Everdeen now has to rely on her past skills as a hunter and form alliances with other participants in order to survive—and it’s not always clear if she’s making the right decisions. But we’re fans of Winona Ryder’s version, if only because she gives the free-spirited, creative, and adventurous sister a modern sense of trying to find herself. While not everything about this movie can be celebrated, we can applaud it for revolutionizing the genre by showcasing a black female superhero. It’s impossible not to admire Jo’s determination to be a writer one day—often staying up after her sisters have gone to sleep—but that admiration deepens once she moves to New York City to make it happen. When to Watch: If you need the confidence to walk into an intimidating room. When to Watch: If you’re itching to start a new business. 45 Popular Female Characters From TV And Movies Guaranteed To Inspire You Forever. 4% of Hollywood Directors Are Female—These Are the Women Giving Us Hope, Silence of the Lambs/Strong Heart/Demme Production, Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, Kat Stratford in 10 Things I Hate About You, 10 Things I Hate About You/Touchstone Pictures, Foxy Brown/American International Pictures, Bend It Like Beckham/Redbus Film Distribution. 17 1 14 1. Looking for more strong women characters in your life? After all, she’s the FBI trainee who’s tasked with interviewing the incarcerated Hannibal in the first place, which leads her to try to solve who Buffalo Bill is and where his latest victim is hidden. Based on a true story that won Julia Roberts a Best Actress Oscar for her role, Erin Brockovich centers around a woman who discovers that the behemoth California company PG&E is likely poisoning the water supply in the small town of Hinkley—and trying to cover it up. After Mulan poses as a male soldier to save her father from enlisting in the Chinese army, she prepares for an imminent war among peers who first see her as weak, and later, as an equal. They protect and serve, yet never complain. Graphic by Cristina Cianci. When to Watch: If you’re learning a new skill. She's considered one of the greatest heroes ever, male or female. It’s because of Priestly’s high expectations that Andy is able to succeed, and ultimately, create the confidence she needed to figure out what’s best for her. Carrie Fisher was only a teenager when she first played this role, but the strength she displayed through this character throughout the series is what makes her a legend. ... and a strong female lead without being the stereotypical love interest. When to Watch: If you’re going through a tough breakup. She does her job in clothes that suit it, and she doesn’t care if she’s seen as aggressive, rude, dirty, or makeup-free in the process. When to Watch: If you’ve just taken on a leadership role. The many screenplay adaptations of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice through the decades have made Elizabeth Bennet’s wit, charm, and tenacity come alive for generations of women, though we may be partial to Keira Knightley’s 2005 performance. Uma Thurman plays the Bride in this Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill series, who vows revenge on a team of assassins—featuring Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Just ask Sarah Connor how many cyborgs she’s terminated. Don’t think that a chick can save the day? Bianca wants to go to parties and date the most popular guy in school, but their overprotective dad makes a rule that Bianca can’t do any of that until Kat joins in. The best thing about Ellen Ripley’s character (played by Sigourney Weaver) in the Aliens franchise is that she was never out for the audience’s approval. When to Watch: If you’re dealing with some family drama. We salute the many awesome fictional heroines with this list. In the original film, Ellen is on a spaceship called Nostromo when she and her crew are awakened by a mysterious transmission. With Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep, as the so-called devil in the movie's title, it can be a challenge to see her as anything other than a villain at first. From the courtroom to the battleground, these are the most kickass, badass, not to be messed with, female characters on the silver screen, the small screen, and the pages of great literature. 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