Hollywood is known for its glitzy and glamorous flamboyance. From its inception, we’ve been awarded a culmination of art and communication that has completely transformed and altered the course of what cinema means for the world. From the early days of Edwin S. Porter to the current likes of Christopher Nolan — Hollywood has changed a lot. What has remained evergreen throughout, however, have been the actresses and their enigmatic, neverending talent. They’ve transformed, sure, but their inclusion in Hollywood films has ignited a fire of inspiration within us all. Let us look at the list of Hollywood actresses who are regarded worldwide for their efforts. 

1. Meryl Streep

Born in the year 1949, in the city of Summit, New Jersey, Meryl Streep is regarded by many critics as the best actress working today. She has been nominated for the Academy Award an incredible 21 times and has won it three times. There haven’t been many bad reviews of Meryl Streep or about her works in the history of film criticism. Film critics have absolutely adored her presence on the big screen. Many have come to the conclusion that Streep is a fantastic performer, which she rightfully is. Meryl produced a streak of critically acclaimed performances over the course of her career in outstanding movies like: 

• Silkwood
• Out of Africa 
• Ironweed 
• A Cry in the Dark 
• The Bridges of Madison County
• Marvin’s Room 

She is a perfectionist in her craft and is known for painstakingly and meticulously preparing for her roles. She’s, hence, regarded as one of the most hard-working actresses ever. Although history has seen many excellent female character performers, there aren’t many of them who can support an entire movie. One of the few out of so many is Streep, as her legacy is the most noteworthy of all. 

2. Katharine Hepburn

Hepburn was one the best in Hollywood for over 60 years. She cultivated a persona for the film that was consistent with her public persona by frequently portraying intelligent, independent women. She has been credited for 52 movies during the course of her astounding 62-year-old career in the industry. Every performance Katherine Hepburn gave in her long career was enhanced by the excellence she exuded. It transcended any form of charisma we’ve seen on the big screen. 

Her popular works include, but are not limited to: 

• A Bill of Divorcement 
• Morning Glory 
• Little Women 
• Alice Adams  
• Desk Set 
• The African Queen 
• Last Summer 
• Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
• The Lion in Winter

3. Marilyn Monroe

Born on June 1, 1926, another magnificent  American actress was Marilyn Monroe. Her beguiling portrayal of the “sex symbol” trope in Hollywood movies made her one of the most enduringly recognizable individuals in history. The role that was assigned to her within the industry was a stereotype on its own; she made sure to own it. While her life was tragic, her legacy stays eternally embellished in the corners of everyone’s hearts. 

4. Sandra Bullock

Regarded as one of the very highest-paid actresses in the world, on the fourth position of our list, we have Sandra Bullock. Additionally, she has received numerous honors and accolades, one of them including the renowned Academy Award. With her versatile roles, she has made people laugh and cry at the same time. She has the capacity of making her audience feel something greater than life. 

5. Ingrid Bergman

One of the greatest actresses during Hollywood’s much highly regarded Golden Era was Ingrid Bergman. She went on to become one of the most renowned actors in American film history thanks to her incredible acting talent and natural, unpretentious attractiveness. 

Some of her notable works are:

• Intermezzo (1936) & (1939)
• Only One Night (1939)
• June Night (1940)
• For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), Gaslight (1944)
• Saratoga Trunk (1945)
• Stromboli (1950)
• Anastasia (1956) 
• Autumn Sonata (1978)

6. Angelina Jolie

She is a very well-known actress and humanitarian, while also being one of the most popular Hollywood celebrities. She has received stupendous appreciation for her forceful, action-packed, classic performances as well as for her charitable endeavors all over the world. For the majority of the women in our generation and others alike, Jolie serves as an immense inspiration. She is a brilliant performer, a creative thinker, and a motivated individual. She is a person of pure contrasts; she exudes flamboyance, while simultaneously being sensible. She fully commits to her acting duties as well as being the most versatile actress in the business. 

7. Scarlett Johansson

Johansson is one of the most well-liked,  attractive, celebrated, and well-paid actresses in the world. She began appearing in movies when she was just eight years old due to her passion for performing. Even back then, she was cast in movies, and she eventually appeared in movies like Lost in Translation, The Avengers, Marriage Story, and Hitchcock.

