Five female characters you’ll never forget

They say that behind every good man is an even greater woman. Well, there’s no arguing with that little adage when you look at some of the cracking female characters on our screens. Wonder Woman may be the latest no-nonsense female to hit the big screen, but here are a few more memorable leading ladies…

Claire Underwood: Oohh…the surname of the First Lady in House of Cards should really have been called ‘underhand’. Claire (played by Robin Wright) is beautiful, oozes style and sex appeal, and is more ruthless than certain North Korean dictators when it comes to wielding power. She and her husband Frank are well matched in the conniving stakes, but our money’s on Claire as the ultimate survivor. (Check out Houses of Cards on Netflix)

Ripley: Warrant Officer of the spaceship Nostromo, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) managed to seriously kick alien butt and be the last woman standing in this sci-fi heart-stopper. When a deadly alien lays waste to the rest of her crew, Ripley proves she’s well able to take care of herself in no less than four movies from the hit franchise… believe it or not. Sorry, couldn’t help ourselves there. (Aliens is available On Demand)

The Bride: That’s the only name we have for this former assassin in Kill Bill Vol 1 (Uma Thurman), who wakes from a coma four years after her jealous ex-lover Bill tries to murder her on her wedding day. The poor bride is – we think – a little upset when she comes to in a hospital bed four years later, and aims to get even with everyone who contributed to her wedding from hell by, er, sending them there with the help of her trusty samurai sword. Canapes anyone?
(Kill Bill Vol 1 is available through Virgin Movies)

Tess McGill: Melanie Griffith is adorable in Working Girl, a romantic comedy in which she plays Tess, a put-upon secretary, opposite her nasty boss (Sigourney Weaver again, but minus the alien-zapping weaponry). Tess may not be as lethal as Ripley (or Claire Underwood come to think of it), but she knows how to fight her corner when it comes to negotiating a business deal – and snapping up the handsome boyfriend of her boss. (Available On Demand)

Bridget Jones: Bridget (Renée Zellweger) became the heroine for thirty-something, single women everywhere as she documented her struggles to find fulfilment in love and work with the help of a her group of loyal and encouraging friends. Big knickers were never as popular as when Bridget donned them in this hilarious rom-com.
(Bridget Jones is available On Demand)