In 1924 a risqué silent film featured a woman as US president

 

The article traces the evolution of the portrayal of women as U.S. presidents in film, starting with the 1924 silent comedy The Last Man on Earth, one of the earliest examples of a female president in cinema. In this film, a woman holds the presidency in a post-apocalyptic future, but her role is portrayed as absurd and trivial—she is more interested in tending to stray cats than running the country, reflecting societal discomfort with the idea of female leadership at the time.

Over the years, women in power on-screen have often been depicted in futuristic or alternative realities, such as in Project Moonbase (1953) and Back to the Future Part II (1989). However, female presidents are typically not seen as elected democratically but placed in power due to crises or by default—often after male presidents die or resign. This trope was repeated in series like Commander in Chief (2005) and House of Cards (2013–2018), where the women in charge were often reluctant or thrust into the role by circumstances.

In these portrayals, the notion of women in power is often combined with gendered stereotypes. For example, these characters are either seen as untrustworthy, distracted by family issues, or not truly desiring the presidency. A notable example is Kisses for My President (1964), where a female president is initially depicted as a competent and elected leader, only to resign when she becomes pregnant, reinforcing the idea that women can't juggle both a career and family.

However, in more recent years, there has been a shift. Female presidents in modern films and television shows like State of Affairs (2014-2015) and Don't Look Up (2021) are shown as competent, tough leaders, and their gender is no longer the primary focus. The visibility of women in politics, such as Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, has influenced the portrayal of women in leadership roles on-screen, leading to more serious and nuanced depictions.

While these changes are gradual, the portrayal of women in positions of political power has evolved significantly over the last century, with more progressive and realistic representations now emerging in mainstream media.