what executive assistants think of their job on-screen

If not blended, they’re shown simply as personal servants or glorified paper-pushers. Take Zara in A Family Affair, who is made to go late-night shopping for her boss (Zac Efron) and even facilitate his break-ups. This is pushed even further in The Proposal, when the assistant of a high-flying Canadian publisher is pressured into marrying her to secure her a US Green Card.

“They often show the extremes – the overworked, undervalued assistant. There are no boundaries, they’re spoken down to,” Burningham says. “Or they show the hyper-glamorous sidekick. They rarely show the strategic thinkers and leaders, and that perpetuates the outdated stereotype of the undervalued assistant. It ignores the complexity of the role.”

On-screen executive assistants haven’t evolved much. However, chief executive of The EA Institute Amanda Vinci says the job has actually changed tremendously. Artificial intelligence has meant repetitive tasks like taking minutes and formatting documents can be automated, freeing up time for EAs to manage projects, influence culture and even attend meetings on their leader’s behalf.

It has also become more of a career in and of itself, Vinci says, rather than a stepping stone to something else. In the 1988 film Working Girl, a young secretary is determined to climb the corporate ladder. However, these days there’s plenty of opportunity within the office administration realm.

“More EAs are choosing it as a career. They’re earning executive-level salaries, leading teams and influencing decisions at the top of the business,” Vinci says. “It’s like doing a mini MBA every day.”

Generally, Vinci thinks their on-screen representation tends to do more harm than good. “Moneypenny in James Bond … Clever and capable, but still written as the loyal, slightly flirty sidekick,” she says. “Attractive, stylish, devoted to the boss. They miss the fact that today’s EAs are strategic partners and leaders in their own right.”

Her least favourite, however, are the “magic fix” assistants who “solve a crisis with one phone call”. Take Andy Sachs, who miraculously manages to lock down those unreleased manuscripts of Harry Potter in practically no time.

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“That ignores the months of preparation, deep business knowledge and relationship management it actually takes to make those wins happen,” Vinci says.

Burningham, on the other hand, says even the exaggerated examples are often shown coming out on top and outsmarting those who underestimated them.

Donna from Suits is a shining example of an executive assistant on-screen, she says. “They portrayed her as influential, trusted, capable of shaping the business outcomes. She basically ran the place on Harvey’s behalf. If people don’t understand what I do, I say, ‘I do what Donna does’.”

The area in need of most improvement, Burningham says, is the depiction of male executive assistants. The role is already largely dominated by women, and she says this isn’t helped by the fact that there are hardly any male assistants on screen. Most that do exist, such as Smithers in The Simpsons, are mere “shells of a human being” – hardly a ringing endorsement for men to enter the industry.

“There’s definitely the entertainment side, and we love that. We’re all going to see these movies too. But times have changed, and they need to show that.”

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