Best Actress of Each Year from 1926 to date

1. Lillian Gish

Lillian Diana Gish was born on October 14, 1893, in Springfield, Ohio. Her father, James Lee Gish, was an alcoholic who caroused, was rarely at home, and left the family to, more or less, fend for themselves. To help make ends meet, Lillian, her sister Dorothy Gish, and their mother, Mary Gish, ...

in The Scarlet Letter (1926)

2. Janet Gaynor

Actress | A Star Is Born

Janet Gaynor was born Laura Gainor on October 6, 1906, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a child, she & her parents moved to San Francisco, California, where she graduated from high school in 1923. She then moved to Los Angeles where she enrolled in a secretarial school. She got a job at a shoe ...

in Sunrise (1927) Runner Ups: Janet Gaynor in Seventh Heaven Lillian Gish in The Wind Edith Jehanne in The Love of Jeanne Ney Mary Pickford in My Best Gal

3. Maria Falconetti

Actress | La passion de Jeanne d'Arc

Renée Jeanne or Maria Falconetti, born in Pantin (not in Sermano, Corsica, as many film dictionaries wrongly attest) on July 21, 1892 and died in Buenos Aires on December 12, 1946, is a French actress of theater and cinema. Joining the troupe of the Odeon theater in 1916, she made her debut in "...

in The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) Runner ups: Eleanor Boardman in The Crowd Marion Davies in Show People Janet Gaynor in Street Angel Gloria Swanson in Queen Kelly

4. Anna May Wong

Actress | The Toll of the Sea

Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American movie star, was born Wong Liu Tsong on January 3, 1905, in Los Angeles, California, to laundryman Wong Sam Sing and his wife, Lee Gon Toy. A third-generation American, she managed to have a substantial acting career during a deeply racist time when the ...

in Piccadilly (1929) Runner ups: Louise Brooks in Diary of a Lost Girl Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box Gilda Gray in Piccadilly Helen Morgan in Applause

5. Mary Duncan

Actress | Kismet

Virginia-born Mary Duncan went to Hollywood after critics praised her acting in the lead in "The Shanghai Gesture" on Broadway. While making Five and Ten (1931), she became friends with the film's lead, Marion Davies. The two women attended a polo match, where Davies introduced Duncan to Stephen "...

in City Girl (1930) Runner ups: Joan Crawford in Paid Marlene Dietrich in Morocco Greta Garbo in Anna Christie

6. Barbara Stanwyck

Actress | Double Indemnity

Today Barbara Stanwyck is remembered primarily as the matriarch of the family known as the Barkleys on the TV western The Big Valley (1965), wherein she played Victoria, and from the hit drama The Colbys (1985). But she was known to millions of other fans for her movie career, which spanned the ...

in The Miracle Woman (1931) Runner ups: Joan Crawford in Possessed Sylvia Sidney in An American Tragedy Barbara Stanwyck for Night Nurse Dorothea Wieck in Madchen in Uniform

7. Jean Harlow

Actress | China Seas

Harlean Carpenter, who later became Jean Harlow, was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 3, 1911. She was the daughter of a successful dentist and his wife. In 1927, at the age of 16, she ran away from home to marry a young businessman named Charles McGrew, who was 23. The couple pulled up ...

in The Read Headed Woman (1932) Runner ups: Marlene Dietrich in Blonde Venus Marie Dressler in Emma Irene Dunne in Back Street Jean Harlow in Red Dust

8. Henrietta Crosman

Actress | Charlie Chan's Secret

Henrietta Crosman was born on September 2, 1861 in Wheeling, West Virginia, USA. She was an actress, known for Charlie Chan's Secret (1935), The Right to Live (1935) and The Royal Family of Broadway (1930). She was married to Maurice Campbell and Sedley Brown. She died on October 31, 1944 in Pelham...

in Pilgrimage (1933) Runner ups: Frances Dee in Blood Money Marie Dressler in Dinner at Eight Jean Harlow in Dinner at Eight Loretta Young in Zoo in Budapest

9. Marlene Dietrich

Soundtrack | Witness for the Prosecution

Her father was a police lieutenant and imbued in her a military attitude to life. Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated. She entered the cabaret scene in 1920s Germany, first as a spectator ...

in The Scarlet Empress (1934) Runner ups: Claudette Colbert for Imitation of Life Marion Davies for Operator 13 Greta Garbo for Queen Christina Anna Neagle for Nell Gwyn

10. Irene Dunne

Actress | The Awful Truth

Irene Marie Dunne was born on December 20, 1898, in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Joseph Dunne, who inspected steamships, and Adelaide Henry, a musician who prompted Irene in the arts. Her first production was in Louisville when she appeared in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the age...

in The Magnificent Obsession (1935) Runner ups: Jean Arthur in The Whole Town is Talking Ann Harding in Peter Ibbetson Jesse Matthews in Evergreen Margaret Sullavan in The Good Fairy

11. 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. An athletic tomboy as a ...

in Sylvia Scarlet (1936) Runner ups: Irene Dunne in Theodora Goes Wild Irene Dunne in Show Boat Paulette Godard in Modern Times Rosalind Russell in Craig's Wife

12. Greta Garbo

Actress | Ninotchka

Greta Garbo was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Sweden, to Anna Lovisa (Johansdotter), who worked at a jam factory, and Karl Alfred Gustafsson, a laborer. She was fourteen when her father died, which left the family destitute. Greta was forced to leave school and ...

in Camille (1937) Runner ups: Joan Blondell in The Stand-In Belah Bondi in Make Way for Tomorrow Ann Harding in Love from a Stranger Anna Beagle in Victoria the Great

13. 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. An athletic tomboy as a ...

