Showcasing a dazzling collection of 200 photographs, many of which have never before been seen, this lavishly illustrated book offers a captivating historical, social, and political examination of the first 75 women--from Janet Gaynor to Emma Stone--to have won the coveted and legendary Academy Award for Best Actress.t Actress.

From Dorothy Dandridge's pioneering role in Carmen Jones to Queen Latifah's show-stopping performance in Chicago, this collection pays tribute to the beauty and talent of African-American actresses. Sixteen film favorites, each with two costumes, include Halle Berry, Alfre Woodard, Angela Bassett, Ruby Dee, Cicely Tyson, Beyoncé, and others.

"24 great actresses of the '40s, '50s, and '60s with costumes from their films"--Cover

This book focuses on a representative group of contemporary Chinese female celebrities including actors, directors, writers and reporters, notably personalities such as Liu Xiaoqing, Hong Huang, Chai Jing and the most sought after young generation actors, Yang Mi and Guan Xiaotong. It analyses the on- and off- screen roles of these famous Chinese women, and the cultural, gender and social impact and significance embedded in them, whilst highlighting controversial social and cultural concerns and debates in contemporary China. The book furthers the understanding of the role played by contemporary female celebrities who are considered as social, cultural and feminist icons in present-day China, as reflected in their work, careers and private lives, and whose experiences help to understand Chinese women’s attitudes towards key issues such as career trajectories, marriage and family, gender identity, social changes, civil debates and political transformations, all of which are at the center of societal transformation in China.

Two journalists describe their whirlwind efforts to become famous in two weeks by getting their names and faces in magazines, newspapers, and on television.

This book describes how and why women were permitted to act on the public stage after 1660 in England.