Today, there are many excellent actresses from the US. However, European actresses are those who elevated, in a great manner, Hollywood and overall cinema. I’ve already written an article about actors from Europe. I can say that it was easier to pick who’s going to be on that list since there are more excellent actresses than actors.
Be as it may, let’s see the top European actresses, according to my tastes.
Ingrid Bergman
Country: Sweden
Key films: Casablanca, Gaslight, Spellbound, Notorious, Europe ’51, Anastasia, The Bells of St. Mary’s, Autumn Sonata, Stromboli, Voyage to Italy, Murder on the Orient Express
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Venice Film Festival, César Awards
What makes Ingrid Bergman unique: One of only four actresses ever to win three acting Oscars, fluent in five languages, and transitioned seamlessly between Hollywood and European auteur cinema.
Sophia Loren
Country: Italy
Key films: Two Women, Marriage Italian Style, More Than a Miracle, A Special Day, Arabesque, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, The Condemned of Altona, El Cid, Houseboat, Sunflower, It Started in Naples
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Berlin International Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, BAFTAs, Cannes, Golden Globes
What makes Sophia Loren unique: The first performer to win an Oscar for a non‑English role, bridging Italian Neorealism with Hollywood star power while evolving her image across decades. When it comes to famous European actresses, she is it.
Vivien Leigh
Country: UK (born in British India, later based in England)
Key films: A Streetcar Named Desire, Gone with the Wind, Waterloo Bridge, Lady Hamilton, St. Martins Lane, Caesar and Cleopatra, Ship of Fools, Anna Karenina, Fire Over England
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Venice Film Festival, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Photoplay
What makes Vivien Leigh unique: Vivian was one of the few actresses to achieve equal greatness in both theatre and film. She immortalized two of the most challenging female roles ever written – Scarlett O’Hara and Blanche DuBois.
Marlene Dietrich
Country: Germany (later became a U.S. citizen)
Key films: Morocco, Der blaue Engel, Judgment at Nuremberg, Witness for the Prosecution, Knight Without Armour, The Scarlet Empress, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Touch of Evil, Destry Rides Again, Desire, Blonde Venus, Angel, A Foreign Affair, No Highway in the Sky
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Photoplay, Golden Globes, German Film Awards, David di Donatello Awards, Laurel Awards
What makes Marlene Dietrich unique: She redefined the image of female glamour and strength in Hollywood. She embraced political activism, rejected the Nazi regime, and became a global icon of style and courage.
Liv Ullmann
Country: Norway
Key films: The Emigrants, Cries and Whispers, Autumn Sonata, Shame, Face to Face, Scenes from a Marriage, The New Land, Hour of the Wolf, The Passion of Anna
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Cannes, Venice Film Festival, European Film Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs
What makes Liv Ullmann unique: The definitive Bergman collaborator whose performances convey quiet inner storms with uncommon honesty.
Greta Garbo
Country: Sweden
Key films: Camille, Ninotchka, Grand Hotel, Anna Karenina, Flesh and the Devil, Queen Christina, Anna Christie, Romance, Two-Faced Woman, A Woman of Affairs, The Mysterious Lady, The Temptress
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, New York Film Critics Circle Awards, National Board of Review, Photoplay
What makes Greta Garbo unique: Garbo became the ultimate icon of cinematic mystique. Her enigmatic beauty and emotionally rich restraint redefined screen acting.
Catherine Deneuve
Country: France
Key films: Belle de Jour, Repulsion, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Last Metro, Indochine, Place Vendôme, 8 Women, Dancer in the Dark, The Young Girls of Rochefort, Mississippi Mermaid, East/West, A Matter of Resistance, Tristana, Peau d’âne, Un flic, Anima persa
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Cannes, Venice Film Festival, BAFTAs, Berlin International Film Festival, Cesar Awards, European Film Awards, Moscow International Film Festival, Bambi Awards
What makes Catherine Deneuve unique: Often called “the cold beauty” of French cinema, she became a symbol of Parisian elegance with an ice-maiden allure. Still, beneath that cool facade lies a deeply expressive, emotionally compelling performer.
Audrey Hepburn
Country: Belgium / UK / Netherlands
Key films: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, Charade, The Nun’s Story, Wait Until Dark, Sabrina, Funny Face, The Children’s Hour
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Bambi Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, David di Donatello Awards
What makes Audrey Hepburn unique: Her rare combination of cinematic stardom, humanitarian legacy, and iconic style made her a global phenomenon.
