Who Is The Most Famous Actress In The World Right Now?
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Who Is The Most Famous Actress In The World Right Now?

Celebrity Lists
Updated October 25, 2023 351.8K votes 28.7K voters 464.9K views
Over 28.7K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The World's Most Famous Actresses
Voting Rules
Vote up who you think are the most famous actresses in the world right now, from both TV and film.
Latest additions: Regina King, Viola Davis, Teresa Palmer
Most divisive: Brie Larson

When it comes to Hollywood, the most famous actresses can change like the seasons. With so many films and TV shows coming out one after another, there's always room for both emerging actresses and those at the peak of their careers. However, some of the most popular and best actresses today have remained in the spotlight for years, and may stay there for years to come. On the other hand, this is all up to you to decide—as fans play a large role in just who makes the headlines and even who gets cast for the next lead role. So, who do you think is the most famous actress right now in 2021?

Top female actresses like Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson have spent most of their careers in the top of their class, starring in numerous roles for some of the biggest movies. Then you have the absolute greats, such as Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, and Helen Mirren—who all will go down as some of the greatest actresses of all time. Of course, we can't forget the stars of the 2010s, including Emma Stone and Margot Robbie, among many others. They're certainly some of the most popular actresses.

Famous female actors include stars like Jennifer Lawrence, who have become household names. Sometimes they're the most popular actresses or most famous actresses because of their amazing style or personalities, but other times it's because they're genuinely the top actresses in their field. 

On this list, check out the top 10 female actresses - does the order seem right to you? It's always a debate to see which are the most popular female actresses in 2021. All of the top women actresses should be on this list of famous actresses. Who tops your list of the most famous actresses in the world right now? Vote up your favorite famous women actors from the list below. Also feel free to add any actresses you think are missing from the list. 

Ranked by
  • Scarlett Johansson
    1

    Scarlett Johansson

    Lost in Translation, The Avengers, The Prestige
    14,166 votes
    • Birthplace: New York City, New York
    Scarlett Ingrid Johansson (; born November 22, 1984) is an American actress and singer. She is the world's highest-paid actress, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, has made multiple appearances in the Forbes Celebrity 100, and is the recipient of several awards, including a Tony Award and a British Academy Film Award. Born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, Johansson aspired to be an actress from a young age and first appeared on stage in an Off-Broadway play as a child. She made her film debut in the fantasy comedy North (1994), and gained early recognition for her roles in Manny & Lo (1996), The Horse Whisperer (1998), and Ghost World (2001). She shifted to adult roles in 2003 with her performances in Lost in Translation, which won her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress, and Girl with a Pearl Earring. She was nominated for Golden Globe Awards for these films, and for playing an estranged teenager in the drama A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004), and a seductress in the psychological thriller Match Point (2005). Other works during this period include the mystery thriller The Prestige (2006) and the comedy-drama Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), and the albums Anywhere I Lay My Head (2008) and Break Up (2009), both of which charted on the Billboard 200. In 2010, Johansson debuted on Broadway in a revival of A View from the Bridge, which won her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress, and began portraying Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She voiced an intelligent computer operating system in the 2013 comedy-drama Her and played an alien in the 2013 science fiction film Under the Skin and a woman with psychokinetic abilities in the 2014 science fiction action Lucy. Her films have grossed over $5 billion in North America and over $14.3 billion worldwide, making Johansson the third-highest-grossing box-office star of all time both domestically and worldwide. As a public figure, Johansson is a Hollywood sex symbol. She is a prominent celebrity brand endorser, and also supports various charities and causes. She has been married twice, to the Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds from 2008 to 2011 and the French businessman Romain Dauriac, with whom she has a daughter, from 2014 to 2017.
  • Margot Robbie
    2

    Margot Robbie

    Neighbours, About Time, The Wolf of Wall Street
    10,151 votes
    • Birthplace: Gold Coast, Australia
    Margot Elise Robbie (born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and film producer. She has received nominations for an Academy Award and three BAFTA Awards. In 2017, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and in 2019, she was ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses. Born and raised on a farm in Dalby, Queensland, Robbie studied drama at Somerset College. She began her career in Australian independent films in the late 2000s, before working in the soap opera Neighbours (2008–2011), which earned her two Logie Award nominations. After moving to the United States, she starred in the short-lived ABC drama series Pan Am (2011–2012). In 2013, she had a supporting role in the romantic comedy About Time and made her breakthrough later that year by co-starring in Martin Scorsese's biographical black comedy The Wolf of Wall Street. Robbie launched a production company named LuckyChap Entertainment in 2014. Robbie's profile continued to grow with leading roles in the romantic drama Focus (2015), as Jane Porter Clayton in the action-adventure film The Legend of Tarzan (2016), and as Harley Quinn in the superhero film Suicide Squad (2016). Robbie received critical acclaim in 2017 for her portrayal of the disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding in the biographical film I, Tonya, which she also produced, receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She went on to portray Queen Elizabeth I in the period drama Mary Queen of Scots (2018), gaining a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino's comedy-drama Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
  • Emma Watson
    3

