Who is considered the best actress of all time? An often-asked question that is impossible to answer. Essentially, there isn’t such a thing as the greatest actress. However, one can analyze and pick some of the most successful and best actresses ever.
Even though acting is almost impossible to measure, it’s fun to have discussions about who’s the finest. Therefore, let’s see some of the best actresses ever, according to my tastes.
Meryl Streep
Acting is a craft, and Meryl Streep is its master. Whether you watch a young Meryl Streep on screen or her latest performances, you’ll notice that she’s always excellent. Therefore, it’s not surprising she’s considered the greatest actress ever.
- Versatility: From Sophie’s Choice to The Devil Wears Prada, she transforms seamlessly.
- Accolades: Over 20 Oscar nominations, with multiple wins.
- Immersion: She disappears into every role, whether drama, comedy, or musical.
Key Meryl Streep movies:
- Kramer vs. Kramer
- The Deer Hunter
- Sophie’s Choice
- The French Lieutenant’s Woman
- Silkwood
- Out of Africa
- The Devil Wears Prada
- Adaptation.
- The Iron Lady
- August: Osage County
- The Post
- Florence Foster Jenkins
Viola Davis
Modern cinema’s powerhouse, Viola Davis, is known for her emotional truth and unmatched intensity. The phrase best actresses ever naturally stands near her name. If we make a comparison with the best male actors, Meryl would be like Brando, and Viola would be like Olivier.
- Barrier-breaker: First Black woman to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting.
- Raw performances: She leaves everything on screen, whether leading or supporting.
- Voice of truth: She brings dignity, humanity, and fire to every role.
Key Viola Davis movies: Fences, The Help, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Doubt, Widows, The Woman King, Air, The Unforgivable, Troop Zero
Bette Davis
Often regarded as the first true queen of Hollywood acting, Bette Davis was fearless, bold, and uncompromising. She is certainly one of the greatest American actresses ever, but also worldwide.
Why is Bette Davis considered one of the best actresses ever? Here’s why:
- Complex characters: She didn’t shy away from playing unlikable women, at a time when Hollywood preferred glamour roles.
- Intensity: With just a glance or a biting line delivery, she could dominate the screen.
- Longevity: Her career lasted for decades, filled with groundbreaking roles.
Key Bette Davis movies: Jezebel, Dangerous, All About Eve, Dark Victory, The Letter, The Little Foxes, Now, Voyager, Mr. Skeffington, The Star, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Of Human Bondage
Katharine Hepburn
The most awarded actress in Oscar history, Katharine Hepburn, redefined what a female star could be. Independent, witty, and fiercely intelligent, she stood apart from her contemporaries. Undoubtedly, one of the best actresses ever.
- Four Academy Awards: Still the record for Best Actress wins.
- Trailblazer: She embodied strong, independent women at a time when female roles were often secondary.
- Stage & screen mastery: Like Olivier for men, she balanced theater and film brilliantly.
Key Katharine Hepburn movies: The Philadelphia Story, The African Queen, On Golden Pond, The Lion in Winter, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Woman of the Year, Suddenly, Last Summer, Summertime
Ingrid Bergman
Few actresses combined grace and depth like Ingrid Bergman. She was both the luminous star of Casablanca and the tortured heroine of Gaslight. When an actress showcases such range, it’s evident she’s one of the best ever.
- Naturalism: Her performances felt real, raw, and authentic.
- International success: She conquered Hollywood, European cinema, and beyond.
- Resilience: Despite scandals and personal struggles, she came back stronger than ever.
Key Ingrid Bergman movies:
- For Whom the Bell Tolls
- Gaslight
- Europe ’51
- Stromboli
- The Bells of St. Mary’s
- Joan of Arc
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Anastasia
- Murder on the Orient Express
- Casablanca
- Notorious
- Autumn Sonata
- Voyage to Italy
Jessica Chastain
Among the most famous and best actresses of the 21st century, Jessica Chastain has become synonymous with strong, complex, and layered characters.
- Range: From political thrillers to character-driven dramas, she thrives in versatility.
- Dedication: Her preparation and research for roles are meticulous.
