20 Best Actresses in Their 30s, Ranked
There is a generation of performers who spent their twenties building impressive resumes and then stepped into their thirties with major awards, franchise leadership, and producing power. This list highlights standout careers from around the world, with concrete achievements, landmark roles, and industry milestones that define the last decade of film and television.
You will find academy trophies, record breaking box office turns, transformative stage runs, and global hits. Each entry notes verified credits, honors, and career steps that show how these actors built influence on screen and behind the camera.
Karen Gillan
Karen Gillan broke out on television with long running roles in ‘Doctor Who’ and moved into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Nebula in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and related titles. She expanded her filmography with ‘Jumanji’ installments and voice work in animation projects connected to her franchise characters.
Gillan wrote and directed the feature ‘The Party’s Just Beginning’ and has continued to take on independent projects in between studio commitments. She trained at Telford College and earned early stage experience in Scotland before transitioning to international work.
Emilia Clarke
Emilia Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Game of Thrones’ across eight seasons and received multiple major award nominations for the role. Her film credits include ‘Solo A Star Wars Story’ and ‘Me Before You’ along with later television projects within large genre franchises.
Clarke founded the charity SameYou to support recovery for people who have suffered brain injuries, drawing on her own medical experience. She has appeared on stage in London and New York, including a leading role in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, and continues to alternate between blockbuster and independent work.
Letitia Wright
Letitia Wright portrayed Shuri in ‘Black Panther’ and its subsequent entries and received the BAFTA Rising Star Award. She also appeared in ‘Small Axe’ and a leading episode of ‘Black Mirror’, building a screen profile across film and television.
Wright was born in Guyana and raised in London and trained through British performing arts programs. She has producer credits and continues to develop projects that center stories from the Caribbean and African diaspora.
Zazie Beetz
Zazie Beetz earned an Emmy nomination for ‘Atlanta’ and joined comic book franchises with roles in ‘Deadpool 2’ and ‘Joker’. She works regularly in independent features and anthology television while maintaining a presence in major studio films.
Beetz was born in Berlin and raised in New York and works fluently in German and English. Her training included city based theater programs and early short films that led to festival appearances and casting in prestige television.
Emma Watson
Emma Watson completed the ‘Harry Potter’ series as Hermione Granger and later headlined ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and joined the ensemble of ‘Little Women’. She has balanced film roles with university study and advocacy work.
Watson serves as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped launch the HeForShe campaign. She has worked with sustainable fashion initiatives and book clubs and has produced content with a focus on education and equality.
Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer transitioned from early television and film roles to leads in projects such as ‘Nope’ and ‘Hustlers’. She won a Primetime Emmy for work in a short form program and has continued to host and perform across music and television.
Palmer voiced a main character in ‘Lightyear’ and has taken executive producer credits on select projects. She started in Chicago area theater, moved into studio features as a teenager, and has maintained a steady presence across genres.
Ayo Edebiri
Ayo Edebiri stars in ‘The Bear’ and received major television awards for her performance as a chef in a leading role. She has written for ‘Big Mouth’ and appeared in live action comedies and dramas.
Edebiri voices characters in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem’ and ‘Inside Out 2’. She trained in improv and sketch programs and has combined writing and acting across streaming, animation, and feature films.
Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt starred in Hindi language hits including ‘Raazi’, ‘Highway’, and ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ and received the National Film Award for Best Actress. She made her international debut with a lead role in ‘Heart of Stone’ on a global streaming platform.
Bhatt established a production banner that has delivered streaming features and series and has brand partnerships across Asia. She trained in dance and acting in Mumbai and comes from a multigenerational film family with credits as a singer on select soundtracks.
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone led some of the highest grossing Hindi films of the last decade including ‘Padmaavat’, ‘Chennai Express’, and ‘Pathaan’. She served on the main competition jury at the Cannes Film Festival and has appeared in international action cinema.
Padukone founded the Live Love Laugh Foundation to advocate for mental health and has extensive endorsement work across global brands. She began as a model, debuted in ‘Om Shanti Om’, and has sustained leading roles across romance, drama, and action.
Lily Gladstone
Lily Gladstone received Academy Award, SAG, and Golden Globe recognition for ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’. Earlier credits include ‘Certain Women’ and recurring television roles that foreground Indigenous stories.
