Celebrate These 11 Female Trailblazers With Us This Women’s History Month
We're still celebrating Women's History Month, which means we're embracing every opportunity to celebrate the women who grace our screens with their hard work and dedication. Pop Culture Planet writer Makkedah Ramsey explores the careers of 11 women, showcasing where they are now and why we adore them, to express our appreciation for their artistry.
Quinta Brunson
There’s no such thing as an overnight sensation and Quinta Brunson is a testament to that, turning her career into something truly worth celebrating.
After earning her degree from Temple University, Brunson moved to LA to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She began by writing and creating videos for social media, launching a sketch series on Instagram titled The Girl Who's Never Been on a Nice Date. It quickly went viral, thanks to her catchy phrase “HE GOT MONEY!” This series was one of her first to gain significant traction, building her a following on both Instagram and YouTube. She began a collaboration with BuzzFeed, eventually being offered a junior producer position and building a large social following. She produced and starred in her own projects while making cameos in series such as New Girl, Miracle Workers, Big Mouth, and iZombie. In 2019, she wrote for and appeared in A Black Lady Sketch Show, a Max show which she left to start her greatest project yet, Abbott Elementary. She is now best known for her work creating and writing the hit show Abbott Elementary, based on the day-to-day lives of teachers in a Philadelphia school district.
Truly a self-made woman, Brunson has written and starred in numerous shows, always pushing herself to explore her passion and chase her next dream. Thanks to her confidence in her creativity and always challenging herself, in 2022, Brunson won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series. And this year, she made history as the first Black woman in 41 years to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Quinta Brunson has made a career with true hard work.
Zendaya
Zendaya is arguably the "It" girl of our generation. She's an actress, a model, and a fashion icon, she truly does it all. I mean, we all remember the time Issa Rae asked her, "How much do you have to fight the urge to say these other bitches aren’t even close?"
Starting as a Disney Channel star, Zendaya has successfully distanced herself from the constraints Disney stars often deal with, proving she is far more than just the young girl we saw on Disney's Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover. Her big-screen debut came in 2017 with Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman. Fast forward to June 2019, Zendaya starred in the drama series Euphoria as Rue, a high school drug addict. These roles were proof of the greatness that is Zendaya and only the start of her brilliant career. She secured an two Emmy wins Best Lead Actress in Euphoria, making her the youngest person ever to win in that category and the second Black actress to do so.
Now, in 2024, Zendaya is dominating our screens. She stars in two of the year's most highly-anticipated movies: Dune: Part Two, currently in theaters, and Challengers, which will be released in theaters on April 26.
Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney first made waves in the Netflix comedy-drama Everything Sucks!, showcasing her undeniable talent. This role solidified her presence in mainstream film and TV. She went on to secure regular roles in The Handmaid's Tale and Sharp Objects, but her major breakthrough was in 2019 as Cassie Howard in the HBO hit series Euphoria. In 2021, Sweeney starred in HBO’s limited series The White Lotus, further proving her status as a rising star in Hollywood. By 2022, she received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations: one for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in Euphoria and the other for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie in The White Lotus.
Currently, she is one of the most sought-after actresses, demonstrating her versatility and skill across genres from rom-coms to thrillers. She recently starred in Anyone But You, a rom-com alongside Glen Powell, which was well-received by audiences. Her latest project is a religious horror film from her own production company Fifty-Fifty Films titled Immaculate, set to hit theaters on March 22.
Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortega started off on Disney as Harley Diaz in Stuck in the Middle, but struggled for a while after, feeling she didn't always have the look directors were looking for. Now, her unique appearance is her selling point, having built a career over the last few years that showcases her ability to step into versatile roles. You definitely can't put Jenna Ortega in a box.