in Bringing Up Baby (1938) Runner ups: Bette Davis in Jezebel Wendy Hiller in Pygmalion Ginger Rogers in Vivacious Lady Simone Simon in La Bete Humaine

14. Greta Garbo

Actress | Ninotchka

Greta Garbo was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Sweden, to Anna Lovisa (Johansdotter), who worked at a jam factory, and Karl Alfred Gustafsson, a laborer. She was fourteen when her father died, which left the family destitute. Greta was forced to leave school and ...

in Ninotchka (1939) Runner ups: Bette Davis in Dark Victory Irene Dunne in Love Affair Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz Vivien Leigh in Gone With the Wind

15. Vivien Leigh

Actress | A Streetcar Named Desire

If a film were made of the life of Vivien Leigh, it would open in India just before World War I, where a successful British businessman could live like a prince. In the mountains above Calcutta, a little princess is born. Because of the outbreak of World War I, she is six years old the first time ...

in Waterloo Bridge (1940) Runner ups: Bette Davis in The Letter Joan Fontaine in Rebecca Greer Garson in Pride and Prejudice Mae West in My Little Chickadee

16. Barbara Stanwyck

Actress | Double Indemnity

Today Barbara Stanwyck is remembered primarily as the matriarch of the family known as the Barkleys on the TV western The Big Valley (1965), wherein she played Victoria, and from the hit drama The Colbys (1985). But she was known to millions of other fans for her movie career, which spanned the ...

in The Lady Eve (1941) Runner ups: Joan Crawford in A Woman's Face Bette Davis in The Great Lie Irene Dunne in Back Street Irene Dunne in Penny Serenade

17. Bette Davis

Actress | All About Eve

Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts, to Ruth Augusta (Favor) and Harlow Morrell Davis, a patent attorney. Her parents divorced when she was 10. She and her sister were raised by their mother. Her early interest was dance. To Bette, dancers led a glamorous life, but...

in Now, Voyager (1942) Runner ups: Claudette Colbert in The Palm Beach Story Greer Garson in Random Harvest Greer Garson in Mrs. Miniver Teresa Wright in The Pride of the Yankees

18. Gracie Fields

Actress | Holy Matrimony

A comedienne and singer in the British Music Halls, she was the top box-office draw and the highest paid actress in Britain in the 1930's. Her Northern, working-class girl character was a favourite during the inter-war years.

in Holy Matrimony (1943) Runner ups: Jennifer Jones in The Song of Bernadette Beatrice Lillie in On Approval Lisbeth Movin in Day of Wrath Teresa Wright in Shadow of a Doubt

19. Barbara Stanwyck

Actress | Double Indemnity

Today Barbara Stanwyck is remembered primarily as the matriarch of the family known as the Barkleys on the TV western The Big Valley (1965), wherein she played Victoria, and from the hit drama The Colbys (1985). But she was known to millions of other fans for her movie career, which spanned the ...

in Double Indemnity (1944) Runner ups: Tallulah Bankhead in Lifeboat Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight Bette Davis in Mr. Skeffington Gene Tierney in Laura

20. Gene Tierney

Actress | Laura

With prominent cheekbones, luminous skin and the most crystalline green eyes of her day, Gene Tierney's striking good looks helped propel her to stardom. Her best known role is the enigmatic murder victim in Laura (1944). She was also Oscar-nominated for Leave Her to Heaven (1945). Her acting ...

in Leave Her to Heaven (1945) Runner ups: Ingrid Bergman in The Bells of St. Marys Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter Dorothy McGuire in The Enchanted Cottage

21. Lana Turner

Actress | Madame X

Lana Turner had an acting ability that belied the "Sweater Girl" image MGM thrust upon her, and even many of her directors admitted that they knew she was capable of greatness (check out The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)). Unfortunately, her private life sometimes overshadowed her professional ...

in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) Runner ups: Rita Hayworth in Gilda Vivien Leigh in Caesar and Cleopatra Myrna Loy in The Best Years of Our Lives Dorothy McGuire in The Spiral Staircasae

22. Deborah Kerr

Actress | The King and I

Deborah Jane Trimmer was born on 30 September 1921 in Glasgow, Scotland, the daughter of Captain Arthur Kerr Trimmer. She was educated at Northumberland House, Clifton, Bristol. She first performed at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London. She subsequently performed with the Oxford ...

in Black Narcissus (1947) Runner ups: Joan Crawford in Possessed Dorothy McGuire in Gentleman's Agreement Ann Sheridan in Nora Prentiss Gene Tierney in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

23. Joan Fontaine

Actress | Suspicion

Born Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland on October 22, 1917, in Tokyo, Japan, in what was known as the International Settlement, to British parents, Lilian Augusta (Ruse), a former actress, and Walter Augustus de Havilland, an English professor and patent attorney. Her paternal grandfather's family was ...

in Letter From an Unknown Woman (1948) Runner ups: Jean Arthur in A Foreign Affair Ingrid Bergman in Joan of Arc Kinuyu Tanaka in Women of the Night Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda

24. Olivia de Havilland

Actress | Gone with the Wind

Olivia Mary de Havilland was born on July 1, 1916 in Tokyo, Japan to British parents, Lilian Augusta (Ruse), a former actress, and Walter Augustus de Havilland, an English professor and patent attorney. Her sister Joan, later to become famous as Joan Fontaine, was born the following year. Her ...

in The Heiress (1949) Runner ups: Bette Davis in Beyond the Forest Yvonne de Bray in Les Terribles Parents Myrna Loy in The Red Pony Patricia Neal in The Fountainhead

25. Bette Davis

Actress | All About Eve

Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts, to Ruth Augusta (Favor) and Harlow Morrell Davis, a patent attorney. Her parents divorced when she was 10. She and her sister were raised by their mother. Her early interest was dance. To Bette, dancers led a glamorous life, but...

