Role models
Women vote for the 30 movie heroines who inspire with intelligence and confidence
SHE’S not a damsel in distress and actively runs away from being married off – no wonder Scotland’s only animated Disney princess is on a new list of the most inspiring movie heroines.
Princess Merida of DunBroch was the main character from the 2012 Disney Pixar film Brave. Voiced by Kelly Macdonald, she became the first Pixar character to become a Disney princess – their 11th.
Merida is at No9 in the list, with British women hailing Bridget Jones as their most inspiring screen heroine of all time.
She is played by Renée Zellweger in the heart-warming film which sees singleton Bridget confide in her diary while overcoming relationship woes, family pressures and career struggles – showing that not all superheroes wear capes.
Commissioned by Sky Cinema ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday, the poll of 2000 women saw second place go to Erin Brockovich, played by Julia Roberts in the biopic of an American legal clerk who fights for justice and stands up for what she believes in.
At No3, it was the bookish best friend of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger – played by Emma Watson. Another Scottish movie character just missed the top 10, with Professor Minerva McGonagal1, played by Dame Maggie Smith, teaching us a lesson at No11.
Characters from classics such as Mary Poppins, Matilda and Mulan also featured in the top 10 inspiring today’s women, alongside firm family favourites such as Belle from Beauty and the Beast and
Miss Honey from the film adaption of Roald Dahl’s Matilda. The study also saw places in the top 30 for Princess Leia from Star Wars, Miss Piggy from the Muppets and Hit-Girl from the 2010 film adaptation Kick-Ass, created by Scots comic writer Mark Millar. Film critic Anna Smith said of the list: “The fact that Bridget and Erin are topping the list shows that women relate to complex, layered characters who overcome the obstacles of life with humour and compassion.”
She added: “A fantastically fiery Scot, Merida is a forthright, independent young woman who defies convention and challenges stereotypical gender roles.”
Delving deeper into why women identify with leading ladies such as Bridget Jones, more than eight in 10 cited “relatability” as the main source of admiration, with two-fifths recognising traits of themselves, close friends and relatives in the characters.
Finding female leads funny and inspiring closely followed as top reasons why women enjoy these films more than those with male leads. As many as 56 per cent felt a sense of empowerment when seeing ladies lead on screen, while others looked for qualities that they aspire to uphold themselves in a female protagonist, such as intelligence, independence and confidence. To celebrate International Women’s Day, Sky Cinema is launching a specially-curated collection celebrating women in front of and behind the camera. Titled Women in Film, this collection also features 20 iconic films featuring fearless female leads, personally selected by Anna.