40 Black Female Actors That Are Taking Over Hollywood


 

In the early years, women, mostly black actresses were discriminated in Hollywood. Early stars in the industry such as Shonda Rhimes, Angela Bassett, and Viola Davis fought for more years to be treated right and be allowed to showcase their talent.

Today, black actresses are taking over Hollywood slow by slow for their good acting skills. In this article, we have compiled 40 black female actors that are taking over Hollywood. Join us as we discuss the successful films these actresses have featured in as well as awards they have won.

Here are 40 female actors that are taking over Hollywood;

1. Angela Bassett

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Angela Bassett is a black American Actor from 1985 to date. She has been in Hollywood for some time now but she is taking over the Hollywood industry off late.

She has been named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023. Angela will be receiving Oscar Honorary Award later in the year.

2. Viola Davis

Viola Davis is one of the most famous black actresses we have in the Hollywood industry. Davis is among the view actresses that have won all four accolades including Emmy, Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony award.

In 2012, Viola was named among the 100 most influential people in the world as well as in 2017, this clearly shows she is taking over Hollywood. She was ranked by The New York Times as the 9th on the list of the greatest actors of the 21st century in 2012.

3. Lupita Nyong鈥檕

, , via Wikimedia Commons

This black beauty Kenyan-Mexican was born on March 1, 1983, in Mexico City. She is a daughter of a Kenyan politician known as Peter Anyang鈥 Nyong鈥檕. She has been active in the field of acting from 2005 to date.

Lupita has been in the industry for a short time but she is slowly taking over Hollywood. In 2013, after featuring in a film known as 12 Years a Slave, she gained fame worldwide and won Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actress despite being her first featured film role.

4. Regina Hall

Regina Hall is a black American actress who gained fame after playing in the Scary Movie film series as Brenda Meeks from 2000 to 2006. She has been in the industry since 1997 but she is gaining more fame lately.

In 2018, Regina became the first African-American to win New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress after starring in Support the Girls comedy film.

6. Taraji P. Henson

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Taraji P. Henson is one of the black actresses who are taking over Hollywood recently. She has been in the industry from 1992 to date. Baby Boy film was her breakthrough and made her famous around the world.

Taraji became the first African-American woman to win the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series after featuring in a series known as Empire which was aired from 2015 to 2020. She has as well won Golden Globe Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards nominations.

7. Zoe Saldana

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Zoe Saldana began acting back in 1999 in the television drama Law & Order. She is one of the most successful black actresses of all time.

Zoe has achieved what no other actor has achieved by featuring in three highest-grossing films of all time namely Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Avengers: Endgame. As of 2023, Zoe is said to be the 2nd highest-grossing film actress and the 4th in both male and female actor worldwide.

8. Janelle Mon谩e

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Janelle Mon谩e is an actress born in Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. Apart from acting she is as well a successful rapper and singer. She started acting back in 2003 and in 2006 she gained fame after featuring in Moonlight Film and Hidden Figures.

Since then, Janelle has been shining in the Hollywood industry. She won her first ever Children’s and Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Short Form Program in 2022 for her role in We the People, a Television series.

9. Aunjanue Ellis

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Aunjanue Ellis is an American actress known for her good acting skills. Ellis has been featured in many notable films such as King Richard, The Help, FreedomLand, Ray, etc.

Lately, Ellis has received numerous awards for her good work such as Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress-Motion Picture among others.

10. Tessa Thompson

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Tessa Thompson began acting in 2002 and she is still active to date. In 2009, Tessa acted in a leading role in Mississippi Damned, a drama film 2009, and Tyler Perry鈥檚 for Colored Girls in 2010, which made her popular worldwide. Since then, she has been getting attention for almost all roles she plays in different films.

11. Gabrielle Union

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Gabrielle Union began acting in 1993 and started raising into fame back in 2000 few years after joining the industry. She played in Bring It On film in 2000 which made her gain popularity for the first time. She is still gaining more fame to date and gaining more audience day in and day out.

12. Meagan Good

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Meagan Good is the daughter of Tyra Wardlow-Doyle and Leondis 鈥淟eon鈥 Good. She has been in the entertainment industry from 1994 till to date.

Despite not being in the acting industry for long, Meagan is doing a great job and taking over slowly. In 2003, she was featured in the film known as Deliver Us from Eva which was a success and made her popular. Other notable films include The Unborn, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, etc.

13. Laverne Cox

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Laverne Cox has gained fame recently and she is taking over Hollywood. In 2010, she became popularly known after acting in Orange is the New Black, Netflix series.

