Funny Women in Film

Is there a more complete comedienne than Tina Fey? From perfect impressions on SNL (Hi, Sarah Palin) to memorable scripts (you know you quote Mean Girls!) to her flawless delivery of a joke (George Clooney is plotting revenge after her jab at the Golden Globes), Tina Fey does it all, and makes it look easy.

When Amy Poehler teams up with Tina Fey, on-screen magic happens (See: Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls and Baby Mama). But Poehler can bring the funny without her bestie as well, and she does just that in Blades of Glory, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and her latest film, They Came Together.

You know Kristen Wiig from her memorable roles in Bridesmaids (which she wrote) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. But did you know that before she turned to comedy, the SNL alum was set to work at a plastic surgeon’s office to produce drawings of patients’ post-surgery bodies? She never made it to that job, deciding instead to pursue her dreams of acting. And we’re really thankful she did!

She stole scenes – and subsequently our hearts -- in the 2011 hit film Bridesmaids. And Melissa McCarthy’s career has been on fire ever since. She’s brought her special brand of physical comedy and improv to her roles in This is 40, Identity Thief, and The Heat and she’s set to do it again the upcoming film Tammy, which she co-wrote with husband Ben Falcone.

Somebody call the police, because Betty White is stealing the show wherever she goes. White gained fame on TV on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls then took her comedic skills to the big screen. She brought down the house in Bringing Down the House, outshining comedy king Steve Martin. And her moments with Sandra Bullock in The Proposal are a little slice of movie heaven. The 92-year-old White shows no signs of slowing down and we can’t wait to see what she does next.

Any woman who can hold her own in scenes with comedian Kevin Hart – and even steal a few of those scenes -- deserves to be on this list! Regina Hall’s breakthrough role was in the horror spoof Scary Movie and she’s been in a frenzy of funny, starring in several comedies and rom-coms.  And when Hall and Hart are together on screen (which is often), expect lots of laughs.

Not only does Elizabeth Banks bring the funny in front of the camera, she’s a force behind the camera as well. This accomplished actress is also the producer behind Pitch Perfect and plans to direct and produce its sequel.  We hope she includes a few more zingers from the character she plays, singing competition judge Gail Abernathy.

When you play characters named Empress Nympho and Lili Von Shtupp, you’re bound to get laughs! Madeline Kahn often teamed up with director Mel Brooks in the 1970s and what transpired was comedy gold.  The actress lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 1999, but her on-screen legacy lives on.

Sandra Bullock has that innate ability to bounce between the comedic and dramatic worlds – and be successful at both.  Yes, she won an Oscar for her role in The Blind Side and was nominated for Gravity. But it’s the silly Sandy -- going from ham to glam in Miss Congeniality, or teaching Melissa McCarthy about the joys of Spanx in The Heat – that make her movies memorable.

Her husband, Judd Apatow, is the king of the bro comedy. But make no mistake, Leslie Mann can hold her own in this man’s world. She’s made a name for herself with memorable performances in The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and This is 40.  And she’ll team up with fellow funny lady Cameron Diaz in the Nick Cassavetes film, The Other Woman.

She may be dating Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield, but Emma Stone’s first love is comedy. So it’s no wonder she’s gravitated toward spunkier roles like those in Superbad, Easy A and The House Bunny. I mean, who else could you see delivering the line, “Seriously? It’s like you’re Photoshopped!” with perfection to a chiseled and shirtless Ryan Gosling in Crazy, Stupid Love.

Her role in Bridesmaids was small, but her presence was mighty. And after starring in the film Pitch Perfect, Rebel Wilson became a bonafide comedy starlet. The in-demand actress has her own TV show, Super Fun Night, and several films in the works, including the Pitch Perfect sequel. Aca-awesome!