50 Famous Women of the 80s Who Shaped a Decade

50 Famous Women of the 80s Who Shaped a Decade

*Originally Published by  Ruth in August 2023 and Updated by Diana K in May 2024

The 1980s marked a decade of radical changes and women were in the frontline for many of these changes. Many of these significant events that shaped the 80s decade included cultural shifts, technological advancements, and groundbreaking innovations. From the fields of politics and activism to entertainment and sports, women made their mark on the decade in ways that would shape the world for years to come.

In this article, we explore these 40 famous women who shattered glass ceilings and shaped the 80s. We dig deep into their stories highlighting their achievements, contributions to their various industries and their legacies that have outlived them and continue to inspire the generations after them. Let’s delve into the article. 

1. Madonna

Known as the Queen of Pop, Madonna has been widely recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, and visual presentation. She has pushed the boundaries of artistic expression in mainstream music while continuing to maintain control over every aspect of her career.

A prominent cultural figure crossing both the 20th and 21st centuries, Madonna remains one of the most well-documented figures of the modern age. With sales of over 300 million records worldwide, Madonna is the best-selling female recording artist of all time. 

2. Sally Ride

NASA; retouched by Coffeeandcrumbs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sally Ride was an American astronaut and physicist. She joined NASA in 1978, and in 1983 became the first American woman and the third woman to fly in space. She was the youngest American astronaut to have flown in space, having done so at the age of 32.

Ride’s second space flight was the STS-41-G mission in 1984. She spent a total of more than 343 hours in space. Sally is the first astronaut known to have been LGBT publicly.

3. Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston nicknamed the Voice, was one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 220 million records sold worldwide. Houston influenced many singers in popular music and was known for her powerful, soulful vocals, vocal improvisation skills, and use of gospel singing techniques in pop music.

Houston has been regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time and a cultural icon. She is also recognized as one of the most influential R&B artists in history. Black female artists, such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker, were successful in popular music partly because Houston paved the way. 

4. Princess Diana

John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Princess Diana was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III and mother of Prince William and Prince Harry. Her activism and glamour made her an international icon and earned her enduring popularity. Diana remains one of the most popular members of the royal family throughout history, and she continues to influence the younger generations of royals.

As Princess of Wales, Diana was celebrated in the media for her unconventional approach to charity work. Her patronages were initially centred on children and the elderly, but she later became known for her involvement in the social attitudes towards and the acceptance of AIDS patients, and the other for the removal of landmines, promoted through the International Red Cross. She also raised awareness and advocated for ways to help people affected by cancer and mental illness. 

5. Joan Jett

Joan Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and for earlier founding and performing with the Runaways, which recorded and released the hit song Cherry Bomb. With the Blackhearts, Jett is known for her rendition of the song I Love Rock ‘n Roll which was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks in 1982.

Jett has three albums that have been certified platinum or gold. She has been described as the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jett and the Blackhearts were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

6. Tina Turner

Philip Spittle, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tina Turner also known as the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before launching a successful career as a solo performer. 

In the 1980s, Turner launched one of the greatest comebacks in music history. She released the hit song What’s Love Got to Do with It, which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. During her Break Every Rule World Tour in 1988, she set a then-Guinness World Record for the largest paying audience of 180,000 for a solo performer. Turner has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has received numerous accolades. Read more 15 Remarkable Facts about Tina Turner. 

7. Cher

Cher referred to by the media as the Goddess of Pop, has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industry. Known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment, as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances. 

Cher is the only artist to date to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart in six consecutive decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s. Having sold 100 million records, Cher is one of the world’s best-selling music artists. Aside from music and acting, she is noted for her trendsetting, elaborate outfits, plastic surgeries, political views, social media presence, philanthropic endeavors and social activism.

8. Cyndi Lauper

Philip Romano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cyndi Lauper is an American singer. Her album She’s So Unusual in 1983 was the first debut album by a female artist to achieve four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time, She Bop, and All Through the Night and earned Lauper the Best New Artist award at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards in 1985. 

