Many actresses come and go in Hollywood, but some have staying power, able to bring in box-office millions, power million dollar endorsement deals and continue to captivate audiences for more than 20 years. Find out who the top 10 American actresses in Hollywood are in the last two decades.
Hollywood gives us some of the most beautiful, sexiest and most talented women on the planet. Many actresses have shown versatility in the roles they have taken on, proving that they aren’t just gorgeous, but are full of talent and deserving of accolades. Their movies have grossed millions of dollars at the box office and they continue to draw audiences to movie theaters, entertaining us in dramatic or comedic roles.
Here’s a list of some of the best American actresses in the last 20 years. All of them are award-winning actresses, equally beautiful and undeniably talented. While Nicole Kidman (Australian), Helen Mirren (English), Cate Blanchet (Australian), Helena Bonham Carter (English), Penelope Cruz (Spanish) and Naomi Watts (Australian) may be award winning and famous actresses today, this list is limited to Hollywood actresses of American descent.
10. Jodie Foster
Four time Academy Award nominee and two-time winner Jodie Foster has been in the business since she was three years old. She stood her ground against Hannibal Lecter, captivated audiences in The Accused and wowed critics with her directorial job in Little Man Tate. She has since moved behind the camera, directing and producing movies. Jodie also has a Yale degree and has won several awards, most recently the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her extensive work. She also speaks French, German, Spanish and Italian.
9. Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway’s breakout role as the Princess of Genovia in The Princess Diaries has endeared her to the hearts of movie audiences. She has often been compared to a young Julia Roberts, in her radiant smile, beauty and versatility. She has showed powerful performances in Brokeback Mountain and was relatable to audiences in The Devil Wears Prada. She won an Academy award for her role as Fantine in Les Miserables, for which she has also won a Golden Globe.
8. Julianne Moore
This redhead and green-eyed beauty has the ability to lose herself in roles. She grew up the daughter of a military judge and a social worker from Scotland, and became one of the most respected actresses in Hollywood today. Julianne Moore has been nominated for an Oscar four times, including for her roles in Magnolia and The End of the Affair. Her take as Alaskan governor Sarah Palin wowed audiences and has brought her further critical acclaim.
7. Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank has been a professional actor since she was 16 years old and is now a two time Oscar winner. She is the third youngest woman to ever win an Oscar for a Female lead role (following the footsteps of fellow two-time winners Luise Rainer and Jodie Foster). She hit the mainstream audience with her role in The Next Karate Kid, only to win her first Oscar in Boys Don’t Cry and to follow it up with Million Dollar Baby.
6. Gwyneth Paltrow
Considered one of the most beautiful faces in Hollywood, Gwyneth Paltrow is also an award-winning actress, bagging her first Oscar with Shakespeare in Love. Her mom is Tony award winning actress Blythe Danner, her father is producer Bruce Paltrow and her husband is Coldplay lead Chris Martin. Younger audiences know her in her role as the girlfriend of Iron Man, Pepper Potts, as well as a substitute teacher on the hit-TV show Glee, further proof of her talent and versatility.
5. Halle Berry
As the first African American actor to win a Best Actress Oscar, Halle has played Catwoman, a mutant and sashayed her sexiness as a Bond Girl. Her movies have grossed more than $1.5 billion, led by the X-men franchise movies.
4. Natalie Portman
The diminutive Natalie Portman is of Israeli and American descent. She even took a break from acting to become a Harvard student. She has won an Oscar for her role in Black Swan, for which she trained ballet rigorously to prepare for the role. She’s played Darth Vader’s love interest, a prostitute in Closer, and the female lead in V for Vendetta. She speaks Hebrew and English fluently, and can also converse in Japanese, Spanish, French and German.
3. Angelina Jolie
Academy Award Winner Angelina Jolie is one of the most beautiful faces in Hollywood and is one of the highest paid actors in the industry. She gained fame playing Lara Croft, but showed diversity as Tigress in Kung Fu Panda and even Grendel’s mother in Beowulf. Moviegoers await her take as Maleficent. She is known today for her humanitarian work as she is for her work on celluloid.
2. Julia Roberts
The End of the 20th century in American cinema certainly belonged to Academy Award winner Julia Roberts. With her effervescent and radiant smile, she charmed audiences in Pretty Woman, but she also showed depth in Mystic River, Steel Magnolia and evolved to be the queen of romantic comedies such as Runaway Bride and My Best Friend’s Wedding. She won an Oscar for her role as Erin Brokovich.
1. Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep makes acting look easy, having been nominated a record breaking 17 times, three of which she has won. With a total of 97 awards and over 200 nominations, she has led a career playing a diverse number of roles that only a few actors can ever aspire to have. Best of all, she has been a working actor for almost four decades.
She can sing (Mamma Mia), she can cook (Julie 7 Julia), she can cast Doubt, be the boss from hell in The Devil Wears Prada or lead Britain in The Iron Lady. It is rumored that she will be playing The Witch in the film adaptation of Into the Woods.
Photo Credits:
Judie Foster
Anne Hathaway
Julianne Moore
Hillary Swank
Gwyneth Paltrow
Halle Berry
Natalie Portman
Angelina Jolie
Julia Roberts
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
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