Top 10 Best Female Action Stars

Top 10 Modern Day Female Action Stars

A lot of people consider Linda Hamilton and Sigourney Weaver as pioneers in the female action genre, I agree with them but this list is going to focus on the new breed of female action stars, or at least at the ones that have been taking an active role in the recent projects from the last 2 decades. 

There are actresses that had a major impact on the action genre in recent years. Some of them were overlooked and some haven't done much yet but have great potential for the future. This post is going to contain a unique list of actresses who specialize in Action films, the actresses in this top 10 list will be women who focused their Film / TV career on the action genre and we will appreciate them for the important contribution they made to the action genre in this Top 10 Modern Day Female Action Stars List.

10. Katee Sackhoff

Katee Sackhoff in Battlestar Galactica

Katee's big break came in a form of the Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace character she played in the epic TV Series Battlestar Galactica. This one role catapulted Katee's career to a goddess status in the internet geek community. The role of Starbuck opened new doors and gave Katee the opportunity to appear in Bionic Woman, 24, The Big Bang Theory and most importantly in the new Riddick film from 2013. As of right now she is speculated to take on the Mr. Marvel role in one of the next Marvel Projects.

9. Carrie-Anne Moss

No doubt that Carrie-Anne Moss's Trinity role from the Matrix films changed a lot of things in action films overall and how women where perceived in the genre in particular. Carrie-Anne Moss had a big impact in the 3 Matrix movies. Unfortunately she didn't capitalize the huge buzz she got after the Matrix films. Carrie-Anne Moss didn't do anything of any importance in the action genre after the Matrix saga folded and that is the only reason she is in the 9th spot in this Top 10 Female Action Stars list.

8. Rhona Mitra

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Rhona Mitra is one of the only known actresses that brings this unique intensity to every role she takes in the action genre, it’s hard to explain but you may seen the same quality in Jason Statham, Guy Pearce and maybe few others. Another great characteristic she has in addition to her intensity or maybe because of it is the bad ass aura she has above her. Rhona is very underrated by practically everyone. She has the potential to be a leading lady in the action Genre, unfortunately it seems like she doesn't get any breaks from the Studious and Directors lately. Rhona's most memorable Action roles were: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans when she filled for Kate Beckinsale as the lead female vampire, she appeared a great British action flick called Doomsday, somehow disappointing Skinwalkers but as of recently she appeared in Cinemax's Strike Back as the toughest chick in section 20, Her character Major Dolton was the leader of British special forces unit that took out a lot of bad guys.

7. Lucy Lawless

Lucy Lawless had a meteorically rose to a stardom status as a female action star. Everything started with a brief appearance in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys alongside Kevin Sorbo. Lucy made such a great impression that she got a Hercules spin off show of her own: Xena: Warrior Princess. Xena made Lucy a house hold name along the geeks on the web and a role model with the girls portraying one of the strongest female characters on a daily basses. She embraced that title and managed to use it to push her career forward in roles like D'Anna Biers in Battlestar Galactica and the unforgettable role of Lucretia in Starz bloody Spartacus TV Series

6. Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez managed to take over the tough chick role in Hollywood. Every time you think about a strong independent chick that doesn’t take shit from nobody, you think of Michelle Rodriguez. Michelle can bring it to every adversary she stands against, no matter how slim her chances are against her enemy she is going to bring hell. In all of her movies / TV Shows She managed to shift her characters according her own will and it’s always fun to see Michelle in action whether it’s in the Fast and the Furious, Resident Evil, Avatar or Even the Machete films.

5. Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu's career can mostly described by the movies she chose to appear in, some were great and some were not so much. One thing most of her films have in common, they are all fun. Lucy Liu has build herself as an action star actress a decade ago. Unfortunately she was not seen in the genre in the last few years.

4. Angelina Jolie

I don’t know if Angelina ever wanted to be categorized as a female action star but the roles she chose in majority of her films in addition with her look branded her as one of the top female action stars in Hollywood. Its hard to ignore the movies she took part in like: Salt, Wanted, Tomb Rider and many others. Reluctantly Angelina Jolie is a female action star. She is a bigger action star than her currant life partner Brad Pitt.

3. Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman

The Kill Bill movies brought back Uma Thurman and put her Bride character in the spot of one of the most dangerous female revenging assassins ever seen on the big screen. If you put the Kill Bill movies a side Uma Thurman is no stranger to the genre but those movies didn't give her an opportunity to unleash hell like the Kill Bill movies did.

2. Kate Beckinsale

If you thought that the only action projects that Kate Beckinsale took part in were the Underworld movies you cannot be more wrong. Granted Underworld elevated Kate to an iconic status but in addition to the Underworld Franchise Kate appeared in Total Recall, Vacancy, Van Helsing and many more. She was always great in her roles portraying a sexy but in the same time deadly female characters.

Kate Beckinsale

1. Milla Jovovich

Mila is probably the most famous modern day female action star. Her role of Alice in the resident evil films put all the focus on a strong female character that killed everything that moved whether it was zombies, men, women, dogs and monsters. Prior to the Resident Evil movies she appeared next to Bruce Willis in her first real break The Fifth Element and she was great as Leeloo.

Milla Jovovich

photo credit: kmgsquidoo via photopin cc
Photo credit: luvi / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
Photo credit: luvi / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
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About Sasha Shapiro

Sasha is the founder and editor of Cool Reviews Rule. He is very passionate about Movies, TV Shows and some Books. His favorite genres are: Action, Fantasy, History, Horror, Sci-fi and Adventure.
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