You might recognize Jenna Ortega from The CW show Jane the Virgin, and the Netflix series You. In 2021, she appeared in The Fallout, being named “The Next Big Thing” by The Hollywood Reporter. She also landed a significant role in the Scream series as Tara Carpenter. But her biggest role yet has definitely been her work on the Netflix series Wednesday as Wednesday Addams, released in 2022. The show led Jenna to being the youngest actress to be nominated for a Golden Globe. Although she didn’t win, these nominations speak to how well the show performed and the impact of her delivery.
Up next, she’ll be starring in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice 2, expected to be released on September 6.
Lily Gladstone
Lily Gladstone is a Native American actor of Blackfeet and Nimíipuu heritage. Between 2009 and 2013, Gladstone worked on a project called Living Voices, an educational touring theater company presenting shows about marginalized histories. She made her film debut in 2012 with Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian, followed by her role in Winter in the Blood (2013), a hallucinatory film about a Native American man in a small Montana town. In 2016, she starred in Certain Women alongside actors Michelle Williams, Laura Dern, and Kristen Stewart, marking one of her first major roles and introducing her to the entertainment industry on a larger scale. She also made television appearances in HBO’s Room 104 (2017-2020), Showtime’s Billions (2019-2023), and FX’s Reservation Dogs (2022).
During the 2020 lockdown, Gladstone contemplated leaving acting behind to take a job at the U.S. Department of Agriculture tracking murder hornets. However, filmmaker Martin Scorsese reached out to her based on her past work, and she was then cast in Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Despite working alongside greats like Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, Gladstone's performance has stood out immensely. She has now won 2024 Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards, becoming the first Indigenous person to win Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Though this has been a long time coming, her representation marks a turning point in filmmaking history. While it is long overdue, it is also an accomplishment of a lifetime to be the first. She also now holds the title as the first-ever Native American nominee for an Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of Mollie Kyle Burkhart in Killers of the Flower Moon.
She is currently working on Under the Bridge, an upcoming film expected to be released on Hulu.
Rachel Zegler
Rachel Zegler is just starting out, but she's already proving to be one to watch. Throughout high school and college, she used social media to showcase her talents. One video, in particular, of her singing a cover of "Shallow" from A Star Is Born, received millions of views. Her first significant on-screen moment came in 2021 with Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story, which helped her win her biggest award yet at such an early stage in her career— Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards. She was the youngest person to win a Golden Globe in that category.
Afterward, she worked on Shazam: Fury of the Gods in 2023 as the character Anthea. She then moved on to the highly anticipated Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, where she played Lucy Gray Baird. As of today, she has been cast as the lead in Netflix and Skydance's animated musical Spellbound set to release this year, and Disney has picked her to be Snow White in the new live-action remake expected to reach audiences in 2025.
Ayo Edebiri
Ayo Edebiri is thriving! The recent Golden Globe and Emmy winner is quickly becoming a standout star.
Edebiri's journey into the spotlight began during her time at New York University, where she started her career as a comedian. Her entrance into writing came with the digital scripted series Ayo and Rachel Are Single, a collaboration with Rachel Sennott. After graduating from New York University, Edebiri continued to charm audiences with her magnetic, energetic stand-up performances across New York City. Her writing career flourished as she contributed to the writing rooms of FX's What We Do in the Shadows, Netflix's animated series Big Mouth, and the Apple TV+ series Dickinson.
Her other notable roles include the black comedy Bottoms, where she reunites with Sennott, as well as in Theater Camp, The Sweet East, and Black Mirror. Additionally, she lent her voice to April O’Neil in the animated feature Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, showcasing her range as a performer. Edebiri is indeed a rising star, whose career trajectory suggests we'll be seeing much more of her talent in the years to come.
America Ferrera
America Ferrera has built a remarkable career on empowering women and carving out spaces for Latina women like herself. Her breakout role as Ana Garcia in Real Women Have Curves in 2002 provided her with a platform to share a story that she was often told nobody wanted to hear. She went on to star in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Ugly Betty. In 2007, Ferrera made history by becoming the first Latina to win an Emmy in the Lead Actress category for her performance in Ugly Betty. Following this, she also won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her portrayal of Betty Suarez.
