Thanks to well-developed dynamics with actors in tandem with a keen focus on dialogue, many characters created byQuentin Tarantinoare among the most famous the film industry has ever seen. And whether they’re iconic for their wit, charisma, or humor, or let their actions do the talking, many of Tarantino’s best personalities are of the female variety.
A few of these are far more popular than the others, while each character on the list remains illustrious for one reason or another, especially for fans of Tarantino’s. A couple of these characters even garnered nominations for their respective actresses at the Academy Awards, and they hold up as fantastic performances today. All that said, these are the 16 most iconic female characters written by Quentin Tarantino, ranked.
16"Pussycat" — Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
The first on-screen appearance of Pussycat inOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood(2019) brought chills down the spines of audiences familiar with the notorious acts of the Manson Family throughout the 1960s. She’s based on two real-life people: Ruth Ann Moorehouse, most prominently, along with Kathryn “Kitty” Lutesinger. But those members of the aforementioned crime family only gave Tarantino the idea of Pussycat, one of the film’s most intriguing characters (who’sportrayed by Margaret Qualley).
She’s rather rude and an archetypal hippie in many ways, but she’s somehow endearing in her speech and her quirks. And speaking of her personality: she shares an engaging dynamic with Brad Pitt’s character, Cliff Booth, who gives her a ride to Spahn Ranch where Pussycat lives and Cliff used to shoot westerns. That’s where the main iconic element of this character comes into play, again, as she’s mostly associated with Charles Manson and his infamous following. Pussycat defined that cult-like atmosphere to a tee.
15Melanie Ralston — Jackie Brown
Portrayed by Bridget Fonda, it’s worth noting that Melanie Ralston is one of two characters on the list that wasn’t really created by Tarantino. For those unfamiliar: the American director’s third feature film,Jackie Brown(1997), was based on a novel calledRum Punch, which in turn was written by American novelist Elmore Leonard. Not every character in the film was featured in the novel counterpart, but Melanie is one of the few that was. And, more on the titular character in a bit.
As for Melanie: it’s hard to imagine in hindsight anyone other than Bridget Fonda filling her sassy shoes. The actress shares a brilliant dynamic with her two most prominent costars in Sam Jackson and Robert De Niro, and she goes down as one ofthe funniest charactersthatJackie Brownhas to offer. If only De Niro’s character Louis would have controlled his temper, Melanie might have boasted more screen time to ultimately end up even higher on the list.
14Zoë Bell— Death Proof
For those unfamiliar with this frequent Tarantino collaborator, Australian actress Zoë Bell is known around the Hollywood block as a stuntwoman. Most prominently, she’s stunted for Uma Thurman in theKill Billseries by the very director at hand. She’s had a few acting stints in Tarantino movies, too, like inThe Hateful Eight(2015) andOnce Upon a Time… in Hollywood(2019). But by far and away her most prominent (and impressive) role in one of his films would be as herself here inDeath Proof(2007).
She’s funny, charismatic, and entirely uncompromising as she goes up against Kurt Russell’s antagonist in his eponymous deathtrap of a stunt vehicle. And she shares an engaging dynamic with each of her on-screen co-stars. Even if you don’t recognize Zoë Bell by name, you’ve undoubtedly seen her work before.Death Proofis her most underrated role, and also perhaps her best.
13Trudi Frazer — Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Portrayed by Julia Butters here inOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood(2019), this character shares a tangible rapport with the protagonist — Rick Dalton,portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio— from their first frame together. In fact, Trudi essentially acts as his foil: a trained thespian with careful manners who is just starting out her career while Rick is nearing his end. And this dynamic plays a greater part into Rick’s overall development, with Frazer almost facilitating his growth more than any other character in the film.
Julia Butters received widespread acclaim for her work here as Trudi, not just from fans of Tarantino films, but also from pundits of the industry. She even picked up a nomination for Best Young Actor/Actress at the Critics Choice Movie Awards, leading to her being cast inThe Fabelmans(2022) by Steven Spielberg. She’s a talented up-and-coming actress, and Trudi Frazer is her greatest role. And thanks to her sass and charm, Trudi just so happens to also be one of Tarantino’s most iconic female characters.
12Bridget Von Hammersmark — Inglourious Basterds
This character remains iconic over a decade down the line thanks primarily to the unforgettable scenes in which she was a part of. It’s hard to considerInglourious Basterds(2009) without immediately thinking about the drinking game that took place in the basement tavern. Of course, Bridget Von Hammersmark (portrayed by Diane Kruger) participated in the game, with her character card beinga German film directornamed G.W. Pabst.
The following scene where she’s rescued holds great entertainment value, as well as the one after that where she’s interrogated by Brad Pitt’s character, Lieutenant Aldo Raine. Those are a few of the quintessential scenes fromInglourious Basterdsin general. And the death scene of Bridget Von Hammersmark solidifies her spot on the list.
