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1. Katharine Hepburn. Actress | The Lion in Winter. Katharine Houghton Hepburn was born on May 12, 1907 in Hartford, Connecticut to a suffragist, Katharine Martha (Houghton), and a doctor, Thomas Norval Hepburn, who both always encouraged her to speak her mind, develop it fully, and exercise her body to its full potential.
- 18 Shirley Temple
- 17 Lillian Gish
- 16 Vivien Leigh
- 15 Mae West
- 14 Ginger Rogers
- 13 Grace Kelly
- 12 Claudette Colbert
- 11 Barbara Stanwyck
- 10 Joan Crawford
- 9 Marlene Dietrich
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Shirley Temple has been a sensation ever since she was a child. The famous star was loved for her cheerfulness and talent. She could dance, sing, and act, which made her an absolutely delightful presence on screen. With her optimistic presence during the Great Depression, the public grew to be even more attached to her. She is best known for films ...
Lillian Gish comes from a tough childhood, which led her to act in an attempt to fend for herself in the world. She is especially notable for her performances in silent films, which powerfully depict her emotionally authentic screen presence. Acting in silent films requires a whole level of mastery that only the very best of actors can reach, as th...
British actress Vivien Leigh, who sadly passed away at age 53 due to tuberculosis, was known for her beauty and her incredible acting performances both in theater and on film. She always wanted to be an actress and enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to pursue that dream. Her debut role was in the film Village Squire. One of her major st...
Mae West wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She expressed her opinions and creativity even if they were going to be met with controversial views. She openly portrayed her sexuality and sensuality. Her work often revolved around sex and the stigma attached to it. She began her acting career by writing, producing, and performing in her own plays, which...
Ginger Rogers was a dazzling dancer who started off her career as a performer on Broadway, which caught the attention of directors, especially her performance in 42nd Street and Gold Diggers. This theater success would lead her to land her first performance in the film Follow The Leader. She woud then later rise to stardom. However, there was one p...
Grace Kelly's career in acting was short-lived, but it is still often regarded as one of the most iconic. It didn't end for reasons one might expect; she married Prince Rainier III, became the Princess of Monaco, and put her focus solely on her royal duties until her death. Her film debut was in the early 1950s when she played a role in a film call...
Like a lot of the stars of her time, Claudette Colbert's humble beginnings were in stage productions. She dived into the craze of talking pictures to make a name for herself. There was a unique look and an addictive aura to her that made her a casting director's dream right off the bat. Radiating poise and handling both comedic and dramatic scripts...
Barbara Stanwyck was raised in the foster care system, so she was never a stranger for working for what she had. Taking part in theater since she was a little girl, Barbara's breakthrough in the Broadway show Burlesque established her as a national star. Shortly after that, she made the transition from the stage to behind-the-camera Frank Capra's L...
Classic actresses had the propensity to change their Christian names prior to their discovery of international fame, usually to something more alluring, seductive, and memorable. Joan Crawfordwas perhaps the only actress who achieved the opposite; from the elegantly sophisticated name of Lucille Fay LeSueur, her adopted name of Joan Crawford was bo...
An ardent anti-fascist with strong moral principles, known specifically for her humanitarian work during World War Two, the German actress Marlene Dietrich had famously donated her entire salary for Knight Without Armor to refugees who were fleeing war in Europe. While she was only ever nominated for one Academy Award, Dietrich’s impression as an e...
Discover the American Film Institute's ranking of the 100 best actresses in Hollywood history, from Shirley Temple to Grace Kelly. Learn about their achievements, challenges, and legacy in the film industry.
- EW Staff
- Meryl Streep as Sophie Zawistowski. Sophie's Choice (1982), directed by Alan Pakula. In Sophie's Choice, Meryl Streep's performance as a Polish survivor of the Holocaust is so beautifully shaded, so infused with every element of her character's light and darkness, that the mere feat of her mastering two full languages—she learned to speak both Polish and German for the part—almost seems like an afterthought.
- Vivien Leigh as Blanche DuBois. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), directed by Elia Kazan. Tennessee Williams' Streetcar Desire documents the tragic mental deterioration of Blanche DuBois, a fading Southern belle who moves to New Orleans to join her sister and her brutish brother-in-law.
- Elizabeth Taylor as Martha. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), directed by Mike Nichols. Elizabeth Taylor won her second Academy Award blowing up the ingénue image minted in her Oscar winning-turn in Butterfield 8.
- Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara. Gone With The Wind (1939), directed by Victor Fleming. The most iconic Southerner in American history was played by a Brit—and one who almost didn't get the part.
May 4, 2024 · From comedy to drama, these actors approach roles with excitement, dedication and mastery of their craft, making them the greatest actors and actresses of all time.
Mar 4, 2024 · But best actress has made quite a bit of history over the years as well: In 2002, "Monster's Ball" lead Halle Berry became the first woman of color to take gold. And just last year, "Everything...
May 7, 2024 · Katharine Hepburn has won the most Academy Awards for best actress (four), and Frances McDormand has received three. A number of actresses have earned two awards, notably Meryl Streep, who holds the record for the most nominations in the category (17). Below is a list of the winning actresses and the movies for which they won.
March 13, 2024, 11:33am. Oscar’s best actress winners over the decades have included a great range of characters, from devoted moms to sex workers to activists. Some of the acting styles have...
