By Laura Yates

The escapist quality of film and tv is enduring pastime and if we are being honest, has never been needed more than in 2020 and 2021. We know that watching a film in the theater, or a streamed series can instantly lift one's mood or offer them a break from reality.

So before you sit down to find your next fix, how about you start with any and all of the film and tv produced by the heavyweights on this list! This is a list of outstanding females writers, directors, producers and actors who have highly influenced the film and TV industry- from the classics to the shows currently trending and of course, the culture itself.

1. Jane Campion

In 1993, The Piano quickly became a box office hit, starring Harvey Keitel and Holly Hunter. Written and directed by Jane Campion, it was set in the mid-19th century. It focused on the life of a psychologically mute woman Scots woman named Ada McGrath (Hunter) and her arranged marriage with a frontiersman (Keitel). Campion won the award for Best Screenplay that year but lost the Oscar for Best Director.

Fortunately, for fans of this director and her ability to bring out the best from actors and locations, she has made a comeback with a series streaming on Hulu, Top Of The Lake. It's a mystery drama, first airing in 2013 that follows the story of Robin Griffin, played by Elisabeth Moss, and her investigation of a 12-year-old's disappearance. In 2017, Campion wrote and directed the sequel, Top of the Lake: China Girl. This series was the first time this director worked on a project for television since directing An Angel at My Table in 1990.

2. Shonda Rhimes

Undoubtedly a notable figure in the entertainment industry, Shonda Rhimes is the first African American woman to executive produce a Top 10 network series; the iconic Grey's Anatomy. Taking inspiration from her own family and background, the Grey's Anatomy character Miranda Bailey and Chief of Surgery (played by Chandra Wilson) is somewhat based on Rhimes' mom.

Rhimes is also the creator of Grey's Anatomy spin-off, Private Practice, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder. The female powerhouse’s most recent success was the Netflix period drama Bridgerton.

3. Gina Prince-Bythewood

Teaming up with producers Sam Kitt and Spike Lee in the 2000 American romantic sports drama Love & Basketball, Gina Prince-Bythewood took on a significant part in creating the movie as its director. The film portrays two children who have a dream of playing in the NBA one day. Moving from childhood to college and finally achieving their goals by having professional basketball careers, both players face off in a final one-on-one game.

Since directing this movie, Prince-Bythewood has been actively working in independent cinema and television. In 2020, she took time to direct a movie showing on Netflix, The Old Guard, an American superhero film starring Charlize Theron, Matthias Schoenaerts and KiKi Layne. Working as centuries-old mercenary warriors and taking on missions to help people, Theron and her costars can heal and regenerate quickly, making it easier for them to come out on top of their assignments.

4. Lana & Lilly Wachowski

Once every few years, a movie comes out and changes the course of the industry. In 1999, this movie was The Matrix, a science-fiction action film directed and written by Lana & Lilly Wachowski. While this list is only supposed to mention seven influential female practitioners in the film and TV industry, it wouldn't be suitable to leave out one of the Wachowski sisters when completing it.

Starring Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne, The Matrix was the first of four movies in the series set in a dystopian future where humanity is trapped in a simulated reality. The first film has become a cult classic, generating worldwide box office revenues close to $500 million.

The Wachowski sisters went on to create other science-fiction works, including Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas. They have also pushed into other platforms with Sense8, which airs on Netflix. Lana & Lilly Wachowski's influence has been highly influential and essential in how CGI and Hollywood's visual style have developed and transformed.

5. Regina King

A trailblazer in the industry, Regina King is a Los Angeles born and bred actress and director. One of King’s most notable early acting roles came in 1991 in Boyz n the Hoodand she also featured in the popular romantic comedy Jerry Maguire, playing Marcee Tidwell, which really put her on the map and laid a solid foundation for her entertainment career. The actress enjoyed prominent roles in How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Enemy of the State, Legally Blonde 2 and Miss Congeniality to name only a few hit movies.

King continued to received acclaim for her role as a backup singer and lover of Ray Charles in the biopic movie Ray. Renowned for her skills in comedy as well as more poignant roles, King received two Emmy Awards in 2015 and 2016 for her performance in the anthology series American Crime. King won a third Emmy for her portrayal of a grieving mother in the miniseries Seven Seconds.

In 2013, King made the transition behind the camera and directed the TV movie Let the Church Say Amen and feature film One Night in Miami. King was recognized as one of the most well-rounded and talented women in Hollywood and it was in this moment that King established her own production company, Royal Ties, with a specific focus on telling Black stories and gender equity within the industry.

Producer and writer Damon Lindelof, in a 2016 New York Times profile commented on King’s ability to pivot in her roles and projects. “With Regina, it was like: ‘All due respect, but I’m producing, I’m directing. I still love acting, but I’m not going to commit anything beyond one year at a time.’ That’s something to look up to, because I’m going to be able to do this person a great service, because this might be the only season I get them.”

King’s most recent film One night in Miami, released at the end of 2020 tells the a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.

6. Lena Waithe

Chicago born Lena Waithe is a writer, producer, actress. Waithe is the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing for the Netflix series, Master Of None, as well as the character Denise in the acclaimed coming-out episode Thanksgiving.

Most recently Waithe has put her stamp onseveral projects including Amazon Prime’s horror anthology series Them, which she executive produced. A second season of the series she created Twentiesis on it’s way, as well as a new season ofThe Chi’s and feature film, Beauty, are due out later in 2021.

Disrupting the industry with her insane talent and intersectional perspective, Waithe is passionate about how she wants to see more Black queer representation portrayed in Hollywood film, television and beyond. In a 2020 interview Waithe commented that “representation in all regards is so necessary, and right now, we're fighting for so many different causes. Not just Black lives or Black male lives but Black trans lives, gay Black lives.”

7. Meryl Streep

Without including Meryl Streep, a list of the top eight influential female actors and directors wouldn't be complete! Considered as one of the greatest living actresses by several critics, she has been nominated for 21 Academy Awards, winning three as an actor in Kramer vs. Kramer, The Iron Lady, and "Sophie's Choice." A few of Streep's most significant roles have been completed in movies such as Sophie's Choice, Out of Africa, and 1999's Music of the Heart, where she played a schoolteacher determined to teach violin to a group of Harlem's inner-city children.

Continually inspiring a new generation of actor, Dominique Fishback, of Judas and the Black Messiah, said of Streep “when I was in school, I thought if I perfect my craft (like Meryl) then it doesn’t matter is somebody doesn’t like the movie choose to do, they’ll always be able to say “that girl can act”. And that’s what it’s like for Meryl, nobody can say she can’t act.”

Streep most recent production, is a comedy in prost- production, Don’t Look Up, and is due for release in late 2021.

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About the author:

Laura Yates is an editor at KillTheCableBill.com, a leading resource on streaming reviews and industry news. In her spare time, Laura enjoys exploring the outdoors, music and keeping up with the latest business, technology and entertainment news.

Seven Women Who Have Made an Impact on the TV & Film Industry