Have you ever turned off a film or TV show half-way through because you just couldn’t stand the writing? Maybe there were far too many car chases, or the dialogue spoken by doctors was extremely unrealistic. Or perhaps, the way the female characters were written was painfully cringey.
I’m not sure why it’s so difficult for writers to craft complex female protagonists with depth, but apparently it is, because well-written leading women aren't always easy to find. But if you’re looking for something to watch that features a character you’ll actually love, we’ve got your back. Redditors have recently been discussing their favorite strong female leads from the screen, so we’ve got a list celebrating them all below. Enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the characters that you’re a huge fan of too!
#21
I'm not overly fond of the movie overall, but Emma Thompson's character in Love Actually.
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73points
#23
Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) in Fringe is my go to example of a strong female protagonist.
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63points
#26
Geena Davis as Samantha Caine in The Long Kiss Goodnight.
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59points
#29
Offbeat choice, but Helen Hunt's character Carol in As Good As It Gets. She deals with all the c**p life has handed her, constantly cares for her son, deals with a horribly difficult man, and manages to maintain her sunshine and cheer in the face of it all. She lays down strict boundaries and gets right in Melvin's face when he crosses the line. She doesn't allow herself to get pushed around, but she doesn't retreat into being a bully either. She's amazingly patient and loving, and I love her.
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52points
#31
Chrisjen Avasarala (The Expanse) - intelligent and ambitious, unapologetic, but also capable of personal reflection and growth.
AYASOFAYA:
[Chrisjen Avasarala (The Expanse)] Yeah all of the women in that show were good, but Avasarala is a good example of how to do this without making her physically strong as a trope.
YNot1989:
Chrisjen Avasarala and Bobby Draper.
AYASOFAYA:
[Chrisjen Avasarala (The Expanse)] Yeah all of the women in that show were good, but Avasarala is a good example of how to do this without making her physically strong as a trope.
YNot1989:
Chrisjen Avasarala and Bobby Draper.
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49points
#32
Furiosa from *Mad Max: Fury Road*—she doesn’t need a tragic backstory speech or a romantic subplot to prove her worth. She just drives into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, kicks a*s, and liberates people while rocking a metal arm like it’s no big deal. That’s the kind of energy I aspire to bring when I tackle my inbox on a Monday morning.
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49points
#36
Chihiro in Spirited Away… she starts out as a scared little girl who needs protection from those around her to becoming someone who, through her own decisions and courage, finds clever ways to protect herself and her loved ones.
FlightlessGriffin:
There's a reason Spirited Away claimed the No. 1 spot as the highest grossing Anime of all time. Chihiro was a great protagonist. Maybe not what OP is looking for considering Chihiro is just a little girl but she's worth mentioning.
If we're mentioning Anime, any Miyazaki film does this in spades. Nausicca: Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle (Sophie is amazing in that) and I should give an honorable mention to Princess Mononoke.
Edit: I said honorable mention as a response to the comment. I didn't want to hijack theirs by saying my own pick, so I passed it off as honorable. Princess Mononoke was my individual pick as a response to OP.
FlightlessGriffin:
There's a reason Spirited Away claimed the No. 1 spot as the highest grossing Anime of all time. Chihiro was a great protagonist. Maybe not what OP is looking for considering Chihiro is just a little girl but she's worth mentioning.
If we're mentioning Anime, any Miyazaki film does this in spades. Nausicca: Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle (Sophie is amazing in that) and I should give an honorable mention to Princess Mononoke.
Edit: I said honorable mention as a response to the comment. I didn't want to hijack theirs by saying my own pick, so I passed it off as honorable. Princess Mononoke was my individual pick as a response to OP.
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44points
#37
Charlize Theron in anything.
Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, Old Guard, etc.
Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, Old Guard, etc.
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44points
#39
Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility (1995). So strong, charming and thoughtful. What a lovely person.
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40points