Isabelle Huppert
Country: France
Key films: The Piano Teacher, Elle, 8 Women, Things to Come, Violette Nozière, La Cérémonie, Ma mère, A Story of Women, Clean Slate, Happy End, The Lacemaker
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Berlin International Film Festival, BAFTAs, Cannes, Cesar Awards, European Film Awards, Golden Globes
What makes Isabelle Huppert unique: Her fearless, uncompromising style and longevity across European cinema.
Claudia Cardinale
Country: Italy (Tunisian-born of Sicilian descent)
Key films: 8½, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Pink Panther, Mafia, The Leopard, Rocco and His Brothers, Girl with a Suitcase, Claretta
Most significant nominations: Venice Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, David di Donatello Awards, Locarno Film Festival, Photoplay
What makes Claudia Cardinale unique: An icon of 1960s European cinema. Effortlessly elegant yet earthy, working with legendary directors and bridging arthouse prestige with popular appeal.
Romy Schneider
Country: Austria / France
Key films: Sissi trilogy, That Most Important Thing: Love, The Trial, Death Watch, Une histoire simple, La Piscine, Max and the Junkmen, Viktoria in Dover, The Passerby, Mädchen in Uniform, Ludwig
Most significant nominations: Bambi Awards, Cesar Awards, Golden Globes, German Film Awards, Bravo Otto
What makes Romy Schneider unique: She began as a glamorous international star with Sissi and evolved into a deeply introspective artist in French cinema.
Deborah Kerr
Country: UK
Key films: The King and I, Black Narcissus, From Here to Eternity, An Affair to Remember, The Sundowners, Separate Tables, Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, Edward, My Son, The Chalk Garden, Tea and Sympathy, The End of the Affair
Most significant nominations: Oscars, Cannes, BAFTAs, David di Donatello, Golden Globes, Photoplay, Emmys
What makes Deborah Kerr unique: Kerr exuded grace, intelligence, and quiet strength, becoming a symbol of refined screen presence. She’s the first Scottish actress nominated for any Academy Award.
Sonja Savić
Country: Yugoslavia / Serbia
Key films: Life Is Beautiful, Sugar Water, Una, Bread and Milk, Gravehopping, We Are Not Angels, Strangler vs. Strangler, Balkan Spy, The Tragic Burlesque, Living Like the Rest of Us
Most significant nominations: Venice Film Festival, Pula Film Festival, Slovene Film Festival
What makes Sonja Savic unique: A symbol of artistic rebellion in Yugoslav and Serbian film, she combined experimental vision with raw emotional power. One of the rare European actresses who left an indelible mark on counterculture.
Milena Dravić
Country: Yugoslavia / Serbia
Key films: WR: Mysteries of the Organism, Special Treatment, Battle of Neretva, One Too Many, The Naughty Ones, Adrift, Deps, Roundabout, Horoscope, Lito vilovito
Most significant nominations: Cannes Film Festival, Pula Film Festival, Taormina International Film Festival
What makes Milena Dravic unique: Beloved across generations, she was a national icon whose deep humanity, spontaneity, and artistic courage made her the emotional soul of the country.
Olivera Katarina
Country: Yugoslavia / Serbia
Key films: I Even Met Happy Gypsies, Dream, Goya – oder Der arge Weg der Erkenntnis, The Dervish and Death, The Swarm, Do Not Mention the Cause of Death
Most significant nominations: Venice Film Festival, Moscow International Film Festival
What makes Olivera Katarina unique: She stands out as one of Yugoslavia’s cultural inspirations of the 60s and 70s. A multifaceted Yugoslavian and Serbian actress, whose magnetic presence spans a powerful acting style along with a rich singing voice.
Mira Banjac
Country: Yugoslavia / Serbia
Key films: Balkan Spy, The Beauty of Vice, Do You Remember Dolly Bell?, Don’t Lean Out the Window, The Elusive Summer of ’68, Mamarosh, Beach Guard in Winter, Radovan III, The Leaves Are Broad, The Storks Will Return, The Farm in the Small Marsh
Most significant nominations: Pula Film Festival, FEST, Golden Medal for Merits
What makes Mira Banjac unique: With a career spanning over seven decades, she is among the first generation of trained actors from Yugoslavia and has become a cultural icon. Known for elevating even small roles through her mastery of nuance and detail.
