Women on top: some of the most talented, powerful women in Hollywood who aren't actors

Let's be honest, the shining stars of Hollywood have never lost their sparkle.

For decades, the biggest names in motion pictures have enchanted us with their heart-warming romantic comedies, endlessly stylish movies, and glamorous red carpet-appearances.

But the machine keeping Tinseltown going requires more people at play than the ones with their names up in lights. So who are some of the lesser-known talents, prodigies and power players responsible for giving us endless entertainment?

Some of the most talented women in Hollywood who aren't actors

Emerald Fennell

Emerald Fennell made a statement with her debut - the subversive and challenging film, Promising Young Woman. For the bold, feminist statement, she won her first Oscar, and picked up five nominations in total.

What came next was the zeitgeist-shaking Saltburn, the film that had everyone talking.

As she continues to weave her magic over Hollywood and audiences around the world, her future projects include an ambitious adaptation of Emily Bronte's timeless classic, Wuthering Heights.

Jane Campion

When one speaks of glass ceiling smashers in Hollywood, Jane Campion should always be included in the conversation.

One of only three women to ever win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Jane Campion was also the third woman awarded an Oscar for Best Director (but the first woman to receive multiple nominations for the award over the years).

Her works include The Power of the Dog (for which she won the Oscar) and The Piano.

Nancy Meyers

If you've ever indulged in the most perfect, cosy night in, chances are, you've acquainted yourself with the work of Nancy Meyers.

A writer and director with a clearly defined vision spotlighting powerful, complicated and well-rounded women alongside chic interior designs and luscious landscapes, Nancy Meyers' style has become so singular that there are whole websites, Pinterest boards and social media pages attached to her aesthetic.

Her films include the likes of Something's Gotta Give with Diane Keaton and What Women Want with Mel Gibson.

Greta Gerwig

Writer and director Greta Gerwig - who, we confess, has also acted occasionally - made history as the first woman to direct a billion-dollar film with 2023's Barbie.

So we also have her to thank for the summer of Barbiecore and the resurgence of pink... everything.

Barbie also had the biggest opening weekend ever for a female director.

As well as a nomination for Barbie, Greta Gerwig received Oscar nominations for two of her other films - Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019).

Shonda Rhimes

A powerhouse in creating stories that capture the attention of millions across the globe, Shonda Rhimes' production company - Shondaland - has produced some of the biggest shows of the 21st century.

Shonda Rhimes' creations include hits like Bridgerton, How to Get Away with Murder, Scandal and Grey's Anatomy.

Diane Warren

One of the most nominated figures in the history of the Academy Awards, songwriter Diane Warren has a staggering 16 nominations to her name.

A massive achievement, the songwriter has yet to actually win, but she was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2022.

As well as her 16 Oscar nominations for Best Score, Diane's songs have hit number one all across the world. Some of the biggest tracks she's written include Cher's If I Could Turn Back Time, Aerosmith's I Don't Want to Miss a Thing and Celine Dion's Because You Loved Me.

Sofia Coppola

With 'nepo baby' becoming something of a controversial topic in recent years, it would be easy to dismiss Sofia Coppola as someone who benefited from her father's legacy. Francis Ford Coppola did, after all, direct some of the most acclaimed films of all time, including The Godfather.

However, Sofia Coppola has more than proved herself, with a strong vision and a litany of iconic movies under her belt.

Blending style with substance, her movies combine unparalleled aesthetics (as seen in the likes of 2006's Marie Antoinette) with challenging, bold and unflinching female stories (1999's The Virgin Suicides, 2023's Priscilla).

She has won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Golden Lion, and a Cannes Film Festival Award.

Edith Head

Though she passed in 1981, Edith Head earns a spot on the list simply because her influence still looms over anyone with a knowledge or passion for Hollywood’s glamour.

A celebrated costume designer and still the most awarded woman in the history of the Oscars with eight wins (Katharine Hepburn comes second with four wins, Meryl Streep has three), Edith Head basically gave classic Hollywood the look which is still revered today.

Whether it was Bette Davis in All About Eve, Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Grace Kelly in Rear Window, Edith Head designed for the best of the best - and made them look even better.

Celine Song

Celine Song is a director and writer who has already earned multiple Oscar nominations for her film debut, Past Lives.

