List your movie, TV & celebrity picks. 1. Melissa McCarthy Melissa McCarthy was born in Plainfield, Illinois, to Sandra and Michael McCarthy, and was raised on her family's corn and soybean farm. She began her performing career as a stand-up comedian in New York where she appeared at the famous clubs, Stand Up New York and The Improv. She worked on her acting skills at The Actors Studio and appeared in many stage productions in the city before moving to Los Angeles in the late-1990s. She made a number of TV and movie appearances before making her big breakthrough as Sookie in Gilmore Girls (2000). A steady stream of comedy performances followed, leading to her starring role in the sitcom Mike & Molly (2010). In the 2010s, McCarthy became known for her starring roles in the films Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013), St. Vincent (2014), Spy (2015), Ghostbusters (2016), and Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018). 2. Amy Adams Amy Lou Adams was born in Vicenza, Veneto, Italy, to American parents, Kathryn (Hicken) and Richard Kent Adams, a U.S. serviceman who was stationed at Caserma Ederle in Italy at the time. She was raised in a Mormon family of seven children in Castle Rock, Colorado, and has English, as well as smaller amounts of Danish, Swiss-German, and Norwegian, ancestry. Adams sang in the school choir at Douglas County High School and was an apprentice dancer at a local dance company, with the ambition of becoming a ballerina. However, she worked as a greeter at The Gap and as a Hooters hostess to support herself before finding work as a dancer at Boulder's Dinner Theatre and Country Dinner Playhouse in such productions as "Brigadoon" and "A Chorus Line". It was there that she was spotted by a Minneapolis dinner-theater director who asked her to move to Chanhassen, Minnesota for more regional dinner theatre work. Nursing a pulled muscle that kept her from dancing, she was free to audition for a part in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), which was filming nearby in Minnesota. During the filming, Kirstie Alley encouraged her to move to Los Angeles, where she soon won a part in the Fox television version of the film, Cruel Intentions (1999), in the part played in the film by Sarah Michelle Gellar, "Kathryn Merteuil". Although three episodes were filmed, the troubled series never aired.

Vote up working actresses who have starred in major films or TV series in the last ~5 years. Here is the place to rank the best actresses working today. This list includes many of the greatest actresses in film history, but more importantly, focuses on modern female movie stars and TV actresses. Today, Hollywood features a new crop of popular and respected young actresses who command strong female roles and hold their own on the big and small screens. Current actresses are more talented than ever before. While many of the talented women on this list are among familiar favorites (Meryl, Tilda, Glenn...), others are not quite yet household names, even if they have been nominated for - or even won! - Oscars for their performances. This list includes the top female actors who have had starring roles in the last few years, both in film and TV (like Homeland star / Emmy award winner Claire Danes) and should give you a good idea of the top 100 actresses who are in the business these days. The recent performances of these women have been widely acclaimed, even if their individual films or works were otherwise ignored. Vote up those actresses who you believe have contributed the most to the presence of strong female characters in film and TV. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) Veep (2012-2019) Celebrating actresses of every type, shape, size, and color, including leading ladies, femme fatales, ingénues, manic pixie dream girls, scream queens, bombshells, girls next door, alpha HBICs, virginal princesses, & sassy best friends. Over 37K fans have voted on the 200+ people on Best Actresses Working Today. Current Top 3: Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett

But the movie stars at the top of studios’ most-wanted lists today have largely avoided cinematic universes. Instead of being pulled up to the A-list with a call from Marvel or DC (like earlier breakouts Chris Evans, Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa), today’s top talents — according to THR ’s survey of executives, managers and agents — were anointed by auteur directors. Austin Butler was tapped by Baz Luhrmann for Elvis, while Denis Villeneuve gave nearly a third of this list their first franchise movie with his Dune features. Today’s young stars are also less formulaic than their predecessors of just a decade ago, whose indie debuts or tiny Oscar turns were quickly followed by IP-backed film series. They are more agnostic, too, moving easily among studio filmmaking, indie efforts and television. Unlike past eras, there’s also not a single “type” dominating the group. “Are we going to find ourselves going after the same roles? Absolutely,” says New A-Lister (and THR cover star) Glen Powell. “But are we ever in competition? No. We do different things.” Studio slates are undoubtedly still dominated by franchise installments, but executives are looking for star vehicles, again. Albeit these vehicles may come in the form of remakes or reboots of left-of-center IP from library rich studios. (See: Sydney Sweeney tackling Barbarella.) Says one top exec, “Hollywood spent too long making franchises the star rather than building up the next generation of talent. As the entertainment industry struggles to get audiences to theaters and adjusts to the new economic realities of the post-streaming-war era, stars like Sweeney and Powell, who delivered $220 million at the box office with Anyone But You, are offering a glimmer of optimism to beleaguered studios and their balance sheets. And while the New A-List may be diverse in terms of talents and personas, there’s one area where that’s certainly not the case: actual diversity. Despite pushes toward inclusion, the mostly white names exemplify how studios have failed to radically change the paradigm. (The next quickly ascending tier includes actors like Kingsley Ben-Adir, Damson Idris and Ayo Edebiri, so there’s still hope.) Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya are considered by most to top any list of young talent, but they haven’t yet reached the professional level of predecessors like Margot Robbie, Emma Stone or Michael B. Jordan — who not only can greenlight movies for themselves, but as producers are breaking new talent and reviving long dormant franchises. But many of these 10 stars will soon be giving that set a run for the money, not to mention the box office. THE GOLDEN BOY Austin Butler, photographed by Danielle Levitt. Photographed by Danielle Levitt If big-name directors, as opposed to studios, are now anointing top Hollywood talent, then Butler, 32, certainly has been blessed: Since his Oscar nomination for Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, Jeff Nichols has tapped him for ’60s-set The Bikeriders (out June 21) and Darren Aronofsky chose him to lead his next film, the ’90s New York City-set Caught Stealing. “Everybody wants him to be the lead of everything,” says one agency partner.

Jessica Michelle Chastain was born in Sacramento, California, and was raised in a middle-class household in a Northern California suburb. Her mother, Jerri Chastain, is a vegan chef whose family is originally from Kansas, and her stepfather is a fireman. She discovered dance at the age of nine and was in a dance troupe by age thirteen. She began performing in Shakespearean productions all over the Bay area. An actor in a production of "Romeo & Juliet" encouraged her to audition for Juilliard as a drama major. She became a member of "Crew 32" with the help of a scholarship from one of the school's famous alumni, Robin Williams. In her last year at Juilliard, she was offered a holding deal with TV writer/producer John Wells and she eventually worked in three of his TV shows. Jessica continues to do theatre, having played in "The Cherry Orchard", "Rodney's Wife", "Salome" and "Othello". She spends her time between New York and Los Angeles, working in theater, film and TV. In 2011, she had a prolific year in film. She was nominated for and won a number of awards, including a 2012 Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for The Help (2011). 2. Kate Winslet Ask Kate Winslet what she likes about any of her characters, and the word "ballsy" is bound to pop up at least once. A small-town girl born and raised in rural Kalispell, Montana, Michelle Ingrid Williams is the daughter of Carla Ingrid (Swenson), a homemaker, and Larry Richard Williams, a commodity trader and author. Her ancestry is Norwegian, as well as German, British Isles, and other Scandinavian. She was first known as bad girl Jen Lindley in the television series Dawson's Creek (1998). She appeared in the comedy film Dick (1999), which was a parody of the Watergate Scandal along with Kirsten Dunst, as well as Prozac Nation (2001) with Christina Ricci. Since then, Michelle has worked her way into the world of independent films such as The Station Agent (2003), Imaginary Heroes (2004), and The Baxter (2005). But her real success happened in 2005 when she starred in Ang Lee 's Brokeback Mountain (2005) as Alma Beers Del Mar. A woman who realizes her husband is in love with another man. Her talent shown in Brokeback Mountain (2005) landed her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. In 2011, she received her first lead role Academy Award nomination for Blue Valentine (2010). She followed this in 2012 with a lead role Academy Award nomination for My Week with Marilyn (2011). Michelle has a daughter, Matilda, with late Australian actor Heath Ledger. 4. Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Kate McCauley Hathaway, an actress, and Gerald T. Hathaway, a lawyer, both originally from Philadelphia. She is of mostly Irish descent, along with English, German, and French. Her first major role came in the short-lived television series Get Real (1999). She gained widespread recognition for her roles in The Princess Diaries (2001) and its 2004 sequel as a young girl who discovers she is a member of royalty, opposite Julie Andrews and Heather Matarazzo. She also had a notable role in Nicholas Nickleby (2002) opposite Charlie Hunnam and Jamie Bell, and a starring role in Ella Enchanted (2004). A former top-ranking soprano in New York, Hathaway was reportedly a front-runner for the role of "Christine" in the 2004 The Phantom of the Opera (2004). However, due to scheduling conflicts with The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), she couldn't take the role, which was later given to newcomer Emmy Rossum. Hathaway soon started to move away from family-friendly films. Following The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), she appeared topless in the films Havoc (2005) opposite Josh Peck and Brokeback Mountain (2005) opposite Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Her desire to break out of her "Princess Diaries" image parallels that of her one-time co-star, Julie Andrews, who went topless in the film S.O.B. (1981) in order to break away from the image she created from her 1960s musicals. In interviews, Hathaway said that doing family-friendly films didn't mean she was similar to their characters or mean she objected to appearing nude in other films.

