Women Action Directors

1. Mimi Leder

Mimi Leder was born on January 26, 1952 in New York City, New York, USA. She is a producer and director, known for The Morning Show (2019), On the Basis of Sex (2018) and Deep Impact (1998). She has been married to Gary Werntz since January 26, 1986. They have one child. She was previously married ...

2. Roxann Dawson

Director | Breakthrough

Roxann Dawson was born in Los Angeles, California, to Richard and Rosalie Caballero. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley (Theater Arts major). She soon landed her first role as Diana Morales in the Broadway production of "A Chorus Line". During her acting career, she performed...

3. Christine Moore

Director | Jericho

Christine Moore is known for Jericho (2006), Reacher (2022) and Elementary (2012).

4. Holly Dale

Director | Mary Kills People

Holly Dale is one of Canada's premiere directors recognized globally for her outstanding, award-winning television and cinema work crafted over the past twenty-five years. Ms Dale has directed movies, entire mini series, pilots and episodic. She has worked in all genres.

Recently, Ms Dale was taped ...

5. Larysa Kondracki

Director | The Whistleblower

Larysa Kondracki was born in Toronto and studied English and theater at McGill University. She received an M.F.A. in film direction from Columbia University and directed the short film VIKO (2008) which played mainly at film festivals to widespread acclaim. The WHISTLEBLOWER is her first feature ...

6. Gwyneth Horder-Payton

Director | Tyrant

Gwyneth Horder-Payton is known for Tyrant (2014), The Doors (1991) and The Walking Dead (2010).

7. S.J. Clarkson

Director | Madame Web

S.J. Clarkson is known for Madame Web (2024), The Defenders (2017) and Life on Mars (2006).

8. Kate Dennis

Director | Offspring

Kate Dennis is known for Offspring (2010), The Handmaid's Tale (2017) and Run (2020).

9. Mary Lambert

Director | Pet Sematary

Mary Lambert was born in 1951 in Helena, Arkansas, USA. She is a director and writer, known for Pet Sematary (1989), Madonna: Like a Prayer (1989) and The in Crowd (2000). She has been married to Jerome Gary since September 28, 1991. They have one child.

10. Wendey Stanzler

Director | Sex and the City

Wendey Stanzler is known for Sex and the City (1998), The Mysterious Benedict Society (2021) and Youth & Consequences (2018).

11. Karen Gaviola

Director | Paper Girls

Karen Gaviola is known for Paper Girls (2022), Shadow and Bone (2021) and The Walking Dead (2010).

12. Tawnia McKiernan

Director | Blindspot

Tawnia McKiernan is known for Blindspot (2015), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008) and Warehouse 13 (2009).

13. Elodie Keene

Director | L.A. Law

Elodie Keene was born on April 10, 1949 in Berkeley, California, USA. She is a director and producer, known for L.A. Law (1986), Scrubs (2001) and Glee (2009).

14. Rosemary Rodriguez

Director | Silver Skies

Rosemary Rodriguez is known for Silver Skies (2016), The Walking Dead (2010) and Jessica Jones (2015).

15. Lesli Linka Glatter

Director | Homeland

Lesli Linka Glatter is a director of film, network, cable, and premium cable television drama, with both pilots and episodes to her credit. Lesli's TV work includes Homeland (2011), The Newsroom (2012), The Walking Dead (2010), Justified (2010), Ray Donovan (2013), Masters of Sex (2013), Nashville ...

16. Kari Skogland

Director | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Emmy-nominated, BAFTA award-winning director Kari Skogland is CEO of Mad Rabbit, a development and production company. Skogland is committed to producing high-end one-hour dramas for the international market while she continues her award- winning work. Most recently she was Executive Producer and ...

17. Charlotte Sieling

Director | Margrete den første

Charlotte Sieling was born on July 13, 1960 in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is a director and actress, known for Margrete: Queen of the North (2021), The Man (2017) and Borgen (2010). She was previously married to Peter Langdal.

18. Charlotte Brändström

Director | The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

CHARLOTTE BRÄNDSTRÖM is an award-winning director and graduate of the Directing Program at the American Film Institute. She speaks English, French and Swedish fluently. Most recently, Charlotte wrapped post-production as the Executive Producing Director on LORD OF THE RINGS: RINGS OF POWER; she ...

19. Helen Shaver

Actress | Desert Hearts

Helen Shaver has built a lasting legacy, both behind and in front of the camera. She has directed hundreds of hours of television ranging from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) to Castle (2009), from The Unit (2006) to The Outer Limits (1995). Her film, Summer's End (1999), a Showtime ...

20. Donna Deitch

Director | Desert Hearts

Donna Deitch was born on June 8, 1945 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is a director and editor, known for Desert Hearts (1985), NYPD Blue (1993) and Angel on My Shoulder (1998).

21. Kate Woods

Director | Looking for Alibrandi

Australian director Kate Woods wrapped a busy year in 2021, including directing Netflix's hit series, Umbrella Academy, and Peacock's The Lost Symbol, based on Dan Brown's best-selling book.

Her most recent work includes The Good Lord Bird, directing Ethan Hawke, who created, wrote, and starred in ...

22. Rachel Talalay

Director | Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare

Rachel Talalay was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents, Paul and Pamela, moved to Baltimore to work/teach at Johns Hopkins when she was 6 years old. After graduation from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, she met Director John Waters and entered the movie business as a ...

23. Bronwen Hughes

Director | The Journey Is the Destination

Bronwen Hughes is known for The Journey Is the Destination (2016), Breaking Bad (2008) and Better Call Saul (2015).

