10 most successful female directors in Hollywood

Sam Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, and Sofia Coppola have all made a name for themselves with works that are either artistically outstanding or have achieved global box office success.

Sam Taylor-Johnson

Director Sam Taylor (center) with the two main actors of the film "Fifty Shades of Grey".

With $500 million in global revenue since its release, 50 Shades of Grey is the third highest-grossing film in history directed by a female filmmaker – after Kung Fu Panda 2 and Mamma Mia! 50 Shades of Grey is the second film by the British director, born in 1967. It was on the set of her directorial debut, Nowhere Boy, that Sam Taylor met her husband, who is now 23 years younger than her.

Before entering the film industry, Sam Taylor was a talented art student in England. His style and lifestyle have led director Sam Taylor-Johnson to be regarded as someone who dares to live and love to the fullest.

Ava DuVernay

Ava DuVernay (right in the cover photo) with the two stars of the film "Selma".

With her film Selma (2014), Ava DuVernay became the first Black female director to have a film nominated for the "Best Picture" Oscar. Prior to that, the director, born in 1972, was also the first person to be nominated for "Best Director" at the Golden Globe Awards. In 2012, DuVernay became the first Black woman to win "Best Director" at the Sundance Film Festival for Middle of Nowhere, her second feature film, which had a budget of only $200,000.

Selma is Ava DuVernay's third feature film, co-produced with Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt. When producing this $20 million budget film, the director did not receive any payment for writing the screenplay.

Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Asian-American director Yuh Nelson will return with "Kung Fu Panda 3" in 2016.

Born in 1972, Yuh Nelson is the first Asian-American female director to direct a Hollywood animated blockbuster, achieving success with Kung Fu Panda 2. Yuh joined DreamWorks as a storyboard artist in 2003 and became the animation director for the first Kung Fu Panda, earning her an Annie Award for Best Storyboard Artist. The Korean-American director is also the second female director to be nominated for an Oscar for "Best Animated Feature." Following the success of Kung Fu Panda 2, Yuh will return to direct the third installment, set to be released in 2016.

“Directors are usually loud and boisterous in the room, while I speak softly, so when I have meetings with everyone, they have to lean in to hear me. But I think that makes people feel safer and helps us work together better. As a result, the filmmaking process goes smoothly and everyone seems to enjoy working with me,” Yuh shared.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie and singer Miyavi, who plays a leading role in the film "Unbroken".

The success of the biographical film Unbroken – which grossed $161 million worldwide and was listed by the American Film Institute as one of the "Top 10 Films of 2014" – has made Angelina Jolie the most prominent female filmmaker in Hollywood today. Since taking on her directorial debut in 2010 with In the Land of Blood and Honey, Angelina Jolie has appeared less frequently in front of the camera. “I really enjoy directing. I enjoy it even more than acting,” the Maleficent actress shared.

Although Angelina Jolie's directing expertise isn't highly regarded, the 39-year-old star is considered one of the most powerful female filmmakers in Hollywood today, as she can connect with any major studio in North America, or with any renowned director or screenwriter. After completing Unbroken, Jolie began filming her next project, By the Sea, a drama about marriage starring her and her husband Brad Pitt. Jolie is also planning a fourth film, Africa, about elephant poaching in Africa.

Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow.

The director, born in 1951, became a household name among film fans worldwide in 2010 when she beat her ex-husband, director James Cameron, and his blockbuster Avatar to win the Oscars for "Best Director" and "Best Picture" for The Hurt Locker. Two months after winning the Oscar, Kathryn was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people of the year.

Two years later, the director returned with a unique war story – Zero Dark Thirty. In Hollywood, Kathryn Bigelow is known as a renowned filmmaker in both commercial and auteur films. Her famous action trilogy includes Blue Steel, Point Break, and Strange Days.

Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola.

Sofia Coppola is the daughter of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, the director of *The Godfather I, II* and *Apocalypse Now*. In 2003, the daughter of the legendary director gained attention with her second work, *Lost in Translation*, a story about the loneliness and disorientation of modern man. The film won the "Best Original Screenplay" award at the 2004 Oscars. Seven years later, Sofia became the first American female director to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival with her film *Somewhere*.

Unhurried, subtly charming, profound, and versatile, Sofia Coppola is one of the world's most contemplative auteur filmmakers today. After completing The Bling Ring (2013), Sofia is now working on pre-production for her new film, Fairyland.

Catherine Hardwicke

Director Catherine Hardwicke (center) with the cast of "Twilight".

Born in 1959, this woman directed the blockbuster Twilight, adapted from the globally bestselling romance novel in 2008 – grossing nearly $400 million and launching Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart into stars. After completing the first Twilight film, the director refused to make a sequel or any sequels, sharing that "I prefer the original first book." Although she worked as a producer and set designer in Hollywood from a young age, Catherine only made her film debut in 2003 – Thirteen. This semi-autobiographical work is considered a noteworthy independent film with a modest budget.

Phyllida Lloyd

Phyllida Lloyd (right) with her "muse" Meryl Streep.

The British director is one of the most prestigious ladies in Hollywood and in the UK today. In 2008, she became the world's highest-grossing female director when her musical Mamma Mia! grossed over $600 million. The film featured a star-studded cast including Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and Colin Firth. Produced by Tom Hanks, the film used mostly classic songs by ABBA.

Three years after the success of Mamma Mia!, Phyllida Lloyd returned with the biographical film Iron Lady, about former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The film earned Meryl Streep an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA award for her acting.

Jane Campion

Jane Campion was a female filmmaker who gained worldwide recognition before Kathryn Bigelow.

The New Zealand filmmaker became known worldwide for her art film The Piano (1993) – about a mute pianist. The film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival that same year. A year later, Jane Campion became a Hollywood sensation, winning the Oscar for "Best Original Screenplay." She was only the second filmmaker ever nominated for an Oscar for "Best Director." From her debut short film, Peel (1982), the director, who primarily worked in Australia, demonstrated compelling directorial prowess. Peel won the Palme d'Or for Best Short Film at Cannes that year.

Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron is considered to be the weaver of cinematic love letters.

Romantic film lovers cannot fail to know her sweet works including You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and Julie & Julia. Nora Ephron received 3 Oscar nominations for Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, and Sleepless in Seattle. In 2012, the director passed away from pneumonia. Nora Ephron's journey of more than four decades in filmmaking was marked by a series of charming cinematic love letters.

According to VNE