Actors call for better onscreen representation of women over 45

Actor Juliet Stevenson, pictured with her dog Milly, was among the letter’s signatories. Photograph: Sarah Lee/The Guardian

Actors including Juliet Stevenson, Meera Syal, David Tennant and Zawe Ashton have called for better onscreen representation of women older than 45 to fight against the “entrenched” ageism of the entertainment industry.

In an open letter signed by more than 100 actors and public figures, the Acting Your Age Campaign (AYAC) called for equal representation in the UK between men and women over 45 and urged immediate action on a “parity pledge”.