Leading LADIES
As awards season approaches, we celebrate some fabulous females
Get ready for red-carpet glamour, fancy frocks and polished trophies. That’s right, awards season is upon us! Hollywood’s biggest names are preparing for annual sparkling ceremonies, including the BAFTAS and the Oscars. So what better time to celebrate those who have changed how women are perceived in a male-dominated industry?
These talented women have faced their fair share of obstacles throughout their rise to global fame, from gender inequality to being slated for the way they look. Despite some of their hardships, they’ve all managed to break through and become the successful stars we know and love today. We take a look at their glittering careers and gongs, as well as their forthcoming films.
MERYL STREEP
The three-time Oscarwinner is known for her varied roles, from carefree Donna in Mamma Mia! to icy Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada. Opening up about how to combat nerves, Meryl, 73, said, ‘I get nervous the more time I have to think, so I deliberately don't give myself too much time between jobs.’
VIOLA DAVIS
The latest film for Viola, 57, is The Woman King, based on the true story of the Agojie, the army of women warriors also known as Amazons. The Oscar-winner said her warrior character was far from how she is in real life. ‘It was a different state of mind to tap into – that spirit, that bravery. It’s not a mindset I carry on a day-to-day basis.’
KATE WINSLET
The Titanic star has reunited with James Cameron for the upcoming Avatar sequel, but her confidence was knocked by cruel comments about her weight in her 20s. Kate, 46, said, ‘It tampers with your evolving impression of what’s beautiful.’
CATE BLANCHETT
Two-time Oscar-winner Cate, 53, whose latest film is the lead in musical drama Tár, has recently spoken about the struggles of being a woman in the film industry. ‘If we keep talking about it, the problem still exists,’ she explained. ‘But we have to keep talking and working on it until it is no longer a topic of conversation.’
CAREY MULLIGAN
The Bafta-winning actor’s latest film, She Said, tells the story of the Harvey Weinstein case. Carey, 37, who rose to fame in An Education, has said of women in Hollywood, ‘There’s a lot that needs to be undone. There’s been so much ingrained in us for such a long time about the way we view women on screen.’
PHOEBE WALLERBRIDGE
After the triumph of Emmy Award-winning Fleabag, which Phoebe, 37, wrote and starred in, she admitted she could never have imagined such success. She was dealt a blow to her self-esteem after a stint at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She said, ‘I went to RADA thinking I was quite a good actor and came out thinking I was appalling.’
EMMA THOMPSON
Dame Emma, 63, is one of the most decorated actors of her generation, with two Oscars, three BAFTAS, an Emmy and two Golden Globes. She has said of body image, ‘Don’t waste your time. This is your vessel, it’s your house, it’s where you live, there’s no point in judging it, absolutely no point, but it’s very hard to do.’
JULIE ANDREWS
With a career spanning seven decades, Julie Andrews is nothing short of iconic. Reflecting on her career, the 86-year-old said, ‘The things that happened were mostly beyond my wildest dreams. Who could have imagined I would often be so fortunate to be in the right place at the right time?’
OLIVIA COLMAN
Award-winning Olivia, 48, is set to join a star-studded cast in Wonka, a musical prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Crown star joked that her talents don’t stretch to singing. She said, ‘Someone went, “What are you singing?” I had a panic and double-checked, and, luckily, I’m not.’
HELEN MIRREN
Dame Helen, 77, stars as a grandmother in her latest film, White Bird, a ‘spiritual sequel’ to 2017’s Wonder. Speaking about the challenges she faced as an actor in a maledominated world in the 1960s, she said, ‘If you peeped up about it, you were just told to shut up or you’re boring, annoying or an idiot.’
LUPITA NYONG’O
Oscar-winning Lupita is reprising her role as Nakia in the Black Panther franchise, released in November. Lupita, 39, said she has had to ‘elbow my way out of a lot of sexist boxes’. Talking about sexism and equality, she added, ‘I don’t think about taking from a male figure. I think about getting what is due to me.’
SANDRA BULLOCK
Oscar-winning Sandra, 58, says her mother raised her to be her own person. But she almost quit acting thanks to sexism. ‘I went out into the world thinking I can do whatever a man can do,’ she explained, adding it wasn’t until later in her career that she realised, ‘Oh, I’m being treated this way because I have a vagina.’
JULIE WALTERS
One of the bestloved actors of our generation, Julie, 72, has won seven BAFTAS. Known for her roles in Educating Rita and the Harry Potter franchise, Julie has retired from acting after battling bowel cancer. ‘Acting caused it because of the way I approach it – I have to be totally in it. It’s stressful and I don’t sleep when I’m working. It’s not good for me.’