It’s a fairly frequent fun fact among Tarantino fans to mention that, although it was Christoph Waltz’s character Hans Landa who choked her to death, they were actually Tarantino’s hands doing the strangling. That’s just one of many reasons why Bridget Von Hammersmark deserves this spot on the list.
11Yolanda / “Honey Bunny” — Pulp Fiction
Portrayed by Amanda Plummer, this is the girlfriend of Tim Roth’s character Ringo. They have pet names for one another, as she calls him “Pumpkin.” Meanwhile, her name is Yolanda, but her better half calls her “Honey Bunny.” And together, this dynamic duo opensPulp Fiction(1994) in grand fashion as they rob the diner in which the first and last scenes of the film are set.
Of course,Pulp Fictionis told out of chronological order, with both sequences of Honey Bunny’s book ending the project as a whole.The final sceneof the film isn’t quite as iconic as the first, but she does find herself within a Mexican standoff — a confrontation where no party is able to leave victorious, which doubles as a cinematic trope that’s become a trademark of Tarantino’s. Honey Bunny provides a great element of humor to the mix, and she remains endlessly iconic for it.
10Vernita Green — Kill Bill
For certain film fans, most primary and supporting characters in theKill Billfranchise can be considered iconic to one degree or another. One such example is Vernita Green, a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. Codenamed Copperhead, she’s portrayed by Vivica A. Fox, and although she dies within the first half hour ofKill Bill: Volume 1(2004), it’s the finale of one of the most intense, back-and-forth fight scenes you’re likely to read about today.
That’s the corner of film viewers who are most likely to consider this character iconic: action or martial arts fanatics. But then again, Tarantino is one of the biggest directors of his generation with a devout following himself. And bothKill Billmovies are among the most famous films under his directorial belt. Nearly everyone is familiar with this property, in other words, and Vernita Green remains a well-written character on top of her prowess with handheld weapons.
And because she has a daughter, this character is also iconic because film fans speculate her death could lead to yetanother sequel from Tarantino. Here’s hoping one day that actually comes to fruition.
9Broomhilda “Hildi” Von Shaft — Django Unchained
Portrayed by Kerry Washington here inDjango Unchained(2012), this character is the wife of the titular protagonist, who is in turn played by Jamie Foxx. Both performers bring their A-games to their roles with a tangible rapport from their first featured scene. Just for that well-written element of her character, Hildi is bumped up even higher on the list.
But in a film full of death and despair, Hildi stands out as one of the two primary characters who manage to live to tell the tale. This of course provided the project as a whole with a more positive dénouement than fans had come to expect from Tarantino films, and Hildi remains all the more iconic for it. The sequence of her covering her ears while Candyland was blown into a million forgotten pieces is just about as iconic as shots can come, with Hildi undoubtedly deserving a spot within the list’s top ten.
8Daisy Domergue — The Hateful Eight
Most of Tarantino’s characters regardless of gender can beclassified as anti-heroes. But with his females, it’s typically one or the other. Vernita Green and the other (upcoming) Deadly Vipers fromKill Billare without a doubt villains along with Honey Bunny fromPulp Fiction.
Meanwhile, Hildi fromDjango Unchainedand Trudi fromOnce Upon a Time in Hollywoodcouldn’t be more heroic. The character at hand falls into the former group of archetypes, with Daisy Domergue fromThe Hateful Eight(2015) going down as one of Tarantino’s most all-time evil concoctions.
Related:Best Jennifer Jason Leigh Performances, Ranked
She’s no Calvin Candie fromDjango Unchained, but this character (portrayed by Jennifer Jason Leigh) still personifies evil like few of her Tarantino counterparts. And what’s more is that the performance by Jason Leigh is one of two acting efforts on the list that was recognized by the Academy Awards. She picked up a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 88th ceremony of the aforementioned association, and although she came up short in the end to Alicia Vikander for her work inThe Danish Girl(2015), this character is ultimately defined by the impressive work of Jennifer Jason Leigh.
7O-Ren Ishii — Kill Bill
On various levels, O-Ren Ishii is among the most iconic characters under Tarantino’s belt, regardless of film or gender. Portrayed by an actress known for hermartial arts films, it’s off the bat worth noting that Lucy Liu is among the most recognizable performers of the early 2000s, thanks to roles in movies such asCharlie’s Angels(2000) andChicago(2002). And afterKill Bill: Volume 1, she appeared in several other martial arts-based movies such asKung Fu Panda(2008) andThe Man With the Iron Fists(2012).
But through all of those films, O-Ren Ishii remains perhaps her greatest character to date.
Maybe not the most famous or iconic, but easily the most intriguing as she commands the Crazy 88, the group of Yakuza foot soldiers that attack the protagonist Beatrix Kiddo toward the end of the first film. That’s one of the greatest fight scenes of the 21st century, with O-Ren giving Beatrix just as difficult a challenge as the film’s action climax.
But even beyond her iconic status for her prowess with a blade, there are other sequences inKill Bill: Volume 1that render this character noteworthy, like the anime sequence that remains the only non-live-action scene of Tarantino’s career. O-Ren was at its center, and it helps place her here at number seven.
