TheFamousPeople

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

Jodie FosterJodie Foster
19 November 1962, American
Actress & Director
Natalie PortmanNatalie Portman
09 June 1981, Israeli, American
Actress, Producer, Director

Brie LarsonBrie Larson
01 October 1989, American
Actress

Courteney CoxCourteney Cox
15 June 1964, American
Actress

Jennette McCurdyJennette McCurdy
26 June 1992, American
Actress & Singer

Chloe ZhaoChloe Zhao
31 March 1982, Chinese, American
Film Director
Elizabeth BanksElizabeth Banks
10 February 1974, American
Actress

Meg RyanMeg Ryan
19 November 1961, American
Actress

Laura DernLaura Dern
10 February 1967, American
Actress, Director
Teri HatcherTeri Hatcher
08 December 1964, American
Actress

Lucy LiuLucy Liu
02 December 1968, American
Actress
Melissa GilbertMelissa Gilbert
08 May 1964, American
Actress

Alexandra HedisonAlexandra Hedison
10 July 1969, American
Photographer, Actress, Director

Sofia CoppolaSofia Coppola
14 May 1971, American
Director

Fran DrescherFran Drescher
30 September 1957, American
Actress

Kathy BatesKathy Bates
28 June 1948, American
Actress and film director
Sondra LockeSondra Locke
28 May 1944, American
Actress

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

Lake BellLake Bell
24 March 1979, American
Actress

Sosie BaconSosie Bacon
15 March 1992, American
Actress
Lisa NiemiLisa Niemi
26 May 1956, American
Actress, Director

Nora EphronNora Ephron
19 May 1941, American
Screenwriter, Producer, Director
Chandra WilsonChandra Wilson
27 August 1969, American
Actress

Diane LaddDiane Ladd
29 November 1932, American
Actress

Rhea SeehornRhea Seehorn
12 May 1972, American
Actress
Elizabeth PeñaElizabeth Peña
23 September 1959, Cuban, American
Actress

Constance ZimmerConstance Zimmer
11 October 1970, American
Actress
Jennifer Siebel NewsomJennifer Siebel Newsom
19 June 1974, American
Filmmaker

Rebecca MillerRebecca Miller
15 September 1962, American
Director, Actress

Mary Stuart MastersonMary Stuart Masterson
28 June 1966, American
Actress, Director
Susan SontagSusan Sontag
16 January 1933, American
 

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Cara BuonoCara Buono
01 March 1971, American
Actress
Katherine HelmondKatherine Helmond
05 July 1929, American
Actress

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

Danielle HarrisDanielle Harris
01 June 1977, American
Actress

Katie AseltonKatie Aselton
01 October 1978, American
Actress
Amy Sherman-PalladinoAmy Sherman-Palladino
17 January 1966, American
Director
Ally WalkerAlly Walker
25 August 1961, American
Actress

Jane WagnerJane Wagner
26 February 1935, American
Director

Brenda StrongBrenda Strong
25 March 1960, American
Actress

Rebecca SugarRebecca Sugar
09 July 1987, American
Animator, Screenwriter, Director, Songwriter and
Dinah ManoffDinah Manoff
25 January 1958, American
Actress

Lauren TewesLauren Tewes
26 October 1953, American
Actress

Jocelyn TowneJocelyn Towne
08 August 1976, American
Actress

Beth GrantBeth Grant
18 September 1949, American
Actress

Shanelle WorkmanShanelle Workman
03 August 1978, American
Actress
Roxann DawsonRoxann Dawson
11 September 1958, American
Actress

Maggie CareyMaggie Carey
1975 AD, American
Director
Julie WarnerJulie Warner
09 February 1965, American
Actress

Donna PescowDonna Pescow
24 March 1954, American
Actress

Isidora GoreshterIsidora Goreshter
24 October 1981, American
Actress
Tasha SmithTasha Smith
28 February 1971, American
Actress

Francesca GregoriniFrancesca Gregorini
07 August 1968, Italian, American
Film Director
Susan FlannerySusan Flannery
31 July 1939, American
Actress

Robin WeigertRobin Weigert
07 July 1969, American
Actress

Mika BooremMika Boorem
18 August 1987, American
Actress

Tricia Leigh FisherTricia Leigh Fisher
26 December 1968, American
Actress

Milena GovichMilena Govich
29 October 1976, American
Actress
Nancy KwanNancy Kwan
19 May 1939, Hong Konger, American
Actress

Andrea NavedoAndrea Navedo
10 October 1977, American
Actress

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

Jessica WeixlerJessica Weixler
08 June 1981, American
Actress
Shira PivenShira Piven
08 October 1961, American
Director

Marissa Jaret WinokurMarissa Jaret Winokur
02 February 1973, American
Actress
Liz VasseyLiz Vassey
09 August 1972, American
Actress

Ellen MuthEllen Muth
06 March 1981, American
Actress

Erica SchmidtErica Schmidt
08 June 1975, American
Actress, Director
Vanessa VadimVanessa Vadim
28 September 1968, French, American
Film Director, Daughter of Jane Fonda

Stephanie SoechtigStephanie Soechtig
 , American
Film Director
Charlotte DeanCharlotte Dean
29 September 1982, American
Illustrator, Visual Artist

Alex MartiniAlex Martini
14 April 1990, American
Assistant Director

Regina KingRegina King
15 January 1971, American
Actress
Anjelica HustonAnjelica Huston
08 July 1951, American
Actress

Constance WuConstance Wu
22 March 1982, American
Actress
Lea ThompsonLea Thompson
31 May 1961, American
Actress

Lena DunhamLena Dunham
13 May 1986, American
Actress

Alexandra PelosiAlexandra Pelosi
05 October 1970, American
Journalist

Pamela AdlonPamela Adlon
09 July 1966, American
Actress
Penny MarshallPenny Marshall
15 October 1943, American
Actress
Whitney CummingsWhitney Cummings
04 September 1982, American
Comedian

Marielle HellerMarielle Heller
01 October 1979, American
Writer

Lisa AnnLisa Ann
09 May 1972, American
Actress

Debbie AllenDebbie Allen
16 January 1950, American
Actress
Kay CannonKay Cannon
22 August 1974, American
Screenwriter

Tracey UllmanTracey Ullman
30 December 1959, British, American
Actress

Patty JenkinsPatty Jenkins
24 July 1971, American
Director

Kathryn BigelowKathryn Bigelow
27 November 1951, American
Film director

Kendra LustKendra Lust
18 September 1978, American
Actress
Clea DuVallClea DuVall
25 September 1977, American
Actress

Miranda BaileyMiranda Bailey
30 January 1977, American
Actress
Asa AkiraAsa Akira
03 January 1986, Japanese, American
Actress

Ava DuVernayAva DuVernay
24 August 1972, American
American director
Nina HartleyNina Hartley
11 March 1959, American
Actress
Joey Lauren AdamsJoey Lauren Adams
09 January 1968, American
Actress