Vote up who you think are the most famous actresses in the world right now, from both TV and film. Latest additions: Kristen Stewart, Kathryn Hahn, Jean Smart Most divisive: Kristen Stewart Over 36.5K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The World's Most Famous Actresses HOW RANKINGS WORK When you think of Hollywood's current A-list, a few standout names come to mind instantly. Among them are the most famous actresses who aren't just ruling the box office but are also style icons and powerful influencers in their own right. Zendaya, once a Disney darling, has morphed into a full-fledged star with Emmy-winning chops in Euphoriaand a solid presence in big-ticket movies like Dune. Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson continues to captivate audiences worldwide, balancing her role as a Marvel superhero with deep-dive roles in films that showcase her versatility. T These actresses are not only at the top of their game but also shape how stories are told and characters are portrayed in modern cinema. Their influence stretches beyond the screen, making them pivotal figures in today's entertainment narrative. Vote on your favorite actresses in the list below to help influence the rankings of this list for future searchers. 1 12,034votes Margot Robbie Neighbours, About Time, The Wolf of Wall Street Renowned Australian actress and film producer Margot Robbie was born on July 2, 1990, in Dalby, Queensland, Australia. She grew up in a farming family, where she developed a strong work ethic. She pursued her passion for acting at Somerset College, acquiring skills that would later launch her to international fame. Robbie's acting journey began with roles in independent films and Australian soap operas, but her true breakout came with the role of Naomi Lapaglia in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street in 2013. Her portrayal of the vivacious and complex character earned her critical acclaim and solidified her place in Hollywood. From there, she ventured into diverse roles, ranging from the enchanting yet troubled Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad to the iconic figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, demonstrating her versatility as an actress. Apart from her acting prowess, Robbie is also recognized for her contributions to the industry as a film producer. In 2014, she co-founded LuckyChap Entertainment, a production company committed to championing female storytellers and narratives. This venture has produced several successful films, including I, Tonya, which earned Robbie nominations for Best Actress at the Academy Awards, BAFTA, and Golden Globe Awards.

