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One can always aspire to become an actor, and with rigorous training, reading a book or two on Stanislavski’s method, entering yourself in improv classes, and training your voice and your body, you might perform quite well in your local theatre troupe’s play. However, training until your fingers bleed might still not be enough, as you have to have that certain charisma and that magnetism that will make your performance a real success. And those two, sadly, do not come together with training. However, to be a truly great actor, you have to have both - the charm and the training, and the ladies on our list succeeded tremendously in their quest to become the best actresses possible. And, to celebrate them, we’ve created a follow-up list to our best actors article, where the ladies take center stage. So, here we are with our list of the best actresses whose performances have blown us, the critics, and the masses away. Of course, you might not agree with our ranking - in that case, give the famous actresses who you think deserve to be on the top of this list your vote.
All of these popular actresses have created memorable characters, made us laugh with their amazing wit, and cry watching their stellar performances. Some of them, like Maggie Smith, started their careers in theatre and found their cinema fame only later in life. With some, though, it’s exactly the opposite. Some have been in dozens of movies, and the younger actresses might’ve only performed in a couple, but that might’ve been just enough to put them under our radar. Any way you look at it, though, these actresses are basically incapable of sub-par performances!
So, scroll on down below to check who made it onto our list of the best actresses! And, if we’ve missed someone worthy to be here - let us know in the comments section!
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#1
Meryl Streep
Hilary Mol 3 years ago
She absolutely deserves the top spot. She's been in a couple not-so-great movies, but she was still absolutely stellar in her role in those films.
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#2
Maggie Smith
#3
Helen Mirren
#4
Cate Blanchett
Seán Baron 3 years ago
She is absolutely fantastic. From her very first film, Oscar & Lucinda, she has been amazing.
#7
Kate Winslet
#8
Emma Thompson
#10
Emily Blunt
#12
Amy Adams
Grace Austin 3 years ago
She became famous from a movie called Enchanted, and she’s been in a lot of other movies since like American Hustle and Arrival
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#13
Emma Stone
#16
Sigourney Weaver
Turt_Le 3 years ago
Her portrayal of Ripley in Alien was the first time I'd seen a woman as a lead role and a hero. What's more Ripley wears clothes I would consider suitable for her escapades. I believe it was because the character was written gender neutral until Sigourney got the part. I wish it had started a revolution of how women are portrayed in action/horror movies, but I'm still waiting
#18
Viola Davis
#19
Anne Hathaway
#20
Rachel McAdams
Grace Austin 3 years ago
The fact she gifted us with Mean Girls and The Notebook in the same year-
#26
Jessica Lange
#27
Tilda Swinton
#28
Frances Mcdormand
Karin Gibson 3 years ago
I thought she was wonderful in Three Billboards outside of Ebbing Missouri.
#33
Eva Green
#34
Emma Watson
Andrew Pugg 3 years ago
Sorry love the HP series but if you had said her eyebrows were best actress would agree. Far more ďeserving actresses than her.
#35
Toni Collette
#40
Reese Witherspoon
Grace Austin 3 years ago
We can all at least agree she gave us some of the best movie quotes out there
#42
Nicole Kidman
#43
Rachel Weisz
#46
Robin Wright
#49
Elizabeth Olsen
#50
Lena Headey
#53
Kirsten Dunst
#55
Zoe Saldana
#56
Jennifer Connelly
#57
Anna Kendrick
#64
Jessica Chastain
#65
Marisa Tomei
#82
Kate Beckinsale
#86
Melissa Mccarthy
#87
Annette Bening
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What do you think ?
- 3 years ago
90 Best Actresses In Film History - I'd retitle the article to reflect the many who've been omitted due to the recent timeline: Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Louise Brooks, Sophia Loren among them.
Rose the Cook 3 years ago
Exactly, add the likes of Ingrid Bergman and Catherine Deneuve.
Load More Replies...
Lis Daglish 3 years ago (edited)
Too western, too starlet, too populist, too focussed on the last 20 years. Samantha Morton?? Michelle Yeoh??
Jessica Cifelli 3 years ago
More like best actresses for the last 20 years. What about old school Hollywood? Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, Judy Garland, Bette Davis. Also, only 1 Asian lady?
Joseph Hadley 2 years ago
where's ally sheedy, cameron diaz, carrie fisher, caroline munro, charlotte rampling, claudia christian, elisabeth shue, jamie lee curtis, judi bowker, cheri lunghi & all the old time hollywood actresses such as olivia dehavilland, elizabeth taylor to name a couple
Jamie Sterling 3 years ago
They left off Cher, Streisand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Selma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, Rita Moreno just to name a few
Karin Gibson 3 years ago
These actresses might have been in movies recently but you forget some of the truly great actresses. There are too many to remember. Ingrid Bergman. Audrey Hepburn. Marilyn Monroe. Katherine Hepburn plus many more.
Seán Baron 3 years ago
Where are the actresses from Hollywood's Golden Period? Katherine Hepburn, the only woman with FOUR OSCARS???? Joan, Bette, Ava, Marilyn, Olivia de Havilland? Joan Fontaine? Vivien Leigh? ELIZABETH TAYLOR,!
- 3 years ago
90 Best Actresses In Film History - I'd retitle the article to reflect the many who've been omitted due to the recent timeline: Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Louise Brooks, Sophia Loren among them.
Rose the Cook 3 years ago
Exactly, add the likes of Ingrid Bergman and Catherine Deneuve.
Load More Replies... Lis Daglish 3 years ago (edited)
Too western, too starlet, too populist, too focussed on the last 20 years. Samantha Morton?? Michelle Yeoh??
Jessica Cifelli 3 years ago
More like best actresses for the last 20 years. What about old school Hollywood? Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, Judy Garland, Bette Davis. Also, only 1 Asian lady?
Joseph Hadley 2 years ago
where's ally sheedy, cameron diaz, carrie fisher, caroline munro, charlotte rampling, claudia christian, elisabeth shue, jamie lee curtis, judi bowker, cheri lunghi & all the old time hollywood actresses such as olivia dehavilland, elizabeth taylor to name a couple
Jamie Sterling 3 years ago
They left off Cher, Streisand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Selma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, Rita Moreno just to name a few
Karin Gibson 3 years ago
These actresses might have been in movies recently but you forget some of the truly great actresses. There are too many to remember. Ingrid Bergman. Audrey Hepburn. Marilyn Monroe. Katherine Hepburn plus many more.
Seán Baron 3 years ago
Where are the actresses from Hollywood's Golden Period? Katherine Hepburn, the only woman with FOUR OSCARS???? Joan, Bette, Ava, Marilyn, Olivia de Havilland? Joan Fontaine? Vivien Leigh? ELIZABETH TAYLOR,!
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