Women Of Color Making Waves In The Entertainment Industry

This year is shaping up to be an incredibly promising period for women in the entertainment industry. In a shift that aligns more closely with the demographics of society, 50% of the highest-grossing films from both 2024 and 2025 featured stories with women as main characters. This representation highlights the growing demand and appreciation for diverse female narratives in mainstream media.

Among the trailblazing women who have captivated audiences, EGOT nominee Cynthia Erivo stands out, becoming a household name with her mesmerizing performance in what many critics deem the spellbinding movie of the year: Wicked.

In television, Quinta Brunson has created and also starred in the groundbreaking series Abbott Elementary, which critics have applauded, achieving near-perfect reviews and solidifying her status as a versatile creative force.

As we celebrate these accomplishments, it is important to also recognize other inspirational women across various domains who have made significant impacts. Here are more extraordinary women of color to keep an eye on.

Zoe Saldana has had a huge start to 2025. After starring in the film “Emilia Perez,” she became the first person of Dominican descent to ever win an Oscar. She currently stars as the lead role on Paramount’s Lioness, a show about female CIA operatives fighting terrorism in Iraq. She was recently nominated for a Webby award for her appearance on the Netflix podcast “Skip Intro.”

Keke Palmer is the quintessential multi-hyphenate: she is an actress, singer, host, and fashion personality. Her biggest accomplishment of 2025 so far has been finding another new job as a successful producer.

Keke executive produced One of Them Days, which starred her and SZA. The movie was a breakout hit, earning more than double its budget and securing streaming deals, an accomplishment for woman leads.

Anna Sawai is a Japanese actress and the star of the FX series Shogun. Starring as Toda Mariko, she has won this year’s Golden Globe and Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama, becoming the first ever Asian woman to win this category at the Emmys.

Her performance also secured her a spot at 49 in Variety’s greatest performances of the 21st century. She was selected as one of the Time’s Women of the Year, discussing Asian women’s potential beyond sexual fantasies and period pieces. She has also been named as Dior’s latest brand ambassador.

Ali Wong is a Vietnamese-Chinese-American comedian and actress known for her sharp wit and unique comedic style. Her recognition came when she became the first Asian actress to win Best Actress in a mini-series/television film at the Golden Globes in 2024. Her talent and hard work were further recognized in when she won her second, this time for the best stand-up special. In this category, she stood out as the only woman of color among six nominees. Ali Wong’s accomplishments pave the way for Asian and other women of color in comedy.

Lupita Nyong’o has starred in major blockbusters such as Star Wars, Blank Panther, and Us. This year, Lupita starred in the breakout hit The Wild Robot by Dreamworks. The movie was huge critical and commercial success. Her next movie will be in the star-studded Odyssey by director Christopher Nolan.