Screenwriting has been a male-oriented occupation until recently. A wave of fabulous female screenwriters stormed onto the scene. They have written some of the most iconic films that have ever graced the silver screen. Check out my list of top female screenwriters in Hollywood.
Fran Walsh
Dan Walsh is both a screenwriter and producer. A New Zealand Native married to filmmaker Peter Jackson, Walsh has worked on 15 projects in her screenwriting career. Notably, she has worked on all the feature film installments in the Middle-earth-based films, both The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Hobbit trilogy. Furthermore, Walsh has worked on three other book-to-film adaptations and worked alongside both her husband and screenwriter Phillipa Boyens on almost every one of her projects. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, she took home three Oscars: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Original Song.
Diablo Cody
Going by the pen name of Diablo Cody, she has been praised countless times for her unique dialogue, compelling stories, and lovable misfit characters. With her first-ever feature script Juno winning her the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Cody skyrocketed into popularity. That said, she stuck to her roots, staying in the indie film scene. She wrote and produced the horror film Jennifer’s Body, starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried. At the time of its release, it was considered a flop. Now, it has gained a cult following and is a Halloween-time classic. Cody’s most recent film was Tully, and, next, she has two films coming out: Lisa Frankenstein and the untitled Madonna biopic.
Sofia Coppola
Being the daughter of critically acclaimed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola may have gotten her into doors, but Sofia Coppola’s writing kept them open. Her film, Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, earned three Academy Award nominations, and one win, for Best Original Screenplay. She also won the Best Screenplay Golden Globe for the same project. Since then, Coppola has turned her pen (and lens) towards human-driven stories of varying genres and narratives, from Marie Antoinette to The Bling Ring.
Quinta Brunson
Since beginning at the internet sensation of BuzzFeed Studios, Quinta Brunson has taken her comedic brilliance above and beyond. Writing the hit ABC comedy series Abbot Elementary, she not only stars in the show but has created something that has fans begging for more. For this show, she became the first Black woman to be nominated three times in the comedy category at the Primetime Emmy Awards, and, this year, won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series.
