Movie fans can find some of the best actresses of all time just by looking at the Oscar nominations of the last 20 years. Some of these actresses are veterans who have been nominated over several decades.
Others are people who have appeared more frequently in the last ten years, earning multiple nominations for film’s most coveted award.
Next, check out a list of the best actresses of all time who made some of the most memorable and acclaimed performances in television and film.
20 best actresses of all time
1. Meryl Streep
The movie legend himself, Meryl Streep has won three Oscars, nine Golden Globes, three Emmys and two BAFTAs. In recent years, she has earned multiple Best Supporting Actress nominations for her role as Mary Louise Wright in Big Little Lies.
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One of the most iconic artists over 50, she is certainly one of the best actresses of all time.
2. Katharine Hepburn
Voted by the American Film Institute as the greatest female star of all time, Katharine Hepburn is the most Oscar-winning actress in history — Morning Glory (1933), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1968), The Lion in Winter (1969) and On Golden Pond (1981) — and collects other important awards such as Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Bear.
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In addition, during her long career, which spanned six decades, the actress became known for playing characters that embody the transformation of the role of women.
3. Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie has had an incredibly successful career since her standout performance, at the incredibly young age of 23, in The Wolf of Wall Streetby Martin Scorsese, acting opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.
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She’s been unstoppable ever since, landing some of Hollywood’s most sought-after roles and working with legendary directors like Quentin Tarantino, James Gunn and Jay Roach. Fans often cite DC superhero Harley Quinn as Robbie’s best role.
4. Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart achieved global stardom through “The Twilight Saga”, which is one of the highest grossing franchises of all time.
After starring in the fantasy film “Snow White and the Huntsman,” she took on roles in independent films for a few years before returning to blockbusters with Charlie’s Angels in 2019.
Furthermore, her portrayal of Princess Diana in “Spencer” earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 2022.
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5. Fernanda Montenegro
Established on stage and on Brazilian television, Fernanda Montenegro made her screen debut in A Falecida (1964), by Leon Hirszman, an adaptation of the homonymous play by Nelson Rodrigues.
With six decades of career, she was the first — and still the only — Latin American actress to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress (Central do Brasil) -, and the first Brazilian actress to win an Emmy (Doce de Mãe).
In addition, the film Amor in the Times of Cholera (2007), based on the novel by Gabriel García Márquez, marks his Hollywood debut.
6. Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman is one of the highest paid actresses and one of the most decorated. She starred in successful films like “Batman Forever”, “To Die For”, “Eyes Wide Shut” and “The Hours”, for which she won an Oscar in 2003.
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She received nominations for her roles in “Moulin Rouge”, “Rabbit Hole” and “Lion”. Her most recent Oscar nomination is for her performance as Lucille Ball in “Introducing the Ricardos.”
7. Marlene Dietrich
Josef von Sternberg’s muse, Marlene Dietrich began her career in the silent film era. Elected by the AFI as the tenth greatest female movie legend, the German actress rose to stardom in 1930 as cabaret dancer Lola Lola in the classic The Blue Angel, which made her famous in the US.
Indeed, she was nominated for an Oscar for Morocco (1930) and a Golden Globe for Witness to the Persecution (1957).
8. Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith is a legendary British actress who is best known for her iconic role as the Professor Minerva McGonagall in seven of the eight Harry Potter films. Thus, the actress is also famous for her performances in classics such as Downton Abbey, A Room With A View and The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.
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9. Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet is a legendary dramatic and comedic actress who has the talent and scope for any type of role she wants. By the way, who doesn’t remember her in James Cameron’s classic Titanic?
In addition to co-starring with Leonardo DiCaprio in Sam Mendes’ romantic drama It Was A Dream, Winslet recently starred in the critically acclaimed HBO limited series Mare Of Easttown in the titular role of Detective Mare Sheehan.
10. Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett is an incredibly talented actress. Her roles range from big-budget Marvel action movies to small indie dramas from acclaimed filmmakers.
