15+ Actresses That Played Iconic Female Characters And 100% Carried The Whole Show

The show just wouldn't be the same without them!

Sophia

• Published in Film & TV
• June 17, 2022

If you are someone who guiltlessly spends their time binge-watching TV shows whenever they have free time, then you would definitely notice a pattern: there will always be a character or two that seems to be the highlight of the show, even if they aren't really the main characters. And if there's one thing that is also common between these characters, it's that most of them are female.

Yes, girl power, indeed! Come to think of it—why are most of our favorite characters the most bad-ass females in the show?

Don't try to deny it, but most female characters have really grown to be the backbone of a show. Take Liz Gillies as Jade West in Victorious for example (as well as Ariana Grande as Cat Valentine, of course)—she wasn't even the main character but it seemed like a lot of people preferred her over the actual star, Tori Vega!

Another example is Hermione Granger—because honestly, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley would have been probably dead by the third book or movie if it weren't for her. She's the epitome of a strong, smart, and brave character that is always there to save everyone around her using her intelligence, even if she was just a side character (the best side character).

That being said, take a look at these actresses that played iconic female characters who, without a doubt, carried the whole show, as said by people in the Buzzfeed community!

1. Yael Grobglas as Petra in Jane the Virgin

"I love Jane, but Petra is just in a league of her own." —i_love_sex_and_chicken_nuggets

2. Janel Parrish as Mona Vanderwaal in Pretty Little Liars

"She became such an interesting character to watch and was the only good aspect in the later seasons." —toastedbagels

3. Holland Roden as Lydia Martin in Teen Wolf

"She was so brave and learned to become an independent woman who didn't need a man to make her whole. And she's a badass banshee who could kill anyone with her voice." —doseofdivineee

4. Lana Parrilla as Regina Mills in Once Upon a Time

"Regina needs a back massage from carrying Once Upon a Time for seven years. She was literally everything to the show and the fans." —galindafiedtwirler

"Regina's evolution was what kept me there. Wish Lana [Parrilla] would get more work. She was amazing!" —tkgm

5. Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson in Law & Order: SVU

"She’s the only character who’s been there from the beginning and is still kicking ass over 20 years later! Her character has grown and developed so much throughout the years, from her being a new detective to becoming a CAPTAIN this last season! I love how unapologetic she is and how she never takes any shit from men who try to bring her down. She also always fights for the victims on the show and battles the patriarchy every day. She’s a total badass, and I really don’t think the show would have lasted this long if it weren't for her character." —strawberrylumps22

6. Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things

"She was always so strong in the face of danger and saved all her friends multiple times." —eleven_11

7. Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"Obv she’s the main character, but so often we get tired of watching the main struggle through situations they’ve usually brought onto themselves. Not with Buffy. Whether she was a superficial, flighty teenager in the earlier seasons or battle-hardened General Buffy in the last season, we watched her learn, grow, and fight — and we never got bored!" —leighg492d3918e

8. Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz in Riverdale

"Toni is the only reason I watch Riverdale anymore. Like I cannot stress this enough. Toni deserves more love!!" —lov3li3s

9. Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett in The Vampire Diaries

"She was CONSTANTLY saving Elena, Damon, Jeremy, et al., and she didn’t even get a happy ending." —bobbobbington

10. Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision (and carrying the whole MCU)

"Breaking news: Wanda Maximoff hospitalized after carrying the entire MCU on her back."—mellowchef32

11. Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones in Sex and the City

"She has the largest character arc of all the women in the show. She is confident, sexy, funny, and successful. She is a truly good friend to those women. She is who Carrie goes to when she is having an affair with Big. She is who comes to Miranda’s aid when Miranda is struggling as a new mom. She and Charlotte bump heads the most, but they are truly friends and bring out the best in one another." —khjakubec

12. Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton in Bridgerton

"Eloise CARRIED Bridgerton. She was easily the funniest, wittiest, most entertaining character on the show. Don’t get me wrong, I love (most of) the other characters, but if you took Eloise out of the show, it wouldn’t be anywhere near as good." —shannonmcc230

13. Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey in Grey's Anatomy

"She carried that whole damn hospital. She gets the job done and doesn’t take bullshit from anybody." —rachelsg1210

14. Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester in Glee

"Boy, Sue's back must hurt from carrying the show so long. Her tough attitude and hatred for the Glee club was brilliant. Her soft spot for Becky added some complexity to her character. Overall, Sue Sylvester probably singlehandedly managed to keep Glee on for six seasons." —jwedek5352

"Without her, it would just be Rachel whining about not having enough solos, but Sue made it interesting." —seemssuspicious

15. Viola Davis as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder

"Annalise 100% carried the show." —veritydaniels

"The amount of times I swore I wouldn't come back to the show with all its high jinks only to return because Annalise KILLS it." —christiancanovargas

16. Priyanka Chopra as Alex Parrish in Quantico

"The rest of the cast was great, but she was what gave the show life." —shelleynicole

17. Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore in Gilmore Girls

"She had the best storyline (except for the seventh season). And when Rory's personality completely changed, she just stayed exactly the same. She also had the best jokes and one liners." —copperboomgigi

The main character or not, these women definitely did spice up their respective shows to a significant level, and if it weren't for them, we honestly aren't sure if the show would have as much success as they have now. Because let's face it—a lot of people only seem to continue these shows because they always anticipate every scene with these female characters!

Do you agree with the list? Comment down your thoughts, or share this article for all your family and friends to see!

Sophia