Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV
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The 8th of March marks International Women’s Day, a celebration of women’s achievements and a time to recognise issues around gender parity. Across the globe, many women and girls are inspired simply by looking at their screens and seeing a female host, journalist or actor who gives them some idea of who they are, or what they might aspire to become. We’ve picked 20 names from around the world who made their names through the medium of television, and who have either left a powerful legacy on the small screen, or are making their mark in the here and now.

[Photo credits – Tina Fey and Viola Davis: Mingle Media TV. Úrsula Corberó: Carlos Delgado]

By Victoria Luxford

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Jennifer Aniston – For nearly three decades, Jennifer Aniston has been a staple of both the big and small screens, but television is where she became a global icon. Between 1994 and 2004, to the world she was Rachel Green, the friend we all wished we had and could be. The screen presence of a movie star combined with an endearing relatability made her a pop culture phenomenon. In 2019, she changed the game again appearing on Apple’s flagship drama The Morning Show, shining a light on the very real problem of sexism and harassment in the workplace. Over the years, Aniston has become the celebrity we all think we know, and an actor we all flock to watch.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Jennifer Winget – Since she first started acting as a child, Jennifer Winget has worked hard at her craft to become one of India’s most famous names. She’s built a strong reputation on performances that stick in the minds of fans, from her breakthrough performance as Maya Mehrotra in daily soap opera Beyhadh, to playing an army lawyer in 2020 thriller Code M. Her determination to pick powerful roles has helped her smash glass ceilings in the industry, and at just 35, there’s plenty still to come from this award-winner.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Lucille Ball – Lucille Ball was famous as the adored star of sitcom I Love Lucy, but less well known for her influence behind the scenes – which was significant. Ball became the first woman to run a television studio when she and husband Desi Arnaz founded Desilu Productions, developing shows like Star Trek, The Untouchables and Mission: Impossible. A woman who didn’t let the conservative attitudes of the ‘50s and ‘60s hold back her ambitions, many of the biggest TV and film franchises today owe their beginnings to her vision. Over 30 years since her death, she remains a pioneer for women in the industry.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Maite Perroni – Mexican thriller Dark Desire burst onto the global scene last year, becoming one of the world’s most-watched shows. That success is largely thanks to the charisma of its star, Maite Perroni. Dubbed ‘The Queen of Mexican Telenovelas’ by the media and named GQ Mexico’s Woman of The Year for 2020, Perroni has already achieved success in music and film, but seems to have found a new destination, driving forward Mexican drama to households around the world.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Jodie Whittaker – In 2017, when Jodie Whittaker took over the role of The Doctor in Doctor Who, 12 actors had played the lead – and they had all been men. The British star received online abuse for her casting, but that paled in significance to the inspiration she provided to millions of fans who now had a new kind of hero to call their own. Bringing sincerity and courage to the role, her impact can be summed up in a quote from the show: “We’re capable of the most incredible change. We can evolve while still staying true to who we are. We can honour who we’ve been and choose who we want to be next. Now’s your chance.”

