How many on-screen badass women can you name?
(I'll update the list periodically.)
Badass On-Screen Women
- Landlady (Kung Fu Hustle)
- Ellen Ripley (Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Alien: Resurrection)
- Sarah Connor (The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Terminator: Dark Fate)
- Zoë Washburne (Firefly, Serenity)
- Kaylee Frye (Firefly, Serenity)
- Inara (Firefly, Serenity)
- Private Vasquez (Aliens)
- Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)
- Chrisjen Avasarala (The Expanse)
- Naomi Nagata (The Expanse)
- Roberta 'Bobbie' W. Draper (The Expanse)
- Camina Drummer (The Expanse)
- Yu Shu Lien (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
- Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
- The Bride (Kill Bill, Kill Bill: Vol. 2)
- Trinity (The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions)
- PrinceessLeia (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi)
Everybody remembers Ripley, but Aliens was a solid gender equality movie... filmed way back in 1986. Remember Vasquez and Ferro? Totally believable, flawed and likeable badasses. I find today's characters to be way too perfect to be believable. Wonder Woman is a good example. I find her annoying.
Interesting tidbit: Actress that played Vasquez also did Sarah Conner's mom..
Vasquez actress in Titanic:
this is blowing my mind
I just read an interview of James Cameron where he says they actually cut off her hair which was down to her waist at the time. He told her:
"Your hair will grow back. Vasquez will live forever."
And she really does. What a character.
That's a fascinating little nugget!