Over her 40-year career, she influenced multiple recording artists including Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Vanessa Paradis, Tegan and Sara, Kim Petras, Nicki Minaj, Poppy and Yelle. Due to her success and influence Lauper has been inducted into both the Hollywood and Songwriters Hall of Fame.

9. Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is an American actress. Often described as the best actress of her generation. Streep is particularly known for her versatility and accent adaptability. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over six decades. In 2003, the French government made her a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters.

In November 2014, President Barack Obama bestowed upon Streep the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour. Streep is well known for her ability to imitate a wide range of accents which she mastered over her acting career, her most memorable accent imitation was that of Margaret Thatcher.

10. Barbara Bush

White House Photo Office, courtesy George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Barbara Bush was the first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, the wife of President George H. W. Bush. She was previously the second lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, and she was the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

Barbara frequently carried out charity work, including her projects to promote literacy and her support for AIDS victims. Among the most prominent of her actions as first lady was the commencement speech she gave at Wellesley College; it which saw considerable publicity and her selection was controversial, but it was widely regarded as a success. 

11. Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is an American actress and activist. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards and two British Academy Film Awards. In 1982, Fonda released her first exercise video, Jane Fonda’s Workout, which became the highest-selling videotape of its time.

Fonda was a political activist in the counterculture era during the Vietnam War.  She has also protested the Iraq War and violence against women and describes herself as a feminist and environmental activist. In 2005, along with Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem, she co-founded the Women’s Media Center, an organization that works to amplify the voices of women in the media through advocacy, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content. 

12. Margaret Thatcher

Williams, U.S. Military, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Margaret Thatcher was a British stateswoman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. 

Thatcher was the first female British prime minister and the longest-serving of the 20th century. As prime minister, she implemented economic policies that became known as Thatcherism. A Soviet journalist dubbed her the Iron Lady, a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style. Read more about the most famous world leaders we should all know about. 

13. Nancy Reagan

Nancy Reagan was an American film actress and the first lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, as the second wife of President Ronald Reagan.  She championed causes opposed to recreational drug use when she founded the Just Say No drug awareness campaign, which was considered her major initiative as First Lady.

Nancy Reagan wielded a powerful influence over President Reagan. In her memoirs, Reagan stated, “I felt panicky every time Ronald Reagan left the White House”. Following the assassination attempt, she strictly controlled access to the president, occasionally, she even attempted to influence her husband’s decision making.

14. Oprah Winfrey

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Oprah Winfrey is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which ran in national syndication for 25 years, from 1986 to 2011. 

Oprah was dubbed the Queen of All Media, she was the richest African-American of the 20th century and was once the world’s only black billionaire. By 2007, she was often ranked as the most influential woman in the world.

15. Susan Sontag

Susan Sontag was an American writer, philosopher, and political activist. She mostly wrote essays, but also published novels; she published her first major work, the essay Notes on ‘Camp‘, in 1964. 

Sontag was active in writing and speaking about, or travelling to, areas of conflict, including during the Vietnam War and the Siege of Sarajevo. She wrote extensively about literature, photography and media, culture, AIDS and illness, war, human rights, and left-wing politics. Her essays and speeches drew controversy, and she has been described as one of the most influential critics of her generation.

16. Brooke Shields

Joella Marano, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Brooke Shields is an American actress. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle’s film Pretty Baby in 1978. She continued to model into her late teenage years and starred in several dramas in the 1980s.

By the age of 16, Shields had become one of the most recognizable faces in the United States, because of her dual career as a provocative fashion model and child actress. In 1983, Shields appeared on the cover of the September issue of Paris Vogue, the October and November issues of American Vogue and the December edition of Italian Vogue. In the mid-1980s, Shields began her support of the USO by touring with Bob Hope.

17. Dolly Parton

With a career spanning over fifty years, Parton has been described as a “country music legend” and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists of all time. 

Outside of her work in the music industry, she also co-owns The Dollywood Company, which manages a number of entertainment venues. She has founded a number of charitable and philanthropic organizations, chief among them is the Dollywood Foundation, which manages a number of projects to bring education and poverty relief to East Tennessee where she grew up.

