20 Top Female Black Leads in Television
Black women have steered some of the most watched and most awarded series across broadcast and streaming. Their performances have driven long running franchises, revived network lineups, and headlined acclaimed limited series that shaped conversation well beyond the small screen.
This list highlights twenty women who carried shows as the main character or as part of a central leadership duo. Each entry notes the roles they anchored, the awards and nominations they earned, and the creative work they have done behind the scenes across writing, producing, and directing.
Viola Davis
Viola Davis led ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ as Annalise Keating and became the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy for lead actress in a drama. The role also brought Screen Actors Guild wins and global syndication that expanded her audience across platforms.
Her television work includes the White House drama ‘The First Lady’ where she portrayed Michelle Obama in the first season. She has also made crossover appearances within the Shondaland universe, connecting ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ with ‘Scandal’ in special event episodes.
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington headlined ‘Scandal’ as Olivia Pope and received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the series. The role was the centerpiece of a network drama that aired in prime time and drew consistent live and digital viewership.
She continued in television leadership with ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ where she starred and served as executive producer. She also created and stars in ‘UnPrisoned’ which extends her work into comedy drama while maintaining a producer role.
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson led ‘Empire’ as Cookie Lyon and won a Golden Globe for the performance. The series placed her at the center of a music industry drama that delivered strong ratings across several seasons and a high level of social media engagement during live airings.
On television she has also been a series regular on ‘Person of Interest’ and has headlined specials and limited projects connected to music and culture. Her guest appearance on ‘Abbott Elementary’ expanded her recent network presence to a new audience.
Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett leads ‘9-1-1’ as Athena Grant and has earned Emmy nominations for her work in the role. She also serves as an executive producer on the series, shaping stories that focus on first responders and large scale incident arcs each season.
Her earlier television work includes star turns in multiple installments of ‘American Horror Story’ with Emmy recognition. She continues to combine on screen leadership with producing duties that guide casting and story development.
Regina King
Regina King headlined ‘Watchmen’ as Angela Abar and won the Emmy for lead actress in a limited series. The show also earned the Emmy for outstanding limited series and brought widespread recognition to its approach to alternate history and superhero themes.
Her television career features wins for ‘American Crime’ and a steady expansion into directing with episodes of ‘Scandal’, ‘This Is Us’, and ‘Insecure’. She balances acting and directing while taking on producer roles on select projects.
Issa Rae
Issa Rae co created and starred in ‘Insecure’ which received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. The show ran for five seasons with a steady footprint in streaming and an active digital audience around each episode.
Her television slate expanded with ‘Rap Sh!t’ where she created the series and oversaw production. She has also produced unscripted and documentary projects that highlight new voices and music scenes connected to her scripted work.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross led ‘Black-ish’ as Rainbow Johnson and won the Golden Globe for best actress in a television comedy. The role anchored a franchise that produced two spin offs and sustained consistent ratings across its run.
Before that she starred in ‘Girlfriends’ where she carried the series across eight seasons. She continues to narrate and executive produce television projects that explore family stories and culture from a contemporary perspective.
Zendaya
Zendaya leads ‘Euphoria’ as Rue Bennett and has won the Emmy for lead actress in a drama twice. Her performance sits at the core of a series that drives significant streaming viewership and international distribution.
She previously starred in ‘K.C. Undercover’ where she also held a producer credit at a young age. Her television work includes music performances and specials that build on the audience she established in scripted series.
Quinta Brunson
Quinta Brunson created and stars in ‘Abbott Elementary’ and has won Emmys for writing and for lead actress in a comedy. The show records strong ratings with live airings and next day streaming, and it maintains a consistent social footprint around episodes.
She also serves as showrunner and executive producer which places her in charge of casting, script development, and post production choices. Her background in digital sketch and short form content informed the pacing and structure of the series.
Sonequa Martin-Green
Sonequa Martin-Green leads ‘Star Trek Discovery’ as Michael Burnham and is the first Black woman to headline a ‘Star Trek’ series. The show expanded the franchise on streaming with serialized storytelling and a global release strategy.