Nada Šargin
Country: Serbia
Key films: Tomorrow Morning, Storks In the Fog, The Woman with a Broken Nose, Father, Swamp, Trail of the Beast, Mold, Will Not End Here, Time of Evil, Someone is Still Waiting, The Sky Above Us, Tears for Sale
Most significant nominations: Sarajevo Film Festival, First Run Festival, FEDIS, Filmski Susreti, Montenegro Film Festival, FIPRESCI
What makes Nada Sargin unique: A leading dramatic actress who combines classical training with bold emotional authenticity. She transitions seamlessly between delicate internal roles and commanding historical figures.
Mira Furlan
Country: Yugoslavia / Croatia
Key films: The Beauty of Vice, When Father Was Away on Business, The Tour, Circus Columbia, Cyclops, Babylon 5, Lost, Maternal Half-Brothers, The Abandoned, Twice Born
Most significant nominations: Pula Film Festival, Sci-Fi Universe Magazine, Online Film & Television Association, Balkan New Film Festival
What makes Mira Furlan unique: A rare bridge between Eastern European auteur cinema and Western pop culture. She carried depth and dignity into every role, from Yugoslav classics to sci-fi cult hits like Babylon 5.
Jagoda Kaloper
Country: Yugoslavia / Croatia
Key films: WR: Mysteries of the Organism, Handcuffs, The House, Key, Whichever Way the Ball Bounces, Gravitation
Most significant nominations: Pula Film Festival, Empress Theodora Award
What makes Jagoda Kaloper unique: She stood at the crossroads of cinematic and visual innovation with a bold screen presence in groundbreaking films. One of the most alternative Croatian actresses ever.
Tihana Lazovic
Country: Croatia
Key films: The High Sun, Aleksi, Forever Hold Your Peace, Only When I Laugh, Hush, On the Other Side, Tomorrow Is a New Day, The Paper, Tycoon, Just Like My Son, The Silence, Yogurt, juice, cigarettes
Most significant nominations: Berlin International Film Festival, Sarajevo Film Festival, Pula Film Festival, Cottbus, FICA, PriFest, LACA, Venice Shorts
What makes Tihana Lazović unique: One of Croatia’s most celebrated contemporary actresses. Tihana stands out for her transformative triple performance in The High Sun, which cemented her as a festival favorite.
Milica Stojanova
Country: Yugoslavia / Macedonia
Key films: Before the Rain, Happy New Year, Wild Meat, Stand Up Straight, Delfina, Days of Temptation, Tattoo, Three Days in September, Goodbye, 20th Century, Uncle Vanya
Most significant nominations: Manaki Brothers Film Festival, October 11th Award, November 13th Award. Artist of the Year in Macedonia
What makes Milica Stojanova unique: She’s a foundational figure in Macedonian performing arts, renowned for her transformational performances, rich vocal and emotional range, and profound investment in character authenticity.
Katina Ivanova
Country: Yugoslavia / Macedonia
Key films: The State of the Dead, Gypsy Magic, Banovic Strahinja, Haven’t I Told You, Hi-Fi, Angels of Waste, The White Wall, Willow
Most significant nominations: Pula Film Festival, Ekran Award
What makes Katina Ivanova unique: Her genuine warmth, refined sensibility, and unwavering support for fellow actors made her a remarkable performer, but also a cherished mentor. A consummate Macedonian actress, renowned for expressive clarity.
Marion Cotillard
Country: France
Key films: La Vie en Rose, Two Days, One Night, Rust and Bone, Inception, Little White Lies, Taxi, Allied, A Good Year, Macbeth, Love Me If You Dare, The Green Planet, Public Enemies
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Cannes, Cesar Awards, European Film Awards, Golden Globes
What makes Marion Cotillard unique: She is the first actress to win an Oscar for a French-language performance. Her remarkable fluency in both emotional subtlety and genre flexibility cements her status as one of the most compelling European actresses.
Juliette Binoche
Country: France
Key films: Three Colors: Blue, The English Patient, Chocolat, Clouds of Sils Maria, Certified Copy, The Taste of Things, Ghost in the Shell, High Life, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Les Amants du Pont-Neuf, Paris, je t’aime, Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, Cannes, Venice Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, BAFTAs, Cesar Awards, European Film Awards, Golden Globes
What makes Juliette Binoche unique: She is the first actress to achieve Europe’s “Triple Crown” – winning Best Actress at Cannes, Venice, and Berlin. One of the most awarded European actresses ever.
