In honour of International Women’s Day here are 12 badass female characters, who are also some of the most iconic, memorable, respected, and beloved characters in film history. So, let’s honour and celebrate with these inspiring and powerful women who prove women can do anything they put their minds to. Influential, strong and complex female characters shouldn’t be a rarity.
We all know that Hollywood has an inclusion problem. Women are among those who are vastly underrepresented in Hollywood. It’s seldom a film offers a strong and interesting female character, they are often confined to the love interest, or the mother, or best friend, or sister, or wife. Women need to be included in every part of filmmaking, there has to be a balance – it’s vital. Not only will it promote equality, but women can offer new narratives and perspectives.
1. Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley
(Alien franchise)
Why not start off with (probably) the most badass and memorable character on the list. If Alien taught us anything it was 1) Xenomorphs are freaking terrifying and you don’t want them inside of you and 2) Ellen Ripley is equally terrifying and a supreme badass.
2. Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor
(The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day)
Another iconic character, played by another awesome woman namely Linda Hamilton. Not only did this epic mom manage to hold down a job, provide for and take care of her child – she also saved, you know, all of mankind.
3. Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa
(Mad Max: Fury Road)
Much of last year’s Mad Max: Fury Road success was down to Charlize Theron’s emotionally powerful and fierce performance which completely stole the show, and now has everyone dying for a sequel. We crave more Furiosa.
4. Michelle Yeoh as Yu Shu Lien
(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Yes I know, the film is famous for having two extremely remarkable warriors (the other is played by the awesome Ziyi Zhang), and is also famous for one hell of an epic and highly technical fight scene. But the warrior that comes out on top gets first dibs on this list.
5. Uma Thurman as The Bride
(Kill Bill franchise)
The list wouldn’t have been complete without one of modern cinema’s most memorable characters. Not only is the Bride a trained assassin, she’s a master at knife fighting, samurai swords, and hand-to-hand combat. Wow. Now, that’s one woman I wouldn’t want to mess with, especially when she’s on a revenge streak.
6. Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz
(Fast and Furious franchise)
Michelle Rodriguez is badass. In the Fast and Furious films Letty proves over and over again what a resourceful and badass woman she is, delivering ass-kicking after ass-kicking – proving that she is just as capable – if not even more so – as Vin Diesel.
7. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
(Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Watching Natasha evolve and continuously kick ass has been one of the most rewarding aspects of Avengers and all the other Marvel films she has blessed with her presence. Who needs superheroes when you’ve got a fully capable and skilled master spy like ScarJo?
8. Zoe Saldana as Uhura
(Star Trek franchise)
Zoe Saldana is no stranger to tough no-nonsense characters so it was a little hard deciding on what epic character to pick, she was the star of the badass Colombiana and stole the show in Avatar, and her character in Guardians of the Galaxy is another epic character. In Star Trek Saldana is really given the opportunity to shine and showcase her talents. Lieutenant Uhura is the USS Enterprise’s resident communications specialist/genius/all-around badass.
9. Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen
(Hunger Games franchise)
The inimitable Katniss Everdeen is not only the face of the revolution, she is its frontline and she will stop at nothing to rescue Panem from tyranny. Equipped with self-taught survival skills, bow and arrow, and incredible aim – Katniss is not someone you want to go head to head with.
10. Noomi Rapace/Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander
(Millennium franchise)
Rebellious, complex and talented, Lisbeth Salander, hacker-turned crimefighter is one of modern literature’s and film’s most compelling and badass characters – and she’s certainly not someone you want to mess with – just ask the men she encounters along the way.
11. Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne
(Gone Girl)
Amazing Amy is indeed utterly amazing. What a treat Gone Girl was. Amy was the female character we had all been waiting for, were ready for, and needed. We were finally offered a dark, complex, intelligent and manipulative female character whose dark unflattering parts were celebrated and explored in equal measure. Gone Girl completely ripped apart and reinvented “the blonde bombshell”. It’s hard not to admire as well as fear Amy.
12. Daisy Ridley as Rey
(Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
Finn, will you stop holding her hand? She is fully capable of running and taking care of herself. Sorry BB-8 (I love you), but Rey was the real star of the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and she held her own alongside the likes of Han Solo and Kylo Ren. Rey’s power, humour, skills, doubts, struggles and eagerness made her the unexpected feminist hero of 2015.
#Peace.Love.BadassWomen