in All About Eve (1950) Runner ups: Joan Crawford in Harriet Craig Eleanor Parker in Caged Barbara Stanwyck in The Furies Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard

26. Vivien Leigh

Actress | A Streetcar Named Desire

If a film were made of the life of Vivien Leigh, it would open in India just before World War I, where a successful British businessman could live like a prince. In the mountains above Calcutta, a little princess is born. Because of the outbreak of World War I, she is six years old the first time ...

in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Runner ups: Ava Gardner in Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Anna Magnini in Bellissima Thelma Ritter in The Model and the Marriage Broker Shelley Winters in A Place in the Sun

27. Kinuyo Tanaka

Actress | Joyû Sumako no koi

Tanaka Kinuyo was a highly regarded and prolific actress best known for her films with director Mizoguchi Kenji. She was immersed in the world of film having received her start in the world of entertainment at age fourteen, being a filmmaker herself, being the cousin of director Kobayashi Masaki ...

in Life of Oharu (1952) Runner ups: Joan Crawford in Sudden Fear Julie Harris in Member of the Wedding Katharine Hepburn in Pat and Mike Piper Laurie in Has Anybody Seen My Gal

28. Audrey Hepburn

Actress | Breakfast at Tiffany's

Audrey Hepburn was born as Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929 in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium. Her mother, Baroness Ella Van Heemstra, was a Dutch noblewoman, while her father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, was born in Úzice, Bohemia, to English and Austrian parents.

After her parents' divorce, ...

in Roman Holiday (1953) Runner ups: Deborah Kerr in From Here to Eternity Mitsuko Miurra in Ugetsu Monogatairi Simone Signoret in Therese Raquin Kinuyo Tanaka in Ugetsu Monogatairi

29. Jane Wyman

Actress | Falcon Crest

Jane Wyman was born Sarah Jane Mayfield on January 5, 1917, in St. Joseph, Missouri (she was also known later as Sarah Jane Fulks). When she was only eight years old, and after her parents filed for divorce, she lost her father prematurely. After graduating high school she attempted, with the help ...

in The Magnificent Obsession (1954) Runner ups: Giuletta Masina in La Strada Joan Crawford in Johnny Guitar Judy Garland in A Star is Born Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina

30. Jane Wyman

Actress | Falcon Crest

Jane Wyman was born Sarah Jane Mayfield on January 5, 1917, in St. Joseph, Missouri (she was also known later as Sarah Jane Fulks). When she was only eight years old, and after her parents filed for divorce, she lost her father prematurely. After graduating high school she attempted, with the help ...

in All That Heaven Allows (1955) Runner ups: Julie Harris in East of Eden Katharine Hepburn in Summertime Anna Magnani in The Rose Tattoo Simone Signoret in La Diaboliques

31. Deborah Kerr

Actress | The King and I

Deborah Jane Trimmer was born on 30 September 1921 in Glasgow, Scotland, the daughter of Captain Arthur Kerr Trimmer. She was educated at Northumberland House, Clifton, Bristol. She first performed at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London. She subsequently performed with the Oxford ...

in Tea and Sympathy (1956) Runner ups: Carroll Baker in Baby Doll Ingrid Bergman in Anastasia Luisa Della Noce in The Railroad Man Nancy Kelly in The Bad Seed

32. Lana Turner

Actress | Madame X

Lana Turner had an acting ability that belied the "Sweater Girl" image MGM thrust upon her, and even many of her directors admitted that they knew she was capable of greatness (check out The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)). Unfortunately, her private life sometimes overshadowed her professional ...

in Peyton Place (1957) Runner ups: Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember Giulietta Masina in Nights of Cabria Patricia Neal in A Face in the Crowd Ingrid Thulin in Wild Strawberries

33. Susan Hayward

Actress | With a Song in My Heart

Susan Hayward was born Edythe Marrener in Brooklyn, New York, on June 30, 1917. Her father was a transportation worker, and Susan lived a fairly comfortable life as a child, but the precocious little redhead had no idea of the life that awaited her. She attended public school in Brooklyn, where she...

in I Want to Live (1958) Runner ups: Shirley MacLaine in Some Came Runnng Kim Novak in Vertigo Jean Simmons in Home Before Dark Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

34. Emmanuelle Riva

Actress | Hiroshima mon amour

An only child, Emmanuelle was born Paulette Germaine Riva in Cheniménil, but eventually grew up in Remiremont. Her mother, Jeanne Fernande Nourdin, was a seamstress. Her father, René Alfred "Alfredo" Riva, was a sign writer. Her paternal grandfather was Italian. She dreamed of becoming an actress ...

in Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) Runner ups: Jean Seberg in Breathless Simone Signoret in A Room at the Top Lana Turner in Imitation of Life Mamie Van Doren in Girl's Town

35. Monica Vitti

Actress | L'avventura

Monica Vitti was born on November 3, 1931 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. She was an actress and writer, known for L'Avventura (1960), Red Desert (1964) and L'Eclisse (1962). She was married to Roberto Russo. She died on February 2, 2022 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

in L'Avventura (1960) Runner ups: Deborah Kerr in The Sundowners Shirley MacLaine in The Apartment Rachel Roberts in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Jean Simmons in Elmer Gentry

36. Shirley MacLaine

Actress | Terms of Endearment

Shirley MacLaine was born Shirley MacLean Beaty in Richmond, Virginia. Her mother, Kathlyn Corinne (MacLean), was a drama teacher from Nova Scotia, Canada, and her father, Ira Owens Beaty, a professor of psychology and real estate agent, was from Virginia. Her brother, Warren Beatty, was born on ...

