Women achieved gender parity in big-screen roles 🎬

WHAT’S ON DECK

• Tell Me More: For the first time, women achieved gender parity in big-screen roles 🎬

• Troublemaker Spotlight: Ariel Kaye, Founder and CEO, Parachute Home

• Dear FQ: How Can I Stay Out of Office Gossip?

• Poll the Pack: Your Go-To Tactics for Meeting a Deadline

TELL ME MORE

A recent study found that 54% of films in 2024 were led or co-led by women, up from 30% the previous year.

Did you catch the Oscars this weekend?

Did you swoon over Halle Berry’s mirrored dress or Cynthia and Ariana’s show-stopping opener?

Did you hear Molly O'Brien and Lisa Remington’s speech thanking their all-female team? Or Zoe Saldaña’s speech as she became the first Dominican of American descent to win an Oscar? Not to mention, she is also the third Latina in Oscar history to win best supporting actress–and the first to win the award for a role other than Anita in “West Side Story.”

Since the Academy Awards® were established in 1929, only 17% of the nominees have been women. Certain categories are worse than others. Throughout the 97-year history of the Oscars, only nine women have been nominated for best director—including this year (Coralie Fargeat was nominated for The Substance), and three have taken home the top prize.

But gender inequality isn’t just an Oscar’s problem. It’s a film industry problem.

2024 was the first year in which women and girls were featured as protagonists in over 50% of films—up from only 20% in 2007. 2023-2024 films gave us hope with record-breakers like Barbie, Wicked, and Moana 2, all featuring women in lead roles. Dr. Stacy L. Smith put it best: “We have always known that female-identified leads would make money.”

What’s the outlook for women in film?

• In 2024, three of the top five films featured women in leading roles—a clear sign that moviegoers resonate with strong female leads.

• Representation for women of color declined (25%, down from 37%), and women over 45 remain vastly underrepresented.

• Greta Gerwig earned the title of the highest-grossing female director for a movie with Barbie, as the film raked in over $1 billion.

Behind the camera, there’s even more work to do. The majority of directors, editors, producers, and cinematographers continue to be men, with women in less than 25% of behind-the-scenes roles for top-grossing films.

 Here's a quick look behind the scenes:

• Only 3% of nominees for Best Sound have been women. That’s a male-female sound nominee ratio of 32:1.

• This year’s Oscars saw a 5% dip in female nominees for off-camera categories.

• Throughout the 97-year history of Best Cinematography, female nominees were absent for 93 years.

The good news? Women have each other’s backs. And women hire more women. Films with a female director see writing teams that are 53% female. 

Bottom line: We need more women behind the camera in order to see more women on camera. The momentum is real, but so is the need for continued change.

TROUBLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT

Ariel Kaye, Founder and CEO, Parachute Home

Ariel Kaye never worked in retail. Or a startup. So what did she do? She built a retail startup from scratch. And it worked.

With a background in advertising, Ariel saw the DTC boom in the early 2010s and knew there was an opportunity to serve millennial consumers. Her big “aha” moment hit while shopping for sheets in a big box retailer. Underwhelmed by the selection, quality, and experience as a whole, Ariel became obsessed with creating a premium bedding and bath company, and in 2014, Parachute Home was born. What started as one person (Ariel) with two fabrics and three colors took off and changed the way millennials approach interior design.

FQ: What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?

AK: You can have it all if you figure out how to manage your time and find balance. We are a culture that fixates on the idea of balance—especially for female entrepreneurs as they start their own families. I quickly learned that balance itself is a distraction. It implies that work-life balance is just a scheduling issue, when in reality, it’s about setting priorities and boundaries. No amount of productivity hacks will create more hours in the day. I prefer to focus on intentional choices and being present in whichever role I am currently doing.

What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?

Say “no” more than you say “yes.” It can be tempting to say yes to everything—projects, meetings, collaborations, events—out of fear of disappointing others or missing out on big opportunities. 

Saying no protects your time, your energy, and your focus. Success isn’t defined by how much you take on, but how and what you prioritize. Saying yes can take away from something else—perhaps something more important. A strategic no may become your superpower.

What was a “heartbeat moment” for you in your career?

Opening our first retail store and seeing the physical manifestation of our brand becoming actualized was a meaningful heartbeat moment. We had been creating beautiful and inspiring spaces and products online, but to welcome our community, friends, and customers into a physical version of that in the world was pretty spectacular and validating.

Imagine you just received the marketing version of an Emmy award. Who are the three people you’re thanking that aren’t at your current gig?

Meg Strachan, Founder of Dorsey 

Julia Hunter, Managing Partner at Westview Ventures 

Jenny Meyer, Founder at JBC PR 

These are three of the women that I've walked through life with—both professionally in our entrepreneurial pursuits, and personally in our motherhood journeys. They are my biggest cheerleaders, and I keep them close as advisors for business challenges, celebration lunches, and quick gut-checks via text before making big decisions. It's so important to have people who will show up for you and who you're committed to showing up for too.

Where have you caused trouble?

I caused good trouble by challenging the way businesses think about leadership and culture. There’s a prevailing mindset that people are replaceable, but I believe that investing in people is what builds great companies. I pushed for a culture where employees felt valued and supported, even when it wasn’t the easy or traditional path. It wasn’t always popular, but I’d rather make waves for the right reasons than stay quiet and accept the status quo.

DEAR FQ

Your burning career questions answered

Amber Coleman-Mortley of The Female Quotient weighs in:

Office gossip is tricky because it often feels like a shortcut to connection—but it can also create a toxic work environment. The key is to set boundaries in a way that encourages a culture of respect, safety, and inclusion. Here’s how:

• If gossip starts, gently redirect. Ask about a work project, a shared interest, or even something lighthearted like weekend plans. This keeps you engaged without fueling the gossip.

• If someone presses for your opinion on office drama, respond with something like, “I’d rather not speak on someone who’s not here to share their side.” It signals your boundaries without bringing anyone else down. 

• Strengthen connections in other, more positive conversations. Whether it’s collaborating on work, grabbing coffee, or sharing industry news, you’re building meaningful and trusting relationships. 

• If you’re in a leadership role (officially or unofficially), model a culture of trust and respect. People notice when someone leads with integrity, and over time, that can influence workplace norms.

By focusing on meaningful interactions, you can avoid gossip without isolating yourself. Over time, coworkers will see you as someone approachable and trustworthy without being part of the drama. And often, others will follow your lead.

P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.

POLL THE PACK

Most employees plan ahead to meet deadlines

Both managers and their teams have a role in meeting deadlines without last-minute stress. And it all starts with a plan. 

For starters, managers should lead by example. If your team sees you commenting in a Google doc all night before a big project deadline (we’ve all been there), they’re bound to adopt the same behavior. To develop a healthy and collaborative relationship, work with your team to establish a realistic timeline of milestones and make a point to revisit key delivery dates throughout the process. Communicate and evaluate: are you on track? If not, adjust the plan. 

This applies to employees, too. Most people understand the importance of a plan, but we fall short of revisiting and adjusting the plan based on what we realistically accomplish. In the end, there’s often a buildup of rollover work that translates to a last-minute sprint to the finish. 

When in doubt, commit to a completion date before the official deadline, leaving time for pivots, obstacles, and late feedback. 

As Ariel says, “Success isn’t defined by how much you take on, but how and what you prioritize.” 

Don’t forget to let us know what you think of The FQ Newsletter here. 

Xo,

The FQ