After polling men and women of all ages on Facebook about their favorite actresses, the results were surprising. Very few even mentioned actresses under the age of 40. Most of the actresses mentioned are all still working in Hollywood, except one favorite is still Bette Davis. Right along the lines of Bette Davis, the respondents of both genders listed woman actors who have been known to play strong and funny characters. Here are the top 5 actresses mentioned:
Betty White
This hilarious woman began her career in the 1940s and here she is going strong starring in a 2010 series with Valerie Bertanelli (One Day at a Time). Her timeless secret is an uncanny skill to make people laugh. Of course, most of her fans know her best in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Golden Girls. Here is an interesting fact about Betty White, according to IMDB.com, she was the honorary mayor of Hollywood in 1955. Her latest movie, You Again (2010), stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristen Bell, Sigourney Weaver, and Patrick Duffy. You can see the original series, Hot in Cleveland, on TV Land network. Look for Mary Tyler Moore in the upcoming season of Hot in Cleveland.
Starting out in theatre in Australia, Cate Blanchett won the Newcomer Award and the Rosemont Best Actress Award. She is a solid actress with the ability to play many different types of roles from the bad guy to the elegant Queen Victoria. LuAnn Coldwell, says she “not only admires her acting, but how she takes on strong female roles”. A few of Cate Blanchett movies include Indiana Jones & the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), The Lord of the Rings (2001), and is in the upcoming film Hanna.
Annette Bening
Brenda Drayer, Fort Wayne, Indiana, said that Annette Bening has “a classic beauty, kind of like the old movie stars. As the star of Being Julia (2004), Annette Benning helped create one of the funniest Independent films about older women. It’s a must see for woman over 40 who feel they can’t compete with younger women. The role of Julia was complex, funny, and sad. It took years of acting experience in the movies and theater for Ms. Bening’s skills to develop for such a fantastic role.
According to IMDB.com, she taught at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and Teri Hatcher was one of her students. She starred in the movies American Beauty (1999) and The Kids are All Right (2010). Annette Bening is currently working on a movie, State of the Union, with Richard Gere.
Sandra Bullock
Men love her because she is sexy. Woman love her because she comes across as self-confident and genuine. She enhanced her skills by studying the discipline of acting at East Carolina University. She spent over two decades starring in films and began producing films in the late 1990s.The movie, Miss Congeniality (2000), showed off her comic ability. Sandra Bullock’s serious roles in movies, such as Premonition (2007) and The Lake House (2006), display the depth of her talent as an actress. After starring in the movie The Blind Side (2009), she won the 2010 Oscar for Best Actress. For 2011, Sandra Bullock produces and stars in a film called Kiss & Tango.
Meryl Streep
Born in New Jersey, Meryl Streep began her acting career because of her love of Opera. She is a perfectionist with formal training from Vassar College and Yale University. As an actress, she creates an experience for the audience, effortlessly drawing them into the character. For example, Meryl Streep made us cry in Sophie’s Choice (1982), and laugh in Death Becomes Her (1992). Her most recent success was It’s Complicated (2009) with Alec Baldwin and comic great Steve Martin. Her 2011 projects include the movie Iron Lady.
Resources: IMDB.com
