Best female villains

By Wonderwall.com Editors 8:01am PDT, Mar 11, 2019

While there might be more of them playing villains, guys don't have a monopoly on being baddies. In fact, female villains can be even more evil than their male counterparts. To celebrate Salma Hayek's entrance into the bad-girls' club with her role as ruthless stock trader Eva Torres in "The Hummingbird Project," which hits theaters on March 15, 2019, Wonderwall.com is taking a look at our favorite female villains. Keep reading for more…

Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, doesn't take mess from anyone — including Batman — and knows how to kick some major butt. The feline burglar often toes the line between doing the right thing and being a ruthless villain, most often choosing the latter. Selina was most recently portrayed in cinema by Anne Hathaway in "The Dark Knight Rises."

No doubt about it: This ice pick-wielding killer is seductively evil. Catherine Tramell, the femme fatale played by the amazingly talented Sharon Stone, brought both sexiness and sadism to the big screen in 1992. In "Basic Instinct," moviegoers saw a lot of her provocative side (especially during the infamous interrogation scene) but ultimately, it was her villainy that made her unforgettable. Sharon was nominated for her first Golden Globe for the performance.

Of all the characters on the '80s prime-time soap opera "Dynasty," Alexis Carrington Colby was the most conniving, and that's saying a lot. This femme fatale's ultimate goal? To ruin the life of her first husband, Blake Carrington, at any cost. Joan Collins perfectly portrayed the feisty character, winning a Golden Globe for her efforts.

"Game of Thrones" character Cersei Lannister is ruthless. The Queen of Westeros, Cersei will stop at nothing to maintain her power and secure her place on the throne. Her scheming and backstabbing leads to the deaths of not only her enemies but also her husband, King Robert Baratheon, and children Myrcella and Tommen. Lena Headey has received critical acclaim for her performance as Cersei, earning four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nod for her work on the hit HBO series.

Don't expect any sort of warm bedside manner from Nurse Ratched. The ice-cold nurse from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is cruel and sadistic. We wouldn't want her getting anywhere near us with a needle. Louise Fletcher received critical acclaim for her stellar performance as the villainous caregiver, winning an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for best actress for her work in the 1975 movie.

Think your boss is difficult? Be glad you didn't work for Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada." The cold, unforgiving editor-in-chief of Runway magazine expects the unexpected from her employees and gets her jollies from demanding absolute perfection. Hollywood icon Meryl Streep brought Miranda to life, receiving Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her delicious portrayal.

You've never seen crazy in love like this. Harley Quinn is one of pop culture's best baddies thanks to her delightfully psychotic nature. Once an esteemed psychologist, Harley ditches her stable life after falling head over heels for The Joker. She's quirky, villainous and gives MLB players a run for their money with her baseball bat skills. Margot Robbie shined as Harley in 2016's "Suicide Squad," leading to her own 2020 spinoff, "Birds of Prey."

A member of the Stanfield Organization, Snoop is one of the most dangerous gangsters on "The Wire." Not only is she a drug dealer — she's a ruthless murderer too. Even Stephen King has called her "perhaps the most terrifying female villain to ever appear in a television series." Now that's saying something. Felicia Pearson landed the role of Snoop in 2004 and continued to play the character until 2008.

"Fatal Attraction" served as a warning for men to not cheat on their wives. Otherwise, they could end up with a crazy person like Alex Forrest. She harasses Dan Gallagher, stalks his family and kidnaps his daughter. And remember what happens to that poor, innocent bunny? Glenn Close was absolute perfection as Alex, earning Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal.

As her classmate Janis Ian says, "Evil takes a human form in Regina George." We all knew someone like this "Mean Girls" character in high school: the popular girl who instills fear in the hearts of the less popular. Backstabbing, ruining reputations and making up rumors are all in a day's work for the queen of the Plastics. Rachel McAdams was flawless in her portrayal of Regina, earning universal praise from critics and fans.

