Although mostly dominated by male superstars, the action genre isn’t without its many incredible female action stars. From the likes of Michelle Yeoh, Milla Jovovich, Charlize Theron, and Linda Hamilton, audiences have been treated to many truly awesome female action stars. So without further ado, here are the best female action stars of all time.
10. Karen Gillan
Although Karen Gillan primarily began her career in Doctor Who as his companion Amy Pond, she has recently branched out into the action genre. Over the past decade, Gillan has been a key member of the Guardians of the Galaxy and has starred alongside Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Nick Jonas in two Jumanji films as the stunning action heroine Ruby Roundhouse. 2021 has seen Gillan become the action superstar she was born to be, thanks to Gunpowder Milkshake. While the film wasn’t particularly memorable, what stood out was Gillan’s skill as an action star, performing all of her own choreography and most of her own stunts.
9. Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Mary Elizabeth Winstead starred in a variety of genres. From her very first role in the soap opera Passions to two sci-fi horror films Final Destination 3 and 10 Cloverfield Lane and many more. However, Winstead took the predominantly action genre by storm. Starring in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Birds of Prey and headlining the sadly disappointing Netflix original action film Kate. In all of her action films, Winstead delivers powerful performances and stunning choreography that cement her status as a female action star to watch. We love everything she does and can’t wait to see her in the upcoming Ahsoka series.RELATED:
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8. Zoe Saldaña
Zoe Saldaña has been crushing the box office for as long as we can remember. The action star has led two of the best and most successful franchises of all time: Avatar and the MCU. If it weren’t for her impressive performances as Neytiri or Gamora, the movies she starred in wouldn’t be half as good. Outside of these giant franchises, Saldaña has also proven her mettle as an action star, kicking a lot of ass in films like Colombiana, The Losers and, most recently, The Adam Project. She always films action scenes herself and does not need the help of stuntmen. An aspect in action that enhances the smoothness and certainty of the action. What we like to see.
7. Halle Berry
Halle Berry has been playing impressive female roles for decades. From starring in the 2000s X-Men franchise to the James Bond film Die Another Day and most recently in arguably his best action film yet, John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum. . Berry is a star who has always shown off her action chops, but she pulled out all the stops in John Wick: Chapter 3. Even before John Wick: Chapter 3 went into production, Halle Berry expressed interest in appearing in the franchise. Well, her voice was heard, because the character of Sofia was written solely with Halle Berry in mind. Berry underwent extensive firearms training and trained tirelessly to master the impeccable choreography that populates the world of John Wick, and the end result is simply sensational.
6. Zhang Ziyi
Having starred in such martial arts classics as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of the Flying Dragons and the underrated Grandmaster, Zhang Ziyi is without a doubt one of the most impressive and profound female masters martial arts in this business. Her stunning, dynamic and brutal set of martial arts skills is deeply impressive, and her ability to command a stage is unmatched.
5. Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich never disappoints, whether she’s kicking a ton of zombies in the Resident Evil franchise or an alien girl on the run from the authorities in The Fifth Element. Unfortunately, most of her films are not very good, especially the 2006 film Ultraviolet, which relied heavily on unpolished visual effects. However, Milla Jovovich is always a pleasure to watch on screen. Thanks to Jovovich, her characters exude confidence, charisma and a force to be reckoned with. She even went toe-to-toe with some giant monsters in the 2020 video game adaptation Monster Hunter.RELATED:
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4. Linda Hamilton
The great Linda Hamilton has cemented her status as one of the best action stars with just one role. Reprising her role as Sarah Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, her character has evolved from the damsel in distress in the first Terminator film to one of the baddest action heroines of all time. Armed with an impressive arsenal of weapons, Sarah Connor will do anything to stop the rise of Skynet. However, Sarah Connor would not be as amazing, resourceful and inspiring without the legendary Linda Hamilton at the helm.
3. Michelle Rodriguez
Leading the Fast & Furious franchise as the baddest female character in the franchise, Michelle Rodriguez has been dominating action films for quite some time now. Having starred in action films such as Avatar, the Machete franchise, SWAT and of course the recent Dungeons and Dragons, where Rodriguez gave perhaps her best performance to date, Rodriguez never disappoints. Rodriguez always undergoes rigorous training for his roles. The action superstar has attended numerous weapons training classes for her roles, most notably putting on nearly 20 pounds of muscle for her role as Helga in Dungeons and Dragons. Likewise, Rodriguez does a lot of stunts behind the wheel, as evidenced by her role in the Fast and the Furious franchise.
2. Charlize Theron
Like Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron puts her heart and soul into her action films. For each of her roles, she practices for hours to master the choreography of all her scenes. Her roles in Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde and The Old Guard are without a doubt her best and most impressive display of her prowess as an action hero. We really hope she joins the cast of John Wick one day.