20 iconic women who made movie history
- Women are making history both on and off-screen.
- From first-time wins to fighting for equal pay, women are helping lead changes in representation.
- In 2024, Lily Gladstone became the first Indigenous woman to win best actress at the Golden Globes.
Even after historic Academy Awards wins, actresses like Hattie McDaniel, Rita Moreno, and Miyoshi Umeki were left with stereotypical roles like maids and submissive housewives, demonstrating how even those at the top of their game could be relegated to caricatures.
And decades later, actresses like Octavia Spencer have had to speak on the same topic, as well as the issue of pay equality, not only in relation to male co-stars but to white actresses, too.
Despite the issues that persist in the industry, there's undeniably been great progress. Just look at stars like Michelle Yeoh and Lily Gladstone and the success of female-led and female-made movies like "Barbie," which smashed box-office records when it was released in 2023 and brought in more than $1.4 billion in global ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo data.
This Women's History Month, here's a look at 20 iconic women who've made movie history and continue inspiring younger generations to do the same.