in The Children's Hour (1961) Runner ups: Audrey Hepburn in The Children's Hour Deborah Kerr in The Innocents Sophia Loren in Two Women Jean Moreau in La Notte

37. 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. An athletic tomboy as a ...

in Long Days Journey Into Night (1962) Runner ups: Joan Crawford in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Anna Karenia in My Life to Live Geraldine Page in Sweet Bird of Youth

38. Jeanne Moreau

Actress | Jules et Jim

When people gave Louis Malle credit for making a star of Jeanne Moreau in Elevator to the Gallows (1958) immediately followed by The Lovers (1958), he would point out that Moreau by that time had already been "recognized as the prime stage actress of her generation." She had made it to the Comédie ...

in Bay of Angels (1963) Runner ups: Gunnel Lindblom in The Silence Madhabi Mokherjee in Mahanager Rachel Roberts in This Sporting Life Ingrid Thulin in The Silence

39. Kim Stanley

Actress | Seance on a Wet Afternoon

Kim Stanley's movie roles were few and far between; she is perhaps best known for her stellar performances on stage, including successes on Broadway. But when she did step in front of the camera, nothing short of memorable resulted. Her repertoire in movies and on stage covered such diversity from ...

in Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) Runner ups: Ida Kamiska in The Shop on Main Street Kyoko Kishida in Manji Nubujo Otowa in Onibaba Ayako Wakao in Manji

40. Julie Andrews

Actress | The Sound of Music

Julia Elizabeth Wells was born on October 1, 1935, in England. Her mother, Barbara Ward (Morris), and stepfather, both vaudeville performers, discovered her freakish but undeniably lovely four-octave singing voice and immediately got her a singing career. She performed in music halls throughout her...

in The Sound of Music (1965) Runner ups: Julie Christie in Darling Catherine Deneuve in Repulsion Samantha Eager in The Collector Elizabeth Hartman in A Patch of Blue

41. Elizabeth Taylor

Actress | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was considered one of the last, if not the last, major star to have come out of the old Hollywood studio system. She was known internationally for her beauty, especially for her violet eyes, with which she captured audiences early in her youth and kept the world hooked ...

in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) Runner ups: Bibi Anderson in Persona Anna Karina in The Nun Jean Moreau in Madameoislle Vanessa Redgrave in Morgan

42. Catherine Deneuve

Actress | 8 femmes

Catherine Fabienne Deneuve was born October 22, 1943 in Paris, France, to actor parents Renée Simonot and Maurice Dorléac. She made her movie debut in 1957, when she was barely a teenager and continued with small parts in minor films, until Roger Vadim gave her a meatier role in Vice and Virtue (...

in Belle de Jour (1967) Runner ups: Anne Bancroft in The Graduate Faye Dunnaway in Bonnie and Clyde Audrey Hepburn in Two For the Road Nadine Nortier for Mouchette

43. Beryl Reid

Actress | The Killing of Sister George

Beryl Reid was the daughter of Scottish parents and grew up in industrial Manchester, England. She left home at the age of 16 to go and work in a shop. She lasted 6 weeks. She applied for and was accepted in a revue in the Summer season in Bridlington. She had no formal training but joined the ...

in The Killing of Sister George (1968) Runner ups: Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby Katharine Hepburn in The Lion in Winter Liv Ullman in Shame Tuesday Weld in Pretty Poison

44. Glenda Jackson

Actress | Women in Love

Few in modern British history have come as far or achieved as much from humble beginnings as Glenda Jackson did. From acclaimed actress to respected MP (Member of Parliament), she was known for her high intelligence and meticulous approach to her work. She was born to a working-class household in ...

in Women in Love (1969) Runner ups: Catherine Deneuve in Mississippi Mermaid Jane Fonda in They Shoot Horses Don't They? Jean Simmons in The Happy Ending Maggie Smith in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

45. Glenda Jackson

Actress | Women in Love

Few in modern British history have come as far or achieved as much from humble beginnings as Glenda Jackson did. From acclaimed actress to respected MP (Member of Parliament), she was known for her high intelligence and meticulous approach to her work. She was born to a working-class household in ...

in The Music Lovers (1970) Runner ups: Beryl Reid in Entertaining Mr. Sloane Carrie Snodergrass In Diary of a Mad Housewife Shirley Stoler in The Honeymoon Killers Barbara Streisand in The Owl and the Pussycat

46. Vanessa Redgrave

Actress | Coriolanus

On January 30, 1937, renowned theatre actor Michael Redgrave was performing in a production of Hamlet in London. During the curtain call, the show's lead, Laurence Olivier, announced to the audience: "tonight a great actress was born". This was in reference to his co-star's newborn daughter, ...

in The Devils (1971) Runner ups: Jane Fonda in Klute Ruth Gordon in Harold and Maude Glenda Jackson in Sunday Bloody Sunday Jessica Walter in Play Misty For Me

47. Liza Minnelli

Soundtrack | Cabaret

Liza Minnelli was born on March 12, 1946, the daughter of Judy Garland and movie director Vincente Minnelli. She was practically raised at MGM studios while her parents worked long hours there and she made her film debut at 14 months of age in the movie In the Good Old Summertime (1949). Her ...

in Cabaret (1972) Runner ups: Sylvia Miles in Heat Dorothy Tuttin in Savage Messiah Monique Van Der Ven in Turkish Delight Joanna Woodward in The Effect og Gama Rays on Mn-in-the-Moon Marigolds

48. Sissy Spacek

Actress | In the Bedroom

As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods. She was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, in Quitman, Texas, to Virginia Frances (Spilman) and Edwin Arnold Spacek, Sr., a county agricultural agent. Her father's family was of Czech and German origin.