Penélope Cruz
Country: Spain
Key films: Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Volver, Vanilla Sky, Nine, Parallel Mothers, All About My Mother, Broken Embraces, Pain and Glory, Ferrari, Official Competition, Blow, Don’t Move
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, ALMAs, BAFTAs, Cannes, European Film Awards, Golden Globes, Goya Awards
What makes Penélope Cruz unique: She is the first and only Spanish actress to win an acting Oscar, with a career that involves both European and Hollywood films.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Country: France / UK
Key films: Antichrist, Nymphomaniac, Melancholia, La Petite Voleuse, The Cement Garden, The Science of Sleep, An Impudent Girl, Trail of the Beast, The Accusation, The Passengers of the Night, Promise at Dawn, 21 Grams, Paroles et musique
Most significant nominations: Cannes, Cesar Awards, European Film Awards, Danish Film Awards, Bodil Awards, Stockholm Film Festival
What makes Charlotte Gainsbourg unique: Her deep artistic heritage merges with fearless creativity. She’s embraced daring, psychologically intense roles while evolving into a documentary filmmaker. Collaborating with Trier, she made a significant contribution to breaking the stigma regarding sexual repression.
Jane Birkin
Country: UK / France
Key films: Blow-Up, Slogan, Death on the Nile, La Belle Noiseuse, Kung-fu master!, Jane B. for Agnes V., Boxes, La femme de ma vie, Dust, La Pirate, Evil Under the Sun, The Swimming Pool, La moutarde me monte au nez, L’amour par terre, Daddy Nostalgie
Most significant nominations: Cannes, Cesar Awards, Venice Film Festival, Order of the British Empire, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Order of the Rising Sun
What makes Jane Birkin unique: She became an emblem of cultural fusion – British-born yet quintessentially French, a muse of a generation whose quietly rebellious style and art transcended media. A fun fact: she is the mother of Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Anna Karina
Country: Denmark / France
Key films: Alphaville, A Woman Is a Woman, Pierrot le Fou, Vivre sa vie, Bande à Part, La Religieuse, Le petit soldat, Le soldatesse, The Stranger, Rendezvous at Bray, Pane e cioccolata, Chinese Roulette, Cayenne Palace
Most significant nominations: Berlin International Film Festival, Cesar Awards, Bodil Awards, Pusan International Film Festival, Bilbao International Festival of Documentary and Short Films
What makes Anna Karina unique: As a defining face of the French New Wave, she transcended the roles she played. Her performances had an elusive presence that blurred the line between character and self. Her work with Godard produced some of the most enduring images in cinema.
Jeanne Moreau
Country: France
Key films: Jules et Jim, The Lovers, Nikita, Lift to the Scaffold, Elevator to the Gallows, La Notte, Diary of a Chambermaid, La vieille qui marchait dans la mer, Seven Days… Seven Nights, L’adolescente, Viva Maria!, Le dialogue des Carmélites
Most significant nominations: BAFTAs, Berlin International Film Festival, Cannes, Cesar Awards, European Film Awards, Venice Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
What makes Jeanne Moreau unique: She incorporated the intellectual and sensual spirit of postwar European cinema, collaborating with legendary directors across borders.
Monica Vitti
Country: Italy
Key films: L’Avventura, Red Desert, La Notte, L’Eclisse, The Girl with the Pistol, Dramma della gelosia, Teresa the Thief, La Tosca, The Phantom of Liberty, Il cilindro
Most significant nominations: BAFTAs, Venice, Berlin, David di Donatello, San Sebastián International Film Festival
What makes Monica Vitti unique: She was the muse of Italian modernist cinema in the 60s, redefining the role of women through her portrayals of existential angst. Then, she surprised critics by reinventing herself as a comedic actress.
Valentina Cortese
Country: Italy
Key films: Day for Night, Le Amiche, The Barefoot Contessa, The Glass Mountain, Juliet of the Spirits, Barabbas, The House on Telegraph Hill, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Caccia all’uomo, Tempesta su Parigi
Most significant nominations: Academy Awards, BAFTAs, David di Donatello, Golden Globes, MIFF, Order of Arts and Letters
What makes Valentina Cortese unique: Cortese’s magnetism transcended language and genre. In Day for Night, she delivered one of cinema’s most beloved portrayals of an aging actress.