No matter what genre Blanchett is working on, she always surrounds herself with very talented collaborators, as has worked with some of the best filmmakers in the industry, including Martin Scorsese, Terrence Malick and Guillermo Del Toro.
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Blanchett is slated to star in the highly anticipated action movie Borderlands, an adaptation of a video game of the same name.
11. Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren is another incredibly talented British actress who is best known for her prolific work in action films. Along with her respected work on action movies like Red and the Fast & Furious franchise, she’s also is a very talented actress starring in films like The Queen and Hitchcock.
12. Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh was immortalized as the fearless Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind (1939) and, later, as the tragic Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Furthermore, Leigh and her husband Laurence Olivier (Hamlet) formed the most famous couple of Shakespearean actors on the English stage. In cinema, they split the scene in Fire Over England (1937), 21 Days Together (1940) and That Hamilton Woman (1941).
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13. Charlize Theron
After winning an Oscar as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in “Monster” in 2003, Charlize Theron was in several studio hits, such as “The Italian Job”, “Snow White and the Huntsman” and “Mad Max: Fury Road”. “, between others.
In 2020, she received critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination. playing news anchor Megyn Kelly on “Bombshell”.
14. Sandra Bullock
Sandra Bullock’s breakthrough was in the action thriller “Speed” in 1994, and she has been a box office attraction ever since.
As one of the best actresses of all time, she starred in hit movies like “While You Were Sleeping”, “A Time to Kill”, “Miss Congeniality”, “Ocean’s 8” and won an Oscar for Best Actress for “The Blind Side”. ” in 2010.
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She was nominated again in 2014 for the space thriller “Gravity”, which was his highest-grossing live-action film to date and starred in “Bird Box” for Netflix, which was seen by 26 million viewers in its first week alone.
15. Jennifer Lawrence
As one of Hollywood’s most popular actresses, Jennifer Lawrence Can Earn About $15 Million From Films big budget like “Operation Red Sparrow”, for example.
Lawrence’s “The Hunger Games” franchise has grossed $2.96 billion worldwide, with other films such as the current “X-Men” franchise, “American Hustle” and “Silver Linings Playbook” contributing to its worldwide revenues.
16. Keira Knightley
Known primarily for her roles in period dramas, Keira Knightley has become a major box office attraction in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.
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She was seen in the iconic romantic comedy “Begin Again” as well as “Pride and Prejudice”, “Atonement” and “Anna Karenina”. Her turn as Joan Clarke in “The Imitation Game” earned her an Oscar nomination. Therefore, she is also one of the best actresses of all time.
17. Danai Gurira
Danai Gurira became known to the public through the series “Walking Dead”, but it’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe that made her one of the best actresses of all time. Furthermore, she starred in “Black Panther”, “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame”.
18. Tilda Swinton
One of the best and most versatile actresses, Tilda Swinton has appeared in at least 60 movies.. His biggest success is “Avengers: Endgame”, with “The Chronicles of Narnia”, “Doctor Strange”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, “Constantine” and “Vanilla Sky” being Swinton’s other highest-grossing films.
19. Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts has appeared in over 45 films, and the movie that made her famous, “Pretty Woman”, It’s still his biggest box office. The 1990 classic grossed $463 million worldwide and made Roberts a household name. His other big hits include “Ocean’s Eleven”, “Ocean’s Twelve”, “Notting Hill”, “Runaway Bride” and “Hook”.
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20. Emma Watson
Ultimately, Emma Watson has only made 19 movies so far, but half of them have been mega-blockbusters. Her role as Hermione Granger in eight “Harry Potter” films grossed over $7.7 billion worldwide, while starring in the role of Belle in the 2017 film “Beauty and the Beast” grossed over $1.2 billion.
Therefore, despite her young age, she is also seen as one of the best actresses of all time.
Sources: Revista Bula, IMBD, Videoperola
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