Due to her amazing work, she has won several awards such as Daytime Emmy Award, nominated for Primetime Emmy Award among others.

14. Issa Rae

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Issa Rae is an American actress born January 12, 1985, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. Apart from acting she is as well a good writer and producer. She has featured in many notable films such as The Hate U Give, The Lovebirds, The Photograph, etc.

In 2011, she gained fame for her work on her YouTube web series known as Awkward Black Girl. Her YouTube Channel has grown and it features various web series, short films, etc.

15. Yara Shahidi

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Yara Shahidi has not been in the entertainment industry for long but she is already taking over in Hollywood. She started acting in 2007 and has less than 20 years in the field.

Her roles in the Sitcom Black-ish film as the oldest daughter of Zoey Johnson aired from 2014 to 2022 and in Grown-ish acted from 2018 to date have made her famous worldwide.

16. Sanaa Lathan

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Sanaa Lathan comes from an entertainment industry family. Sanaa鈥檚 mother is actress Eleanor McCoy and her father is director Stan Lathan. It is not surprising to see her shining in the acting field.

Lathan was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, in 2022, for her good job in Succession, an American Tv drama series.

17. Gugu Mbatha-Raw

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a black British actress and she has starred in many notable movies. Her acting career started in the National Youth Theatre and Royal School of Dramatic Art.

Late Queen Elizabeth II appointed Guru in 2017 as a member of the Order of the British Empire for services to drama due to her good acting skills.

18. Danielle Brooks

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Danielle Brooks was born on September 17, 1989, in Augusta, Georgia, U.S. The American Actress is popularly known for her roles in Peacemaker and Orange is the New Black films. The peacemaker series started in 2022 and is still ongoing to date.

This television series has made Danielle popular around the world and she is among the few actresses who have taken over Hollywood in 2022 and 2023.

19. MJ Rodriguez

, , via Wikimedia Commons

MJ Rodriguez has been active in the acting industry since 2011 and she is active up to date. Rodriguez has become popularly known in Hollywood and she is taking over the industry.

In 2017, she starred in a television series known as Pose in the leading role of Blanca Evangelista. She performed well and became popular as part of the transgender actresses for her role. Mj was the first transgender woman to be nominated for Emmy Award.

20. Keke Palmer

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Keke Palmer is the daughter of Sharon and Lawrence 鈥淟arry鈥 Palmer. Both of her parents worked as actors before settling into full-time jobs. Keke has followed in her parents鈥 footsteps and she is one of the most famous and successful actresses in America.

She is among the actresses who are taking over Hollywood, in 2019, she was one of the top influential people in the world as named by Time magazine.

21. Tiffany Haddish

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Tiffany Haddish is one of the Black American actresses who are taking over the Hollywood industry. She joined the industry in 2005, and even though she joined recently she is doing amazing work.

In 2017, she starred in her breakthrough film Girls Trip, which earned her several accolades. The film was included in the list of The New Yorker鈥檚 best performances film of the 21st century. That is not all, Tiffany has as well been named among the 100 top influential people in the world by Time magazine and she was listed as one among 100 powerful people in entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter in both 2018 and 2019.

22. Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Joy Silberstein is also known as Tracee Ellis Ross her professional name. She was born on October 29, 1972, in Los Angeles, Califonia, U.S.

Ross has starred in leading roles in Tv series such as Black-ish aired from 2014 to 2022 and Girlfriends from 2000-2008 which made her popular.

23. Phylicia Rashad

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Phylicia Rashad has gained fame in the entertainment industry for her good acting skills. She first came to fame after playing in The Cosby Show as Clair Huxtable. In 2004, the actress marked the record as the first black actress to ever win Tony Award for Best Actress.

She is still active in the field of acting and has featured in many notable films such as Creed II, Creed III, Good Deeds, etc.

24. Tika Sumpter

Tika Sumpter is known by many through her role in Sonic the Hedgehog (2020). She is an active American actress from 2000 to date.

Tika has featured in many successful films such as Brooklyn’s Finest, What鈥檚 Your Number?, Think Like a Man, etc.

25. Regina King

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Regina King is one of the most famous and successful black American actresses we have today. In 2019 she was among the top 100 most influential people in the world as named by Time magazine.

Regina became the 2nd black woman to be nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Director in 2020. In the same year, she was nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award for First Time Feature Film after starring in One Night in Miami.

26. Cynthia Erivo

Actress Cynthia Erivo was born in 1987 and is one of the most popular actresses in England. She started acting in 2011, a few years ago, Chewing Gum was her first film to feature back in 2015. Lately, all her featured films have been a success such as Genius: Aretha of 2021 which earned her nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress.