...

in Badlands (1973) Runner ups: Florinda Bolkan for A Brief Encounter Margit Carstensen for Martha Julie Christie for Don't Look Now Liv Ullman for Scenes From a Marriage

49. Gena Rowlands

Actress | The Notebook

Virginia Cathryn "Gena" Rowlands is an American film, stage, and television actress, whose career in the entertainment industry has spanned over six decades. A four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, she is known for her collaborations with her late actor-director husband John Cassavetes ...

in A Woman Under the Influence (1974) Runner ups: Mariangela Melao for Swept Away Brigitte Mira for Fear Eats the Soul Valerie Perrine for Lenny Charlotte Rampling for The Night Porter

50. Angela Winkler

Actress | Suspiria

Angela Winkler was born on January 22, 1944 in Templin, Brandenburg, Germany. She is an actress, known for Suspiria (2018), The Tin Drum (1979) and The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (1975).

in The Lost Honou of Katherina Blum (1975) Runns ups: Isabelle Adjani in The Story of Adele H Ann-Margaret in Tommy Glenda Jackson in The Romantic Englishwoman Katherine Ross in The Stepford Wives

51. Sissy Spacek

Actress | In the Bedroom

As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods. She was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, in Quitman, Texas, to Virginia Frances (Spilman) and Edwin Arnold Spacek, Sr., a county agricultural agent. Her father's family was of Czech and German origin.

...

in Carrie (1976) Runner ups: Geraldine Chaplin in Cria Jessica Harper in Inserts Delphine Seyrig in Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles Liv Ullman in Face to Face

52. Shelley Duvall

Actress | The Shining

Shelley Alexis Duvall was born in Fort Worth, Texas, the first child to Bobbie Ruth (Massengale, 1929-2020), a real estate broker, and Robert Richardson Duvall (1919-1994), a lawyer. At the time of her birth, her mother was visiting her grandmother in Fort Worth, though Duvall was raised in Houston...

in 3 Women (1977) Runner Ups: Jane Fond in Julia Diane Keaton in Annie Hall Diane Keaton in Looking for Mr. Godbar Sissy Spacek in 3 Women

53. Jane Fonda

Actress | Klute

Born in New York City to legendary screen star Henry Fonda and Ontario-born New York socialite Frances Seymour Brokaw, Jane Seymour Fonda was destined early to an uncommon and influential life in the limelight. Although she initially showed little inclination to follow her father's trade, she was ...

in Coming Home (1978) Runner ups: Ruth Cracknell in The Night, The Prowler Glenda Jackson in Stevie Hanna Schygulla in The Marriage of Maria Braun Kerry Walker in The Night, The Prowler

54. Sally Field

Actress | Forrest Gump

Sally Margaret Field was born November 6, 1946 in Pasadena, California, to actress Margaret Field (née Morlan) and salesman Richard Dryden Field. Her parents divorced in 1950 and her mother then married stuntman Jock Mahoney, and they had a daughter, Princess O'Mahoney. She also has a brother, ...

in Norma Rae (1979) Runner ups: Marsha Mason in Promises in the Dark Bette Midler in The Rose Veronika Papp in Angi Vera Vanessa Redgrave in Yanks

55. Sissy Spacek

Actress | In the Bedroom

As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods. She was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, in Quitman, Texas, to Virginia Frances (Spilman) and Edwin Arnold Spacek, Sr., a county agricultural agent. Her father's family was of Czech and German origin.

...

in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) Runner ups: Ellen Burstyn in Resurrection Shelley Duvall in The Shining Theresa Russell in Bad Timing Jutta Wachowiak in The Fiancee

56. Susan Sarandon

Actress | Thelma & Louise

It was after the 1968 Democratic convention and there was a casting call for a film with several roles for the kind of young people who had disrupted the convention. Two recent graduates of Catholic University in Washington DC, went to the audition in New York for Joe (1970). Chris Sarandon, who ...

in Atlantic City (1981) Runner ups: Susan Anspach in Montenegro Lisa Eichorn in Cutter's Way Kate Nelligan in Eye of the Needle Sissy Spacek in Raggedy Man

57. Sissy Spacek

Actress | In the Bedroom

As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods. She was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, in Quitman, Texas, to Virginia Frances (Spilman) and Edwin Arnold Spacek, Sr., a county agricultural agent. Her father's family was of Czech and German origin.

...

in Missing (1982) Runner ups: Mariel Hemingway in Personal Best Wendy Hughes in Lonely Hearts Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice Mary Woronov in Eating Raoul

58. Mariel Hemingway

Actress | Manhattan

Mariel Hemingway was born on November 22, 1961 in Mill Valley, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Manhattan (1979), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) and The Sex Monster (1999). She was previously married to Stephen Crisman.

in Star 80 (1983) Runner ups: Jane Alexander in Testament Sumiko Sakamoto in The Ballad of Narayama Hanna Schygulla in Sheer Madness Angela Winkler in Sheer Madness

59. Vanessa Redgrave

Actress | Coriolanus

On January 30, 1937, renowned theatre actor Michael Redgrave was performing in a production of Hamlet in London. During the curtain call, the show's lead, Laurence Olivier, announced to the audience: "tonight a great actress was born". This was in reference to his co-star's newborn daughter, ...

in The Bostonians (1984) Runner ups: Marita Breuer in Heimat Mia Farrow in Broadway Danny Rose Gena Rowlands in Lovestreams Kathleen Turner in Crimes of Passion

60. Jessica Lange

Actress | Tootsie

Jessica Lange was born in 1949, in Cloquet, Minnesota, USA, where her father worked as a traveling salesman. She obtained a scholarship to study art at the University of Minnesota, but instead went to Paris to study drama. She moved to New York, working as a model, until producer Dino De Laurentiis...

in Sweet Dreams (1985) Runner ups: Mia Farrow in The Purple Rose of Cairo Vanessa Redgrave in Wetherby Meryl Streep in Plenty Angela Winkler in Edith's Diary

61. Sissy Spacek

Actress | In the Bedroom

As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods. She was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, in Quitman, Texas, to Virginia Frances (Spilman) and Edwin Arnold Spacek, Sr., a county agricultural agent. Her father's family was of Czech and German origin.

