Female Protagonists

1. Hanna - 

Hanna is probably one of the youngest female protagonists and is quite an unexpected character. 15 years old, she lives in rural northern Finland with her father an ex-CIA operative. Her father knows a potentially dangerous secret that cannot be revealed to the public and has been training Hanna in target shooting and hand-to-hand combat since she was two to become a skilled assassin. Both being hunted by a CIA officer Hanna most venture on her own to kill the officer and reunite with her father.  She is quick thinking, skilled in physical combat and can retain encyclopedic knowledge.

2. Miss Congeniality -

Although a comedy action film, Gracie Hart as Miss Congeniality sets the role for strong women working as F.B.I agents. She goes undercover as a beauty pageant contestant and proves that she is smart and physically strong and not afraid to break the rules for the greater good. When the rest of her team abandon the case she stays undercover risking her job because she believes their is still a potential threat. At first, she comes across as boisterous, independent and very unladylike however as the film goes on we are able to see a more caring side to her character which makes her more warming to the audience.

3. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - 

Lisbeth Salander, a computer hacker in the film, portrays a slightly more unconventional role and perhaps wouldn't be associated with the typical strong female role. The film entails her being enlisted to help journalist Mikael Blomkvist's to solve the disappearance of a woman forty years prior. Her character, associated with a 'gothic' category, shows many more dimensions to her as the film develops from her diagnosed mental incompetency, naivety, intelligence, vulnerability but vengeful personality.


4. The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, from one of the opening scenes we know is a brave character. She volunteers to take her sisters place in the arena, where she will have to fight to the death amongst the other competitors. This character would never have been initially considered to win the games although her volunteering does make her stand out. Her bravery throughout the games and quick thinking allows her to stay alive through the games and the love for her family keep her going making her a strong figure.

5. Salt

Evelyn Salt, played by Angelina Jolie, is a secret agent who is being set up as a Russian spy. Her character goes rogue to find out who is setting her up, even pretending at one point to be the spy she is made out to be to get further information. She is a strong personality, quick thinking and good in physical combat and her actions make the audience question her true identity at times, such as when she nearly kill the American president however later she explains that if she had want to kill him she would have which makes her a complex character, playing a double agent role


Often when a female is the lead role in the film, they often have something distinguishing about their appearance that makes them memorable. In the examples above, Hanna's extremely blonde hair, Gracie's Hart transformation into a beauty pageant contestant, Salander's gothic edge, Katniss's braid and Salt's dyed jet black hair. Therefore I will consider this when casting for my film and how the character should look in the opening scene to make them memorable.