Top 8 women in the entertainment industry

In aid of Women’s History Month, here’s my pick of the top 8 women who have punched through the barriers of an entertainment industry plagued with inequality 1. Meryl Streep - Not only was her role as Miranda Priestly iconic enough to earn her a place on this list, but Streep herself is a force for equality and change within Hollywood. In a tireless effort for gender equality, Streep has made countless stands against discrimination including making specific demands to industry executives which has gained traction especially since the #MeToo movement. 2. Elizabeth Taylor - Beginning her acting career as a child, Taylor grew up to be a darling of Hollywood, winning two Academy Awards. But behind those amazing baby blues, Taylor was a fierce advocate of exposing the unjust response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Harnessing her power of celebrity, she became the first globally recognised activist against HIV and AIDS and set up The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1991. 3. Reese Witherspoon - After 25 years of acting, Reese added another string to her bow when she set up her production company. Hello Sunshine labels itself as: “a media company that puts women at the centre of every story we create… [telling stories that shine] a light on where women are now and helping them chart a new path forward.” Witherspoon also advocates for LGBTQ+ and disabled women, as well as those of colour. (What, like it’s hard?!) 4. Anna May Wong - Despite operating in a Hollywood plagued with racism and discrimination, Wong (Wong Liu-tsong) was the first Chinese American actress to gain international recognition. Although her roles were limited to Asian stereotypes - see Piccadilly (1929), Daughter of the Dragon (1931) and Shanghai Express (1932) - her ability to make the roles her own pioneered the future of Asian representation in the entertainment industry. 5. Beyonce Knowles - Adding to her musical repertoire, Beyonce’s visual album Lemonade broke the boundaries of what it means to be an objectified woman. With tracks like 6 Inch claiming: “she works for the money and she worth every dollar”, Knowles reclaims her own exploitation by commoditising her body. 6. Katharine Hepburn - One of the queens of the silver screen, Hepburn won four Academy Awards - a record number of wins for Best Actress at the time. When Hollywood was wearing dresses and stockings, she wore trousers and spoke her mind about the constrictions of Hollywood. As a result of her tendency to speak out, she ironically earned herself the name “Katharine of Arrogance”. 7. Shonda Rhimes - Overseeing the successful endeavours of her production company, Shondaland, Rhimes never shies away from creating empowered, diverse characters unafraid to subvert the norms of traditional TV. She’s produced TV gold including Grey’s Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder and Bridgerton.

8. Viola Davis - Davis is the first African-American actress to earn the “Triple Crown of Acting” with Emmy, Tony and Academy Award wins. A strong feminist and anti-racism advocate, her Emmy acceptance speech highlighted the further need for diversified roles within Hollywood: “The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.”