18. Grace Jones

6tee-zeven, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American model, singer and actress. In the early 1980s, she moved toward a new wave style that drew on reggae, funk, post-punk, and pop music, frequently collaborating with both the graphic designer Jean-Paul Goude and the musical duo Sly & Robbie. 

Jones influenced the cross-dressing movement of the 1980s and has been cited as an inspiration for multiple artists, including Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Solange, Lorde, Róisín Murphy, Brazilian Girls, Nile Rodgers, Santigold, and Basement Jaxx. 

19. Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Lyrical content which focused on social issues and lived experiences set her reputation as a role model for youth.

Janet starred in the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes, and Fame. In 1982, she became a pop icon following the release of her third and fourth studio albums Control in 1986 and Rhythm Nation 1814 in 1989. Jackson has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the world’s best-selling music artists. Read additional remarkable facts about Janet Jackson. 

 20. Pat Benatar

Flickr user Terwilliger911, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pat Benatar is an American rock singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has had two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 Billboard top 40 singles, while in Canada she had eight straight platinum albums, and she has sold over 35 million albums worldwide.

In 1983 her sound began to move towards more atmospheric pop. The single Love is a Battlefield was her biggest hit in most countries, reaching No. 1 in the Netherlands, Australia and on the US Rock Tracks chart. She is also a four-time Grammy Award winner. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2022.

21. Debbie Harry

Debbie Harry is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached No. 1 on the US charts between 1979 and 1981.

In a 2011 interview, Harry said that “After witnessing Elton John and his tireless efforts against HIV/AIDS”, she had been inspired to make philanthropy her top priority. Some of Harry’s preferred charities include those devoted to fighting cancer and endometriosis.

22. Jodie Foster

John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jodie Foster is an American actress and filmmaker. Foster started her acting career as a teen idol before maturing into adult roles and becoming a box office star for the next four decades. She has starred in genres ranging from crime drama, psychological thriller, horror, science fiction, western and romantic comedy. 

For her work as a producer and director, she has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. She has also earned numerous honours such as the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2013, was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016 and received the Cannes Film Festival’s Honorary Palme d’Or in 2021.

23. Molly Ringwald

Molly Ringwald is an American actress, writer, and translator. She began her career as a child actress on the sitcoms Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life both 1979–1980 before being nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the drama film Tempest in 1982. 

Ringwald became a teen idol following her appearances in filmmaker John Hughes’s teen films. These films led to the media referring to her as a member of the Brat Pack. Her final teen roles were in For Keeps and Fresh Horses both in 1988.

24. Sheena Easton

djnaquin67, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sheena Easton is a Scottish singer and actress. She became one of the most successful British female recording artists of the 1980s. Easton became the first and only recording artist in Billboard history to have a Top 5 hit on each of Billboard’s primary singles charts.

A six-time Grammy Award nominee, Easton is a two-time winner, winning the award for Best New Artist in 1982 and Best Mexican-American Performance in 1985. She has recorded 15 studio albums, released a total of 55 singles and had 20 consecutive US singles, including 15 Top 40 hits, seven Top 10’s and one number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1981 and 1991.

25. Kate Bush

Kate Bush is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. In 1978, at the age of 19, she topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single Wuthering Heights, becoming the first female artist to achieve a UK number one with a self-written song.

All ten of her studio albums reached the UK Top 10, with all but one reaching the top five, including the UK number one albums Never for Ever in 1980, Hounds of Love in 1985 and the greatest hits compilation The Whole Story in 1986. She was the first British solo female artist to top the UK album charts and the first female artist to enter the album chart at number one.

26. Whoopi Goldberg

Mark Taylor from Rockville, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Whoopi Goldberg is an American actor, comedian, author and television personality. Goldberg began her career on stage in 1983 with her one-woman show, Spook Show, which transferred to Broadway under the title Whoopi Goldberg, running from 1984 to 1985. 

