Top 10 Most Powerful Female Movie Characters

As the commander of a mission to Mars, Lewis has a lot of people depending on her. She is ready to make difficult decisions, and is also secure enough in her authority to consult the crew on matters that concern them. Her skillful leadership and strong moral compass are evident in the way her crew responds to her –unhesitating in following her orders and taking her advice. When a seemingly dead crewmember they left behind turns out to still be alive, she is ready to adjust their plans and will go to any lengths to save him. While Mark is the film’s main character, Commander Lewis is perhaps the most dynamic character and without a doubt a confident and powerful leader.

In year 2154, the wealthy have fled a polluted and overpopulated Earth to live in a luxurious habitat called Elysium, which orbits the planet. Jodie Foster plays Delacourt, Elysium’s Secretary of Defense – intelligent, ruthless, and scheming to make herself President. Delacourt has little-to0no regard for human life, but she does have the ability to manipulate the people around her to get what she wants. So her political and personal power are a huge part of the film. The character was originally written as a man, but director Neill Blomkamp realized that the role could just as easily be a woman. The result was Foster expertly bringing Delacourt to life, making her absolutely despicable, suitably terrifying, and extremely powerful.

In this action adventure thriller, Cate Blanchett plays Marissa Wiegler, a senior CIA agent and the film’s antagonist. On a mission to capture ex-CIA agent Erik, she comes up against a fiercely trained, genetically advanced teenager, the eponymous Hanna, and there follows a deadly battle. Wiegler is not only politically savvy, but also an excellent markswoman and effective planner. Control is very important to her, and when she has it, she is cool, collected and unstoppable – in fact, her need for control over her surroundings and her body leans towards being a little obsessive. Her bloody smile just makes her seem even more like an alpha wolf, though – strong and dangerous.

#7: Diana Christensen “Network” (1976)

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Christensen is the head of the programming department of the Union Broadcasting System – the network of this film’s title. Desperate for a hit show, she goes to extreme lengths to produce one – including a deal with a radical terrorist group! Strong-willed, untiring, and a bit fanatical, Christensen will do anything to accomplish her goal – and accomplish it she does. She shows that she has power over her underlings, but also over her own boss, Hackett, when she convinces him to bully and manipulate the network executives into giving her the popular “Howard Beale Show.” When ratings start to drop and she finds her position is at risk, Christensen proves even further that she’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants.

#6: O-Ren Ishii “Kill Bill” (2003-04)

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It’s hard to get tougher, more badass, or more powerful than O-Ren Ishii. She witnessed her parents’ murder at the age of nine and barely escaped with her own life, but that didn’t stop her from getting revenge within two years, becoming a top assassin, and going on to become leader of a crime syndicate. Ruthless, she demands obedience from her subordinates and can silence her men with a single word. She’s perfectly open to having her logic and decisions respectfully questioned, but when one of the men on the council insults her heritage, she has no qualms about severing his head either. O-Ren Ishii is a lot of things, and “powerful” is at the top of the list.

#5: Miranda Priestly “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006)

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The "devil" in question is a woman of wealth, taste, and simmering, elegant power. Miranda, played by Meryl Streep, is a relentless, single-minded, and borderline abusive boss, demanding obedience and perfection from her employees. It’s quite fitting that she’s called “the dragon lady.” Though working as her assistant practically drives protagonist Andy insane, it also teaches her a lot about life, people, the industry, and herself. As the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, Miranda has power not only over the lives of her employees, but also over the lives of everyone who wears clothes (or at least fashionable clothes), whether or not they read “Runway.”

Katniss might begin the series as a scared girl who just wants to protect her sister and survive, but she quickly becomes a powerful symbol who brings about a revolution. She might also be best known for her archery skills, but it’s her courage and unfailing moral compass that allow her to influence an entire nation. Of course, when it matters, she’s not afraid to use her bow and arrow in the political arena. Katniss knows when to follow orders and when to take her own path, and she’s not prepared to trade one dictator for another. And Katniss isn’t the only powerful woman in the franchise – “The Hunger Games” also brings us President Coin, who is a skilled and ruthless political figure.

Vice President Kathryn Bennett finds herself in a sticky situation when the President and his family are taken hostage. Left in control, Bennett has to keep the rest of the cabinet calm and try to resolve the problem without negotiating with terrorists. A lot of her power comes from her nerves of steel, as she refuses to make any hasty or uninformed decisions or to be swayed by fear tactics. Though the cabinet urges her to seize the presidency for herself, she remains loyal and refuses to do so. It’s very fitting that this poised Vice President is played by Glenn Close, who is adept at playing powerful characters, including the leader of the Nova Corps in “Guardians of the Galaxy”.

Princess of Alderaan: member of the Imperial Senate and an agent in the Rebel Alliance. Even though the original series begins with her capture, she still remains a powerful character, refusing to give Darth Vader viable information about the Rebels even if it means endangering her home planet. A natural leader, she quickly takes control of any situation and finds a way to turn it to her advantage, fearlessly leading the rebels against the Galactic Empire. And after the Emperor is defeated, she becomes a founder and general of the Resistance against the First Order. Of course, Leia is the daughter of anotherpowerful woman, Padmé Amidala, who starts out as a queen and goes on to become a senator. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Captain Elizabeth Swann “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End” (2007) Galadriel “The Lord of the Rings” franchise (2001-14) Queen of Hearts “Alice in Wonderland” (1951) Queen Clarisse Renaldi “The Princess Diaries” franchise (2001-)

#1: M “James Bond” franchise (1962-)

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The Head of the Secret Intelligence Service MI6 and Bond's superior, M is male in the books. Though he has been played by men in the films, he has also been played by a woman, with Judi Dench bringing new life to the character and proving that power isn’t all about shooting guns, crazy stunts, and one-liners. Extremely down-to-earth and rather cold, she’s not a huge fan of Bond. Highly logical, her reliance on statistics and analysis over instinct and resourcefulness gained her the nickname “Evil Queen of Numbers.” She uses her analytic intelligence for the good of her agents, her country and the entire world. Even when her suitability for the job is questioned, she stays on task and stays true to herself and to M16. Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite powerful female character? For more fantastic Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.