It doesn’t matter when International Women’s Day is, we should never stop the world from recognizing incredible women.
In Hollywood, this includes female actresses and the characters they portray in movies and film.
There’s just one thing wrong with this, though: they should’ve been the main characters!
Here are 10+ female characters who are way more interesting than the male main leads.
Claire Underwood from *House of Cards*
It was hard seeing such a strong female character living in the shadow of her husband, Frank Underwood.
It wasn’t until actor Kevin Spacey was fired from the show that Claire got to shine as the lead.
Princess Leia from *Star Wars*
You can’t think of Star Wars without Princess Leia, honestly.
She was never a damsel in distress who needed to be saved. Instead, she saved herself in the moments that she needed to.
Gamora from *Guardians of the Galaxy*
While the film is centered around Star-Lord, we can all admit that Gamora stole the show.
She’s smart, hilarious, and tough — all qualities that make us want a standalone movie around her ASAP.
Dr. Ellie Sattler from *Jurassic Park*
Out of all the actors in the film, Laura Dern has arguably had one of the most successful careers.
This says a lot about her character, Ellie, too, as she was brave, quick-thinking, and caring to boot.
Domino from *Deadpool 2*
If there was anyone who could make us forget about Ryan Reynolds, it’s Domino.
Luck had nothing to do with the fact that she was so likable and so fun to watch. We need that third film!
Princess Fiona from *Shrek*
Let’s be frank: she was like an onion. Filled with so many layers!
She was locked away as a child in a tower until her prince came to save her. We would have loved to see more of her early years fleshed out.
Felicity Smoak from *Arrow*
While she was originally intended to be a minor character, that all changed thanks to her chemistry with Oliver Queen.
She was also a fan favorite thanks to her honesty and reliability.
Valkyrie from *Thor: Ragnarok*
She totally deserved a bigger part!
She had an intriguing backstory of losing family members to the movie’s villain and becoming a protector because of it.
She also proved to be just as tough as the main guys in the film, including Loki, the Hulk, and even Thor.
Dr. Jo Harding from *Twister*
If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you NEED to.
It’s got drama, intrigue, and massive natural disasters. What else could you want? It also has Dr. Jo who swept the movie away (no pun intended) from the lead.
Padmé Amidala from *Star Wars*
She is the definition of an underrated character. First of all, she accomplished a lot at a young age: she was a Queen at 14 and a senator by 24.
We needed to see more Padmé and less Anakin.
Aurora Lane from *Passengers*
Like Guardians of the Galaxy , Chris Pratt should have taken a step back from the main character to let a female shine.
Because shine Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence) did in this film. It even would’ve been even better if the movie was framed as a horror story from her POV.
Hit-Girl from *Kick-Ass*
She was an amazing character who deserved the spotlight all of the time.
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While she finally got it in the not-so-great sequel, it proved one thing: the first movie should have centered around her from the start.
Marion Ravenwood *Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark*
She was the definition of a well-rounded character. She had beauty, grace, and such strength.
This made her fearless in the face of danger and capable of holding her own next to Indy, a well-traveled character.
Poison Ivy from *Batman & Robin*
The film may have been called Batman & Robin , but who cares about them when you have a character like Ivy?
She had such depth, an amazing backstory, and was just so fascinating to watch. She needs a standalone movie!
Rosa Diaz from *Brooklyn Nine-Nine*
She’s a side character who refuses to fade into the background— and we love her for it.
She’s tough, yet has a sweet spot for those she cares about. She’s also a bisexual icon that is paving the way for other characters.
Elaine Benes from *Seinfeld*
Forget Seinfeld . The show should have been called Elaine .
Whether she was doing her awkward dancing, dating around New York, or making us laugh with her quirky personality, she never failed to steal the show.
Clarice Starling from *The Silence of the Lambs*
It’s hard to imagine anyone outshining the legendary Anthony Hopkins, but Jodie Foster’s portrayal of Clarice managed to do just that.
Her character refused to be yet another damsel in distress who needed a man to solve things for her.
Imperator Furiosa from *Mad Max: Fury Road*
The movie centering around a male was right in the title: Mad Max .
But that didn’t stop viewers from questioning whether Furiosa was the lead. She was so bold and responsible for helping save the world.
Hermione Granger from *Harry Potter*
Oh, where would the Harry Potter world be without her?
Harry may be the chosen one, but this character was born with so many amazing qualities. She was a great role model to female viewers, super smart, and was charming despite being a know-it-all.