Goldberg won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for the recording of the show. Her film breakthrough came in 1985 with her role as Celie, a mistreated woman in the Deep South, in the film The Color Purple, for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture in Drama.  Read more about Inspiring Scorpio Women: 15 Role Models for the 21st Century. 

27. Susan Sarandon

Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for a Daytime Emmy Award, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and nine Golden Globe Awards. In 2002, she was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Also known for her social and political activism, Sarandon was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1999 and received the Action Against Hunger Humanitarian Award in 2006. In 2022, she joined as an ambassador to the HALO Trust, the largest humanitarian mine clearance organization.

28. Donna Summer

English: Photograph by Francesco Scavullo. Distributed by Casablanca Records., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Donna Summer was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1980s and became known as the Queen of Disco, while her music gained a global following.

Summer amassed a total of 32 chart singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 in her lifetime, including 14 top-ten singles and four number-one singles. She claimed a top-40 hit every year between 1976 and 1984. She was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach the top of the US Billboard 200 chart and charted four number-one singles in the US within a 12-month period. 

29. Gloria Steinem

Gloria Steinem is an American journalist and social-political activist who emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1969, Steinem published an article, “After Black Power, Women’s Liberation,” which brought her national attention and positioned her as a feminist leader. In the 1990s, Steinem helped establish Take Our Daughters to Work Day, an occasion for young girls to learn about future career opportunities.

30. Nancy Pelosi

US Department of Labor, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Nancy Pelosi is an American politician who served as the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first woman elected Speaker and the first woman to lead a major political party in either chamber of Congress, leading the House Democrats from 2003 to 2023.

She was first elected to Congress in a 1987 special election and is now in her 19th term; she is the dean of California’s congressional delegation. Pelosi steadily rose through the ranks of the House Democratic Caucus to be elected House minority whip in 2001 and elevated to House minority leader a year later, becoming the first woman to hold each of those positions in either chamber of Congress. Read more on 30 Most Influential US Female Politicians. 

31. Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley gained worldwide fame with her appearances in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, ultimately appearing on an unprecedented three consecutive covers in 1979, 1980, and 1981.

Brinkley went on to work as an actress, illustrator, television personality, photographer, writer, designer, and activist for human and animal rights and the environment. With a career spanning more than three decades, magazines such as Allure and Men’s Health have named Brinkley one of the most attractive women of all time.

32. Sade 

Ninoska Yévenes, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sade is a Nigerian British singer, known as the lead singer of her self-titled band. One of the most successful British female artists in history, she is often recognised as an influence on contemporary music. 

Sade joined the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983. A year later the band released the album Diamond Life, which became one of the era’s best-selling albums and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist. 

33. Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams gained recognition as the first African-American woman to receive the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America in 1984. She later resigned her title amid a media controversy surrounding nude photographs of her being published in Penthouse magazine. Thirty-two years later, Williams was offered a public apology during the Miss America 2016 pageant for the events.

Williams rebounded from the scandal with a successful career as a singer and actress. In 1988, she released her debut studio album The Right Stuff, whose title single saw moderate success as well as Dreamin‘ which peaked at number 8 in the United States in 1989. She is also known for her appearances on television.

34. Sandra Day O’Connor

kyle tsui from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sandra Day O’Connor served as the first female associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. She was both the first woman nominated and the first confirmed to the court.

During her time on the Court, some publications ranked O’Connor among the most powerful women in the world. O’Connor most frequently sided with the Court’s conservative bloc but demonstrated an ability to side with the Court’s liberal members. She often wrote concurring opinions that sought to limit the reach of the majority holding. Read more Sensational Facts About Sandra Day O’Connor. 

35. Patti LaBelle

Patti LaBelle is an American R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the Godmother of Soul. LaBelle became a mainstream solo star in 1984 following the success of her singles.

In a career that has spanned seven decades, she has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. LaBelle has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, and the Apollo Theater Hall of Fame.