Women Who ActCelebrating actresses of every type, shape, size, and color, including leading ladies, femme fatales, ingénues, manic pixie dream girls, scream queens, bombshells, girls next door, alpha HBICs, virginal princesses, & sassy best friends. The Very Best American Actresses Working Today The Best Young Actresses Under 25, Ranked The Top American Actresses Ever Top Actresses Working Today The Greatest Actresses in Film History Very Best Actress Performances Best Actresses to Win Oscars for Best Actress The Best Black Actresses Ever Actresses Who Deserve Oscars Hollywood's Best Asian Actresses The Best Living American Actresses The Best Living Actresses Over 80 Actresses Who Committed Suicide Character Actors Whose Names You Should Know The Funniest Female Comedians First Roles of Your Favorite Actresses Who Is the Next Meryl Streep? Lovely Actresses Who Went 'Ugly' for Movie Roles Scene-Stealing Comedic Actresses Actresses Who Filmed While Pregnant Female Teen Stars of the '80s: Then and Now Actresses Who Fell in Love with Their Directors Actresses Who Shaved Their Heads for Movie Roles TV|People In Film The Best American Actresses Working Today Ranker Film This list of the best American actresses working today ranks today's best Hollywood actresses, both from the big screen and on television. From Oscar winners to Emmy nominees, these great actresses are killing it these days, turning in great performances in recent years. This list ranks the highest-rated American actresses working today from best to worst. These great actresses are all from somewhere in the United States, though they might be popular with international film lovers as well. Today's top American actresses go deep into their roles, perfecting their performances, whether comedic or dramatic, and many are beautiful to boot! The greatest Americanactresses working today who are ranked on this list include Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock, Amy Poehler, Queen Latifah, Viola Davis, Robin Wright, and Jennifer Lawrence. If there’s an actress listed here that you think is the absolute best in the movie industry today, vote her up. Most divisive: Michelle Williams Over 12.7K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Very Best American Actresses Working Today HOW RANKINGS WORK 1 Emma Stone Birdman (2014), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), The Help (2011) 4,825votes Best known for her captivating performances and undeniable charm, Emma Stone has become one of Hollywood's most sought-after actresses. From her breakout role inEasy A to her Academy Award-winning performance in La La Land, Stone continues to deliver memorable and compelling roles that showcase her tremendous range and versatility. Birthplace: Scottsdale, Arizona, USA Dig DeeperIs 'Easy A' Actually Emma Stone's Best Movie? Also ranks #2onFamous Women You'd Want to Have a Beer With Also ranks #2onThe Best Living American Actresses 2 Natalie Portman The Other Woman (2011), Thor (2011), Black Swan (2010) 4,749votes Versatility is key when describing Natalie Portman's career in film, as she has successfully tackled a wide array of roles from a young age. Portman has dazzled audiences with her powerful performances in films such as Black Swan and V for Vendetta, showcasing an uncanny ability to fully immerse herself in the characters she portrays.

While they are only just becoming household names outside of Hollywood, these five actors are already at the top of every casting director’s wish list. From left: Jonathan Majors, Anya Taylor-Joy, Florence Pugh, Anthony Ramos and Regé-Jean Page. David Lee/Netflix.; Phil Bray/Netflix.; Courtesy of Marvel/Disney+.; Macall Polay/Warner Bros.; Liam Daniel/Netflix Survey the industry’s top star-makers and they’ll all tell you a version of the same thing: Hollywood stardom isn’t what it used to be. Sure, a fresh-faced actor can still burst onto the scene, captivating industry insiders and audiences alike (as Timothée Chalamet did with Call Me by Your Name a few years back). But agents, managers and studio executives say it has become harder and harder for those actors to take hold of the cultural zeitgeist the way a Leonardo DiCaprio or Jennifer Lawrence once did. “The idea of the movie star has died,” says one top agency talent rep, “and everyone is now trying to reinvent what movie stardom looks like.” Blame it on the increasingly fractured media landscape, the slow demise of movie theaters or the ubiquity of social media, which has made the long-relied-upon superstar mystique a thing of the past — but becoming a household name is more elusive than ever. And while some will go so far as to argue there’s no A-list anymore (“There’s just a B-list,” snipes one rep), not everyone is so pessimistic. To prove it, these are five red-hot actors who have skyrocketed to the top of the town’s casting wish lists. ANYA TAYLOR-JOY The 25-year-old actress had been steadily building her profile as an indie darling when she broke through in a whole new way with The Queen’s Gambit. Her tour de force performance as chess prodigy Beth Harmon in the Netflix hit turned her into one of the industry’s most in-demand actresses overnight. “She’s an old-school Hollywood star,” says one prominent rep, noting how hard it is to book her now. Indeed, Taylor-Joy has a slew of high-profile projects on the horizon, from Edgar Wright’s psychological thriller Last Night in Soho to David O. Russell’s upcoming star-studded film to a Mad Max spinoff (in the lead role of Furiosa, of course). To her credit, she’s been intentional about choosing a range of projects so as to not get pigeonholed so early on in her career. “If I feel the opportunities that are being given to me aren’t the right ones, then I have to stick my neck out and go, ‘Hey, I think I could maybe do this [role] if you’ll give me the opportunity to try,’ ” she recently told The Hollywood Reporter. One rep insists she’s on track to become Christopher Nolan’s or Denis Villeneuve’s next muse, adding, “It’s only matter of time before she has an Oscar.”

