Top 20 Most Complex Female Characters in Cinema History

Legally Blonde (2001)

Most people in Elles life assume shes ditzy and shallow, just because shes pretty, perky, and loves fashion. But shes actually brilliant, and when people underestimate her, Elle learns to use it to her advantage. She gets accepted to Harvard Law School without even trying that hard and manages to get revenge on her bonehead ex-boyfriend and creepy law professor. Her overt femininity isnt a facade its as much a part of her character as her intellect. Elle Woods gave audiences something we still rarely get to see on-screen: an unapologetic girly girl with enough brains to outwit anyone in the Ivy League.

Cléo from 5 to 7 [aka Cléo de 5 à 7] (1962)

You might think that a character cant have that much complexity when we only see a tiny snapshot of their life, but this French New Wave film will prove you wrong. Cléo from 5 to 7 follows a young singer in real time as she wanders around Paris waiting for the results of a biopsy to determine whether she has cancer. Cléo is initially portrayed as an unserious person fixated on her looks, who takes on different personas depending on who shes with. However, over the course of the film, she becomes introspective. She learns to recognize her own self-absorption and the fact that shes been performing a part rather than living authentically. Its a powerful journey that takes place in a mere 90 minutes.

The Hunger Games franchise

From hardened survivalist to political mascot to true leader, Katniss goes through a major evolution over the course of this series. In the beginning, her only concern is keeping herself and her sister alive. In the Games, she develops empathy for others, and her tough exterior begins to break down. The rebellion turns her into a symbol, and at first she simply goes along with it. But eventually, she comes to desire real justice, not just for her family, but for everyone in the nation. Though the Games left Katniss with deep emotional wounds, her growth as a person leads her to a peaceful life and a chance for happiness at last.

Notorious (1946)

With a Nazi spy for a father, a tendency to drink too much, and a constantly rotating roster of boyfriends, Alicia is a bit of a train wreck. Despite this, she reluctantly gets recruited to use her connections to spy for the U.S. She develops a romance with a fellow agent, which immediately gets thrown into turmoil when shes instructed to seduce one of her fathers associates. Ingrid Bergman's portrayal of Alicia makes the character work. In the hands of a less talented actor, Alicia could have become a pawn being used by the men around her for their own ends. But Bergman plays her as deeply conflicted, torn between her past and her future and unsure of where her loyalties should lie.

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Her life fell apart after her best friend was assaulted and later took her own life when her assailant went free. Now, she spends her evenings hanging out in bars, pretending to be drunk and entrapping other abusers. Although her revenge quest might be deeply cathartic for many viewers, shes far from flawless. Some of her actions are almost as shocking as those of the people shes coming for. Cassie is a seductress, a vigilante, and a deeply wounded young woman, all hiding beneath the exterior of a fragile and vulnerable mark.

Arrival (2016)

This gorgeous sci-fi from director Denis Villeneuve stars Amy Adams as a linguist who must learn to communicate with a newly arrived alien species. The film addresses deep themes about connection and human behavior, and it rests almost entirely on Adams shoulders. Louise goes into the project terrified, both of the aliens and of her own potential for failure. As she begins to understand the aliens language, she becomes more confident and determined to keep the peace at any cost. She learns things about herself and the choices shell be forced to make that have her and the audience questioning everything they know.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Frances McDormand won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Mildred, a woman determined to get justice for her murdered daughter. Although shes willing to do just about anything to force the police into action, shes also dealing with her own unresolved grief, anger, and guilt over the mistakes she made as a mother. Her relationship with her son who is still very much alive becomes strained over her obsession. Like most of the characters on our list, shes admirable in some ways and deeply flawed in others, and like any real human, shes a complicated mix of strengths and weaknesses.

Atonement (2007)

As a young child, she accidentally ruins two peoples lives when she wrongly accuses her sisters boyfriend, Robbie, of assault. She makes things worse when she lies to the police inspector, claiming that she actually saw the attackers face. Robbie is sent to prison, and it isnt until years later after hes been drafted into the second World War that Briony realizes what shes done. Was the accusation truly an innocent mistake, or was it motivated by jealousy and an immature desire to be a hero? Thats the question Briony will spend the rest of her life agonizing over.

Marriage Story (2019)

Theres a reason critics and audiences alike loved this movie. Its probably one of the most realistic portrayals of divorce ever put on screen. Nicole is torn between her feelings for Charlie and her need to reclaim her sense of self. Shes spent years putting his career and ambitions first, and he doesnt seem especially grateful. But shes not exactly perfect herself. While she and Charlie initially agree to separate amicably, Nicole later hires a tough lawyer and turns the proceedings into an ugly fight. Caught in the middle is their son Henry, and at times, both parents are guilty of neglecting his needs while caught up in their own struggles. Nicole feels as authentic and complicated as any real-life human.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Portraying mental illness on screen can be tricky. Its easy to resort to stereotypes that depict sufferers as victims or dangerous villains. Lisa is diagnosed as a sociopath, and while she is prone to violent outbursts, theres more to her than meets the eye. She brags about being free from the constraints of civilized society, but shes actually yearning to be understood and desperate to make connections with those around her. Even she doesnt quite seem to know why she lashes out at people or why more people dont behave the way she does.

