getting a lot of investment in traditional dramatic stories,” says Lucchesi. “When you have that as a reality, you’re obviously going to have [a situation] where the...