8. Jennifer Lawrence

You may know her for many reasons. The Oscars are one of them. One of Hollywood’s most accomplished, and well-liked, amazing actresses, she is renowned for giving outstanding performances in films like Joy, Passengers, Mother!, Don’t Look up, and The Hunger Games. The much-regarded actress had her acting debut as a teen on television and rose to fame with the TV series The Bill Engvall Show and the film The Poker House. She also supports numerous philanthropic initiatives on top of everything else. She’s also known for having a humorous side and is well-liked by film connoisseurs and the community alike. 

9. Emily Blunt 

Emily Blunt, one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actresses, has frequently been specified and identified as one of the world’s “Most Desirable” and “Sexiest” women. But this Hollywood actress, who was born in Britain, is much more than a pretty face. She is talent personified while being an A-list celebrity, and an absolute force to reckon with who initially captivated the audience’s affection and attention with her cold, classy portrayal, eccentric line delivery, and scene-stealing, show-stopping presence in the classic film The Devil Wears Prada. She has gone a long way since then and is enjoying her commercial and critical success.

10. Elizabeth Olsen

In well-known works like Wanda Vision and The Avengers series, Elizabeth Olsen played the extraordinary Scarlet Witch, otherwise known as Wanda Maximoff. For this, she received a tremendously great deal of admiration from the fans of MCU and the general public alike. She began her career as a young actress while engrossed in the art of ballet-dancing and singing courses at the same time. Elizabeth Olsen, a graduate of New York University, went on to become one of the most well-known actresses.

11. Zendaya

Zendaya is a very well-known singer and an acclaimed actor. She has also won several Emmys. She is most recognized for her role in the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up. She started her career as a runway model and has trained in several different dance styles. She has put out a few singles and one studio album in the course of her singing career. 

Zendaya proudly identifies as a feminist. She has also publicly shown her support for the BLM movement. Known for her quirky and humble nature, she’s among one the most popular Hollywood actresses. She’s revered especially for her roles in Euphoria as Rue and in Spiderman as Michelle Jones-Watson, or MJ. 

12. Anya Taylor-Joy

Anya Taylor-Joy is Argentine-British. With her work in the historical horror film “The Witch”, she achieved her first level of international fame. She only started modeling when she was 16 years old, and she has ballet dancing training as well. Her modeling experience paved the path for her acting career, and she quickly appeared in major roles in many movies and TV shows.

13. Shailene Woodley

At the tender age of four, she was already a child model, and when she turned eight, she became a television star. With The Spectacular Now, The Descendants, and primarily the Divergent film trilogy, she started working extremely early and quickly gained acclaim and fame. Later, she went on to get a great deal of praise and admiration for her work in the blockbuster film The Fault in Our Stars and the HBO series Big Little Lies. And to top it all off, this honoree actress is also an acclaimed environmental activist.

14. Anne Hathaway

One of the most well-liked actors in the world today, she is the happy recipient of many honors, including an Academy Award. She started performing when she was a very young adolescent in the early 2000s, known for playing princesses and the “sweet, naive girl” in her first movies. She was massively loved and appraised for those roles. 

As her career slowly developed, she began taking on increasingly varied, versatile tasks and roles in various films. She has voiced her advocacy for gender equality and wholeheartedly supports LGBTQA+ rights. While exuding philanthropic tendencies, she also proved how talented she is. 

15. Zoe Saldana

American actress Zoe Saldana is well-known for her roles in fantasy-adventure films, such as high-scale endeavors like Avatar, Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Endgame, and Avengers: Infinity War, all of which were massive blockbusters and international successes. In 2009, she made her appearance in Star Trek as the character Nyota Uhura. This is exactly what aided her popularity, as Saldana’s participation in a number of science fiction movies helped her break through professionally.

16. Emma Watson

Emma Watson is an actor, campaigner, and model from England. She originally rose to prominence as a young actor in the Harry Potter movie series, playing the adored Hermoine Granger, and she subsequently acquired recognition, popularity, and adoration. She was determined to finish college despite having a very demanding acting job. She earned her degree from Brown University. She is a fervent feminist who participates actively in any group that promotes the advancement of women.

17. Florence Pugh

While a relatively new figure in the industry, creating a storm in the industry with films like Midsommar, Little Women, and other notable features, Florence Pugh has created a place for herself in Hollywood and several people regard her as the newcomer who will forever transform the industry. Pugh seems willing to work within any notable genre. Every single one of her stellar performances raises the bar for the film’s quality. She’s landing herself various roles with ease, as she has established herself as one of the greatest, new and younger actresses. 

Conclusion

From this, we can see that the new-age actresses, the older ones, and the ones in the middle have all had a considerable contribution to the transformation of Hollywood, across genres and changes within the industry. These actresses are a commendable force.