...

in Crimes of the Heart (1986) Runner ups: Anne Bancroft in 'night, Mother Diane Keaton in Crimes of the Heart Jessica Lange in Crimes of the Heart Sissy Spacek in 'night, Mother

62. Holly Hunter

Actress | Broadcast News

Holly Hunter was born in Conyers, Georgia, to Opal Marguerite (Catledge), a homemaker, and Charles Edwin Hunter, a part-time sporting goods company representative and farmer with a 250 acre farm. She is the youngest of seven children. Her parents encouraged her talent at an early age, and her first...

in Broadcast News (1987) Runner ups: Lindsay Crouse in House of Games Debra Lee Furness in Shame Carmen Maura in Law of Desire Maggie Smith in The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne

63. Diane Keaton

Actress | Annie Hall

Diane Keaton was born Diane Hall in Los Angeles, California, to Dorothy Deanne (Keaton), an amateur photographer, and John Newton Ignatius "Jack" Hall, a civil engineer and real estate broker. She studied Drama at Santa Ana College, before dropping out in favor of the Neighborhood Playhouse in New ...

in The Good Mother (1988) Runner ups: Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons Jodie Foster in The Accused Isabelle Huppert in Story of Women Meryl Streep in Evil Angels

64. Meg Ryan

Actress | When Harry Met Sally...

Blonde-haired, blue-eyed with an effervescent personality, Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra in Fairfield, Connecticut, to Susan (Duggan), an English teacher and one-time actress, and Harry Hyra, a math teacher. She is of Ruthenian, Polish, Irish, and German ancestry ("Hyra" is a ...

in When Harry Met Sally (1989) Runner ups: Sami Davis in The Rainbow Michelle Pfieffer in The Fabulous Baker Boys Wiona Ryder in Heathers Debra Winger in Everybody Wins

65. Joanne Woodward

Actress | Rachel, Rachel

Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward was born on February 27, 1930, in Thomasville, Georgia, to Wade Woodward and Elinor Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward in a modest household. Her one older brother, Wade Jr., who was the favorite of her father, eventually became an architect. Elinor Woodward was a ...

in Mr. & Mrs. Bridges (1990) Runner ups: Tsilla Chelton in Taite Danielle Mia Farrow in Alice Angelica Huston in The Grifters Jessica Lange in Men Don't Leave

66. Sheila Florance

Actress | Prisoner

Sheila Florance was born on July 24, 1916 in St. Kilda East, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She was an actress, known for Prisoner (1979), Mad Max (1979) and A Woman's Tale (1991). She was married to Jan (John) Adam Balawaider and Roger Lightfoot Oyston. She died on October 12, 1991 in Melbourne, ...

in A Woman's Tale (1991) Runner ups: Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs Irene Jacob in The Double Life of Veronika Jennifer Jason Leigh in Rush Gong Li in Raise the Red Lantern

67. Susan Sarandon

Actress | Thelma & Louise

It was after the 1968 Democratic convention and there was a casting call for a film with several roles for the kind of young people who had disrupted the convention. Two recent graduates of Catholic University in Washington DC, went to the audition in New York for Joe (1970). Chris Sarandon, who ...

in Lorenzo's Oil (1992) Runner ups: Maggie Cheung in The Actress Lisa Harrow in The Last Days of Chaz Nous Brigitte Rouan in Olivier, Olivier Johanna Ter Steege in Sweet Emma, Dear Bobe

68. Stockard Channing

Actress | Practical Magic

One of Broadway and Hollywood's perennial and cleverer talents who tends to shine a smart, cynical light on her surroundings, Stockard Channing was born Susan Williams Antonia Stockard on February 13, 1944 in New York City to a Protestant father and a Catholic mother of Irish descent. Her parents ...

in Six Degrees of Separation (1993) Runner ups: Sabine Azema in Smoking/No Smoking Holly Hunter in The Piano Emma Thompson in Remains of the Day Debra Winger in Shadowlands

69. Toni Collette

Actress | The Sixth Sense

Toni Collette is an Academy Award-nominated Australian actress, best known for her roles in The Sixth Sense (1999) and Little Miss Sunshine (2006).

Collette was born Toni Collett (she later added an "e") on November 1, 1972, in Blacktown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She is the first of three...

in Muriel's Wedding (1994) Runner ups: Sandrine Bonnaire in Joan The Maiden Judy Davis in The Ref Irene Jacob in Three Colors: Red Crissy Rock in Ladybird, Ladybird

70. Elisabeth Shue

Actress | Leaving Las Vegas

Elisabeth Shue was born in Wilmington, Delaware, to Anne Brewster (Wells), who worked for the Chemical Banking Corporation, and James William Shue, a lawyer and real estate developer. She is of German and English ancestry, including descent from Mayflower passengers. Shue's parents divorced while ...

in Leaving Las Vegas (1995) Runner ups: Isabelle Huppert in La Ceremonie Julianne Moore in Safe Marisa Parades in The Flower of My Secret Susan Sarandon in Dead Man Walking

71. Laura Dern

Actress | Jurassic Park

Laura Dern was born on February 10, 1967 in Los Angeles, the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Dern was exposed to movie sets and the movie industry from infancy, and obtained several bit parts as a child. Her parents divorced when Dern was two and Dern lost contact with her father for ...

