20 TOP BLACK FEMALE ACTORS YOU SHOULD KNOW

The movie industry might be challenging, but it is no match for the top female black actors. We decided to highlight twenty black women in Hollywood, making the African American community proud of their talent. What better time to celebrate their achievements than in women’s history month (March 1st-31st)? Against all odds, they made it to the top, and in the order of giving preference to the women that have been in the game longer. We give you twenty top female black actors, you should know.

20. Zendaya

Zen is no stranger to acting, having begun her acting career as a child who tried dancing and modeling. Disney gave her a break into the big screens in the show Shake it Up and K.C. Undercover. The actress’s other roles include The Greatest Showman, Spider-Man: Homecoming and reprised for Spider-Man: No way Home, Malcolm, and Marie, amongst others. In the HBO Series Euphoria, she received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

19. Tessa Thompson

Tessa at the MET gala 2021 source: Irisvanherpen

While still studying in college, Tessa started her acting career, performing in several. She didn’t rise to fame until her roles in Mississippi Damned and Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls. In Dear White People, Selma, and Creed, Tessa’s other roles only increased her popularity.

It was no surprise when she made it to Marvel Superhero Films, including Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame. Thompson may not have a lot of awards yet, but with her movie lineup and talents, she deserves to be on this list of top black female actors.

18. Tiffany Hadish

source: Cosmopolitan

You know you are in for a good laugh when Tiffanny Hadish makes the cast list, as expected from a stand-up comedian and actress. Tiffany’s role in The Carmichael Show might have introduced her acting skills to you, but when she starred in Girls Trip, she earned her spot. Hadish went on to star n several movies, gaining more recognition for her talents. She followed the steps of Whoopi Goldberg to be the second African American to receive a Grammy Award for her Black Mitzvah comedy album. More recently she plays a detective in the comedy series Afterparty.

17. Gabrielle Union

Source: Eveningstandard

Before her big break in the 2000 film Bring it On, Gabrielle had performed in a few teen movies that shaped her career. Which placed her in elevated space to star in major films like The Brothers, Deliver Us from Eva, Bad Boys II, Neo Ned, Think Like a Man and reprised her role for the sequel. In Being Mary Jane, the Bet show, Gabrielle’s talent only shunned brighter. After countless tv appearances over the years and several awards, Union got set to star in the remake of Cheaper by the Dozen.

16. Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah at the 2021 Bet Awards source: Allure

You may know her as Queen Latifah, a professional name she took to launch her musical career, but she was born Dana Elaine Owens. Her musical talents form a part of her career, she garnered a Grammy Award for her song “U.N.I.T.Y.” standing against Black female sexuality. And for the musical film Chicago, she got an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Nomination.

Her movie and award list grew over the years, starring in movies like Set It Off, Last Holiday, Jump Street, Girls Trip, and Bessie, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie. Her more recent work involves her playing the lead in The Equalizer reboot detective series.

15. Lynn Whitfield

Greenleaf Premier source: Gotceleb

Lynn started her acting career on a good note, with her breakout role Josephine Baker in the film The Josephine Baker Story, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She dominated the screens of the 90s with movies like Gone Fishin’, Stepmom. Catch Whitfield in other notable works, including Lady Mae in Greenleaf, a dramatic series by Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Lynn snatched up two N.A.C.C.P. Image Awards for this role, adding to five she already had from previous works. She got set to star in The Retirement Plan action-comedy movie, so trust you’ll be seeing Lynn soon.

14. Nia Long

source: tomarywithlove

Nia is another African American sweetheart from Boyz n the Hood and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Other notable works of hers include Soul Food, Third Watch, for which Long won an N.A.C.C.P. Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Nia also has music ties to Kanye West for appearing in his video “Touch the Sky “and directing Yolanda Adams Music Video. Her most recent movie is the Netflix thriller Fatal Affair.

13. Loretta Devine

Loretta Devine 49th NAACP Image Awards source: showbizcheat

If consistency had a face, it would be Loretta Devine, as she’s actively graced our screens from 1977 till the present. While her Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series came from her role in Grey’s Anatomy, her talent had never been in question since her big moment in Waiting to Exhale. Loretta has shared her talent in numerous works, including The Preacher’s Wife, Kingdom Come, Woman Thou Art Loosed, Crash, and more recently, The Starling.

12. Jada Pinkett Smith

These days Jada is more famous for her talk show Red Table Talk, but she got her recognition as one of the top black female actors in Hollywood. In 2021, she made the People’s 100 most influential people for being a resounding voice of hope. She has an extensive list of movies and Tv shows, including Set It Off, Scream 2, Ali, Girl Trip, Angel Has Fallen, and several others. Read more https://curvygirljournal.com/20-top-black-female-actors/