Does representation actually change who shows up? Or is inclusion still treated as a moral argument rather than a measurable strategy?
At this Geena Davis Institute Virtual Salon, the answer was clear: diverse on-screen representation drives audiences—and the data proves it. In partnership with Movio, the world’s most comprehensive source of moviegoer data, the Institute launched I Want to See Me: How Diverse On-Screen Representations Drive Cinema Audiences, a sweeping analysis combining two years of on-screen character data with billions of box office transactions.
This conversation was designed for industry executives, studio leaders, producers, creatives, and researchers alike—those responsible for shaping what appears on screen and determining how it is marketed. What made this event distinct was its dual lens: macro-level audience analytics paired with lived industry experience. Data met storytelling. Business strategy met identity. And the conclusion was unmistakable: representation is not just cultural—it is commercial.
The salon opened with purpose.
Madeline Di Nonno, President and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute, framed the central question: if what happens on screen plays out in the real world, what happens when audiences see themselves reflected—accurately and authentically?
Geena Davis, Founder and Chair of the Institute, emphasized that this research goes beyond anecdote. For years, the Institute has measured representation. Now, in partnership with Movio, the data connects on-screen diversity directly to audience composition.
William Palmer, Co-Founder and CEO of Movio, detailed the scale behind the analysis: 45 million active moviegoers, 1.5 billion box office admissions, and demographic profiling across more than 5,000 titles. Previous Movio studies had already revealed a powerful trend—female-led films often outperform relative to production budgets, and diverse blockbusters attract expanded, incremental audiences. Films like Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians, and Captain Marvel didn’t just reach core audiences—they brought new moviegoers into theaters.
Then came the Institute’s core findings.
Dr. Caroline Heldman, Vice President of Research and Insights, presented the joint analysis of 100 top family films and audience demographic data. The research confirmed what many have long intuited: diverse on-screen representation drives audiences. When a film features more women, more women attend. When specific racial and ethnic groups are represented, audience shares from those groups increase.
The implications were especially pronounced among Black audiences, where correlations between representation and attendance were strongest.
But the data also revealed persistent inequities. Black, Latinx, and Asian audiences have fewer opportunities to see themselves on screen—and fewer opportunities to see themselves portrayed positively. Negative depictions, particularly of Black characters, increase as representation increases, complicating what inclusion looks like in practice.
When examining children’s content, the stakes sharpened further. While gender balance among leads has improved, Asian and Latinx characters remain largely absent in family films—despite children forming the next generation of audiences.
The message was clear: representation influences behavior. And behavior influences revenue.
The panel discussion brought that data into lived experience.
Actor Rosalind Chao reflected on growing up without seeing herself on screen—and the pressure to conform to narrow, stereotypical expectations in early roles. Being told to be “more deferential” or “more Asian” illustrated how representation isn’t just about presence; it’s about humanity.
Filmmaker Diane Paragas, director of Yellow Rose, shared how growing up Filipino-American in Texas shaped her storytelling. Without representation, she internalized invisibility. Creating her own narratives became both artistic expression and corrective action.
Studio executive Jay Yoon Choi Munford, Senior Vice President of Production at Universal Pictures, spoke candidly about navigating an industry she didn’t initially see herself in. As the daughter of first-generation immigrants, she didn’t view entertainment as a viable career path. Representation behind the scenes, she emphasized, is equally critical to shifting what appears on screen.
Across the conversation, one truth emerged: audiences respond when they recognize themselves. And industries that ignore that reality risk irrelevance.
By 2045, people of color will make up the majority of the U.S. population. The question is not whether audiences are evolving. It is whether content strategies are.
Geena Davis – Founder and Chair, Geena Davis Institute
Davis grounded the event in measurable change, reinforcing that representation can—and must—be quantified to drive accountability.
Madeline Di Nonno – President and CEO, Geena Davis Institute
Di Nonno framed the discussion around industry relevance, emphasizing the demographic shifts reshaping audience demand.
William Palmer – Co-Founder and CEO, Movio
Palmer provided large-scale audience analytics, demonstrating how diverse casting expands box office performance.
Dr. Caroline Heldman – Vice President of Research and Insights, Geena Davis Institute
Heldman presented the core findings showing that diverse on-screen representation drives audiences, particularly among underrepresented groups.
Rosalind Chao – Actor (Mulan, The Joy Luck Club, The Laundromat)
Chao shared firsthand experience navigating stereotype and invisibility, underscoring the emotional cost of limited portrayals.
Diane Paragas – Writer/Director/Producer, Yellow Rose
Paragas highlighted the power of authorship, describing how creating stories rooted in identity challenges systemic exclusion.
Jay Yoon Choi Munford – Senior Vice President of Production, Universal Pictures
Munford offered a studio-level perspective, emphasizing the importance of representation in decision-making roles behind the camera.
The business case is no longer theoretical.
When diverse characters appear on screen, diverse audiences attend. When they do not, revenue is left on the table. As the U.S. population shifts toward majority-minority status, content that fails to reflect demographic reality risks declining relevance.
But beyond economics lies influence. What audiences see shapes aspiration, belonging, and self-perception—especially for children.
The Geena Davis Institute continues to lead where research meets industry practice. By pairing on
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The most influential conversations in entertainment are not always the loudest. They are the ones grounded in data, informed by lived experience, and attended by decision-makers willing to act.
Geena Davis Institute members gain access to exclusive research briefings, curated salons, and direct dialogue with the executives, creatives, and analysts shaping the future of media. These convenings are intentionally designed for leaders who influence casting, development, financing, marketing, and policy.
Membership is not passive access. It is strategic proximity—to insight, to evidence, and to a values-driven community committed to measurable change.
If your work shapes what audiences see—or who gets to see themselves—membership connects you to the research and relationships driving the next era of entertainment.
