Cover 'The Golden Girls' cast: Roe McClanahan, Estelle Getty, Betty White, and Beatrice Arthur. (Photo: Getty Images)
'The Golden Girls' cast: Roe McClanahan, Estelle Getty, Betty White, and Beatrice Arthur. (Photo: Getty Images)
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From the gutsy young lead of Netflix’s ‘Enola Holmes’ to the lovable Phoebe Buffay from ‘Friends’, the Front & Female team share their top TV and film characters who depict the best and boldest of womanhood
This International Women's Day, we're searching deep within to identify and celebrate the on-screen portrayals of superwomen–and we're not talking about the kind that dons a hero's cape and leotard to go save the world. While modern cinema has certainly given audiences more and more shining examples of strong female leads on the big screen, film and television have not always been as progressive when it came to how women have been presented on the screen.
Read more: The Bond Girl: Cinematic Eye-Candy or Empowered Woman?
From the troubled leading lady of a dark thriller to heartwarming rom-coms with uplifting messages about women's empowerment and self-worth in society, here are five best-loved female characters as shared by Tatler's Front & Female team.
Phoebe Buffay from 'Friends'
"I'm a massive Friends fan, and Phoebe Buffay has always been my favourite and a fantastic representation of female empowerment. Throughout the series' 10 seasons, she stays true to herself, her principles, and her beliefs (because she knows if she doesn't have her principles, she doesn't have anything!). Even if her choices seem eccentric sometimes, she's always trying to do the right thing.
Also, she loves her friends deeply but isn't afraid to challenge them, even if it's just for fun or because their ego needs to be reined in a little. She had such an unconventional upbringing that could easily have left her jaded and bitter (her father walking out when she and her twin sister were kids, losing her mum at 18, and living on the streets for a time) but she chooses to always lead with kindness, positively and compassion instead. Finally, she's confident in her worth as a person and is completely honest about who she is. She loves herself with all her virtues and flaws. And what's not to love about a woman on screen who owns her beauty and sexuality unapologetically?"
- Heidi Yeung, digital content editor, Tatler Hong Kong
Cassie Thomas from 'Promising Young Woman'
"Like Rosamund Pike's Amy in Gone Girl, there's something incredibly compelling about Cassie Thomas and how she decides to process her grief after losing her best friend. She was willing to go further than most to prove her point but the way she directly dismantles the common talking points that feed into rape culture is both powerful and empowering."
- Zue Wei Leong, senior style writer, Tatler Malaysia
Enola Homes
"There's only so much a woman can do in 1884 Victorian London, but Millie Bobby Brown's Enola Holmes defies the norms."
- Jove Moya, features writer, Tatler Asia
Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia from 'The Golden Girls'
"I can't choose just one! I love all four Golden Girls. Each of them represents a powerful (and timeless) aspect of what it means to be a woman. I like how the show portrays them as imperfect people who are simply trying to do their best in their jobs, friendships, families, and romantic relationships. All this during the '80s! And they were hilarious too."
- Ryanne Co, Gen.T & Lists editor, Tatler Philippines
Jules Ostin from 'The Intern'
"Anne Hathaway plays Jules Ostin, the highly driven but highly strung young founder of a thriving fashion company who suddenly finds herself working alongside Ben, a 70-year-old 'intern' who eventually becomes her best friend. While Jules is unabashedly brilliant and successful, there are more than a few moments where she's flawed, vulnerable and humble enough to learn tough lessons from a septuagenarian. The greatest compliment I've ever received is when a friend and I first watched The Intern in 2015 and my friend turns to me after, saying 'You know? You remind me of a smaller, Indian version of Anne Hathaway's Jules Ostin."
- Tania Jayatilaka, senior digital writer, Tatler Malaysia
Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