in Citizen Ruth (1996) Runner ups: Maria Conchita Alsono in Caught Brenda Blythen in Secrets and Lies Piper Laurie in The Grass Harp Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves

72. Julie Christie

Actress | Doctor Zhivago

Julie Christie, the British movie legend whom Al Pacino called "the most poetic of all actresses," was born in Chabua, Assam, India, on April 14, 1940, the daughter of a tea planter and his Welsh wife Rosemary, who was a painter. The young Christie grew up on her father's plantation before being ...

in Afterglow (1997) Runner ups: Judi Dench in Mrs. Brown Pam Grier in Jackie Brown Samantha Morton in Under the Skin Brigitte Rounan in Post Cotuim

73. Fernanda Montenegro

Actress | Central do Brasil

Arlette Pinheiro Esteves da Silva was born on 16th October 1929 in Rio de Janeiro. She adopted the name "Fernanda" because she thought it sounded good. "Montenegro" came after her family doctor.

In late 40s she was translating and adapting famous theater plays to radio. She begun her artistic life ...

in Central Station (1998) Runner ups: Sandrine Bonnaire in Secret Defense Sacha Horler in Praise Jennifer Lopez in Out of Sight Heather Rose in Dance Me to My Song

74. Hilary Swank

Actress | Million Dollar Baby

Hilary was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Judith Kay (Clough), a secretary, and Stephen Michael Swank, who served in the National Guard and was also a traveling salesman. Her maternal grandmother, Frances Martha Dominguez, was of Mexican descent, and her other roots include German, English, and ...

in Boys Don't Cry (1999) Runner ups: Nathalie Baye in Venus Beauty Institute Julianne Moore in The End of the Affair Cecila Roth in All About My Mother Reese Witherspoon in Election

75. Charlotte Rampling

Actress | 45 Years

Tessa Charlotte Rampling was born 5 February 1946 in Sturmer, England, to Isabel Anne (Gurteen), a painter, and Godfrey Lionel Rampling, an Olympic gold medalist, army officer, and colonel, who became a NATO commander. She was educated at Jeanne d'Arc Académie pour Jeunes Filles in Versailles, ...

in Under the Sand (2000) Runner ups: Gillian Anderson in The House of Mirth Laura Linney in You Can Count on Me Radha Mitchell in Everything Put Together Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich

76. Sissy Spacek

Actress | In the Bedroom

As a kid, Sissy Spacek climbed trees, rode horses, swam, and played in the woods. She was born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, in Quitman, Texas, to Virginia Frances (Spilman) and Edwin Arnold Spacek, Sr., a county agricultural agent. Her father's family was of Czech and German origin.

...

in In the Bedroom (2001) Runner ups: Emmanuelle Devos in Read My Lips Kerry Fox in Intimacy Isabelle Huppert in The Piano Teacher Lucy Russell in The Lady and the Duke

77. Diane Lane

Actress | Unfaithful

Diane Lane was born on January 22, 1965, in New York. She is the daughter of acting coach Burton Eugene "Burt" Lane and nightclub singer/centerfold Colleen Farrington. Her parents' families were both from the state of Georgia. Diane was acting from a very young age and made her stage debut at the ...

in Unfaithful (2002) Runner ups: Oksana Akinshina in Lilya 4-Ever Ariane Ascaride in Marie Jo and Her Two Loves Shirley Henderson in Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Anne Parillaud in Sex is Comedy

78. Jamie Lee Curtis

Actress | Halloween

Jamie Lee Curtis was born on November 22, 1958 in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of legendary actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. She got her big break at acting in 1978 when she won the role of Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978). After that, she became famous for roles in movies like Trading...

in Freaky Friday (2003) Runner ups: Emmanuelle Beart in Strayed Diane Keaton in Somethings Gotta Give Meg Ryan in In the Cut Sylvie Testud in Fear and Trembling

79. Imelda Staunton

Actress | Vera Drake

Imelda Staunton is an English actress and singer from Archway, London. Her ancestry is primarily Irish. She has worked extensively in theater, and has won 4 Laurence Olivier Awards; 3 for leading roles and one for a supporting role. Her best known role in films has been the recurring villain ...

in Vera Drake (2004) Runner ups: Marilou Berry in Look at Me Julie Delpy in Before Sunset Mirella Pascual in Whiskey Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby

80. Claire Danes

Actress | My So-Called Life

New Yorker Claire Catherine Danes was born in Manhattan, the daughter of Carla (Hall), a day-care provider and artist, and Christopher Danes, a computer consultant and photographer. She has an older brother, Asa. Her paternal grandfather, Gibson Andrew Danes, was a Dean of the Yale School of Art ...

in Shopgirl (2005) Runner ups: Nathalie Baye in La Petit Lieutenant Luminita Gheorghiu in The Death of Mr. Lazarescu Julia Jentsch in Sophie Scholl - The Final Days Rachel Weisz in The Constant Gardner

81. Helen Mirren

Actress | The Queen

Dame Helen Mirren was born in Queen Charlotte's Hospital in West London. Her mother, Kathleen Alexandrina Eva Matilda (Rogers), was from a working-class English family, and her father, Vasiliy Petrovich Mironov, was a Russian-born civil servant, from Kuryanovo, whose own father was a diplomat. ...

in The Queen (2006) Runner ups: Penelope Cruz in Volver Charlotte Gainsbourg in I Do: or How to Get Married and Stay Single Gretchen Mol in The Notorious Bettie Page Kate Winslet in Little Children

82. Jeon Do-yeon

Actress | Hanyo

Jeon Do-yeon spent five years starring in television dramas before achieving instant star status with her film debut opposite Han Seok-gyu in The Contact. She has since gone on to take a wide variety of roles, from her performance as a schoolgirl in Harmonium in My Memory to that of a wife having ...