36. La Toya Jackson

La_Toya_Jackson.jpg: Greg Hernandezderivative work: Truu, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

La Toya Jackson is an American singer and television personality.  Jackson first gained recognition on the family’s variety television series, The Jacksons, on CBS between 1976 and 1977. Thereafter, she saw success as a solo recording artist under multiple record labels in the 1980s and 1990s. 

37. Stockard Channing

Stockard Channing is an American actress. Channing starred in two short-lived sitcoms on CBS in 1979 and 1980. She also garnered recognition for her work in television during this time. 

Channing won the 1985 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for the Broadway revival of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, and won Emmy Awards for The West Wing and The Matthew Shepard Story, both in 2002. Channing also played the recurring role of Veronica Loy on the CBS drama The Good Wife.

38. Jamie Lee Curtis

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress, producer, and children’s author. Known for her performances in the horror and slasher genres, she is regarded as a scream queen, in addition to roles in comedies.

Beginning in 1990, Curtis and her father, Tony, took a renewed interest in their family’s Hungarian Jewish heritage and helped finance the rebuilding of the Great Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary. The largest synagogue in Europe, it was originally built in 1859 and suffered damage during World War II.

39. Pia Zadora

Pia Zadora is an American actress and singer. When in the 1980s, Zadora’s film career failed to achieve critical success, she switched her focus to music. As a singer, she has released several albums featuring popular standards, often backed by a symphonic orchestra. She was nominated for a Grammy in 1984.

40. Anjelica Huston

Anjelica Huston is an American actress and director. Huston is known for often portraying eccentric and distinctive characters. Huston moved from London to New York City, where she worked as a model throughout the 1970s. 

Anjelica decided to actively pursue acting in the early 1980s, and subsequently, had her breakthrough with her performance as a mobster moll in Prizzi’s Honor in 1985, also directed by her father, for which she became the third generation of her family to receive an Academy Award, when she won Best Supporting Actress, joining both John and Walter Huston in this recognition. 

41. Michelle Yeoh

David Seow, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This Malaysian actress rose to fame in the 80s.  What made her stand out is that she performed her own stunts in her initial movies. These roles include Yes, Madam (1985); Magnificent Warriors (1987). Her martial arts movies like Police Story 3: Supercop (1993) still intrigue to date.  She was one tough lady ( on screen)

But Yeoh wasn’t just an action star. She had serious acting roles too. My favourite performance from her, is in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) – such a beautiful, emotional performance. She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for it. Michelle is an icon and trailblazer. Many more Asia more Asian actresses got major roles in Hollywood due to her defining works.

42. Annie Lennox

For those who remember Annie Lennox in her prime, she was the Scottish singer with the bright orange crew cut and amazing vocals! She was super famous back in the 80s as one half of Eurythmics. Her partner Dave Stewart was also famous, but Annie was the real star. What contributed to her becoming an iconic pop figure is her powerful voice and unique look.

Important issues like AIDS and poverty were tackled in her music. She didn’t just sing “dancefloor” pop songs. After Eurythmics split, Annie kept the beat thumping with her solo work. She accumulated a massive fanbase ever since Sweet Dreams (1983). An 80s legend through and through!

43. Cybill Shepherd

She was described as bombshell – a former model with striking blue eyes and a sassy attitude. Her first major role was in one season of the night-time drama The Yellow Rose (1983). Cybill really made her mark on TV, playing the stubborn but charming Maddie Hayes on the hit show Moonlighting (1985–1989). Her amazing chemistry with Bruce Willis won two Golden Globes for Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical TV Series. 

Her potrayal of Maddie as this strong, independent career woman who didn’t suffer fool is master class. Cybill had this effortless glamour, but she also came across as relatable in most of her acting. She is this star whom everyone would like to befriend.

44. Kim Basinger

Roland Godefroy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kim Basinger was the sex symbol of the 1980s. Her deep blue eyes sent hearts racing on the big screen. Though she started as a model, it was her remarkable  performance in the racy 9 1/2 Weeks (1986) that made her a household name. Who could forget those famous scenes with Mickey Rourke? She oozed old Hollywood glamour whether playing a Bond girl in  Never Say Never Again (1983) or Vicki Vale in  Batman (1989) romancing Batman. With her hourglass figure and confident swagger, Basinger embodied 1980s sex appeal to the core.  No wonder she starred in so many steamy roles.

