lead actress
Top-billed woman performer
A lead actress is the principal female performer in a film, play, or television production—the woman whose character drives the narrative.
Award categories distinguish lead actress from supporting actress, though the line between them can be subjective: She won Best Lead Actress for her role in the drama.
The term is giving way to gender-neutral alternatives like lead actor or lead.
- starLuminous astronomical object
- heroineBrave female protagonist
- protagonistStory's central figure
- ingenueArtless young woman
- divaCelebrated female vocalist
starlet · Oscar · spotlight · role · screen time · cast · screen · silver screen · Hollywood · box office · talent agent · audition · script reading · performance · glamour · premiere · red carpet · billing
- leading rolesstarring role, principal role, protagonist, title role, main character
- performersdancer, singer, musician, comedian, magician
- Asian DramasK-drama, J-drama, Korean drama, Japanese drama, Chinese drama
lead actresssupporting actress
Non-lead female performer
bit player · extra · background actor · minor character · walk-on
lead, actress, leads, leading, leader, leaders, leadership, mislead, misleading