In Hollywood , it’s all about giving credit where credit is due.
That’s why award shows exist — duh. Yet, just like celebs get snubbed by not winning the award they deserve, there are many celebs not receiving everyday recognition.
These following female actresses have delivered exceptional performances time and time again. It’s time to know their names.
Here are 19 underrated female actors people should be watching.
Kristen Stewart
It’s been over a decade since Twilight came out, and people still judge Kristen for it. That’s a travesty. The actress has acting range and has appeared in everything from drama to romance to comedy.
D’Arcy Carden
The actress did such a good job playing Janet in The Good Place . So much so that she deserved an Emmy for her role!
She also seems just as sweet and gracious as the character she plays.
Nicole Byer
The Netflix baking show, Nailed It totally nailed it by making Nicole as their host. But if you’ve seen her perform, you know that she’s ready to thrust into the next stage of her career.
Emmy Rossum
In addition to being insanely gorgeous, Emmy is a gifted actress and singer.
She blew people away with her voice in The Phantom of the Opera and then she showed her acting range by playing the rough Fiona in Shameless .
Maisie Williams
We all know how epic she was at playing Arya in Game of Thrones . I mean, she single-handedly took down the Night King. So with a performance like that, Maisie deserves to be talked about more (and given new roles).
Maya Rudolph
Funny, talented actress at comedy and drama, and a great singing voice to boot? Maya has it all!
Yet, she’s sadly been overshadowed by other female comedians like Amy Poehler, Amy Schumer, and Tina Fey.
Mackenzie Davis
With an impressive resume like hers, it’s a shame more people don’t recognize her. She’s appeared in everything from Black Mirror to Blade Runner to Terminator. And she slayed each performance.
Gina Rodriguez
While Jane the Virgin put the star on the map, it also typecast her as well. This has made people overlook what a fantastic actress she is in recent films like Miss Bala and Someone Great .
Chloë Grace Moretz
Unfortunately, it was her beef with Kim and Khloé Kardashian that got Chloë’s name muddled in the dirt.
That aside, she’s a talented actress who has been working in film since she was just a little kid.
Chelsea Peretti
There’s a reason fans were so broken when Chelsea left Brooklyn Nine-Nine . Despite there being an amazingly talented cast, Gina was one of the funniest and most memorable. People loved her dry humor and hilarious one-liners.
Robin Wright
She’s a name we all know and an amazingly talented actress, yet she doesn’t get the kind of recognition that other amazing actresses receive.
Wright was able to command attention despite playing the least interesting character in The Princess Bride .
Michaela Watkins
Many know her face and voice, yet very few know her name. She’s been on practically every hit show you can think of, from New Girl to Veep to SNL , and manages to shine in each scene she’s in.
Toni Collette
Watch any one of her films and you’ll soon discover how amazing she is. And yet, she’ll never get the recognition she deserves, which is just mind-blowing. It’s also crazy that she’s Australian since she nails American accents so well.
Regina Hall
This talented actress deserves many accolades for the roles she’s played over the years. Her performance as Dawn in Black Monday , for example, deserved major awards. She always meets the sweet spot between drama and comedy.
Julia Stiles
There’s a reason 10 Things I Hate About You is still a remarkable classic. Julia’s performance blew audiences away, making it one of the best teen movies. She’s even still acting all these years later.
Amber Tamblyn
This spunky actress is a genuine presence in Hollywood who deserves more prominent gigs than the ones she’s received.
For instance, even though we loved her in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants , she deserved a career as big as her co-star, Blake Lively.
Judy Greer
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride! In other words, Judy has long played the supporting lady in films — 13 Going on 30 , 27 Dresses , and The Wedding Planner , to name a few — but she’s never the main character. She deserves the chance to shine!
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Lena Headey
The actress deserves a lot more credit than she’s given. It probably wasn’t easy to play a character on Game of Thrones that everyone hated. She’s known for other roles as well in 300 and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles .
Elizabeth Olsen
Being the youngest sister of the Olsen twins means that Elizabeth Olsen had to fight for people to take her seriously.
She’s more than outdone herself thanks to her sweet personality and roles in the Marvel Universe.
