By Dustin Clendenen.
Sexism in Hollywood has attracted major attention in recent years, as trends like the lack of female directors behind the camera and unequal pay of men and women gain more traction among the public. Though Tinseltown has a long way to go before it starts treating women and men equally, some actresses have managed to navigate a challenging landscape, landing long-lasting fame along the way.
The celebrity experts at PrettyFamous, a division of the Graphiq network, created a list of the most famous actresses in the world based on each woman’s Actor Score, which considers the number of Wikipedia page views over the past 30 days, total number of award nominations and how many reviews have been posted of the movies and TV shows they’ve starred in. Women famous primarily for music were excluded from the list — apologies to Beyoncé, Rihanna and Taylor Swift.
It should be noted that unlike the actors featured in the sibling article, The Most Famous Actors, none of the women on this list achieved a PrettyFamous score of 100, possibly due to women receiving fewer award nominations and roles than men.
Note: Ties were broken based on the actress with the most 30-day Wikipedia page views.
#10. Charlize Theron
Theron is well-known for going back and forth between glamorous blockbusters that show off her beauty (like “Aeon Flux” or “The Italian Job”) and dramatic roles that completely transform her, like “Monster,” for which she gained over 40 pounds. Her dedication to her craft and characters paid off in 2003 when she won the Oscar for best actress for her transcendent work in “Monster.”
#9. Anne Hathaway
Actor Score: 95.3
Hathaway became a staple of ‘90s nostalgia for her work in “The Princess Diaries,” which likely helped draw a huge audience to the hit “The Devil Wears Prada.” Hathaway finally earned A-list recognition for her work in the silver screen adaptation of “Les Miserables.” She recently played the famous Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”
#8. Scarlett Johansson
Twice named Esquire’s sexiest woman alive, Johansson has had an impressive career in Hollywood blockbusters and dramatic character studies. She currently plays Black Widow in the Marvel cinematic universe, and has been nominated for four Golden Globe awards for her work in dramas like “Lost in Translation” and “Girl With a Pearl Earring.”
#7. Cameron Diaz
Actor Score: 95.7
Diaz has been incredibly prolific in rom-coms, comedies and even action films, first gaining notoriety as the titular character in “There’s Something About Mary,” and later with the lead in the big-screen “Charlie’s Angels” reboot.
#6. Jennifer Aniston
Onscreen, Aniston is best known as Rachel from “Friends,” but despite her comedy roots, Aniston has starred in a number of indie dramas like “Cake” and “The Good Girl.”
#5. Sally Field
Actor Score: 96.7
When Field won her second Oscar, she famously gushed, “You like me!” And it’s proven true. Field has had an impressive career in drama and comedies alike, best known for her work in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Forrest Gump” and “Lincoln,” as well as the primetime drama “Brothers and Sisters.”
#4. Amy Adams
Adams has been in a number of high-profile roles and nominated for Oscars for her work in “American Hustle,” “The Master,” “The Fighter” and “Doubt.” She’s currently playing the legendary Lois Lane in the DC cinematic universe.
#3. Angelina Jolie
Actor Score: 97
From Hollywood rebel to revered humanitarian, Jolie has transcended every label attached to her. When she became a blockbuster vixen in movies like “Tomb Raider” and “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” she proved herself to be a dramatic powerhouse in “Changeling” and “A Mighty Heart.” Lately, she’s found herself behind the camera as a director.
#2. Meryl Streep
One of the most critically-acclaimed actresses of our time, Streep has a reputation for knocking every role she holds out of the park. Despite her history and a stunning 19 Academy Award nominations, Streep has only taken home three Oscars.
#1. Jennifer Lawrence
Actor Score: 98.3
The young “J-Law” has proven herself to be a true media powerhouse, holding down blockbuster franchises like “The X-Men” and “The Hunger Games” as well as indie dramas like “Silver Linings Playbook,” for which she won an Oscar.
Explore More Celebrities on PrettyFamous
We hope you're enjoying BRWC. You should check us out on our social channels, subscribe to our newsletter, and tell your friends. BRWC is short for battleroyalewithcheese.
Pingback:Miss Americana: The BRWC Review | film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC 31st January 2020
Pingback:The Last Thing He Wanted: The BRWC Review | film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC 23rd February 2020
Pingback:Champions COMP! - film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC 20th May 2023