Isabelle Adjani
Country: France
Key films: Camille Claudel, The Story of Adele H., Possession, Queen Margot, Nosferatu the Vampyre, The Tenant, The Driver, One Deadly Summer
Most significant nominations: Oscars, Cannes, Berlin, Cesar Awards, Bambi Awards, David di Donatello
What makes Isabelle Adjani unique: She’s one of the most emotionally fearless actresses in European cinema. She often portrays women on the edge of genius, obsession, or madness.
Monica Bellucci
Country: Italy
Key films: Malena, L’Appartement, Irréversible, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, The Whistleblower, The Passion of the Christ, On the Milky Road
Most significant nominations: European Film Awards, Cesar Awards, David di Donatello, San Sebastián International Film Festival, CinEuphoria Awards, Saturn Awards
What makes Monica Bellucci unique: She’s a rare combination of timeless beauty and emotional gravity. An international icon who portrays sensual yet complex women in European and Hollywood cinema.
Nastassja Kinski
Country: Germany
Key films: Tess, Paris, Texas, Cat People, Maladie d’amour, Frühlingssinfonie, Wrong Move, Maria’s Lovers, The Magic of Marciano, Così come sei, Terminal Velocity, The Ring, An American Rhapsody
Most significant nominations: Bambi Awards, Cesar Awards, David di Donatello, Golden Globes, Art Film Festival, German Film Awards, Moscow International Film Festival
What makes Nastassja Kinski unique: She became an international sensation in the late 70s and 80s with her haunting beauty and quiet intensity. Nastassja captivates audiences in both European art films and Hollywood dramas.
Brigitte Bardot
Country: France
Key films: Contempt, La Vérité, Et Dieu… créa la femme, Viva Maria!, Warrior’s Rest, Mam’selle Striptease, Une parisienne, Histoires extraordinaires, L’ours et la poupée, Dear Brigitte, Masculin Féminin
Most significant nominations: BAFTAs, Bambi Awards, David di Donatello, CinEuphoria Awards, Photoplay
What makes Brigitte Bardot unique: She was a global icon of 50s and 60s cinema. Bardot revolutionized the image of female sensuality with her natural charisma, free-spirited allure, rebellion, and effortless magnetism.
Nonna Mordyukova
Country: USSR / Ukraine
Key films: Komissar, Mama, Molodaya gvardiya, The Diamond Arm, Prostaya istoriya, Chuzhaya rodnya, Predsedatel, Tridtsat tri, Zhuravushka, Tryasina, Family Relations
Most significant nominations: Nika Awards, People’s Artist of the USSR, Russian Guild of Film Critics, Stalinskaya Premia, Order of Merit for the Fatherland, Kinotavr
What makes Nonna Mordyukova unique: Nonna was the embodiment of the strong, earthy Soviet woman. Mordyukova left an indelible mark on USSR cinema as one of its most beloved and recognizable Eastern European actresses.
Tatiana Samoilova
Country: USSR / Russia
Key films: The Cranes Are Flying, Anna Karenina, Letter Never Sent, Italiani brava gente, Nechayannye radosti, Alba Regia, Diamonds for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat, 24 chasa, Nirvana
Most significant nominations: Cannes, BAFTAs, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, Moscow International Film Festival, Jussi Awards, Preis der deutschen Filmkritik
What makes Tatiana Samoilova unique: Samoilova captivated international audiences with her performance in The Cranes Are Flying, blending emotional vulnerability and poetic grace. Forbidden, but never forgotten, she made a comeback after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Faina Ranevskaya
Country: Russian Empire / USSR / Russia
Key films: Karlsson Returns, Zolushka, Pyshka, Vesna, U nikh est Rodina, Podkidysh, Svadba, Dalshe: Tishina, Lyogkaya zhizn, Nebesnyy tikhokhod
Most significant nominations: Stalinskaya Premia, People’s Artist of the USSR, People’s Artist of the Republic
What makes Faina Ranevskaya unique: Ranevskaya combined sharp wit with deep pathos. She was celebrated for her unforgettable comic timing, delivery, and iconic lines. Faina is also famous for her excellent aphorisms.
