As many people already know, this past Thursday was International Women’s Day. In honor of this celebration, I’d like to talk about ladies that I believe provide excellent examples of strong, powerful, confident women in the world of entertainment. That’s right - we’re talking about amazing women in film!

The Lord of the Rings. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Eowyn’s story, she is one of few female characters in a large cast, where most of the heroes you see are men, in fitting with the middle-ages inspired epic storyline. In a fantasy world at war, Eowyn is the niece of the king of the lands of Rohan. Throughout her life, Eowyn is constantly told that war is only for men and that women have no place in big adventures such as this. However, she never allowed herself to give up. In the final installment of the trilogy, The Return of the King, we see Eowyn ride into battle to show up even the best of soldiers, fighting for her kingdom and her people. She even takes on one of the scariest baddies in the fantasy genre, the Witch-king of Angmar. In the end, she never let being a woman in a man’s world to stop her from fighting for what she believed in. These are only a few reasons that Eowyn makes our list.

Second on our list of ladies in film is a fan favorite from the Harry Potter films. It’s none other than the cleverest witch of her age, Hermione Granger. Hermione makes this list for inspiring girls by being an unconventional hero. Rather than relying on typical strength or power to save the day, she shows us that true strength can come from within. If you buckle down, work hard, and use your head, anything is possible. Hermione’s dedication and loyalty to her friends, unwavering determination to do the right thing, and razor-sharp intellect make her a good role model for girls everywhere. As a bookworm at heart, I know I sure loved seeing someone save the day by studying hard. You go, Hermione!

For the next spot on our list, I simply couldn’t pick just one of these ladies. From Marvel’s Black Panther, this spot goes to the ladies of Wakanda. To offer a bit of background, Marvel’s fictional country of Wakanda is a highly advanced and successful African nation that is home to many amazing characters. While the primary character of the film is the Avenger known as the Black Panther, the ladies of his home are more than worth a mention. A few of these women are the Dora Milaje. The women warriors of the Dora Milaje stole the show with their amazing strength and loyalty to their home. These beautiful and fearless women are honored in Wakanda as the sacred protectors of the throne. Not only can they be considered some of the strongest fighters that Wakanda has to offer, but these ladies are simply some of the toughest people anywhere. If you haven’t gone out to the theater to see them in action yet, you might want to consider it. Way to steal the show, ladies.

(

Continuing our list is another woman warrior from a well-loved comic adaptation. We’re talking about the legend herself, Wonder Woman. As a big fan of comic book history, I could go into a whole article about how much of a positive impact it is in the media to have a powerful, amazing woman as one of the world’s most popular superheroes. However, in keeping with the film theme of our list, I’ll limit this to talking about Wonder Woman’s recent film adaptation from the DC Comics cinematic universe. Wonder Woman is the first female superhero to blow the box office away with her own film, breaking down barriers and showing the rest of the Justice League that she has more than what it takes to keep up with the guys. Wonder Woman, or Diana Prince, is an Amazon warrior from the fictional island of Themyscira, which was home to her people and was hidden from the rest of the world. Rather than to stay in the paradise where she was raised, warrior princess Diana chose to leave and use her strength to help others and fight for what she believed in. Her selfless heroism and unapologetically confident and kind personality, coupled with her strength and smarts, make her a great role model for any woman and a great addition to any superhero team. Move over, boys, because she’s busting down barriers and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

The final person on our list today is my all time favorite female film hero. From a galaxy far, far away, the number one spot on the list goes to Princess Leia Organa from the Star Wars film universe. I would offer background on the film, but, honestly, if you haven’t seen Star Wars yet, what are you doing? Leia is a true rebel, fighting for what’s right against all odds. This self-rescuing princess shows us that even in dark, terrible times there is always hope. When the going gets tough, she gets tougher. It takes a strong hero to stand up for what’s right no matter the cost and an even stronger one to do it when it means standing against a villain like Darth Vader. Even with a whole army against her Rebel Alliance, Leia was never one to give up. If fighting against sith lords, stormtroopers, bounty hunters, and intergalactic gangsters isn’t enough to put her on the list of powerful ladies, she’s also a brilliant politician and an inspirational leader. As far as ladies in film, there’s no question that Leia Organa earned her place as a real hero.

These ladies are only a few from an endless list of inspiring women. Whether or not your favorites were on the list, never forget that any ladies can be brave, outstanding heroes. Make sure you appreciate the ladies in your life on International Women’s day. Ladies, keep being inspiring and amazing like only you can.