A recent survey has shown young people want to see more “empathy” and “emotional availability” from male characters in movies and TV shows.
The Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) conducted its “Teens & Screens” survey in August 2025, speaking to 1,500 adolescents (ages 10–24) across the United States. The results showed that traditional portrayals of masculinity, featuring stoic or emotionally distant male characters, was not what they were looking for.
According to the report (via Deadline), those surveyed prefered to see on screen portrayals of “fathers enjoying parenting” or “fathers showing love to kids”, outnumbering those who didn’t want to see such content by five to one.
“Young people are not just asking for better dads; they are asking for a reimagining of how men show up in the lives of others” the report states. “Whether it is a father, mentor, coach, or teacher, the message from the audience was the same.”
In terms of what characters fit that description, Noah Wyle’s portrayal of Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in HBO Max drama The Pitt was singled out. The character is a physician at the busy Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, who often displays vulnerable emotions and empathy with his fellow characters.
The report concludes: “Our data shows that by primarily showing men in positions of power or physical strength, we ignore the roles that young people value, defined by empathy, patience, and emotional availability.”
Recently, actor-director Kristen Stewart called out the gender inequality in Hollywood, telling People: “In a post-Me Too moment, it seemed possible that stories made by and for women were finally getting their due, that we might be allowed or even encouraged to express ourselves and our shared experiences, all of our experiences without filter. But I can now attest to the bare-knuckle brawling that it takes every single frame.”
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