These powerhouse actresses aren’t just famous—they define global stardom today. From box office hits to cultural impact, these women are shaping the entertainment world like never before.

Who are the A-list, bankable actresses right now? I watch television much more than movies (and I don’t watch a ton of either), and I’m curious which women actors are considered “A-list” currently overall. I would say I watch about 2-3 movies per year. It is my understanding that “A-list” overall still primarily means “movie star” and doesn’t really take into account tv awards/stardom. Which is understandable, because I’ve heard the test for “A-list” is “would my parents know who this person is.” Margot Robbie is who immediately comes to mind for me as being an “A-list movie actress.” Who are the others? Edit: I think Emma Stone is as well, and I shouldn’t have put the “bankable” part because I don’t think that is necessary for the question. I know of Saiorse Ronan, but have yet to watch anything she’s been in. Florence Pugh; Scarlett Johanson; Jessica Chastain; Margot Robbie. Box office success over the past 5 years outside of a single film or franchise AND a top tier back catalogue of performances - the current box office bankers: Scarlett Johansson Emily Blunt Amy Adams Margot Robbie Jennifer Lawrence Emma Stone Top tier back catalogue but a relative lower box office return outside of a single film or franchise over the past 5 years - the box office legends: Jessica Chastain Cate Blanchett Sandra Bullock Reece Witherspoon Angelina Jolie Julia Roberts Melissa McCarthy Meryl Streep Charlize Theron Nicole Kidman Jenifer Aniston Natalie Portman Kate Winslet Helen Mirren Helena Bonham Carter Sigourney Weaver Halle Berry Starting to build the box office returns outside of a single film or franchise and also building an interesting back catalogue - potential future box office mainstays: Zendaya Florence Pugh Anya Taylor-Joy Millie Bobby Brown Ana de Armas Saoirse Ronan Elizabeth Olsen Rachel McAdams Lupita Nyong'o Karen Gillen Little to no box office success over the past 5 years outside of a single film or franchise and despite obvious talent, their back catalogue is not currently as strong as others higher in the list - a big name but may not be able to carry a big blockbuster budget on their name alone. Gal Gadot Mila Kunis Brie Larson Emma Watson Emilia Clarke Zoe Deschanel Shouldn’t Zoe Saldana be on this list? Her just being in Marvel movies made billions.

In 2021, we made up for a lot of missed movies and shows that had been held back because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we’ve been introduced to many new and important stories that have made this year’s media more exciting and engaging, allowing new and old stars to have their time in the spotlight. Female actresses especially have been given the rightful platform to succeed and tell their stories, and we wanted to highlight some of our favorites! Scarlett Johansson, known famously for her reprising role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has had a year of many landmarks and successful films. Most prominently, she earned a well-deserved stand-alone film for her badass assassin and spy alter ego, Black Widow or Natasha Romanov. After decades of fulfilling the role in multiple ‘Avengers’ movies and as a guest star on other Marvel stand-alones like, ‘Iron Man 2,’ and ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ she got to tell her own story. Related article: ‘In the Heights’ – Behind the Scenes and Full Commentary/Reactions from Cast & Crew Related article: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase: “The Importance of Venice Film Festival as the Protector of Cinema” In this film that came out in July of this year, Natasha tries to redeem herself after a life of being groomed into an immoral killer spy. Alongside her sister, Yeleana, we get to see a fully-fleshed Natasha who is more than the skin-tight suits and overly sexualized female Avenger that she’d been portrayed as before. It was a memorable performance on Johansson’s end and it made her one of the highest-grossing actresses this year and one of the most talked-about female leads in 2021. That followed by her secret engagement to SNL star, Colin Jost, means Scar Jo, and her fiery red hair has been on our mind a lot these days!