It has been a long struggle for women to be acknowledged in the same industries where they were frequently vilified for their talents. Still, these innovators went against the grain; they made it possible for others to follow them, they smashed the glass ceiling, and they kept the imprint of their name in cinema and the theater. In fact, the impact of their artistic ideas and revolutionary spirit can be traced on the stage and screen even today. Just to name a few, these are the ten women whose ambition and artistic power changed the stage and screen, and their influence is still felt today.
10. Ethel Merman – Broadway’s Most Powerful Voice
If we talk about legendary Broadway performers, Ethel Merman is the first name that comes to my mind. With her loud voice and excellent timing for comedy, she was the one who made the first step for musical theater. Ethel was the one who made the characters of Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes super famous, singing songs that were made especially for her legendary voice. Her impact is still there in every Broadway belter that you hear nowadays.
9. Ava DuVernay – A Fighter for Justice by Means of Narrative
Ava DuVernay can be considered one of the most impactful directors whose main goal is to bring change with her art. She has brought the issues of racial injustice and discriminatory systems to the forefront through her narrative features like Selma, as well as the documentary 13th, and as a result, these have become the hottest topics far beyond the arena of art. To top it off, DuVernay doesn’t just stop at her movies; she keeps on advocating for more diversity in Hollywood, thus demonstrating that storytelling is a powerful tool that can lead to a revolution in society.
8. Greta Gerwig – A New Kind of Auteur
Greta Gerwig transitioned from indie sweetheart to blockbuster director, writing pictures such as Lady Bird and Little Women that illuminate the depth of women’s relationships. Barbie showed women can direct large, culture-defining smashes without sacrificing their distinctive voice. Gerwig’s blend of intimacy and magnitude makes her one of the defining directors of her era.
7. Chloé Zhao – Combining Realism with Myth
Chloé Zhao became the first Asian woman to take home the Best Director award for Nomadland. Her films draw the boundaries between reality and fiction, speaking for the marginalized people in poetic realism. The flexibility to transition from close portraits to grander-than-life genres displays how groundbreaking and adaptable her vision is.
6. Jane Campion – Master of Complexity
Jane Campion has constructed her career on narratives that delve deep into psychology and human relationships. From The Piano to Top of the Lake, she has often been focused on complex, multi-faceted women who blur expectations. With her unflinching narrative, Campion has paved the way for unvarnished, uncomfortable truths on both stage and screen.
5. Lorraine Hansberry – A Voice for Justice on Broadway
At only 29, Lorraine Hansberry was the first Black female to have a play produced on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun. Her search for themes of race, family, and identity in America resonated with generations. Hansberry wasn’t only a playwright but also a fiery activist, employing her art and voice for social justice.
4. Julie Taymor – Theatrical Visionary
Julie Taymor revolutionized what Broadway would be like with her innovative work on The Lion King. Her innovative use of puppetry and design combined international influences into something new, for which she was awarded the Tony for Best Direction of a Musical—the first female to do so. Taymor’s fearlessness in storytelling continues to shape the stage and screen.
3. Rita Moreno – The Ultimate Trailblazer
Rita Moreno broke barriers playing Anita in West Side Story (1961), the first Latina to ever win an Academy Award. An EGOT-winning anomaly, she has succeeded in all aspects of entertainment. In addition to her classic roles, Moreno has been an advocate for Latinx visibility in Hollywood, educating future generations of artists about what longevity and power look like.
2. Sara Bareilles – A New Broadway Voice
Most famously at first for singles such as “Love Song” and “Brave,” Sara Bareilles transferred her songwriting skills to the stage with Waitress. She was among the first few women to write a full Broadway score and even took on the lead part herself. Bareilles has gone on to influence theatre through her efforts on Into the Woods and Girls5eva, introducing a new generation of female composers.
1. Audra McDonald – Broadway Royalty
Audra McDonald has the most Tony Awards of anyone—six—and is the sole performer to have won in all four acting categories. Spanning musicals such as Ragtime to dramas such as Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, McDonald has shown her unparalleled versatility. Offstage, she speaks out for diversity and equity in the arts, solidifying her position as both a performer and a leader.
These women not only achieved success in film and theater—they revolutionized them. Their voices, vision, and courage opened doors long closed, leaving behind legacies that continue to influence the stories we witness on stage and screen today.