Girls on Film (and TV): My Top 10 Favourite Female Characters

When I think back to my favourite films or TV shows as a child, I realise the one thing that connects them all together, and why I was so drawn to them in the first place, was because they had fully realised, intelligent and more-than-capable female characters at their centre. Of course, as a 5 year old pretending to be Princess Leia, I was too young to understand why I was so in love with these kind of characters, but looking back I can confidently say this is why.  

Great female characters and the women who play them are truly at the heart of my passion for the art of visual storytelling. If I fall in love with a character, she will stay with me for life. And if I become completely enamoured by the actress who plays her, you best believe I will go through the trenches to watch everything she’s ever been in. So without further ado, let’s get into my list:

10. Daphne Blake

Firstly, in at number 10 is Daphne Blake from Scooby Doo, who played a huge part in my childhood as an iconic female character. Not only was I lucky enough to grow up at a time when the cartoon Scooby Doo was played daily on TV, but also when the live action Scooby Doo (Raja Gosnell, 2002) and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (Raja Gosnell, 2004) were released. The character arc(s) of Daphne Blake was my first introduction to the idea that girls can be obsessed with fashion and makeup but also be incredibly smart – who knew! Her character is often misunderstood by others to be shallow and image obsessed until she surprises them with her strength and quick thinking. And I loved that she did this wearing stellar purple Gogo boots, Nancy Sinatra style. 

9. Kimberly Wells

Kimberly Wells is probably a lesser-known character but nonetheless is played by the inimitable Jane Fonda in the 1979 thriller/action film The China Syndrome (James Bridges, 1979). Kimberly is a journalist who’s stuck reporting on trivial news (like singing telegrams) due to her superiors' sexist attitudes, until she finds herself reporting at a local nuclear power plant when an accident occurs. Kimberly takes this serendipitous opportunity to investigate the nuclear power plant and the accident’s subsequent cover up, and despite the opposition with which she is met (both from her superiors and the power plant itself) she presses forward, focused on the story at hand and in seeking answers and justice. It is the sheer grit of her character and her conviction to fight for what is right that I admire most about her, and only Jane Fonda could have played her so perfectly. In a world that often tells people, especially younger generations, that they are too sensitive or ‘woke’, Kimberly is a reminder to stand by your convictions and what you think is right or wrong.  

8. Sarah Jane Smith

If you’re not from the UK or you’re not a late 90s/early 2000s child, you may be unfamiliar with the Doctor Who spin off show The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007-2011), but when I was a child this tv show was my absolute world and Sarah Jane Smith was some kind of god to me. Sarah Jane was the Doctor’s companion in the show from 1973 to 1976 and she was so beloved that in 2007, over 30 years since her first appearance in the Whoinverse, she got her own show on children’s TV. I loved that this female character was at the centre of a sci-fi world and that in some ways she was a girl’s version of the Doctor (who at this point had always been a man). She owned her own type of sonic screwdriver, she had her own ‘scanner watch’ that scanned for alien life forms (both items of which I had as a child and still have), and of course K9 and Mr Smith – her metal dog and super-computer companions. She wasn’t a Time Lord like the Doctor but just a normal human being who used her knowledge and courage to fight the many alien life forms that she came across. Sarah Jane was also a very maternal character and had this sense of comfort about her that always put you at ease. All of the love and admiration I had for this character as a little girl hasn’t left me, and every now and then I’ll rewatch an episode of the show and unashamedly channel my inner 6 year old.  

7. Frankie

In at number 7 is Frankie from the severely underrated romcom Frankie and Johnny (Garry Marshall, 1991) starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Al Pacino. Frankie is an introverted and at first glance ordinary woman, but who’s outspoken and is a little bit too comfortable spending time in her own company. She works a 9 to 5 job at her local café but dreams of doing more, only she’s too afraid to do anything about it; she’s also afraid of being alone forever but struggles to trust and be vulnerable with other people.  

What I love about Frankie is that she lives a very ordinary life and has very intense though often common feelings and problems. Sometimes I think romcoms try to avoid being too heavy and deep when it comes to exploring characters in order to try and keep things light, but Frankie and Johnny isn’t afraid of doing that and Frankie is our example of this. I love that she is just who she is, problems and all; and whilst she does have issues and traumas she needs to work through, the film encourages us to meet her where she is. As a character she signifies that it’s ok to live life at your own pace without this need to be constantly self-improving. 