Gladstone has collaborated with Native led filmmakers and participates in language and cultural programs connected to the Blackfeet and NimÃipuu communities. Their education includes theater studies at the University of Montana with stage work in regional productions.
Alicia Vikander
Alicia Vikander won the Academy Award for ‘The Danish Girl’ and earned international attention for ‘Ex Machina’. She later led ‘Tomb Raider’ and has worked in English and Swedish language films.
Vikander trained as a dancer before moving into acting and co founded a production company focused on European projects. She has performed in period dramas, thrillers, and intimate character studies with festival premieres across Europe.
Ana de Armas
Ana de Armas earned an Academy Award nomination for portraying Marilyn Monroe in ‘Blonde’ and reached a wide audience with ‘Knives Out’. She appeared in ‘No Time to Die’ and ‘Blade Runner 2049’ and continues to work in multiple languages.
De Armas began her career in Cuba and Spain before moving to the United States and training in English for extended roles. She has headlined action and drama titles and collaborates with directors across studio and independent spaces.
Vanessa Kirby
Vanessa Kirby portrayed Princess Margaret in ‘The Crown’ and received a BAFTA Television Award for the role. She earned an Academy Award nomination for ‘Pieces of a Woman’ and won the Volpi Cup at Venice for the same performance.
Kirby has major stage credentials including ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ at the Young Vic. She appears in the ‘Mission Impossible’ series and balances theater seasons with feature film work.
Jodie Comer
Jodie Comer won Emmys and BAFTAs for ‘Killing Eve’ and later earned both an Olivier Award and a Tony Award for ‘Prima Facie’. Her feature work includes ‘The Last Duel’ and ‘Free Guy’ with studio and auteur collaborations.
Comer began in British television with guest roles before moving to international projects. She prepared ‘Prima Facie’ with legal and advocacy organizations and continues to alternate stage and screen commitments.
Brie Larson
Brie Larson won the Academy Award for ‘Room’ and joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the lead of ‘Captain Marvel’ with appearances in crossover titles. She directed the feature ‘Unicorn Store’ and has released music connected to her early career.
Larson has credits in independent dramas and major studio projects and has produced select titles. She has participated in mentorship programs for young filmmakers and appears at festivals to support work behind the camera.
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart received an Academy Award nomination for ‘Spencer’ and earned a César Award for ‘Clouds of Sils Maria’. She alternates festival driven titles like ‘Personal Shopper’ with larger releases.
Stewart has directed short films and is developing a feature adaptation of ‘The Chronology of Water’. She began as a child actor and transitioned into international work with a steady run of leading roles across English language cinema.
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence won the Academy Award for ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ and received additional nominations for ‘Winter’s Bone’, ‘American Hustle’, and ‘Joy’. She led ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise and appeared in ‘X Men’ films during the same period.
Lawrence co founded the production company Excellent Cadaver and produced projects including ‘Causeway’ and ‘No Hard Feelings’. She works with philanthropic initiatives focused on youth and community services in Kentucky.
Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Ronan holds four Academy Award nominations for ‘Atonement’, ‘Brooklyn’, ‘Lady Bird’, and ‘Little Women’. She has appeared in both Irish and American productions and continues to lead literary adaptations and original screenplays.
Ronan made her Broadway debut in ‘The Crucible’ and has taken roles in period pieces and contemporary stories. She holds dual Irish and American citizenship and started acting as a child with early television credits in Ireland.
Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie earned Academy Award nominations for ‘I Tonya’ and ‘Bombshell’ and received a Best Picture nomination as a producer on ‘Barbie’. She first gained attention with ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ before joining franchises and event films.
Robbie co founded LuckyChap and produced ‘Promising Young Woman’, ‘I Tonya’, and ‘Barbie’ along with emerging filmmaker projects. She began her career in Australia on ‘Neighbours’ and has built a slate that spans thriller, drama, and comedy.
Emma Stone
Emma Stone is a two time Academy Award winner for ‘La La Land’ and ‘Poor Things’ with additional nominations for ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Favourite’. She has headlined studio comedies and dramas and appeared on Broadway in ‘Cabaret’.
Stone co founded the company Fruit Tree and has producer credits on films and series. She continues collaborations with directors across genres and maintains a balance between awards focused roles and audience driven releases.
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