Discover the American female directors who have made significant contribution to their field. This list is loosely sorted by popularity and includes many great American female directors, such as Brie Larson, Natalie Portman, Courteney Cox, Elizabeth Banks and Meg Ryan.

American Female Directors

Natalie PortmanNatalie Portman
09 June 1981, Israeli, American
Actress, Producer, Director
Courteney CoxCourteney Cox
15 June 1964, American
Actress

Brie LarsonBrie Larson
01 October 1989, American
Actress

Jodie FosterJodie Foster
19 November 1962, American
Actress & Director

Laura DernLaura Dern
10 February 1967, American
Actress, Director

Elizabeth BanksElizabeth Banks
10 February 1974, American
Actress
Meg RyanMeg Ryan
19 November 1961, American
Actress

Rhea SeehornRhea Seehorn
12 May 1972, American
Actress

Fran DrescherFran Drescher
30 September 1957, American
Actress
Lucy LiuLucy Liu
02 December 1968, American
Actress

Jennifer Siebel NewsomJennifer Siebel Newsom
19 June 1974, American
Filmmaker
Sofia CoppolaSofia Coppola
14 May 1971, American
Director

Kathy BatesKathy Bates
28 June 1948, American
Actress and film director

Melissa GilbertMelissa Gilbert
08 May 1964, American
Actress

Sondra LockeSondra Locke
28 May 1944, American
Actress

Lake BellLake Bell
24 March 1979, American
Actress
Teri HatcherTeri Hatcher
08 December 1964, American
Actress

Roseanne BarrRoseanne Barr
03 November 1952, American
Comedian, Actor, TV Producer

Sosie BaconSosie Bacon
15 March 1992, American
Actress

Diane LaddDiane Ladd
29 November 1932, American
Actress
Lisa NiemiLisa Niemi
26 May 1956, American
Actress, Director

Nora EphronNora Ephron
19 May 1941, American
Screenwriter, Producer, Director
Cara BuonoCara Buono
01 March 1971, American
Actress

Mary Stuart MastersonMary Stuart Masterson
28 June 1966, American
Actress, Director

Alexandra HedisonAlexandra Hedison
10 July 1969, American
Photographer, Actress, Director
Chandra WilsonChandra Wilson
27 August 1969, American
Actress

Elizabeth PeñaElizabeth Peña
23 September 1959, Cuban, American
Actress
Susan SontagSusan Sontag
16 January 1933, American
 

Rebecca MillerRebecca Miller
15 September 1962, American
Director, Actress

Danielle HarrisDanielle Harris
01 June 1977, American
Actress
Rebecca SugarRebecca Sugar
09 July 1987, American
Animator, Screenwriter, Director, Songwriter and

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Nancy KwanNancy Kwan
19 May 1939, Hong Konger, American
Actress
Brenda StrongBrenda Strong
25 March 1960, American
Actress

Jane WagnerJane Wagner
26 February 1935, American
Director

Susan FlannerySusan Flannery
31 July 1939, American
Actress

Katherine HelmondKatherine Helmond
05 July 1929, American
Actress
Katie AseltonKatie Aselton
01 October 1978, American
Actress
Julie WarnerJulie Warner
09 February 1965, American
Actress

Roxann DawsonRoxann Dawson
11 September 1958, American
Actress

Ally WalkerAlly Walker
25 August 1961, American
Actress

Maggie CareyMaggie Carey
1975 AD, American
Director
Dinah ManoffDinah Manoff
25 January 1958, American
Actress

Francesca GregoriniFrancesca Gregorini
07 August 1968, Italian, American
Film Director

Jocelyn TowneJocelyn Towne
30 June 1976, American
Actress

Shanelle WorkmanShanelle Workman
03 August 1978, American
Actress

Constance ZimmerConstance Zimmer
11 October 1970, American
Actress
Lauren TewesLauren Tewes
26 October 1953, American
Actress

Mika BooremMika Boorem
18 August 1987, American
Actress
Robin WeigertRobin Weigert
07 July 1969, American
Actress

Andrea NavedoAndrea Navedo
10 October 1977, American
Actress

Donna PescowDonna Pescow
24 March 1954, American
Actress
Tasha SmithTasha Smith
28 February 1971, American
Actress

Tricia Leigh FisherTricia Leigh Fisher
26 December 1968, American
Actress
Ellen MuthEllen Muth
06 March 1981, American
Actress

Beth GrantBeth Grant
18 September 1949, American
Actress

Isidora GoreshterIsidora Goreshter
24 October 1981, American
Actress

Stella AdlerStella Adler
10 February 1901, American
American Actress & Acting Teacher

Marissa Jaret WinokurMarissa Jaret Winokur
02 February 1973, American
Actress
Milena GovichMilena Govich
29 October 1976, American
Actress

Shira PivenShira Piven
08 October 1961, American
Director

Liz VasseyLiz Vassey
09 August 1972, American
Actress

Stephanie SoechtigStephanie Soechtig
 , American
Film Director
Erica SchmidtErica Schmidt
08 June 1975, American
Actress, Director

Vanessa VadimVanessa Vadim
28 September 1968, French, American
Film Director, Daughter of Jane Fonda
Charlotte DeanCharlotte Dean
29 September 1982, American
Illustrator, Visual Artist

Lauren ParsekianLauren Parsekian
08 December 1986, American
Director, Activist, Actress

Chloe ZhaoChloe Zhao
31 March 1982, Chinese, American
Film Director
Alex MartiniAlex Martini
14 April 1990, American
Assistant Director

Jessica WeixlerJessica Weixler
08 June 1981, American
Actress
Gillian Leigh AndersonGillian Anderson
09 August 1968, American
Actress

Penny MarshallPenny Marshall
15 October 1943, American
Actress

Pamela AdlonPamela Adlon
09 July 1966, American
Actress
Lea ThompsonLea Thompson
31 May 1961, American
Actress

Constance WuConstance Wu
22 March 1982, American
Actress
Anjelica HustonAnjelica Huston
08 July 1951, American
Actress

Whitney CummingsWhitney Cummings
04 September 1982, American
Comedian

Lena DunhamLena Dunham
13 May 1986, American
Actress

Lisa AnnLisa Ann
09 May 1972, American
Actress
Regina KingRegina King
15 January 1971, American
Actress
Asa AkiraAsa Akira
03 January 1986, Japanese, American
Actress

Kendra LustKendra Lust
18 September 1978, American
Actress

Tracey UllmanTracey Ullman
30 December 1959, British, American
Actress

Debbie AllenDebbie Allen
16 January 1950, American
Actress
Kayden KrossKayden Kross
15 September 1985, American
Actress

Amanda SealesAmanda Seales
01 July 1981, American
Comedian

Kathryn BigelowKathryn Bigelow
27 November 1951, American
Film director

Miranda BaileyMiranda Bailey
30 January 1977, American
Actress

Clea DuVallClea DuVall
25 September 1977, American
Actress
Kerri GreenKerri Green
14 January 1967, American
Actress

Nina HartleyNina Hartley
11 March 1959, American
Actress
Joey Lauren AdamsJoey Lauren Adams
09 January 1968, American
Actress

Ava DuVernayAva DuVernay
24 August 1972, American
American director
Abigail DisneyAbigail Disney
24 January 1960, American
Filmmaker
Jessica JonesJessica Jones
23 June 1985, American
Assistant Director