Lyubov Orlova
Country: Russian Empire / USSR / Russia
Key films: Tsirk, Volga – Volga, Vesna, Jazz Comedy, Vstrecha na Elbe, Boyevoy kinosbornik 4, Kompozitor Glinka, Moussorgsky
Most significant nominations: Venice Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, People’s Artist of the Republic, People’s Artist of the USSR, Stalinskaya Premia
What makes Lyubov Orlova unique: Orlova was the first true Soviet film star as a radiant musical actress who symbolized optimism, glamour, and national pride. She was blending charm, discipline, and stagecraft to become an enduring icon of Soviet popular culture. However, there’s still unresolved controversy around her, even today.
Hanna Schygulla
Country: Germany
Key films: Lili Marleen, The Marriage of Maria Braun, The Edge of Heaven, Warum läuft Herr R. Amok, The Merchant of Four Seasons, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, Bremen Freedom, Wrong Move, Whity, Storia di Piera, Die Fälschung, La nuit de Varennes
Most significant nominations: Berlin, Cannes, Bambi Awards, David di Donatello, German Film Awards, New York Film Critics Circle Awards
What makes Hanna Schygulla unique: As a muse of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, she brought an enigmatic mix of sensuality, vulnerability, and intellectual depth to the screen. She was one of the faces of New German Cinema, with performances that were intimate, ironic, and emotional.
Vanessa Redgrave
Country: UK
Key films: Howards End, The Bostonians, Julia, Mary, Queen of Scots, Blow-Up, Camelot, Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, Isadora, The Gathering Storm, Peter the Great, Prick Up Your Ears, Un muro de silencio, Anonymous, Little Odessa, Song for Marion, Foxcatcher
Most significant nominations: Oscars, BAFTAs, Cannes, European Film Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes, SAG, Venice
What makes Vanessa Redgrave unique: She is revered for her commanding presence, political fearlessness, and unmatched versatility, seamlessly moving between Shakespearean theatre, independent films, and Hollywood epics.
Emma Thompson
Country: UK
Key films: Sense and Sensibility, The Remains of the Day, Howards End, Saving Mr. Banks, Wit, Primary Colors, The Winter Guest, In the Name of the Father, Years and Years, Last Chance Harvey, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Stranger Than Fiction
Most significant nominations: Oscars, Venice, European Film Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes, SAG, Critics’ Choice Awards
What makes Emma Thompson unique: Thompson blends sharp intelligence with warmth and wit. She can portray emotionally complex women with equal measures of humor, vulnerability, and moral strength.
Maggie Smith
Country: UK
Key films: California Suite, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Gosford Park, A Room with a View, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Downton Abbey, The Lady in the Van, Travels with My Aunt, Tea with Mussolini, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, The Secret Garden, Ladies in Lavender
Most significant nominations: Oscars, Emmys, BAFTAs, European Film Awards, SAG, Golden Globes, Photoplay
What makes Maggie Smith unique: Maggie is celebrated for her impeccable timing, wit, and ability to shift from drama to comedy. She’s one of Britain’s most enduring and beloved performers.
Charlotte Rampling
Country: UK
Key films: 45 Years, Under the Sand, I, Anna, Lemming, Swimming Pool, Restless, He Died with His Eyes Open, Hannah, Georgy Girl
Most significant nominations: Berlin, Venice, European Film Awards, Oscars, Bodil Awards, Cesar Awards, Golden Globes, Fantasporto
What makes Charlotte Rampling unique: Rampling is known for her enigmatic, understated performances, often exploring the darker shades of human psychology with haunting subtlety. She’s also a legend of the Swinging Sixties.
That’s it; this is my list of European actresses whose talent and craft are more than impressive. Several actresses didn’t make the list, but are undoubtedly worth mentioning, such as:
- Hedy Lamarr
- Emmanuelle Riva
- Jean Simmons
- Jodie Comer
- Carey Mulligan
- Judi Dench
- Helen Mirren
- Julie Delpy
- Kate Winslet
- Carmen Maura
- Sandra Hüller
- Tilda Swinton
- Rachel Weisz
- Nina Hoss
- Trine Dyrholm
- Simone Signoret
- Emily Watson
- Branka Katic
- Hana Selimović
Feel free to comment below about other actresses whose talent deserves attention. Also, if you want to continue reading, here are my articles about the most significant American actors and actresses.
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