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

Brie LarsonBrie Larson
01 October 1989, American
Actress
Natalie PortmanNatalie Portman
09 June 1981, Israeli, American
Actress, Producer, Director

Courteney CoxCourteney Cox
15 June 1964, American
Actress

Meg RyanMeg Ryan
19 November 1961, American
Actress

Jodie FosterJodie Foster
19 November 1962, American
Actress & Director

Elizabeth BanksElizabeth Banks
10 February 1974, American
Actress, Producer and Director
Laura DernLaura Dern
10 February 1967, American
Actress, Director

Lucy LiuLucy Liu
02 December 1968, American
Actress

Lake BellLake Bell
24 March 1979, American
Actress

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

Fran DrescherFran Drescher
30 September 1957, American
Actress
Melissa GilbertMelissa Gilbert
08 May 1964, American
Actress

Sofia CoppolaSofia Coppola
14 May 1971, American
Director

Roseanne BarrRoseanne Barr
03 November 1952, American
Comedian, Actor, TV Producer
Maggie CareyMaggie Carey
1975 AD, American
Director

Sosie BaconSosie Bacon
15 March 1992, American
Actress
Teri HatcherTeri Hatcher
08 December 1964, American
Actress

Robin WeigertRobin Weigert
07 July 1969, American
Actress

Mary Stuart MastersonMary Stuart Masterson
28 June 1966, American
Actress, Director
Diane LaddDiane Ladd
29 November 1932, American
Actress

Susan SontagSusan Sontag
16 January 1933, American
 
Lisa NiemiLisa Niemi
26 May 1956, American
Actress, Director

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

Nora EphronNora Ephron
19 May 1941, American
Screenwriter, Producer, Director

Cara BuonoCara Buono
01 March 1971, American
Actress
Elizabeth PeñaElizabeth Peña
23 September 1959, Cuban, American
Actress
Rhea SeehornRhea Seehorn
12 May 1972, American
Actress

Andrea NavedoAndrea Navedo
10 October 1977, American
Actress

Katherine HelmondKatherine Helmond
05 July 1929, American
Actress

Roxann DawsonRoxann Dawson
11 September 1958, American
Actress
Jocelyn TowneJocelyn Towne
30 June 1976, American
Actress

Continue Reading Below
Francesca GregoriniFrancesca Gregorini
07 August 1968, Italian, American
Film Director

Danielle HarrisDanielle Harris
01 June 1977, American
Actress

Chandra WilsonChandra Wilson
27 August 1969, American
Actress

Rebecca MillerRebecca Miller
15 September 1962, American
Director, Actress
Tasha SmithTasha Smith
28 February 1971, American
Actress

Constance ZimmerConstance Zimmer
11 October 1970, American
Actress
Katie AseltonKatie Aselton
01 October 1978, American
Actress

Ally WalkerAlly Walker
25 August 1961, American
Actress

Jane WagnerJane Wagner
26 February 1935, American
Director
Brenda StrongBrenda Strong
25 March 1960, American
Actress

Dinah ManoffDinah Manoff
25 January 1958, American
Actress
Lauren TewesLauren Tewes
26 October 1953, American
Actress

Julie WarnerJulie Warner
09 February 1965, American
Actress

Rebecca SugarRebecca Sugar
09 July 1987, American
Animator, Screenwriter, Director, Songwriter and

Ellen MuthEllen Muth
06 March 1981, American
Actress

Tricia Leigh FisherTricia Leigh Fisher
26 December 1968, American
Actress
Susan FlannerySusan Flannery
31 July 1939, American
Actress

Marissa Jaret WinokurMarissa Jaret Winokur
02 February 1973, American
Actress

Nancy KwanNancy Kwan
19 May 1939, Hong Konger, American
Actress

Shanelle WorkmanShanelle Workman
03 August 1978, American
Actress
Stella AdlerStella Adler
10 February 1901, American
American Actress & Acting Teacher

Isidora GoreshterIsidora Goreshter
24 October 1981, American
Actress
Beth GrantBeth Grant
18 September 1949, American
Actress

Liz VasseyLiz Vassey
09 August 1972, American
Actress

Milena GovichMilena Govich
29 October 1976, American
Actress
Charlotte DeanCharlotte Dean
29 September 1982, American
Illustrator, Visual Artist

Lauren ParsekianLauren Parsekian
08 December 1986, American
Director, Activist, Actress
Erica SchmidtErica Schmidt
08 June 1975, American
Actress, Director

Stephanie SoechtigStephanie Soechtig
 , American
Film Director

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
Vanessa VadimVanessa Vadim
28 September 1968, French, American
Film Director, Daughter of Jane Fonda

Constance WuConstance Wu
22 March 1982, American
Actress

Busy PhilippsBusy Philipps
25 June 1979, American
Actress

Whitney CummingsWhitney Cummings
04 September 1982, American
Comedian
Ava DuVernayAva DuVernay
24 August 1972, American
American director
Regina KingRegina King
15 January 1971, American
Actress

Lisa AnnLisa Ann
09 May 1972, American
Actress

Lea ThompsonLea Thompson
31 May 1961, American
Actress

Pamela AdlonPamela Adlon
09 July 1966, American
Actress
Penny MarshallPenny Marshall
15 October 1943, American
Actress

Rory KennedyRory Kennedy
12 December 1968, American
Filmmaker

Kathryn BigelowKathryn Bigelow
1951 AD, American
Filmmaker, Screenwriter

Clea DuVallClea DuVall
25 September 1977, American
Actress

Nina HartleyNina Hartley
11 March 1959, American
Actress
Amy HeckerlingAmy Heckerling
07 May 1952, American
Director

Alicia CoppolaAlicia Coppola
12 April 1968, American
Actress
Alison SudolAlison Sudol
23 December 1984, American
Actress

Kerri GreenKerri Green
14 January 1967, American
Actress

Amanda SealesAmanda Seales
01 July 1981, American
Comedian
Joanna AngelJoanna Angel
25 December 1980, American
Adult Film Star

India SummerIndia Summer
26 April 1975, American
Adult Film Stars
Ida LupinoIda Lupino
04 February 1918, British, American
Actress

Carrie PrestonCarrie Preston
21 June 1967, American
Actress

Joey Lauren AdamsJoey Lauren Adams
09 January 1968, American
Actress

Sarah DrewSarah Drew
01 October 1980, American
Actress
Lina EscoLina Esco
14 May 1985, American
Actress

Jocelyn TowneJocelyn Towne
08 August 1976, American
Actress
Susan OliverSusan Oliver
13 February 1932, American
Actress

Tracey UllmanTracey Ullman
30 December 1959, British, American
Actress
Adrienne ShellyAdrienne Shelly
24 June 1966, American
Actress

Jennifer Siebel NewsomJennifer Siebel Newsom
19 June 1974, American
Filmmaker
Shiri ApplebyShiri Appleby
07 December 1978, American
Actress