Bellatrix Lestrange is so evil, she kills her own family! The dark witch and devoted Death Eater makes it her mission to bring down Harry Potter, casting a death curse on her own cousin, Sirius Black, in the process. Helena Bonham Carter perfected the role of Bellatrix in four "Harry Potter" movies, bringing the evil witch to life from 2007 to 2011.

When Brenda Walsh left California for England, we were afraid there wouldn't be a bad girl on "Beverly Hills, 90210." Boy, were we wrong. Valerie Malone is a manipulative, sexy vixen capable of two-timing, blackmailing, sleeping with her friends' boyfriends and much more. Tiffani Amber Thiessen played Valerie from 1994 to 1998.

"No wire hangers, ever!" It's a line that sends shivers down the spine of pretty much anyone who's seen "Mommie Dearest," and it's all Joan Crawford. Behind closed doors, the legendary actress was a fanatical clean freak and an allegedly abusive mother. Faye Dunaway took on the role of Joan in the 1981 project, an experience she's said stayed with her off the set. "At night I would go home to the house we had rented in Beverly Hills and felt Crawford in the room with me, this tragic, haunted soul just hanging around… It was as if she couldn't rest," Faye wrote in her diary.

Seductive and sultry Kathryn Merteuil is the puppetmaster of Manhattan's Upper East Side in "Cruel Intentions." All the while, she maintains the image of a virtuous good girl, and perhaps that's the scariest part of all. Sarah Michelle Gellar brought her A-game to the role of Kathryn, taking home trophies at the MTV Movie Awards and Teen Choice Awards for her work.

Watch out, Swifties! Annie Wilkes takes fandom obsession to a whole new, psychotic level. The ultimate stan, Annie is a serial killer who holds her favorite author captive and forces him to write her stories in 1990's "Misery." Kathy Bates was truly terrifying in this role, winning the Academy Award for best actress for her unfiltered evil performance.

Ruthless ad executive Amanda Woodward, played by Heather Locklear, isn't just cutthroat when it comes to work. This power-driven blonde will do just about anything to get what she wants, including having sex with her friends' boyfriends. That's why we preferred watching her on "Melrose Place" and not living next to her at 4616 Melrose Place. Heather truly shined as Amanda, receiving four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for her work as the baddie.

Sue Sylvester might have gotten a little softer over the years, but don't be fooled: She was one mean mother on "Glee." William McKinley High School's Cheerios coach is a blunt bully who tries to sabotage the New Directions glee club. Plus, she steals scenes from the rest of the cast, and that's just cruel. Jane Lynch performed some of her best work as Sue, receiving rave reviews from critics.

Maleficent, who refers to herself as the "Mistress of All Evil," is as wicked as they come. When she's not cursing infants, the evil fairy transforms into a fire-breathing dragon, wreaking havoc everywhere she goes. Angelina Jolie took on the iconic character in 2014's "Maleficent" and expanded on Maleficient's narrative, adding some much needed context to her evil deeds. She'll reprise the role in a 2019 sequel.

Second-in-command to evil Magneto in the "X-Men" flicks, Mystique is able to use her shape-shifting abilities to attain her goals. She's also a master fighter and martial artist. Oh, and even though she's blue, she has the femme fatale thing on lock. Mystique has most famously been played by actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Rebecca Romijn (pictured).

Catwoman isn't the only villainess that Batman has had to go up against. In "Batman & Robin," he found himself protecting Gotham City from Poison Ivy, among other baddies. And while the campy movie was panned — so much so that it killed the possibility of George Clooney wearing the Batsuit for a second time — Uma Thurman looked stunning in her green costume as she delivered a fiercely evil performance.

To be considered the villain on a show called "Revenge," you've gotta be pretty bad, and Victoria Grayson certainly delivered. She's a powerful, sharp-tongued schemer who'll stop at nothing to protect her family and her social status. You don't mess with the queen of the Hamptons, dahling. Madeleine Stowe played Victoria for four seasons, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in 2012.