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María Elena Salinas – In many countries, the diverse mix of cultures – and a tendency for casting directors to prefer certain types over others – means that some communities can feel underrepresented in their own national media. For over three decades, María Elena Salinas has been an important representative for Latin Americans living in the United States. As a news anchor and investigative journalist, she has discussed important issues with every president, as well as leaders from across the globe. Her work exemplifies the power of news media to connect people to the country in which they live.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Oprah Winfrey – When The Oprah Winfrey Show debuted in 1986, it was a regular talk show exploring the everyday stories of everyday people, and building on Winfrey’s early success on TV and in film. No one could have foreseen the giant it would become, running for 25 years and making Winfrey an American household name. Her singular ability to reach people could make or break a star – and made Winfrey herself into a true media magnate and North America’s first Black multi-billionaire. Hers is a success that comes from immense intelligence and tenacity, with an ability to understand what really matters to people on the other side of that screen.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Sofie Gråbøl – Popular in her home country of Denmark from a young age, it wasn’t until she was in her 40s that Sofie Gråbøl would achieve global stardom as the lead detective in Nordic noir thriller The Killing. Her character, Detective Sarah Lund, eschewed the worn-out cliches of female characters in drama series, putting the emphasis on her drive and passion rather than looks or sexuality. Gråbøl rose to the occasion, making The Killing a show that paved the way for other European dramas to generate interest in English-speaking countries. She has since moved on to successful shows in the UK and US, most recently The Undoing co-starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Gillian Anderson – Who Gillian Anderson is to you may depend on when you were born. To millions, she is FBI Agent Dana Scully, one half of the supernatural investigating duo at the forefront of ‘90s sci-fi hit The X-Files. To younger viewers, she is the open-minded sex therapist in Netflix’s high school comedy Sex Education. She also played a therapist in horror series Hannibal, an investigator in The Fall, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the most recent series of The Crown… she boasts a long list of varied roles, but what has remained constant is her commitment to complex characters who always sidestep expectations.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Divyanka Tripathi – For fans of Hindi television, the name Divyanka Tripathi will be instantly recognisable. Her character Dr. Ishita Bhalla on soap opera Yeh Hai Mohabbatein garnered her national recognition, and personal appearances elsewhere have brought her a very modern kind of stardom. Currently boasting over 13 million followers on Instagram, she was also declared the most valuable Indian TV star in Forbes’ 2017 celebrity power list. As well as having a compelling presence on the small screen, Tripathi has truly embraced what it means to be a star in the connected age.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Laverne Cox – US President Joe Biden described equality for transgender people as “the civil rights issue of our time”. Key to any movement is a prominent figure who achieves ‘firsts’ in their field, and actress Laverne Cox has a number of ‘firsts’ to her name. The Orange Is the New Black star was the first openly transgender artist to win an Emmy award, appear on the cover of Time and Cosmopolitan magazines, and have her likeness featured at Madame Tussauds. Her sterling performances on shows like Doubt and films such as Promising Young Woman work in tandem with her tireless advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Her voice, and her talent, give hope to millions.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Ana María Orozco – This Colombian TV star can lay claim to being the original inspiration for a number of worldwide hits. In 1999, she played the lead in Yo soy Betty, la fea. While the US remake, Ugly Betty, may be better known to English-speaking audiences, the original telenovela is considered the most famous of the genre in history, with its various international remakes bringing recognition of the genre to new heights. A veteran of many hit TV shows, Orozco’s charm in the lead is why many consider the original the best version, and why she’s garnered so much attention for her industry and craft.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Rachel Maddow – The job of the political journalist is to hold the powerful to account. A graduate of Standford and Oxford, Rachel Maddow has become one of the foremost liberal commentators since her self-titled nightly show debuted in 2008 (making her the first openly gay woman to host such a programme). Observing America during several fractious periods, she has become a passionate but level-headed opinion in a world where hysteria often equals ratings, always asking important questions of those in charge – no matter what side of the divide.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Yang Mi – Many a star has buckled under the pressure of being the ‘next big thing’, but for Chinese actress Yang Mi, that prediction turned out to be true. In 2009, Yang Mi was picked as one of the Four Dan Actresses, a media-compiled list of four young female actresses who seem destined for success. Twelve years on, she has a string of TV hits including time travel series Palace, drama The Interpreter, and mythological series Eternal Love, which became the most-viewed series in Chinese history. Little wonder that she’s considered one of the biggest names in the industry, with news about her forthcoming drama Novoland: Pearl Eclipse being followed closely by her fans.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Viola Davis – Looking at the many celebrated performances in Viola Davis’s career, one word comes to mind: fearless. Winning numerous awards on the big screen, including two Oscars, she made television history as the first Black woman to win Best Actress at the Emmys for her long running hit series How To Get Away with Murder. These accolades don’t happen by accident. The power of Davis to pour her heart and soul into numerous characters, while paving the way for the next generation by producing films and shows with a more diverse array of talent, are the attributes of an icon.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Han Ji-min – Any successful star has to be able to turn their hand to a variety of different stories, but Han Ji-min in particular has built a reputation on being able to stand out in a number of television genres. From historical epics like Yi San to love story The Light in Your Eyes – one of the highest-rated programmes in Korean history – Han Ji-min has balanced successful artistic endeavours with incredible philanthropy. A UN Goodwill Ambassador since 2012, the award-winner has used her profile to help fund children’s education initiatives in developing communities.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Tina Fey – It can be difficult for female perspectives to gain attention in the often male-dominated world of comedy – much less for that perspective to rise to the top. Tina Fey broke barriers by becoming the first female head writer on infamous US sketch show Saturday Night Live, before going on to be a celebrated writer of films such as Mean Girls, a star of shows like 30 Rock, and the creator of hit series The Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt. Her talent for portraying the hilariously flawed lives of her characters has inspired a generation to follow in her footsteps.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Judy Davis – It’s difficult to pinpoint a TV actor from Australia who isn’t more famous for her work in film, but we believe legend Judy Davis deserves recognition for a career of consistent brilliance. While she has made many appearances on the big screen, her work on television has seen her win numerous awards and play iconic historical figures such as Judy Garland and Nancy Reagan. Davis can currently be seen in the hit Aussie drama Mystery Road, as well as opposite Sarah Paulson in Ryan Murphy’s Ratched.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Phoebe Waller-Bridge – In a very short time, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has ascended to the top of the entertainment ladder for her ability to capture life, love and trauma through a wickedly funny lens. After winning a loyal fanbase for comedy Crashing, she adapted her one-woman show Fleabag into a TV series that became a runaway success, winning the creator a BAFTA, three Emmys and two Golden Globes. At the same time, she was also head writer on crime drama Killing Eve, as well as starring in films such as Solo and writing for the forthcoming Bond outing, No Time to Die. Her knack for creating stories that capture a moment means there’s bound to be much more to come.

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV.
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Úrsula Corberó – We end with one of the youngest names on this list, but while Úrsula Corberó’s 31 years may suggest her career is only getting started, she has already achieved something iconic: Since 2017 she has starred in Money Heist, playing narrator and robber Silene Oliveira (aka Tokyo). Adored by critics and audiences alike, the series was at one point the third most-watched series in Netflix history, propelling Corberó to an international audience and causing casting directors to flock to her door. More seasons of Money Heist are on the way, but with a role in the upcoming GI Joe spin-off film, Hollywood may be looking to make her a movie icon as well!

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Icons Of The Small Screen: The Top 20 Women In TV

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