The Best Actresses in Film History

The best actresses ever are ranked here in this list of the best actresses in film history. These are the greatest actresses ever to appear on the silver screen - female only (to vote on both genders, check out this list of the greatest film actors and actresses). These women were part of some of the greatest movies of all time (or were perhaps the reason they were the best movies ever), with countless Academy Awards between them.

What are the qualities of the best actresses of all time? Is it the raw emotion they show, the parts they choose, their acting methods, or simply their effortless charm and charisma? There's no denying some of these amazing actresses belong on the list of the hottest celebrities of all time, but behind the 1000 watt smiles lies the talent that defines generations of actresses.

Who is the best actor of all time? Is it a classic actor like Katharine Hepburn, a comedic genius like Tina Fey, a stunner like Catherine Zeta-Jones, or a method actor like Meryl Streep? There are so many choices for the greatest movie actress ever that you may have a hard time choosing just one (although you can vote for as many of the actresses on this list of the greatest actresses ever as you want). If your favorite leading lady isn't on the list, make sure to add her so others can vote for her to receive the title of best actress in film history.

list ordered by

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actresses The Best Actresses in Film History

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1 9,384 7,084 Meryl Streep Sophie's Choice, Kramer vs. Kramer, Out of Africa

2 5,876 5,030 Cate Blanchett Blue Jasmine, Elizabeth, The Aviator

3 4,126 3,101 Thornapple added katherine hepburn Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, The African Queen

4 7,786 4,275 Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady, Roman Holiday

5 5,193 3,414 Vivien Leigh Gone with the Wind, A Streetcar Named Desire, Ship of Fools

6 5,557 3,582 Bette Davis All About Eve, P.S. I Love You, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

7 4,749 3,136 Judi Dench Philomena, Notes on a Scandal, Shakespeare in Love

8 4,915 3,378 Helen Mirren The Queen, Gosford Park, The Last Station

9 4,608 2,978 Maggie Smith California Suite, Gosford Park, A Room with a View

10 4,813 3,365 Ingrid Bergman Casablanca, Notorious, Cinema Paradiso

11 4,788 3,774 Elizabeth Taylor Cleopatra, National Velvet, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

12 4,768 4,254 Jodie Foster The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver, The Accused

13 5,040 3,632 Kate Winslet The Reader, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Titanic

14 4,148 2,704 Kathy Bates Misery, About Schmidt, Fried Green Tomatoes

15 3,917 3,039 Emma Thompson Sense and Sensibility, Howards End, The Remains of the Day

16 3,793 3,150 Susan Sarandon Dead Man Walking, The Client, Thelma & Louise

17 4,315 2,625 Julie Andrews The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Thoroughly Modern Millie

18 3,799 3,242 Glenn Close Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, Albert Nobbs

19 3,603 2,343 Sally Field Steel Magnolias, Norma Rae, Forrest Gump

20 3,319 2,468 Jessica Lange Blue Sky, Tootsie, King Kong

21 3,851 2,857 Julianne Moore Still Alice, The End of the Affair, Boogie Nights

22 3,143 2,682 Sigourney Weaver Aliens, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl

23 3,543 2,631 Helena Bonham Carter Fight Club, The King's Speech, The Wings of the Dove

24 2,679 2,155 Shirley MacLaine Terms of Endearment, The Apartment, The Turning Point

25 2,719 2,409 Sophia Loren Two Women, Marriage Italian-Style, It Started in Naples

26 2,097 1,608 Frances McDormand Fargo, Mississippi Burning, North Country

27 3,724 3,045 Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich, Pretty Woman, Steel Magnolias

28 4,178 2,946 Sandra Bullock The Blind Side, Gravity, Speed

29 3,039 2,595 Lauren Bacall The Big Sleep, To Have and Have Not, The Mirror Has Two Faces

30 3,554 2,774 Michelle Pfeiffer The Fabulous Baker Boys, Scarface, Dangerous Liaisons

31 3,139 2,138 Judy Garland The Wizard of Oz, Judgment at Nuremberg, A Star Is Born

32 2,874 2,007 Amy Adams American Hustle, The Master, Doubt

33 2,325 1,937 Sissy Spacek Carrie, Coal Miner's Daughter, In the Bedroom

34 3,168 2,241 Nicole Kidman The Hours, Moulin Rouge!, Rabbit Hole

35 3,262 2,663 Grace Kelly Rear Window, High Noon, Dial M for Murder

36 2,885 2,231 Joan Crawford Mildred Pierce, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Four Walls

37 2,792 1,829 Diane Keaton Annie Hall, Marvin's Room, Reds

38 1,860 1,369 Viola Davis The Help, Traffic, Out of Sight

39 1,844 1,724 Annette Bening American Beauty, The Grifters, Being Julia

40 2,386 2,015 Natalie Wood West Side Story, The Searchers, Rebel Without a Cause

41 1,985 1,500 Diane Lane Unfaithful, Rumble Fish, A Walk on the Moon

42 2,566 1,988 Olivia de Havilland The Heiress, Gone with the Wind, To Each His Own

43 1,933 1,846 Jennifer Connelly A Beautiful Mind, Requiem for a Dream, House of Sand and Fog

44 1,908 1,796 Rachel Weisz The Constant Gardener, The Deep Blue Sea, About a Boy

