Swedish-American actress and singer Ann-Margret was initially described as a female version of Elvis Presley due to her vibrant contralto voice. The winner of five Golden Globe Awards, Ann-Margret had a major impact as an actress throughout the 1960s. Her affair with Elvis Presley was depicted in the 2005 miniseries Elvis in which she is portrayed by Rose McGowan.
The founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Martha Stewart has found success with several business ventures. She is also the publisher of a magazine called Martha Stewart Living and has written many bestselling books. Although she was convicted of charges pertaining to the ImClone stock trading case, she made a comeback and became chairwoman of her company.
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, TV host, actress, and former FAO Goodwill Ambassador. Warwick was one of the most successful singers between 1955 and 1999, ranking among the 40 biggest hitmakers according to the Billboard Hot 100. 80 of her singles have been featured on Billboard's music charts, making Warwick one of the most-charted female singers in history.
Faye Dunaway is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Diana Christensen in the 1976 satirical black comedy-drama film Network, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and greatest actresses of her generation, Faye Dunaway is also considered a symbol of the New Hollywood.
Singer, songwriter, musician, and activist Joan Baez has been active in the music world for over six decades. She emerged as a major musical figure in the counterculture era of the 1960s. Her music encompasses various genres like pop, folk-rock, country, and gospel music. She is involved in civil rights, human rights, and environmental activism as well.
British fashion designer, Dame Vivienne Westwood, is credited for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream. She attended a course on jewelry at the University of Westminster but left before graduating. She worked as a teacher for a while before turning to fashion designing. She eventually opened four boutiques in London.
Donna Mills is an American actress best known for her work in the TV industry. For playing Madeline Reeves in the popular daytime soap opera General Hospital, Mills won the Daytime Emmy Award in 2015. Apart from being an actress, Mills also owns a line of cosmetics called The Eyes Have It.
Known for her music that showcases the issues of Native Americans, Canadian-American singer Buffy Sainte-Marie became the first person from any indigenous community to win an Oscar, with the song Up Where We Belong. She had also been blacklisted by many radio stations earlier due to her activism.
Twyla Tharp is an American dancer, author, and choreographer. She is credited with founding Twyla Tharp Dance, which she formed in 1966. In 1976, Twyla Tharp choreographed Push Comes to Shove, which is now regarded as the finest example of crossover ballet. Twyla Tharp has received several prestigious awards, including two Emmy Awards and the National Medal of the Arts.
It is believed Austrian actor Senta Berger was suspended by the Max-Reinhardt-Seminar, where she studied drama, after she bagged her first movie role. The three-time Bambi Award winner is known for her roles in films such as The Quiller Memorandum. She is also involved with peace and environmental activism.
A pioneering female lawyer, Gloria Allred is known for fighting cases involving violation of women’s rights and has turned into an icon for women and people from minority communities. A civil rights advocate, too, she has also been a TV and radio commentator and host.
Socialite, art collector, and reality TV personality, Patricia Altschul, is the widow of former Goldman Sachs partner Arthur G. Altschul. She has been a trustee of several nonprofit organizations including the Historic Hudson Valley and the New York Historical Society. She received a Carolopolis Award from the Preservation Society of Charleston in 2013.
Lynne Cheney is an American scholar, author, and former talk-show host. The wife of the 46th vice-president of the US, Lynne served as the second lady of the US between 2001 and 2009. In the 2018 biographical satirical comedy-drama film Vice, which was about Dick Cheney, Lynne is portrayed as a source of inspiration behind the rise of her husband.
Oja Kodar is a Croatian actress, director, and screenwriter. Kodar's professional achievements are often overshadowed by her relationship with legendary American actor and filmmaker, Orson Welles. Kodar's relationship with Welles during the latter's final years was sensationalized by the media as the actor was still married to Paola Mori. Kodar’s early career as an actress mostly revolved around Welles' projects.
Born to a hotelier couple in Wales, Grace Coddington grew up reading Vogue, which she later headed as its creative director. She had, at age 18, interestingly begun her modeling career with Vogue, too. However, a car accident at age 26, which disfigured her face, cut her modeling career short.
The wife of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, Suzanne Mubarak was 17 when she got married. She got back to school a decade later and obtained degrees in sociology and political science. She established the Cairo Child Museum and worked for the UN.
Gila Golan is an Israeli former model and actress. Born in Poland during World War II, she was adopted by a Catholic family. She was studying to be a teacher when a chance encounter with a photographer led to a modeling career. She soon started acting in films as well. After retiring from acting, she opened an investment business.
Inonge Wina is a Zambian politician who became the highest ranking woman in Zambian history in 2015 when she was elected to serve as the Vice President of Zambia, a position which she held until 2021. An important politician, Wina has also served as the Minister of Gender and Child Development and as the Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs.
Delia Smith is an English TV presenter and cook best known for teaching the basic skills involved in cooking through her books and TV shows. One of the most popular celebrity chefs in England, Smith is widely regarded as an influential personality in the culinary world. She has also contributed as a columnist for major publications like the Evening Standard.
Best known as the wife of notorious drug lord Frank Lucas, Julianna Farrait has been behind bars twice, once in 2010, for selling cocaine. She had met Frank during a vacation in Puerto Rico, and the two soon came to be known as "the black Bonnie & Clyde."