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 (for the co-ed list, check out 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. Women like Meryl Streep and Ingrid Bergman are some of the most famous actresses of all time.
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 their 1000 watt smiles is the talent that defines generations of actresses.
Who is the best actor of all time? There are so many choices for the greatest movie actress ever that you don't have to limit yourself to voting for just one! Vote up your favorite famous movie actresses below, and then check back to see how your top actresses ranked!
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Roman Holiday (1954)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Roman Holiday (1954) and Henrietta Award for World Film Favorite Female (1955)
Winner of the Cecil B DeMille Award (1990)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Morning Glory (1934), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1968), The Lion in Winter (1969) and On Golden Pond (1982)
Nominated for Best Actress Golden Globe for Pat and Mike (1953), The Rainmaker (1957), Suddenly, Last Summer (1960), Long Day's Journey Into Night (1963), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1968), The Lion in Winter (1969), On Golden Pond (1982), and The Man Upstairs (1993)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and Best Actress Oscar for Sophie's Choice (1983) and The Iron Lady (2012)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for Kramer vs. Kramer (1980) and Adaptation. (2003) and Best Actress Golden Globe for The French Lieutenant's Woman (1982), Sophie's Choice (1983), Angels in America (2004), The Devil Wears Prada (2007), Julie & Julia (2010), and The Iron Lady (2012)
Winner of the Cecil B. DeMille Award (2017)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for The Reader (2009)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for The Reader (2009) and Steve Jobs (2016) and Best Actress Golden Globe for Revolutionary Road (2009)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Mary Poppins (1965)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Mary Poppins (1965), The Sound of Music (1966), and Victor Victoria (1983) and World Film Favorite Female Golden Globe (1967, 1968)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Monster (2004)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Monster (2004)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1970) and Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Califorina Suite (1979)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for California Suite (1979) and Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for A Room with a View (1987)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Gaslight (1945) and Anastasia (1957) and Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Murder on the Orient Express (1975)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Gaslight (1945), The Bells of St. Mary's (1946), and Anastasia (1957)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for The Queen (2007)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for The Queen (2007)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Shakespeare in Love (1999)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Mrs Brown (1998)
Nominated for Best Actress Oscar for The Wings of the Dove (1998) and Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The King's Speech (2011)
Nominated for Best Actress Golden Globe for The Wings of the Dove (1998) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2008) and Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for The King's Speech (2011)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Aviator (2005) and Best Actress Oscar for Blue Jasmine (2014)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Elizabeth (1999) and Blue Jasmine (2014) and Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for I'm Not There (2008)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for The Accused (1989) and The Silence of the Lambs (1992)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for The Accused (1989) and Silence of the Lambs (1992) and Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for The Mauritanian (2021)
Winner of the Cecil B. DeMille Award (2013)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for The Country Girl (1955)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for Mogambo (1954), Best Actress Golden Globe for The Country Girl (1955), and World Film Favorite Female Golden Globe (1956)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Black Swan (2011)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for Closer (2005) and Best Actress Golden Globe for Black Swan (2011)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Misery (1991)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Misery (1991)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Fences (2017)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for Fences (2017)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for The Blind Side (2010)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for The Blind Side (2010)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Howards End (1993)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Howards End (1993)
Nominated for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for The Devil Wears Prada (2007) and Best Actress Golden Globe for The Young Victoria (2010), Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2013), Into the Woods (2015), and Mary Poppins Returns (2019)
Nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Dangerous Liaisons (1989) and Best Actress Oscar for The Fabulous Baker Boys (1990) and Love Field (1993)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for The Fabulous Baker Boys (1990)
Nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscar for The Mirror Has Two Faces (1997)
Won for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for The Mirror Has Two Faces (1997)
Winner of the Cecil B. DeMille Award (1993)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Norma Rae (1980) and Places in the Heart (1985)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Norma Rae (1980) and Places in the Heart (1985)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for Still Alice (2015)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for Still Alice (2015)
Won for Best Actress Oscar for The Hours (2003)
Won for Best Actress Golden Globe for To Die For (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2002), and The Hours (2003)