45 1,955 2,364 Jane Fonda Klute, Coming Home, The China Syndrome

46 1,357 673 FranciscodeSouza added Lucille Ball All the Right Moves, Top Hat, Stage Door

47 3,969 3,669 Charlize Theron Monster, North Country, Young Adult

48 1,905 1,642 Rachel McAdams Mean Girls, The Notebook, Wedding Crashers

49 2,401 1,864 Anne Bancroft The Miracle Worker, The Graduate, The Turning Point

50 2,228 2,159 Rita Hayworth Gilda, Circus World, The Lady from Shanghai

806 0 0

1
9,384 7,084

Meryl Streep Sophie's Choice, Kramer vs. Kramer, Out of Africa

2
5,876 5,030

Cate Blanchett Blue Jasmine, Elizabeth, The Aviator

3
4,126 3,101

Thornapple added katherine hepburn Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, The African Queen

4
7,786 4,275

Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady, Roman Holiday

5
5,193 3,414

Vivien Leigh Gone with the Wind, A Streetcar Named Desire, Ship of Fools

6
5,557 3,582

Bette Davis All About Eve, P.S. I Love You, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

7
4,749 3,136

Judi Dench Philomena, Notes on a Scandal, Shakespeare in Love

8
4,915 3,378

Helen Mirren The Queen, Gosford Park, The Last Station

9
4,608 2,978

Maggie Smith California Suite, Gosford Park, A Room with a View

10
4,813 3,365

Ingrid Bergman Casablanca, Notorious, Cinema Paradiso

11
4,788 3,774

Elizabeth Taylor Cleopatra, National Velvet, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

12
4,768 4,254

Jodie Foster The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver, The Accused

13
5,040 3,632

Kate Winslet The Reader, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Titanic

14
4,148 2,704

Kathy Bates Misery, About Schmidt, Fried Green Tomatoes

15
3,917 3,039

Emma Thompson Sense and Sensibility, Howards End, The Remains of the Day

16
3,793 3,150

Susan Sarandon Dead Man Walking, The Client, Thelma & Louise

17
4,315 2,625

Julie Andrews The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Thoroughly Modern Millie

18
3,799 3,242

Glenn Close Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons, Albert Nobbs

19
3,603 2,343

Sally Field Steel Magnolias, Norma Rae, Forrest Gump

20
3,319 2,468

Jessica Lange Blue Sky, Tootsie, King Kong

21
3,851 2,857

Julianne Moore Still Alice, The End of the Affair, Boogie Nights

22
3,143 2,682

Sigourney Weaver Aliens, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl

23
3,543 2,631

Helena Bonham Carter Fight Club, The King's Speech, The Wings of the Dove

24
2,679 2,155

Shirley MacLaine Terms of Endearment, The Apartment, The Turning Point

25
2,719 2,409

Sophia Loren Two Women, Marriage Italian-Style, It Started in Naples

26
2,097 1,608

Frances McDormand Fargo, Mississippi Burning, North Country

27
3,724 3,045

Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich, Pretty Woman, Steel Magnolias

28
4,178 2,946

Sandra Bullock The Blind Side, Gravity, Speed

29
3,039 2,595

Lauren Bacall The Big Sleep, To Have and Have Not, The Mirror Has Two Faces

30
3,554 2,774

Michelle Pfeiffer The Fabulous Baker Boys, Scarface, Dangerous Liaisons

31
3,139 2,138

Judy Garland The Wizard of Oz, Judgment at Nuremberg, A Star Is Born

32
2,874 2,007

Amy Adams American Hustle, The Master, Doubt

33
2,325 1,937

Sissy Spacek Carrie, Coal Miner's Daughter, In the Bedroom

34
3,168 2,241

Nicole Kidman The Hours, Moulin Rouge!, Rabbit Hole

35
3,262 2,663

Grace Kelly Rear Window, High Noon, Dial M for Murder

36
2,885 2,231

Joan Crawford Mildred Pierce, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Four Walls

37
2,792 1,829

Diane Keaton Annie Hall, Marvin's Room, Reds

38
1,860 1,369

Viola Davis The Help, Traffic, Out of Sight

39
1,844 1,724

Annette Bening American Beauty, The Grifters, Being Julia

40
2,386 2,015

Natalie Wood West Side Story, The Searchers, Rebel Without a Cause

41
1,985 1,500

Diane Lane Unfaithful, Rumble Fish, A Walk on the Moon

42
2,566 1,988

Olivia de Havilland The Heiress, Gone with the Wind, To Each His Own

43
1,933 1,846

Jennifer Connelly A Beautiful Mind, Requiem for a Dream, House of Sand and Fog

44
1,908 1,796

Rachel Weisz The Constant Gardener, The Deep Blue Sea, About a Boy

45
1,955 2,364

Jane Fonda Klute, Coming Home, The China Syndrome

46
1,357 673

FranciscodeSouza added Lucille Ball All the Right Moves, Top Hat, Stage Door

47
3,969 3,669

Charlize Theron Monster, North Country, Young Adult

48
1,905 1,642

Rachel McAdams Mean Girls, The Notebook, Wedding Crashers

49
2,401 1,864

Anne Bancroft The Miracle Worker, The Graduate, The Turning Point

50
2,228 2,159

Rita Hayworth Gilda, Circus World, The Lady from Shanghai

806
0 0