- Recognition: She’s been nominated three times so far and won an Academy Award for The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
Key Jessica Chastain movies: The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Help, Zero Dark Thirty, Miss Sloane, Molly’s Game, The Good Nurse
Liv Ullmann
The face of Ingmar Bergman’s cinema, Liv Ullmann, is often considered the most profound actress to come out of Scandinavia. Additionally, she’s undoubtedly one of the greatest European actresses who has also conquered the world.
- Collaboration with Bergman: Their partnership produced some of the greatest performances in world cinema.
- Human fragility: She portrayed inner turmoil and human fragility like few others.
- International acclaim: Despite working largely in European films, she became a worldwide icon.
Key Liv Ullmann movies: Face to Face, The Emigrants, Cries and Whispers, Autumn Sonata, Shame, Persona, Scenes from a Marriage, The New Land, The Passion of Anna, Hour of the Wolf
Vivien Leigh
A legend of elegance and intensity, Leigh’s filmography may be short, but her impact is monumental. Authenticity is the first word that comes to mind when one thinks of Vivien Leigh, since her acting was different yet powerful.
- Iconic roles: She has played some of the best roles in the history of worldwide cinema.
- Dual Academy Awards: Both for roles that remain unforgettable decades later.
- Stage brilliance: Beyond cinema, she was an acclaimed stage actress.
Key Vivien Leigh movies: A Streetcar Named Desire, Gone with the Wind, Lady Hamilton, Anna Karenina, Caesar and Cleopatra, Waterloo Bridge, Ship of Fools
Cate Blanchett
As one of the best actresses of today, she’s best known for her amazing ability to transform. Cate Blanchett is already a fantastic and accomplished actress, so it’s more than exciting to see which roles she’ll portray next.
- Unpredictability: She never repeats herself, tackling wildly different and complex roles.
- Stage & screen: Acclaimed worldwide for both theater and film.
- Awards: Two Oscars and multiple nominations across decades.
Key Cate Blanchett movies: Blue Jasmine, The Aviator, Elizabeth, Carol, Babel, Notes on a Scandal, Tár, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, I’m Not There
Sonja Savić
A Yugoslav and Serbian actress of immense cult status, Sonja Savić was both avant-garde and emotionally truthful. If Soviet Russia had its own worldwide master in Anatoly Solonitsyn, Yugoslavia’s master was Sonja Savić.
- Authenticity: She lived and breathed her art, making every performance haunting.
- Countercultural icon: Known for her work in Yugoslav films that pushed boundaries.
- Legacy: Though less globally known, she’s celebrated as one of Europe’s most unique screen presences.
Key Sonja Savić movies: Life Is Beautiful, Una, Strangler vs. Strangler, Balkan Spy, Bread and Milk, Sugar Water, We Are Not Angels, The Tragic Burlesque, Living Like the Rest of Us, Gravehopping, Miss Julie
Milena Dravić
Milena Dravić is a crucial figure of the famous Black Wave and overall Yugoslav and Serbian cinema. She combined elegance, depth, and subtle intensity, making her one of the greatest actresses of Eastern Europe.
- Versatility: From light-hearted comedies to intense dramas, she moved effortlessly across genres.
- Critical acclaim: Winner of numerous prestigious awards, including at the Cannes Film Festival, Pula Film Festival, Taormina International Film Festival, etc.
- Screen presence: Her charisma, poise, and emotional honesty made every role memorable, whether leading or supporting.
Key Milena Dravić movies:
- W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism
- Special Treatment
- Man Is Not a Bird
- The Ambush
- Superfluous
- Roundabout
- The Naughty Ones
- Lito vilovito
- Deps
- The Battle of Sutjeska
- The Battle on the River Neretva
- Kozara
- The Girl
Final Words on the Best Actresses Ever
Just as with actors, there will never be a definitive list of the 10 best actresses ever. Even this list includes 11, since it’s impossible to decide.
Acting defies measurement. Each generation brings new stars, and each culture has its icons. But what unites the names above is their ability to redefine what acting is. Each, in her own way, broke boundaries, challenged conventions, and left performances that time will not erase.
If I had to choose one? It’s challenging to deny that Meryl Streep is still arguably the best actress ever. However, for me, Sonja Savić and Milena Dravić are my favorites. Nevertheless, every single name on this list represents the true art of acting performance.
framebyframecritic 