[WithWonder Womancleaning up at the box office, we’ve decided to re-post this article.]
There are so many talented actresses in Hollywood, and yet it seems like even when they show that they can carry an action role, they’re relegated to the sidelines. We will give Vin Diesel, a man whose acting range extends as far as a toothpick, multiple franchises, but better actors have to wait patiently for their own franchises that may never come.
That’s a shame, and it’s a loss for everyone. It’s a loss for Hollywood missing out on the next bankable star that could create a franchise for the studio, it’s a loss for audiences who are locked into the same actors playing only a handful of roles, and it’s a loss for talented actresses who can do much more than what they’ve been offered.
Here are 13 actresses who deserve to be leading their own action franchises.
She kicked ass inCharlie’s Angels, she brandished a wicked attitude and a Samurai sword inKill Bill, but it’s been nearly a decade since we’ve seenLucy Liuin an action movie. What gives? It’s likely Liu’s awareness of the inherent racism in the industry: both of her high profile action roles have relied on some sort of innate martial arts knowledge, and she’s rightly picky about what roles she undertakes. The key here is the right script – a demand easier said than delivered on – and Liu could be back in her action-queen throne in no time. (Hear me out – how ‘bout a ReCore movie?) -Aubrey Page
Viola Davis
Now thatViola Davisfinally has that Oscar, it’s time to get this woman a franchise. She’s a towering performer who’s delivering tremendous work every time she’s onscreen be it her ABC seriesHow to Get Away with Murderor something as demanding asFences. But she made her franchise debut with last year’sSuicide Squadto scene-stealing results, and she could bring a complexity to the action genre that is very much needed as films of that ilk regularly come out same-y. I’d watch Viola Davis in anything, but I wouldespeciallywatch her lead her own action franchise. –Adam Chitwood
Cobie Smulders
I feel like we’re so close to giving Smulders her own action franchise. We’ve loved seeing her as Maria Hill in the Marvel movies and she was one of the lone bright spots inJack Reacher: Never Go Back. She credibly sells herself as an action hero, and while her breakout role was on a sitcom, the path of cutesy sitcom actor to bona fide action hero worked out pretty well for a guy named Bruce Willis. It’s time to stop putting Smulders in supporting roles and let her the lead way on her own franchise. –Matt Goldberg
Ruth Negga
Last year,Ruth Neggahad an incredible breakout moment that showed off the breadth of her range. InJeff Nichols’Loving, she earned an Oscar nomination for her work as Mildred Loving, the kindly, centered voice for decency and human rights, based on the remarkable real life woman. She also broke out all the bravado and scene-stealing charisma as Tulip on AMC’s pulpy, blood-soaked comic book series,Preacher. With ample charm, easy confidence, and a girl next door vulnerability, Negga transformed the already great comic book character into a living, breathing, fearless modern day woman.
Basically, 2016 proved Ruth Negga can do anything, and she’s got the on-screen presence to dominate any frame she walks into. Plus, she can strap together a homemade rocket launcher and make it look easy as pie. Negga is pure star power, an inscrutable talent who deserves a feature vehicle to bring her versatile performance skills fully into the spotlight. Personally, I think she’d make a hell of a Selina Kyle, but even better, I’d love to see her handed an original action franchise, a laJohn Wick, to allow her to fully carve out a new new hero in the franchise landscape. She’s already shown she can kick ass and command as a lead, let’s let her do both at the same time. –Haleigh Foutch
Keri Russell
I mean, have you seenThe Americans? Not only can Russell kick ass, she canact. She’s consistently churning out challenging, complex work on the FX series while also performing some pretty terrific stunts, so transferring that to a big screen franchise seems like a no-brainer. She got a taste of it inMission: Impossible III, but isn’t it time Russell got her big-screen showcase? –Adam Chitwood
Lupita Nyong’o
It kind of boggles my mind that Nyong’o’s breakout role earned her an Oscar, and yet her roles in blockbuster movies likeStar Wars: The Force AwakensandThe Jungle Bookhave relegated her to mo-capped performances and voice acting. And that’s all well and good, but she’s so ridiculously talented that it seems odd she’s not leading the way on her own franchise. To her credit, I think she’s still taking the time to take on interesting roles, whether it’s in the playEclipsedor in the dramaQueen of Katwe, but she’s got a commanding presence. While I look forward to seeing her inBlack Panther, I wanted to see her take the lead in a blockbuster film. –Matt Goldberg
Gillian Anderson
As soon as Jane Bond started trending,Gillian Andersonbecame a fan favorite as the ideal candidate for a gender-bentJames Bond. I say leave that shit in the dust. There’s too much baggage; from the inevitable purist backlash, to the fact that 007 is the figurehead for a franchise that is inherently imperialist and misogynistic (This coming from a diehard fan of the films.). Instead, let’s give Anderson her own role as the figurehead of a modern, less historically fucked up franchise where she can bring all her composure to a new and better hero.
Anderson has made a career of playing remarkable women, from her breakout role as Dana Scully inThe X-Filesto her breathtaking recent work as Stella Gibson onThe Fall. She’s been playing the hero to young women for the last three decades, and it’s about damn time she had the chance to play one on the big screen. –Haleigh Foutch
Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchettis not only one of the greatest actresses of our time, she’s also a chameleon. We can buy her as Bob Dylan just as easily as we can buy her as a semi-closeted housewife in the 1950s. So why not give her an action movie? Granted as the villain in Marvel’sThor: Ragnarokshe may get physical, but this two-time Oscar winner deserves to have an action franchise of her own. The possibilities are endless given her versatility—world weary spy, revenge-driven lover, biomechanical experiment gone wrong. You could see her in pretty much any role, and her desire to stretch her chops in films as diverse asThe Aviator,Hanna, andBlue Jasmineshows she’s got versatility to spare. –Adam Chitwood
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
If it wasn’t already apparent,10 Cloverfield Lanesolidified the fact thatMary Elizabeth Winsteaddeserves to be a movie star. I don’t even really care if it’s an action franchise she leads, I just think she’s a terrific actress who I want to see in more movies. She brought a thoughtful mix of strength and vulnerability to10 Cloverfield Lanethat made her character all the more compelling, and she’s proved her versatility inScott Pilgrim vs. The WorldandSmashed. Winstead is way overdue. –Adam Chitwood
Gwendoline Christie
How is it that whenever Christie shows up on one of the most popular television series in history, people can’t get enough of her, and yet she’s been remarkably absent from the big screen. WhileGame of Thronesmakes a lot of demands on the schedules for its cast, people have loved seeing Christie as the ass-kicking Brienne of Tarth since season two. Covering her face and giving her a nothing role inThe Force Awakensfelt like a missed opportunity, and it seems like all studios are missing out by not giving Christie more to do. –Matt Goldberg