Today, you may know her as Gloria, our Barbie girl, contributing to a significant cultural moment in 2023 by being a part of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Barbie has empowered women of all backgrounds, ages, and sizes to explore their femininity. Regardless of opinions on the Barbie movie, America Ferrera's monologue delivery was unforgettable — not just for the words she spoke but for how she delivered them. Her portrayal of Gloria initiated conversations amongst women that were both healing and rewarding, showcasing Ferrera's ongoing commitment to empowering women and promoting diversity. This year, she was nominated for her first Oscar as Best Supporting Actress, and though she did not win, her performance was excellent and will always be remembered.
Emma Stone
Emma Stone is being iconic again, are we surprised? She continues to dominate the film industry, becoming a part of some of the most iconic projects to grace the big screen.
She made her TV debut on VH1’s talent competition series In Search of the New Partridge Family in 2004 before landing a breakout role in 2007's Superbad. That role helped pave the way for her first leading role in 2010's Easy A. Her performance as Olive Penderghast not only showcased her talent but also earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Between the release of those films, Emma starred in The Rocker, The House Bunny, Ghost of Girlfriends Past, Zombieland, The Help, Crazy, Stupid, Love, and The Amazing Spider-Man. In 2014, she earned her first Oscar nomination and a second Golden Globe win for her role in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Her journey didn't stop there as she starred in the musical La La Land alongside Ryan Gosling. The film won a record-breaking seven Golden Globes, with Stone securing her first Oscar for Best Actress. She continued to captivate audiences in The Favourite, Zombieland: Double Tap, and as the wickedly stylish Cruella de Ville in Cruella, further showcasing her impeccable range.
Most recently, Emma collaborated with director Yorgos Lanthimos in Poor Things, taking on the lead role of Bella Baxter. This role won her a second Oscar and a Golden Globe, affirming her position as one of Hollywood's most versatile and captivating talents.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph
Da’Vine Joy Randolph didn’t initially plan on becoming an actor. However, it seems that acting chooses you when you have a natural talent, compelling you to embrace it fully. Randolph aspired to serve people and discovered her calling in music. After graduating from Yale University with a master’s degree in 2011, she embarked on her career journey. Her breakthrough came on the theatrical stage, particularly in musical theater, as she landed the role of Oda Mae Brown in the 2012 Broadway production of Ghost the Musical, which led to a Tony Award nomination.
Her journey wasn’t without its hurdles. After experiencing a loss of motivation due to losing her voice, Randolph received encouragement from Oscar and Tony Award winner Al Pacino. He told her, “I see you, and you are exactly where you need to be. Keep climbing the ladder.” This moment became a pivotal point in Randolph’s career, pushing her to persevere. Her dedication paid off when she secured her first film role in Mother of George and appeared in TV shows such as Selfie, This Is Us, and Empire.
Randolph’s significant breakthrough came with Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name, where she played Lady Reed. She continued to take on roles in films like Trolls World Tour and was a stand out in the comedy The Lost City. Most recently, Randolph stars opposite Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers, a role that won her Best Supporting Actress at both the Golden Globes and the Oscars.
Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh has been exceptional from her very first role and her career trajectory makes it clear that overlooking her talent is a mistake. She made her debut in the 2014 film The Falling.
2019 was a standout year for Pugh, showcasing her range across genres with her roles in the horror film Midsommar, the comedy Fighting With My Family, and as Amy March in the adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, earning her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Pugh's entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Yelena in Black Widow alongside Scarlett Johansson garnered significant media attention. She co-starred with Harry Styles in the 2022 Olivia Wilde–directed Don’t Worry Darling, a film that received a lot of media coverage for its behind-the-scenes drama.
In 2023, Pugh took on a role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, playing the love interest of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Most recently, she has been featured in Dune: Part Two, which is currently captivating audiences in theaters.
