Female Screenwriters

Australian actress, Rebel Wilson, started her acting career with television in Australia and then gained wider recognition after appearing in Hollywood films. Struck by Lightning, Bachelorette, Isn't It Romantic, The Hustle, Cats and Jojo Rabbit are some of the notable films she has acted in. She received critical appreciation for the 2012 film, Pitch Perfect, and subsequently acted in its two sequels.

One of the most celebrated British actresses, Emma Thompson has received plaudits for her work in films, television and stage. Her film credits include Howards End, The Remains of the Day as well as Sense and Sensibility which she also wrote. Her television appearances include miniseries Angels in America. The award winning actress is also an author, activist and comedian.

The quintessential action queen of Hollywood, Michelle Rodriguez is known for appearing in many successful action films, including the Fast & Furious franchise. Regarded as a Hollywood bad girl, Michelle has had many brushes with the law. An openly bisexual actress, she also serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is credited with creating and writing one of the greatest TV series of the 21st century, Fleabag. She is also famous for contributing as the executive producer and head writer of another highly-acclaimed TV series, Killing Eve. In 2020, she was named in Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in the world.

Melissa Mathison was a screenwriter and an activist for the Tibetan independence movement. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, for a while but quit before graduating. She was acquainted with Francis Ford Coppola who encouraged her to pursue a screenwriting career. She was once married to actor, Harrison Ford, and had two children.

Born to screenwriters Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord, Zoe Kazan is also the granddaughter of director Elia Kazan and thus was never a stranger to show business. Now a regular on Broadway and in films, she also bagged an Emmy nomination for her role in the miniseries Olive Kitteridge.

Lake Bell is an American actress, screenwriter, and director. Also known for her good looks and fashion sense, Bell has been featured on lists like Femme Fatales' 50 Sexiest Women, Maxim's Hot 100, and British Vogue's 10 Best Dressed Women. Apart from being an actress and model, Bell also contributes as an automotive writer and editor to The Hollywood Reporter.

Emily Mortimer is an English-American screenwriter and actress. Mortimer, who started her acting career in stage productions, went on to establish herself as a bankable actress in the British film and TV industry. In 2010, she became an American citizen and has since been playing important roles in American films.

Nora Ephron was an American writer, filmmaker, and journalist. She is known for writing films like Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally... The Nora Ephron Prize was created by the Tribeca Film Festival in her memory. Her life and work inspired the 2016 documentary film Everything Is Copy, which was directed by her son Jacob Bernstein.

Ghanaian-origin British actor and screenwriter Michaela Coel was raised according to Pentecostal faith and took to poetry and acting later. A Guildhall scholar, she won a BAFTA for her sitcom Chewing Gum. With I May Destroy You, she became the first Black woman to win an Emmy for writing.

Nia Vardalos is a Canadian actress, filmmaker, and screenwriter. She is best known for her portrayal of Fotoula Toula Portokalos in the 2002 romantic comedy film My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which she also wrote. For her work in the film, Vardalos received several award nominations. Nia Vardalos is also part of the non-profit collaborative art project, 1 Second Film. 

London-born Irish actor and writer Sharon Horgan is best known for her BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated writing for the series Catastrophe. She has also won awards for her acting in the sitcom Pulling and established the production company Merman. She is the sister of former rugby player Shane Horgan.

Jennifer Westfeldt is an American screenwriter and actress best known for her work in the independent romantic comedy film, Kissing Jessica Stein, for which she received a Satellite Award. Also known for her work in theater, Jennifer Westfeldt received a Tony Award nomination in 2004 for her portrayal of Eileen Sherwood in the popular musical, Wonderful Town.

Writer, producer, and podcast host, Emily V. Gordon, is best known for co-writing the romantic comedy film, The Big Sick. She has an MS/EdS in couples and family counseling from the University of North Carolina and practiced as a therapist for several years before beginning her writing career. She often collaborates with her husband, comic Kumail Nanjiani.

English-born Australian actress, director, and screenwriter, Rachel Ward, has been active in the entertainment industry for over 40 years. She attended the Byam Shaw School of Art in London for some time but quit midway to start her career as a model. Following a successful stint as a model, she began acting and screenwriting.

Marion Davies was an American actress, screenwriter, producer, and philanthropist. During the mid-1920s, Davies was Hollywood's number one female box office star due to the popularity of her films Little Old New York and When Knighthood Was in Flower. Since her death, Davies has been portrayed in several films by different actresses, including Kirsten Dunst, Virginia Madsen, and Amanda Seyfried.

An actress, director, writer, and producer, Rashida Jones is a multi-talented woman who first gained prominence as a TV actress. A Harvard University graduate, the bright young woman entered the entertainment industry in the mid-1990s and has since made a name for herself. She is the recipient of several awards including a Grammy.

Like many American comedians, Kristen Wiig is also a product of the television show, Saturday Night Live. She then became a successful writer and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for her work in the film Bridesmaids (2011). An influential woman, Kristen was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World list in 2012.