45. Sigourney Weaver

So confident was she at 14 years that she felt that the name Susan was too short for someone so tall. She adopted the name Sigourney in its place. She blew minds as Ellen Ripley in the movie Alien (1979/86/92&97). Talk about a tough cookie who didn’t take any nonsense from those slimy other-worldly beings. Ripley was one mean mom protecting her space crew – she made Rambo look like a ballerina.

But Sigourney could also play it soft and sweet, like as the ghost-busting Dana Barrett in  Ghostbusters films. She got nominated for two Oscars in 1988. Sigourney commanded the screen with her statuesque beauty and fierce talent.  The 80s simply wouldn’t have been the same without  Sigourney!

46. Kathleen Turner

Simply put, Kathleen Turner was on fire in the 80s. She captured the scene as the  Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981) and instantly became a bona fide sex symbol. But Kathleen was so much more than just a pretty face. She showed her innate versatility, shining in comedies like The Man with Two Brains (1983) and Romancing the Stone (1984), dramas like Prizzi’s Honor (1985) and even earned an Oscar nod for playing the title role in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986).  What her audiences loved most was her fearlessness – she fully embodied every character, from the dangerously alluring to the hilarious. 

47. Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John was a very famous singer and actress. She was born in England but grew up in Australia. Her body of work started in the 70s but it this the works that she did in the late 70s and 80s that shone a light on her. In the 1980s, she became super popular for singing fun songs like Physical (1981) –  Billboard’s highest-ranking Hot 100 single of the 1980s.

Her biggest hit was starring in the movie Grease (1978) with John Travolta. They sang great duets like “You’re the One That I Want.” Another stand-out was the music for the film Xanadu (1980) in collaboration with Electric Light Ochestra. People loved her sweet personality too. She fought breast cancer several times while still working hard.

48. Joan Collins

See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Joan Collins is well known for her iconic role as Alexis Carrington in the 1980s soap opera Dynasty (1981-86). Joan Collins as Alexis Carrington – that was iconic 1980s TV! Draped in shoulder-padded power suits and dripping in diamonds, Alexis strutted through the Denver oilfields like she owned them (and she practically did!).

Her catfights with Krystle were legendary – you could practically see the claws come out as the two divas traded vicious barbs. Whether ruining her ex’s marriage or snatching her children’s inheritance, Alexis always played dirty. But she was loved for it – Joan made scheming look so glamorous and fun!( my opinion) She was the ’80s vengeful vixen we all loved to hate.

49. Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer is an  American actress who captured hearts with her talent and stunning beauty. She lit up the screen in the 80s and 90s? Her big break came in Scarface (1983) alongside Al Pacino. From there, she just kept her foot on the gas pedal with hit after hit – The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Tequila Sunrise(1988) and Dangerous Liaisons (1988). Pfeiffer had a wide range of talent to play everything from a mobster’s wife to a witch to an 18th-century temptress. Michelle was the ultimate 80s leading lady – beautiful, talented, and could carry any role with ease.

50. Isabella Rossellini

Tabercil from Canadian, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This Italian beauty had famous parents – her mom was the amazing actress Ingrid Bergman and her dad was Roberto Rosellinni a big-time director. But Isabella charted her own path as a model for Lancome.  Then she went on to shine as an actress in hit movies like White Nights (1985) and Blue Velvet (1986).

Her performance in Blue Velvet film was outstanding. For it she even received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. Isabella seemed to command the screen at will  with her presence and talent. The 80s just wouldn’t have been the same without this glamorous, multitalented woman leaving her unforgettable mark.

The 80s were a pivotal time for most industries ranging from politics to entertainment and music. These women highlighted above were instrumental in shaping that decade as seen from their stories. It is in that time period that they cemented their places in their different fields and their stories live on to be told to generations that have come after them.