Best Actresses of All Time

Entertainment and Media - Celebrities

By: ListMaker 05-Jan-2011

Introduction:

The top five actresses of all time documented in the list below are just my humble opinion. I didn't rely just on screen awards, such as the Academy Awards or Emmys, as I feel that a lot of these Hollywood awards are phony or contrived. Instead, I tend to rate the best actresses of all time by the emotions they invoke in me while watching them on the silver screen.

Katharine Hepburn

I fell in love with Katharine Hepburn the minute I saw her portrayal of the mother of the woman who is in an interracial relationship in "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner." But, I REALLY was amazed at her performance in the tear jerker "On Golden Pond." She did an outstanding job portraying the wife of an aging couple. Adding to her "cool" factor is the fact that she was one of the first actresses to buck the system in Hollywood and wear trousers off set.

Katharine Hepburn has essential tremors disease and never tried to hide it. She allowed the disease to become a part of all of her acting portrayals in later life thus making the characters more believable.

Audrey Hepburn

Although I'm not 100% sure that Audrey Hepburn belongs on this list of top actresses of all time, I included her as she continues to influence many Hollywood starlets even 18 years her death. Audrey Hepburn stood heads about the crowd when it came to style and, really, was (or is) there anyone else who carries herself with such aplomb and grace?

Audrey Hepburn starred with about every leading man in her era including Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Fred Astaire, Gregory Peck, Rex Harrison and many more. She's known particularly for her role in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and as Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady."

Audrey Hepburn was noted as a great humanitarian in later years, having won the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work with Unicef.

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep has a knack for picking the best roles and is quite selective in the actress parts she plays. Her mastery of accents is among the best in the Hollywood scene as can be evident by her roles in "Sophie's Choice,' and "The Bridges of Madison County."

Meryl Streep is one of the most nominated actresses for the Academy Award (16 times) and has actually won it twice.

Nicole Kidman

Known formerly as Tom Cruise's wife, Nicole Kidman has risen way above him in Hollywood success. Just watch her singing and dancing prowess in "Moulin Rouge."

Known also for her humanitarian work, Nicole Kidman is an ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women and works tirelessly to promote women's human rights and economic security.

Julia Roberts

Like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts selects the choicest roles in movies. Known as "America's Sweetheart,' Julia Roberts always makes me smile. I particularly loved her portrayal of a call girl turned society woman in "Pretty Woman" and the whistleblower "Erin Brockovitch." And, she definitely holds her own among the new Rat Pack boys in "Ocean's Eleven" and "Ocean's Twelve."

Known for her smile as much as her inner beauty, Julia Roberts has been nominated 11 times by People magazine for "50 beautiful people in the world."

Final Thoughts

As mentioned above, this list of the top five best actresses of all time is just my opinion. I recognize that you may vote for others. If so, leave me a comment below about who you would choose as the best actresses of all time.

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Comments

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goodselfme 1/5/2011
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I agree with your best actresses of all time being these on your list.
JoyceTeresaMann 1/5/2011
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All great choices. If I were to write a similar List My Five I would include Elizabeth Taylor. From the young horse-loving girl in National Velvet to the boozy faculty wife in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe, her range was amazing.
clewand550 1/5/2011
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I have to agree with this list of 5. I especially enjoy Julia Roberts. Great list.