The film received universal critical acclaim and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the 96th Academy Awards.

Diablo Cody

Diablo Cody was a true success story of the Internet's early days - she developed a cult following with a blog, which turned into a book deal, and later, she wrote a number of well-received movies including Juno and Jennifer's Body.

In more recent years, she worked on the book for the Broadway show, Jagged Little Pill.

She has gone on to win major accolades including an Oscar, a BAFTA and a Tony Award.

Kathryn Bigelow

The Academy Awards started in 1929. And it took until 2008 for a woman to finally be recognised and awarded the Oscar for Best Director.

It was Kathryn Bigelow who finally kicked in that glass ceiling, triumphing for her work on The Hurt Locker.

As well as that historic win, she has received numerous accolades including another Oscar, two BAFTA Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Kathleen Kennedy

Some of the most powerful, influential women in the entertainment industry are behind the scenes - like Kathleen Kennedy.

While she might not be the star of the show, as it were, we wouldn't have some of our most beloved films without her production companies. Along with the likes of Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, Kathleen's companies have produced films including Jurassic Park, E.T., and Back to the Future.

In 2012, she was made President of the Lucasfilm organisation, overseeing the expansion and revival of the Star Wars franchise.

Ruth E. Carter

Ruth E. Carter is the celebrated costume designer for films including Black Panther (and its sequel) and 1992's Malcolm X.

For her work, she made history. She is the first black woman to win the Oscar for Best Costume Design, and having won multiple times, she's the first black woman to win multiple Oscars in any category.

Bela Bajaria

You might think you've never encountered Bela Bajaria and her work... but trust us, you have.

She is Netflix's Chief Content Officer, responsible for choosing the titles that we all binge. That's right. From the slate of true crime series' to the original movies and shows that get developed for the streamer, Bela helps decide it all. And she clearly knows what she's doing - Netflix picked up a whopping 103 Emmy nominations for 2023, the year where she first got her title.

Talk about a real power player.

Rachel Portman

British composer Rachel Portman was the first female composer to win an Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1996, for her work on Emma.

A true maestro, she has scored over 100 films including The Cider House Rules and Chocolat.

In addition to winning one Oscar, she has been nominated a further two times and was even awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 2010.

Pinar Toprak

Turkish-American composer Pinar Toprak became a trailblazer in 2019, becoming the first woman to score a big-budget superhero movie. As the composer for Captain Marvel, she also became the first woman to score a movie with a box office of more than $1 billion.

And Pinar's story is one of grit and guile. She self-funded a tape of her potential score, as something of an unofficial audition. The gamble paid off - and could be a lesson to ambitious women all over.

Sandy Powell

British costume designer Sandy Powell has enjoyed a thriving career spanning over three decades, and her work has helped solidify the style status of major films like The Wolf of Wall Street, Gangs of New York and The Young Victoria.

Her own personal style also makes her an awards show favourite, lighting up the red carpets with her punky, unique and daring looks.

For her work, she's won three Oscars and three BAFTAs and was made a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2025.

Ava DuVernay

The American director, producer and writer, Ava DuVernay, has broken down several barriers in her career - and she's just getting started.

She is the first Black woman to win Best Director at Sundance for her 2012 film, Middle of Nowhere, and the first to be nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Director for 2014's Selma.

Ruth Myers

From growing up in Manchester, England to enjoying a career in costume design spanning over five decades, Ruth Myers defied all the odds to become a Hollywood legend.

She worked on films including The Addams Family, L.A. Confidential and Beyond the Sea.

She has won an Emmy award and been nominated for two Academy Awards.

Gillian Flynn

The mystery thriller Gone Girl gripped the world when the book was released in 2012 and then again when the film was made in 2014.

And we have Gillian Flynn to thank for it all. She wrote the book and subsequent screenplay. She also adapted the screenplay for Sharp Objects, the Emmy nominated series starring Amy Adams.

And she hasn't stopped there. She continues to work as a screenwriter in Hollywood, with planned projects upcoming including the Tim Burton adaptation of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.

Liz Garbus

Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas

Liz Garbus is responsible for scratching that metaphorical itch we all have to delve deeper into the lives of the other half.

A decorated documentarian and film-maker, Garbus is responsible for directing and producing the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's six-part Netflix series, Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper, and the Oscar nominated What Happened, Miss Simone?

