Leading lady

Leading lady is a term often applied to the leading actress in the performance if her character is the protagonist. It is also an informal term for the actress who plays a secondary lead, usually a love interest, to the leading actor in a film or play.

A leading lady can also be an actress of renown. For example, Lynn Fontanne and Helen Hayes were both referred to as the "leading lady of the theatre" in their time. Similarly, Mary Pickford was called the "leading lady" of the cinema.

The term has been applied to an actress who is often associated with one particular actor. For example, Olivia de Havilland was Errol Flynn's leading lady in several films, Katharine Hepburn had a similar association with Spencer Tracy, Lauren Bacall with Humphrey Bogart, and Maureen O'Hara with John Wayne. A leading lady is also an actress who is typecast in romantic supporting roles.

The term can also be used collectively; for example, the phrase "Hollywood's leading ladies" can be used to refer to a group of notable, famous, or popular actresses.

Modern day leading ladies include: Amy Adams, Jennifer Aniston, Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett, Emily Blunt, Sandra Bullock, Millie Bobby Brown, Glenn Close, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Cameron Diaz, Jane Fonda, Jodie Foster, Gal Gadot, Tiffany Haddish, Anne Hathaway, Taraji P. Henson, Isabelle Huppert, Kate Hudson, Scarlett Johansson, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Lange, Brie Larson, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Lopez, Frances McDormand, Melissa McCarthy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Helen Mirren, Chloe Grace Moretz, Lupita Nyong'o, Michelle Pfeiffer, Natalie Portman, Margot Robbie, Julia Roberts, Saoirse Ronan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Susan Sarandon, Hailee Steinfeld, Emma Stone, Meryl Streep, Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Alicia Vikander, Emma Watson, Kate Winslet, Reese Witherspoon, Constance Wu, Renée Zellweger and Zendaya

Minnie Mouse, an anthropomorphic animated character, has been the most notable and most successful cartoon leading lady for The Walt Disney Company for over 90 years, who mostly portrays the secondary lead roles to her lifelong boyfriend and the company's mascot Mickey Mouse.

See also