The Greatest Female Villains

The best female villains include women whose roles are truly iconic and evil. Some of the greatest movie and television villains ever made this list. Whether it's a mentally unstable character who stalks her unsuspecting victim or a conniving, totally immoral villain who frames innocent people, this list includes all the big female villain names. It is, however, not complete, so please, feel free to add your favorite female TV and movie villains as well. Vote for the characters you think are the worst villains ever to grace the big or small screen.

What makes a great villain? A character that is morally bankrupt, complex, and tortured - and, more often than not, extremely well dressed. The female villains listed here certainly fit the mold. Some are evil to their very core, allowing heroes to emerge and shine as they (hopefully) triumph against them. A villain is nefarious, vile and generally bad. Many are guilty of criminal behavior, to say the least. Some make us love to hate them (that's a sure sign of a fantastic female villain). We cheer if and when they meet their untimely ends, because they deserved it!

In film, some of the best movie villains of all time are women. Need proof? How about bunny-boiler Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) in Fatal Attraction or mentally deranged "fan" Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) in Misery? Sharon Stone's portrayal of femme fatale Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct earns her a best female villain place on the list, as well as a top spot among the sexiest characters in thrillers.

Some actresses' best roles in movies or on TV shows came when they played villains. Rachel McAdams was unforgettably villainous as Regina George, aka Queen Bee, in Mean Girls. Helena Bonham Carter's played some interesting roles over the years, but none more wicked that Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter movies.

From the psycho exes to the stalkers and the femme fatales, enjoy this list of the best female villains in movies and television, and feel free to rerank it your way, too.