Her earlier television work includes a major role on ‘The Walking Dead’ which prepared her for leadership in another long running genre property. She has also appeared at franchise events and fan conventions that support community around the series.
Michaela Coel
Michaela Coel created and starred in ‘I May Destroy You’ and won the Emmy for writing for the series. The limited series drew wide critical recognition and set new discussion points for consent and authorship in television.
She previously led ‘Chewing Gum’ which earned BAFTA awards and brought international attention to her voice. Her work in television includes acting, writing, and executive producing with full creative control over tone and structure.
Uzo Aduba
Uzo Aduba headlined ‘In Treatment’ as Dr. Brooke Taylor and received Emmy recognition for the role. The series relaunched with a new therapist at the center and a weekly schedule that matched the original format.
She also led the limited series ‘Painkiller’ as investigator Edie Flowers which focused on the origins of the opioid crisis. Her earlier work on ‘Orange Is the New Black’ earned multiple Emmys and helped her transition into lead roles across platforms.
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union led ‘Being Mary Jane’ as Mary Jane Paul across multiple seasons and television movies that concluded the story. The series built a strong following on cable and delivered consistent social conversation during premieres.
She later starred in ‘L.A.’s Finest’ where she reprised a character introduced in film and carried the action drama on television. She has executive produced scripted and unscripted projects and continues to develop series under her production banner.
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah leads ‘The Equalizer’ as Robyn McCall and serves as an executive producer on the series. The show blends case of the week structure with a family storyline that places her character at the center of each episode.
She previously starred in ‘Living Single’ where she was part of the core ensemble and also contributed music to the series. Her television career includes hosting, event specials, and producing roles that support new talent.
Jurnee Smollett
Jurnee Smollett led ‘Lovecraft Country’ as Leti Lewis and earned an Emmy nomination for lead actress. The series combined period drama with genre storytelling and produced a strong streaming performance after its initial broadcast.
She also starred in ‘Underground’ as Rosalee which kept her in a lead position across two seasons. Her television work includes guest directing and advocacy connected to historical research used in scripted narratives.
Gina Torres
Gina Torres headlined ‘Pearson’ as Jessica Pearson and anchored the legal drama as it shifted the ‘Suits’ universe to Chicago. The series placed her character in city government, moving from firm politics to public office storylines.
Her long running role on ‘Suits’ built the foundation for the follow up and established her as an authority figure within the franchise. She has also led ensembles in science fiction and action series with recurring roles that span multiple seasons.
Yara Shahidi
Yara Shahidi leads ‘Grown-ish’ as Zoey Johnson and has served as a producer on later seasons. The show follows college and early career stories and maintains a loyal audience across cable and streaming.
She originated the character on ‘Black-ish’ and helped launch the spin off through backdoor pilot episodes. Her production company 7th Sun works in partnership with a major studio to develop additional television projects.
Nicole Beharie
Nicole Beharie led ‘Sleepy Hollow’ as Lt. Abbie Mills across the first seasons, pairing contemporary law enforcement with supernatural cases each week. Her performance anchored procedural elements that balanced mythology arcs.
She later returned to television with significant roles that include ‘Black Mirror’ and a season of ‘The Morning Show’ that earned awards attention. Her film work runs in parallel with television, giving her a wide range of projects while maintaining series leadership.
Dominique Fishback
Dominique Fishback led ‘Swarm’ as Dre and received an Emmy nomination for lead actress in a limited series. The show premiered on streaming and drew attention for its compact structure and focused character study.
Her television career also includes earlier recurring roles that built toward this lead opportunity. She continues to work across film and TV while developing projects as a writer and producer.
Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné led ‘That’s So Raven’ and later returned with ‘Raven’s Home’ where she also serves as executive producer. The revival sustained multi season numbers and introduced the franchise to a new generation.
Her television career started in childhood with roles on ‘The Cosby Show’ and ‘Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper’ which gave her early series experience. She has hosted and appeared on daytime and reality programs while maintaining her scripted lead work.
Share your picks in the comments and tell us who else deserves a spot on this list.