On International Women’s Day: Actresses Who Inspire

Ntozake Shange once said: “Where there is a woman, there is magic.”
The magic is already in the air as the weekend approaches and International Women’s Day will soon be upon us. It is a time to celebrate the amazing women in our lives and recognise their achievements.
Yorkshire is primarily renowned in film for social realism, highlighting the region’s industrial heritage and working-class life. Its rich culture and distinctive landscapes also lend themselves beautifully to period dramas, another genre Yorkshire productions are known for. From these genres, many incredible actors have emerged.
You have probably heard of names such as Louis Tomlinson, Sir Patrick Stewart, and Jeremy Clarkson. But what about the women? After all, it is their day. So let’s shine a light on a few brilliant actresses you may not have known were from Yorkshire — women who were once simply girls with a dream.


Judi DenchStarting with our beloved Judi Dench, who simply cannot go unnoticed. Known for her versatile stage roles, as well as her work in television and film, she is perhaps most widely recognised for her role in the James Bond series. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Dench has won more than 50 major industry awards, including an Academy Award, a record eight Laurence Olivier Awards, and six BAFTA Film Awards. She has also received four BAFTA TV Awards, two Golden Globes, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Tony Award — talk about a success story.
Dench was born in York and grew up in a theatrical family. Both of her brothers wanted to become actors, and her parents took part in amateur dramatics. As a result, much of her childhood was spent around theatres, so it comes as no surprise that the world of performance eventually captured her entirely.
Interestingly, Dench originally wanted to become a set designer, not an actor. However, she quickly pivoted to acting after her first role — as a snail. Yes, a snail. At her prep school, she played a snail in an adaptation of the nursery rhyme Four and Twenty Tailors Went to Kill a Snail. Dench has said she never had a single defining moment when she decided to become an actress — it happened gradually. But if you ever get the opportunity to play a snail? Prep school or not… take the chance.
Her first professional debut was as Ophelia in Hamlet, which launched her extraordinary theatrical career and long relationship with Shakespeare. Dench even titled her book Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, as many of her roles were drawn from Shakespeare’s plays.
She also received critical acclaim on television, starring in the series A Fine Romance (1981–1984) and As Time Goes By (1992–2005). She later rose to international fame as M in GoldenEye (1995), a role she continued in the James Bond franchise until Spectre (2015).
With a career spanning more than 70 years, Judi Dench remains an inspiration to young actors. Regarded as a national treasure, she is celebrated for portraying strong-willed, authoritative and emotionally complex women. For that reason, she is certainly someone worth celebrating on International Women’s Day. 


Christina PicklesYou probably know Judy Geller, Ross and Monica’s mother from Friends, played by Christina Pickles. But did you know that Pickles — an Emmy nominee — was born in Halifax, Yorkshire?
Like Dench, Pickles came from a theatrical family. Her uncle, Wilfred Pickles, was a famous comedian during the war in England and hosted his own radio programme. Pickles always knew she wanted to be an actress and began pursuing acting from a young age. At just 14 years old, she was studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London.
It might surprise many people that Pickles is from Yorkshire, as she later moved to New York City in the late 1950s after graduating from RADA to pursue her acting career. She began performing in theatre, appearing in several Broadway productions during the 1960s and 70s, including Sherlock Holmes.
She later transitioned into television, finding roles in daytime soap operas such as Guiding Light and Another World, which helped her become a familiar face to TV audiences. Her breakthrough role came in 1982 as Nurse Helen Rosenthal in the medical drama St. Elsewhere. The show followed the lives of doctors and nurses at a hospital in Boston, and the role earned Pickles five Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
Christina Pickles is a reminder that if you truly have a dream and the passion to pursue it, you should go for it. After all, what is the worst that can happen?


Jodie WhittakerJodie Whittaker, the thirteenth Doctor Who, is also from Yorkshire — something that may be more obvious given that she primarily works in British productions.
Whittaker grew up in Skelmanthorpe, where she carefully planned her future career. She took a gap year to travel and work before applying to drama school in London. It clearly paid off — she gained a place at her first-choice drama school, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Whittaker made history as the first woman to play the Doctor in the long-running series Doctor Who. While other actresses have appeared in spin-offs or special episodes, she was the first woman to headline the main television series.
Her casting sparked mixed reactions. Many fans were excited by the change, welcoming greater representation for women in science fiction and offering young girls a new role model. Others were less enthusiastic, arguing that the Doctor had been male for more than 50 years.
However, Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content, responded by saying:
“Making history is what Doctor Who is all about.”
When asked how it felt to become the first female Doctor, Whittaker said:
“It feels completely overwhelming… as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human… It feels incredible.”
Her words highlight an important point: there are still unspoken expectations placed on women within the film industry. Challenging those expectations helps create new opportunities.
Whittaker herself said she did not want fans to be “scared by [her] gender,” adding:
“This is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change.”
Whittaker is a perfect example of why change is not only positive, but necessary.
She is an inspiration for women pushing boundaries in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry. Her career has earned her multiple awards, including Best Actress and Best Breakthrough Performance at the 2017 National Film Awards for Adult Life Skills, as well as nominations including a Saturn Award (2019) and a Critics’ Choice Super Award (2022) for her role in Doctor Who.


Candour ProductionsSpeaking of women shaping the industry, let’s take a look at Candour Productions, a female-led, multi-award-winning independent production company based in Leeds, run by Anna Hall.
Candour’s films offer a refreshing take on meaningful stories — warm, compassionate, and full of integrity. The company is passionate about supporting female directors and helping them remain within the industry.
In an industry that can still feel male-dominated, companies like Candour create real opportunities for women working in production — particularly outside London.
Candour has built an impressive reputation over the past decade. In 2023, they won a BAFTA for Best Factual Series for Libby, Are You Home Yet?
Across 28 productions, only three have been directed by men — a statistic that is incredibly rare within the industry.
Candour continues to open doors for women who might otherwise struggle to find opportunities in film production.


Take inspiration from these women. They were once simply girls from Yorkshire with dreams. Through drive, passion and hard work, they have become some of the most recognised women in the industry.
Remember — some dreams are worth fighting for.
You can even begin that journey right here at IPM Acting Academy,  for aspiring actors who want to develop their skills and work towards their dreams.
Happy International Women’s Day!

Author

Jenifer Krzymyk