in Secret Sunshine (2007) Runner ups: Ashley Judd in Bug Laura Linney in The Savages Ana Maria Marinca in 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days Sophia Myles in Hallam Foe

83. Kristin Scott Thomas

Actress | Gosford Park

The acclaimed Cornish actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas was born in Redruth, Cornwall, to Deborah (Hurlbatt) and Lieutenant Commander Simon Scott Thomas. Her father was a pilot for the British Royal Navy and died in a flying accident in 1964. Her stepfather, Lt. Cdr Simon Idiens, was also a pilot, ...

in I've Loved You So Long (2008) Runner ups: Tilda Swinton in Julia Julianne Moore in Blindness Yolande Moreau in Seraphine Michelle Williams in Wendy and Lucy

84. Kim Hye-ja

Actress | Madeo

Kim Hye Ja is a South Korean actress. Best known for playing the archetypal Korean mother, Kim Hye Ja has established herself as an iconic actor in the Korean entertainment industry. Kim made her acting debut at age 29 while studying at Ewha Woman's University. In the 1981 movie 'Late Autumn', she ...

in Mother (2009) Runner ups: Josiane Balasko in The Hedgehog Nisreen Faour in Amreeka Carey Mulligan in An Education Kristin Scott Thomas in Leaving

85. Catherine Keener

Actress | Being John Malkovich

Catherine Keener is an American actress, Oscar-nominated for her roles in the independent films Being John Malkovich (1999) and Capote (2005). Acclaimed in her community for her quirky roles in independent film and mainstream such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Keener got her start as a casting ...

in Please Give (2010) Runner ups: Allison Janney in Life During Wartime Melanie Laurent in The Round Up Tilda Swinton in I Am Love Jeong-hie Yun in Poetry

86. Nadezhda Markina

Actress | Elena

Nadezhda Markina was born on January 29, 1959 in Dmitrievka, Nikiforovskiy rayon, Tambovskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She is an actress, known for Elena (2011), Sophia (2016) and Vstretimsya vchera (2024).

in Elena (2011) Runner ups: Sareh Bayat in A Separation Viola Davis in The Help Megumi Kagurazaka in Guilty of Romance Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk About Kevin

87. Emmanuelle Riva

Actress | Hiroshima mon amour

An only child, Emmanuelle was born Paulette Germaine Riva in Cheniménil, but eventually grew up in Remiremont. Her mother, Jeanne Fernande Nourdin, was a seamstress. Her father, René Alfred "Alfredo" Riva, was a sign writer. Her paternal grandfather was Italian. She dreamed of becoming an actress ...

in Amour (2012) Runner ups: Maria Hofstatter for Paradise: Faith Helen Hunt for The Sessions Debra Mailmain for The Sapphires Margarete Tiesel for Paradise: Love

88. Agata Kulesza

Actress | Ida

Agata Kulesza was born on September 27, 1971 in Szczecin, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland. She is an actress and writer, known for Ida (2013), Cold War (2018) and The Hater (2020). She was previously married to Marcin Figurski.

in Ida (2013) Runner ups: Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmin Rayna Campvell in Laylor Fourie Pauline Garcia in Gloria Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha

89. Rosamund Pike

Actress | Gone Girl

Born in 1979 in London, England, actress Rosamund Mary Elizabeth Pike is the only child of a classical violinist mother, Caroline (Friend), and an opera singer father, Julian Pike. Due to her parents' work, she spent her early childhood traveling around Europe. Pike attended Badminton School in ...

in Gone Girl (2014) Runner ups: Isabelle Huppert in Abuse of Weakness Sandrine Kiberlain in Elle L'Adore Julianne Moore in Maps to the Stars Sarah Snook in Predestination

90. Cate Blanchett

Actress | Carol

Cate Blanchett was born on May 14, 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to June (Gamble), an Australian teacher and property developer, and Robert DeWitt Blanchett, Jr., an American advertising executive, originally from Texas. She has an older brother and a younger sister. When she was ten ...

in Carol (2015) Runner ups: Ronney Mara in Carol Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn Mya Taylor in Tangerine

91. Youn Yuh-jung

Actress | Minari

Beloved by audiences around the world, Youn Yuh-Jung's a legendary actress who has starred in many of Korea's most revered films & TV shows in a career that spans 5 decades. After winning Korea's Blue Dragon Award for best actress in her film debut as the country girl turned femme fatale in 1971's ...

in The Bacchus Lady (2016) Runner ups: Sandra Huller in Toni Erdmann Isabelle Huppert in Elle Julia Jenstsch in 24 Weeks Cynthia Nixon in A Quiet Passion

92. Sally Hawkins

Actress | The Shape of Water

Sally Cecilia Hawkins was born in 1976 in Lewisham hospital, London, England, to Jacqui and Colin Hawkins, authors and illustrators of children's books. She is of English and Irish descent. Hawkins was brought up in Greenwich, in southeast London. She attended James Allen's Girls' School in Dulwich...

in The Shape of Water (2017) Runner ups: Emma Booth in Hounds of Love Rossy de Palma in Madame Amanda Fuller in Fashionista Daniela Vega in A Fantastic Woman

93. Tao Zhao

Actress | Jiang hu er nü

Tao Zhao was born on January 28, 1977 in Taiyuan, Shanxi, China. She is an actress and producer, known for Jiang hu er nü (2018), Mountains May Depart (2015) and Shun Li and the Poet (2011). She has been married to Zhangke Jia since January 7, 2012.

in Ash is Purest White (2018) Runner ups: Ana Brun in The Heiresses Olivia Colman in The Favourite Halldora Geirharosdottir in Woman at War Emma Stone in The Favourite