6. Pam Beesly

   
   

Pam Beesly is the newest addition to my favourite female characters list, having recently binged watched The Office US (2005-2013) (how did I honestly cope without it?!). For anyone, especially girls/women, who are quite timid and quiet and often over-looked, Pam Beesly’s a character who will feel very familiar. In the beginning of the show Pam comes across as incredibly introverted but bubbly and mischievous around those she trusts (which is basically only Jim Halpert). But as the show goes on across its 9 seasons, Pam has one of the most beautiful character arcs: she remains that sweet, quiet woman we were introduced to in the beginning, but with added confidence – she speaks up for herself and her needs and becomes more bold in her pursuit of what makes her happy. As someone who, like Pam, has often felt invisible and too quiet to be noticed, Pam’s story reminds me that there is so much more to you than what other people might think – you don't have to be the loudest person in the room to be considered interesting or fun. You are perfect just the way you are and there are people who will appreciate you exactly for you. 

5. Selina Kyle/Catwoman

Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Michelle Pfeiffer’s 1992 version... need I say more. Tim Burton’s interpretation of the iconic DC character in Batman Returns (1992) is full of a sexy gothic-ness that only he could achieve, creating a version of the character that is both full of heart and sweetness and a longing to be accepted, but also one that is borderline cut-throat and the archetypal anti-hero. I love her stereotypical comic book qualities as well as her very real human vulnerability, and her costumes are insanely beautiful and perfect in every way. Her crazy curly hairstyle is especially my favourite and genuinely ups her level of chaotic-ness. It's no wonder Michelle Pfeiffer’s version of the character remains a fan favourite.  

4. Louisa Durrell

This is maybe more of a niche one, but coming in at number 4 is Louisa Durrell from the TV series The Durrells (2016-2019). Based on the real life family of British conservationist Gerald Durrell, The Durrells tells of the antics his family got up to during their years living in Corfu in the 1930s after their mother, Louisa, decides to up and move them all from England. It’s a witty and wholesome show, and Louisa is just as witty and wholesome herself. She dotes on her children but also argues with and becomes exasperated by them and vice versa; as Gerald says “we can be proud of the way we have brought [our mother] up; she is a credit to us.” The show conveys such intimate, emotional, hilarious and relatable family dynamics in a unique context, and with Louisa at the centre of all of this, she becomes an ultimate comfort character and reminds me so much of my own mum in the way that she strives to make her children happy. Keeley Hawes’ performance is out of this world and I couldn’t imagine Louisa being played by anyone else. 

3. Princess Leia

As I mentioned at the beginning, Princess Leia was the first character I ever felt drawn to as a child. I wanted to be her so badly. I vividly remember watching The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner, 1980) and recreating the scenes of Leia running down the corridors of Cloud City with her gun and shooting Stormtroopers. She was everything, and I loved her intelligence and how people came to her for advice and orders and the fact that she existed in this science-fiction world that otherwise had a lot of male characters in. She felt so real to me as a little girl that I had a hard time accepting the fact she was a fictional character and not a real person, and that comes down to Carrie Fisher’s incredible performance. There is a reason both her and Leia remain so iconic. 

2. Norma Rae

Coming in at 2^nd  place is Norma Rae, played by the delightful Sally Field. Even though Norma Rae, the main character of the film aptly titled Norma Rae (Martin Ritt, 1979), is quite a famous character when it comes to workplace unions and standing up for oneself, I still think she is a severely underrated onscreen heroine. There’s something about the combination of Martin Ritt’s directing and Field’s acting that makes Norma Rae such a raw and intense character, and one who is incredibly relatable. She is an ordinary woman, a single mother and someone who hasn’t always made the best choices in life, but who unexpectedly begins to pour all of her energy into fighting for a union at the textile factory where she works. Norma is a perfect example of the 1970s New Hollywood female character that is so much more complex and fully embodied than some previous decades of film, and I just absolutely love her and her grit and passion and sense of justice. 

1. Alex Drake

As the main character of the TV series Ashes to Ashes (2008-2010), Alex Drake is my ride or die, number 1 favourite character of all time. As a policewoman who is shot in 2008 and transported back in time to 1981, Alex has to determine what has happened to her and how to get back to 2008. Throughout her journey, she remains a confident, bold and honest woman who is not afraid of ruffling the feathers of 1980s men who oftentimes find her ‘too much to handle’ (while wearing incredible 80s outfits). Alex also has to confront her own trauma, accept ugly truths and learn to trust, the latter of which her character is always reminding me to do. She has qualities that I relate to but also aspire to have, and though she may be fictional she feels so alive and authentic, which makes her story even more heart breaking. And I love that we share names, shoutout to girl Alex's! (Check out the article I wrote on Ashes to Ashes here).  

And there is my list of my top 10 favourite female characters! This was harder than I anticipated to put together and write, but I hope my list continues chop and change as I watch more film and TV and discover new favourite female characters.

Have you ever thought about what your top 10 list might look like? 

Disclaimer: I do not own the images used.