24. Sarah Pia Anderson

Director | Prime Suspect: Inner Circles

Sarah Pia Anderson is known for Prime Suspect: Inner Circles (1995), Gilmore Girls (2000) and Scott & Bailey (2011).

25. Melanie Mayron

Director | Thirtysomething

Melanie Mayron was born on October 20, 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is a director and actress, known for Thirtysomething (1987), Girlfriends (1978) and Snapshots (2018).

26. Karyn Kusama

Director | The Invitation

Karyn Kusama was born on March 21, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She is a director and producer, known for The Invitation (2015), Destroyer (2018) and Girlfight (2000). She has been married to Phil Hay since October 2006. They have one child.

27. Laura Belsey

Director | The Walking Dead

Laura Belsey is known for The Walking Dead (2010), American Horror Story (2011) and Moonhaven (2022).

28. Lexi Alexander

Director | Green Street

Born in Germany, to a Palestinian father and German mother, Lexi Alexander, a former World Kickboxing Champion and USMC close-quarter-combat instructor, worked her way up from stunt woman to Oscar-nominated director with her first short film Johnny Flynton, a drama about a boxer. Eager to learn a ...

29. Millicent Shelton

Director | 30 Rock

Millicent Shelton was born on January 29, 1966 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She is a director and writer, known for 30 Rock (2006), The Night Agent (2023) and Titans (2018). She has been married to Donald Samuel since June 10, 1995. They have two children.

30. Jann Turner

Director | 9-1-1

Jann Turner is a Film and TV director based in Los Angeles.

She has directed multiple episodes of Jack Ryan Seasons 3 and 4, S.W.A.T., Seal Team, 911-LA, The Resident, For Life, The Code, Filthy Rich, The Last Ship, Scandal, The Catch, Chicago Fire, Greys Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder, Jane ...

31. Alice Troughton

Director | Baghdad Central

Alice Troughton is an internationally-acclaimed director working between the UK and the US. Having lead directed and exec-produced Baghdad Central and The Midwich Cuckoos, she is also known for her work on the award-winning shows The Living and The Dead, Cucumber and Dr Who. Her first feature film ...

32. Dennie Gordon

Director | Jack Ryan

Dennie Gordon has been a trailblazing female director her entire career; spanning the worlds of feature films, television series, mini-series and branded content. Her range of genre busting entertainment spans an unusual spectrum of comedy and drama. After being one of the first women to graduate ...

33. Zetna Fuentes

Director | The Nevers

Zetna Fuentes has established herself as one of the most in-demand directors, helming many of television's notable, award-winning shows. Most recently, Fuentes directed and executive produced episodes of the highly anticipated Hulu series, "Black Cake," based on the NY Times Bestseller. She also ...

34. Tricia Brock

Director | Killer Diller

Tricia Brock is known for Killer Diller (2004), The Walking Dead (2010) and 30 Rock (2006).

35. Jennifer Lynch

Director | Chained

Jennifer Lynch was born on April 7, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is a director and writer, known for Chained (2012), Boxing Helena (1993) and Surveillance (2008).

36. April Mullen

Director | Wander

April Mullen's latest directorial offer is Hello Stranger which is in post production. Wander (2021) premiered at the Deauville Film Festival in France and was released by Saban, Universal and Paramount. Mullen also directed Below Her Mouth (2016), a relentless love story shot entirely by an all ...

37. Mairzee Almas

Director | Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Mairzee Almas is known for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023), The Sandman (2022) and Outlander (2014).

38. Hanelle M. Culpepper

Director | Within

Selected for the inaugural class of 2019 ReFrame Rise directors, Hanelle M. Culpepper is an energetic and unflappable award-winning director whose television credits range from superhero action adventures to thrillers and genre films to character-driven dramas. In 2019, she was chosen to direct the...

39. Deborah Chow

Director | The High Cost of Living

Deborah Chow is known for The High Cost of Living (2010), Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and The Mandalorian (2019).

40. Nina Lopez-Corrado

Director | Mindfield

Nina Lopez-Corrado is known for Mindfield (2012), The Mentalist (2008) and The Last of Us (2023).

41. Gloria Muzio

Director | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Gloria Muzio is known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), CSI: Miami (2002) and House M.D. (2004).

42. Silver Tree

Director | Dead to Me

Silver Tree is known for Dead to Me (2019), You (2018) and The Flight Attendant (2020).

43. Uta Briesewitz

Director | The Wheel of Time

Uta Briesewitz was born in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. She is a director and cinematographer known for "The Wheel of Time", "Stranger Things", "Fellow Travelers" and "The Wire". Uta is a graduate of the Berlin Film and Television Academy where she studied directing. She received ...

44. Bethany Rooney

Director | Bull

Bethany Rooney began her directing career on the 1980's iconic television show, St. Elsewhere, where she served as Associate Producer. She has since directed more than 250 episodes of prime-time narrative shows, most recently Law & Order, Chicago PD, Law & Order SVU, The Rookie, Criminal Minds ...

45. Alexandra La Roche

Script_department | 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Alexandra La Roche is known for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), The X Files (1998) and Eureka (2006).

46. Salli Richardson-Whitfield

Actress | Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid

Salli Richardson-Whitfield is a 30-year industry veteran. She has been featured in 20+ major motion pictures and has starred opposite a number of Hollywood's top actors, including Samuel L. Jackson in 'The Great White Hype', Denzel Washington in 'Antwone Fisher', and Will Smith in 'I Am Legend'. On...