Lady Bird (2017)

We knew Greta Gerwig was a brilliant writer-director way back in 2017. Her debut film follows a high school senior struggling to find her identity and her place in the world. Lady Bird is a whirlwind of contradictions. She claims she hates Sacramento, but she writes about it with reverence in an essay. She wants to think of herself as deep and wise, but shes impulsive and worried about what others think of her like any normal teenager. She loves her mother Marion, yet the two clash constantly, partly because Marion is an equally complex figure. [xref] Its not the only time Saoirse Ronan has played a deeply conflicted character. Her turn as Jo March in Little Women earned her critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination. [xref]

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Even if youve never seen this all-time classic film, youve probably heard some of Norma Desmonds iconic lines. Gloria Swanson gave the biggest performance of her life as the washed-up silent film star whos convinced that her big comeback is just over the horizon. Her behavior can be cruel, even monstrous, yet by the end we cant help but pity her. The Hollywood studio system used her up, then discarded her, and even her longtime director will no longer return her phone calls. She hides in her mansion because she fears the outside world and cant face the changes the last few decades have brought. Norma might be a murderer and manipulator, but shes also extremely human.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) & The Girl in the Spider's Web (2018)

Lisbeths early life was basically hell. At the mercy of evil men, she was abused, assaulted, and institutionalized. No wonder shes made it her lifes work to avenge other victims. Shes incredibly smart and a brilliant hacker, and she uses those tools to get close to and blackmail her targets. She can be kind and even loving to the few people she cares about, but her ruthlessness and brutality know no bounds. Lisbeth is doing good by taking down abusers, but we also suspect that she enjoys inflicting pain and torment on them.

Us (2019)

We cant talk about these characters without spoilers, so heres your warning. Throughout this movie, the Tethered are depicted as sub-human monsters whose only goal is destroying their counterparts and escaping their underground prison. That is, until we learn that Adelaide herself was a Tethered. Red switched places with her when they were both children and grew up on the surface in a loving home. This proves that, as the films title suggests, the Tethered are us. If Red is a monster, then Adelaide is, too. The only difference is that one was raised in privilege and the other in darkness.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire [aka Portrait de la Jeune Fille en Feu] (2019)

Imagine finding the love of your life but knowing the two of you can never be together. Thats exactly what happens to Marianne and Héloïse. The film takes place in France in the late 1700s, a society in which the women have next to no freedoms and their love is completely forbidden. Even in her work as a professional artist, Marianne must navigate a male-dominated world that enforces limits on her ability to advance in her career. Her feelings for Héloïse are complicated by the knowledge that Héloïse will be married off to a rich man, and Marianne feels she has no right to ask her to resist that fate. The film is a heartbreaking portrait of love and grief in a hostile world.

Poor Things (2023)

Bella actually starts out as a simple character. She has the body of an adult and the mind of a toddler, though she learns and matures very rapidly. This becomes a problem for her lover Duncan, who liked being able to control her. We follow Bella as she discovers and reacts to all the wonderful and terrible parts of life: love, pleasure, jealousy, poverty, and greed. As she grows, she becomes strong-willed and independent, uninterested in conforming to societys demands. Her journey is one of the most profound and funniest ever put on film.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

As a young child, she watched her parents get murdered in front of her by a Yakuza boss. Thats bound to have lasting effects on a kid, but instead of grieving, O-Ren wanted revenge. She became an elite assassin by age 11, and by the time we meet her in Kill Bill, she has power over the entire Tokyo underworld. Shes sensitive about her mixed heritage and has no problem brutally murdering anyone who questions her. We can only guess at whats going through her head at any given moment. The Bride is another fascinating character. [xref] We never learn much about her backstory we dont even find out her real name until Volume 2. But shes just as vicious and hell-bent on revenge as O-Ren.

The Piano (1993)

This 19th century Scottish woman is so complicated, she doesnt even understand herself. The motivations behind many of her actions remain a mystery throughout the film. Ada hasnt spoken aloud since she was a young child, and no one including Ada can explain why. She also has a daughter, and we never learn who the father is. At the beginning of The Piano, Ada is married off to a wealthy colonizer in New Zealand, but she begins a passionate affair with a local man. The film seems to explore the process of learning to truly know another person or yourself through communication that runs deeper than language.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

If you havent seen this spectacular absurdist comedy family drama sci-fi kung fu movie that swept the Oscars, what are you waiting for? Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn Wang in this universe and all the others, and over the course of the film she discovers talents and abilities within herself that she never thought were possible. As she criss-crosses time and space, she taps into her other identities and experiences, first to fight her enemies, and then ultimately to understand them. Along the way, she discovers that her unfulfilling life as a laundromat owner and her strained relationship with her family arent burdens. Theyre actually the most important things in all of the multiverse.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

By the End of This Film, Neither Nina nor the Audience Knows Who She Really Is

She Struggles to Balance Competing Roles as Mother, Friend, & Independent Woman

Delusion, Violence, & Childish Fury Combine to Make Her a Terrifying Villain

Gone Girl (2014)

Is she an abused and neglected wife, a calculating killer, or both? We dont know who to trust in this tense psychological thriller, and thats what makes it so entertaining. After she catches her husband, Nick, cheating, Amy concocts an elaborate plan to frame him for her murder. Even though she commits some truly horrifying deeds, many of the women in the audience might still find themselves rooting for her. Being lied to, manipulated, and taken for granted by mediocre men is an all-too-common experience, after all. Rosamund Pikes performance makes Amy believable as both the smart and classy wife and the cold, vindictive villain. You can admire her just dont cross her.

Which of these complex female characters do you find the most fascinating? Let us know in the comments below.