27. Octavia Spencer

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We can never talk of famous black actresses without mentioning Octavia. The actress has been lucky to win several awards due to her amazing work such as Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, etc.

28. Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright is a popularly known black actress from Guyanese-British. Her role in Urban Hymn in 2015 acted has her breakthrough in the acting industry. She has never turned back since then and has been gaining fame back to back. In 2018, she gained worldwide recognition after playing in the Black Panther film, which won her SAG Award and NAACP Image Award.

29. Audra McDonald

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Audra McDonald is the daughter of Anna Kathryn and Stanley James McDonald Jr. She is famously known as an actress. However, she is as well a successful singer in America.

Audra is taking over Hollywood, she is said to be the only person to win in all four acting categories. She has won six Tony Awards throughout her acting period.

30. KiKi Layne

Kiki Layne is a black beautiful American actress who joined the acting industry in 2015. Kiki is one of the people who joined the acting field recently and doing well.

Kiki has been featured in many films that have made her popular and a star in the industry such as Native Son, The Old Guard, and Coming 2 America among others.

31. Storm Reid

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Storm Reid is a young black actress born in 2003. Reid is taking over the entertainment industry due to her amazing acting skills.

Her roles in Sleight (2016) and A Wrinkle in Time (2018) film earned her recognition and became a star and globally known by many.

32. Demi Singleton

Demi Singleton was born on February 27, 2007, and she is already in the entertainment industry. She joined the acting field in 2017 and has already starred in several successful films such as Goldie, King Richard, etc.

Her role in the Tv Series known as Godfather of Harlem was her breakthrough Television series in 2019.

33. Marsai Martin

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Marsai Martin is among the few black actresses who are gaining popularity lately and taking over Hollywood. She gained recognition for her role in Black-ish film aired from 2014 to 2022.

She is a young actress who joined the acting industry in 2013 but she is taking over. Despite being an actress for a short time, she was named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019.

34. Yara Shahidi

Yara Shahidi was born in 2000 and joined the acting field in 2007 and she is still active to date. Despite being young, Shahidi is one of the successful actresses taking over entertainment history.

She was featured in Sitcom Black-Ish aired from 2014 to 2022 which made her popular in the field of acting together with Grown-ish series.

35. Skai Jackson

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Skai Jackson is best known as an actress, YouTuber, and author. In acting, she gained fame for her role in the Disney Channel sitcom Jessie from 2011 -2018.

It is interesting to know Ski began acting at the age of 5, and she is among the youngest actresses we have in the industry. Despite being young, she is one of the rock stars actresses we have and she is taking over Hollywood.

36. Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris is one of the black actresses from British. There is no doubt she is taking over the Hollywood industry with her amazing work.

Naomie has starred in many notable films such as 28 Days Later, Living in Hope, My Last Five Girlfriends, The First Grader, etc. She has as well won several Awards such as the Golden Globe, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and BAFTA, among others.

37. Uzo Aduba

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Uzo Aduba is an American actress born in 1981. She joined the acting industry in 2003 and she is still active. Uzo gained popularity after starring in the Orange Is the New Black series from 2013 to 2019.

Uzo is one of the two actors who have won Emmy Awards in both comedy and drama in the same role, this shows clearly that she is a good actor.

38. Zendaya

Zendaya was born on September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California, U.S. She is among the most successful black actresses we have in the industry. Throughout her acting journey, Zendaya has been awarded several awards for good work such as Golden Globe Award, Primetime Emmy Award, etc.

She is among the young actress who is taking over Hollywood lately, in 2022, Zendaya was ranked as one of the top 100 influential people in the world by Time magazine.

39. Jurnee Smollett

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Black actors are taking over the entertainment industry, and actress Jurnee Smollett is one of them. She started acting when she was a kid in 1991, and she is still shining to date.

She has been featured in notable films such as Eve’s Bayou, which made her win the Critics鈥 Choice Movie Award, and Lovecraft Country among others.

40. Alfre Woodard

Who doesn鈥檛 know actress Alfre Woodard? This woman is one of the most recognized actresses we have today. She was named one of 鈥淭he 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century鈥 by The New York Times in 2020. She has won several accolades such as Oscar awards, Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, etc.

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


These are聽础尘补锄辞苍’蝉听产别蝉迟-蝉别濒濒颈苍驳聽travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

Bookstore

  1. The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023 –听
  2. Fodor’s Paris 2024 –听

Travel Gear

  1. Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack –听
  2. Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage –听
  3. Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle聽–听

We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.