Any fan of Jennifer Lopez might have spotted she has a steadfast right-hand-woman, often in her Instagram posts or appearing heavily in her Amazon Prime Video documentary, Greatest Love Story Never Told.

That woman is Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, a mogul who has helped produce many of JLo's hit films, starting back with 2002's Maid in Manhattan. She also executive produced the TV shows The Fosters and Good Trouble.

With decades of show business to her name, it's no wonder her first novel, Climbing in Heels, all about the fictional rise of five ambitious secretaries navigating the glitzy world of 1980s Hollywood, is set to be a TV show before it even hit shelves.

Hildur Guðnadóttir

A classically trained cellist and composer, Hildur is the Icelandic conqueror who has taken Hollywood by storm.

She is a two-time Grammy Award winner, two-time Golden Globe winner, Primetime Emmy winner and Academy Award winner. Her work can be heard in major movies including Cate Blanchett's Tar and Joker, starring Lady Gaga.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez

Some parents of younger children might feel less fondly of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and her husband Robert Lopez, but only because their prolific, undeniable talents unleashed some unstoppable singalongs.

Thanks to Kristen and her husband, songs like Frozen's Let It Go became the only thing in constant rotation for many, many months.

As a duo, the husband-and-wife team have also written songs for Coco and WandaVision. She has won two Oscars, two Grammys and an Emmy.

Laura Karpman

A bold red carpet walker, Laura Karpman is a five-time Emmy and five-time Grammy-winning composer.

She has worked on the likes of The Marvels and Netflix romcom Set It Up.

She's also recognised for being a strong champion for inclusion in her industry, co-founding the Alliance for Women Film Composers. In 2014, she also became the first female governor of the music branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.

Milena Canonero

A champion of style, Milena Canonero has been styling Hollywood's movies for over five decades.

Her work can be seen in classics like 1980's The Shining, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette.

She has received four Oscars (making her one of the most awarded women in the Academy's history), three BAFTA Awards, and two Costume Designers Guild Awards.

Germaine Franco

Germaine Franco became the first woman to ever score a Disney animated film, writing the multi-award-winning score to Encanto. Her music for the film became popular around the globe, and she was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Oscar.

She also worked on Netflix's The Mother, starring Jennifer Lopez.

Channing Dungey

A true trailblazer, Channing Dungey is the first black American president of a major broadcast television network. In 2020, she was announced as the chairwoman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television.

Under her leadership, shows like Abbott Elementary and Hacks have become must-see TV - and the company garnered 117 Emmy nominations in 2024.

Chloé Zhao

A celebrated director, Chloe Zhao first found major success with 2020's Nomadland. The film received six Oscar nominations, winning in some of the major categories, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Chloe Zhao's win as director meant she was only the second woman and the first Asian woman in the history of the Academy to take home the gold.

Subsequent projects have included the massive superhero film, Eternals, and she has directed the much-anticipated adaptation of the Maggie O'Farrell novel, Hamnet.

Brenda Chapman

Brenda Chapman is an animator, screenwriter and director.

In 1998 she made history, becoming the first woman to direct a major studio animation, DreamWorks' The Prince of Egypt. Why stop at just one achievement though? In 2012, she directed the animated Disney Pixar film, Brave with Mark Andrews, becoming the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

Lilly and Lana Wachowski

The Wachowskis have made a name for themselves working together on some truly genre-defining - and defying - classics.

The filmmakers were responsible for The Matrix (and the sequels), as well as the provoking V for Vendetta and Netflix's cult favourite, Sense8.

The two auteurs are also inspirational for another reason - both sisters are transgender women. Lana first revealed her true self around 2008, with Lilly confirming she had transitioned in 2016.

Dolly Parton

Okay, okay, this one might feel like a bit of a cheat as Dolly Parton has most definitely acted in projects like the iconic 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, but we’re including her for a specific reason.

While she is known for her acting and singing, many don't know just how savvy and influential she is as a producer and a businesswoman.

Her lesser known, but still important, contributions to the industry include helping finance and launch some all-time classics. For example, did you know Dolly was a co-producer of one of the most iconic TV shows of all time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Her company also produced favourites like 1991's Father of the Bride.