    Emma Watson

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
    12,702 votes
    • Birthplace: France, Paris
    Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress, model and activist. Born in Paris and brought up in Oxfordshire, Watson attended the Dragon School and trained as an actress at the Oxford branch of Stagecoach Theatre Arts. As a child artist, she rose to prominence after landing her first professional acting role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, having acted only in school plays previously.Watson continued to work outside of the Harry Potter films, appearing in the 2007 television adaptation of the novel Ballet Shoes and lending her voice to The Tale of Despereaux (2008). Following the last Harry Potter film, she took on starring and supporting roles in My Week with Marilyn (2011), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) and The Bling Ring (2013), made an appearance as an exaggerated version of herself in This Is the End (2013), and portrayed the title character's adopted daughter in Noah (2014). In 2017, she starred as Belle in a live-action adaptation of the musical romantic fantasy film Beauty and the Beast. Her other roles include Regression (2015), Colonia (2015) and The Circle (2017). From 2011 to 2014, Watson split her time between working on film projects and continuing her education, studying at Brown University and Worcester College, Oxford and graduating from Brown with a bachelor's degree in English literature in May 2014. Her modelling work has included campaigns for Burberry and Lancôme. As a fashion consultant, she helped create a line of clothing for People Tree. She was honoured by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2014, winning for British Artist of the Year. That same year, she was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill ambassador and helped launch the UN Women campaign HeForShe, which calls for men to advocate gender equality.
  • Jennifer Lawrence
    4

    Jennifer Lawrence

    The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Silver Linings Playbook
    10,338 votes
    • Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
    Jennifer Shrader Lawrence (born August 15, 1990) is an American actress. Her films have grossed over $6 billion worldwide, and she was the highest-paid actress in the world in 2015 and 2016. Lawrence appeared in Time's 100 most influential people in the world list in 2013 and in the Forbes Celebrity 100 list in 2014 and 2016. During her childhood, Lawrence performed in church plays and school musicals. At age 14, she was spotted by a talent scout while vacationing in New York City with her family. Lawrence then moved to Los Angeles and began her acting career by playing guest roles in television shows. Her first major role came as a main cast member on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show (2007–2009). Lawrence made her film debut in a supporting role in the drama Garden Party (2008), and had her breakthrough playing a poverty-stricken teenager in the independent drama Winter's Bone (2010). She achieved wider recognition for her starring role as the mutant Mystique / Raven Darkhölme in the X-Men film series (2011–2019). Lawrence's career progressed with her starring role as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games film series (2012–2015), which established her as the highest-grossing action heroine of all time. She went on to earn accolades for her collaborations with director David O. Russell. Her performance as a depressed young widow in the romance film Silver Linings Playbook (2012) earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the second-youngest winner of the award. Lawrence subsequently won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for playing a troubled wife in the black comedy American Hustle (2013). She also received Golden Globe Awards for her roles in both of these films, and for her lead performance as Joy Mangano in the biopic Joy (2015). She has since starred in the science fiction romance Passengers (2016), the psychological horror film Mother! (2017), and the spy thriller Red Sparrow (2018). Lawrence is an outspoken feminist and has advocated for Planned Parenthood. In 2015, she founded the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation, which has advocated for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Special Olympics. She formed the production company Excellent Cadaver in 2018.
  • Zendaya
    5

    Zendaya

    Euphoria, Malcom And Marie, The Greatest Showman
    7,354 votes
    • Birthplace: Oakland, USA, California
    Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman (; born September 1, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She began her career as a child model and backup dancer, before gaining prominence for her role as Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up (2010–2013). In 2013, Zendaya was a contestant on the sixteenth season of the competition series Dancing with the Stars. From 2015 to 2018, she produced and starred as K.C. Cooper in the sitcom K.C. Undercover, and in 2019, she began playing the lead role in the HBO drama series Euphoria. Her film roles include supporting parts in the musical drama The Greatest Showman (2017) and the superhero films Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019). Zendaya began her career in music by recording songs independently and releasing the singles "Swag It Out" and "Watch Me" in 2011, the latter a collaboration with Bella Thorne. She signed with Hollywood Records in 2012 and later released her debut single, "Replay", which reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. In 2013, her self-titled debut studio album debuted at number 51 on the Billboard 200 chart. "Rewrite the Stars", taken from the soundtrack to The Greatest Showman, was released as a single in 2018. It reached the top twenty of the UK and Australian national charts and was certified platinum in the UK and US and double platinum in Australia.
  • Emma Stone
    6

    Emma Stone

    The Help, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Easy A
    7,469 votes
    • Birthplace: Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
    Emily Jean "Emma" Stone (born November 6, 1988) is an American actress. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, she was the highest-paid actress in the world in 2017. Stone has appeared in Forbes Celebrity 100 in 2013 and in 2017, she was featured by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Stone began acting as a child, in a theater production of The Wind in the Willows in 2000. As a teenager, she relocated to Los Angeles with her mother and made her television debut in In Search of the New Partridge Family (2004), a reality show that produced only an unsold pilot. After small television roles, she made her film debut in Superbad (2007), and received positive media attention for her role in Zombieland (2009). The 2010 teen comedy Easy A was Stone's first starring role, earning her nominations for the BAFTA Rising Star Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. This breakthrough was followed with further success in the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) and the drama The Help (2011). Stone gained wider recognition as Gwen Stacy in the 2012 superhero film The Amazing Spider-Man, and its 2014 sequel. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a recovering drug addict in the black comedy Birdman (2014). Her Broadway debut came in a revival of the musical Cabaret (2014–2015). She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for playing an aspiring actress in the romantic musical La La Land (2016). Stone went on to portray Billie Jean King in the biographical sports film Battle of the Sexes (2017) and Abigail Masham in the historical comedy-drama The Favourite (2018). Her performance in the latter earned her another nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Also in 2018, she starred in the Netflix dark comedy miniseries Maniac.