18 Female Characters Who Got Us Through 2018

"I identified with Camille Preaker while reading Sharp Objects years ago, and was incredibly impressed with how Amy Adams brought her to life in the HBO adaptation. Camille is a woman forced to revisit her past while working to solve a crime in her tiny hometown, and Adams's performance is almost scary in its complexity. I especially love how easily Camille gets under people's skin; she's a bit of an enigma (who quite literally shrouds herself in mystery), and her sheer presence in Wind Gap was enough to have the locals shook. She has demons, and it freaks people out; she's a trauma survivor, and it makes people uncomfortable; not many can handle Camille, because Camille can barely handle herself. I'm always going to be drawn to the flawed women, the broken women, the women who are just complicated and crazy enough to make me feel a little less-so. Camille Preaker is one of those women, and it was great to see her come off the page this year."

"I've always loved the way the sci-fi genre empowers female characters. Maeve kicks so much ass on Westworld that I find myself audibly cheering for her during every episode. In season two, Maeve grows even more complex. A few reasons to love her: she surrenders her mission to save her daughter to help a fellow mother avenge the death of her child, she utilizes her increased intelligence to fight back against oppressors, and she leads fellow hosts to salvation by creating her own utopia within the chaos."

"Coco is a damn boss and I love it. She gives it to everyone straight, no BS, no chaser — unless you have something she wants and she needs a little honey to sweeten that bitter tea. Season two shows Coco on a journey that no one expected and I absolutely adored. It showcases her strength, perseverance, and determination to make it on her own terms no matter what anyone may think or feel about it. She refuses to bow down to people's opinions or expectations, and if she has to break some eggs while doing it, she will. If there's ever been a character who can light a fire under your ass to get you motivated, it's definitely Coco.

But even as she's snapping necks to get people to do what she wants, she's showing her vulnerability and making connections people wouldn't expect because she's 'too hard.' She's a very real depiction of what women who strive to reach the top of their careers are like, with the added pressure of being a black woman who wants to succeed in a harsh industry (law). I love seeing the complex layers that go into her character. It's amazing to see how hard someone will work to make their goals come true, and it's inspiring to a young black woman like me, who would never choose to be complacent in her own life."

"She taught me that it's still possible to see the light when your life is going to sh*t. Drive your negative energy into a passion and find new people to laugh with when the stupid ones leave you. She reminded me to stay empowered."

"It's not the killer clothes or Midge's comedic timing that really speak to me — it's about how she faces everyone's worst nightmare: the grand plan for your life exploding in your face. She moves forward with self-effacing wit and dignity in the face of economic and social destruction, and it makes you think about how you yourself would respond to the same kind of adversity, and what's really important is staying true to yourself. The second season provides a bunch of fresh opportunities for Midge to crumble, and she never does."

"Given all of the Big Topics™ that The Bold Type tackles in season two — sexuality, racism, infertility, discrimination, unemployment — it would be easy to assume that the Freeform series would handle said themes in a clunky fashion. However, assuming anything about this show is almost always a mistake, since every scene is better, and stronger, than the last. Like its first batch of episodes, the second go-round is still fresh, smart, and completely charming as it follows three young women and best friends — Kat, Sutton, and Jane — who are doing their damn best, despite making one mistake after another. How can you watch The Bold Type and not feel inspired?"

"The Handmaid's Tale's reputation took a bit of a hit this year when critics slammed the bleaker aspects of the drama, wondering how anyone could continue to watch such a hopeless cast of characters. And while I agree with those critiques on some level, I'm all-in on June's continued fight against her oppressors to take care of those she loves, as well as Elisabeth Moss's powerhouse performance. The series is obviously painfully relevant given the current political climate, and though certain episodes left me in tears, it also never fails to light a fire in my belly; every scene is a reminder of how important it is for women to stick together, and to never let the bastards get you down."

"I just finished binging Killing Eve, and I am strangely inspired by both Eve and her arch-nemesis, Villanelle (aka Oksana). Sandra Oh plays Eve, a low-level British intelligence worker who falls into a dangerous assignment that takes over her life. Fueled by a newly found zest for her job, she is determined to take down Europe's most cutthroat assassin . . . who happens to be a young woman. Jodie Comer stars opposite as the hitwoman, a textbook psychopath who looks out for her own interests with shocking — often fatal — consequences."

"Kate Pearson (er, now Kate Damon) on This Is Us has really inspired me this year. While I cannot relate on a personal level to her struggles with infertility, I can absolutely admire her fearlessness and faith. The relationship she has with her brothers and the way she has opened up to her mother never fails to make me well up (and full on sob sometimes . . . OK, every time). She has a quiet fierceness within her, and I feel we have really begun to hear her roar this season. I can't wait to follow the rest of her story, and I hope to embody her conviction and love."

"I could sing the praises of Jane the Virgin all day long (and, if you know me IRL, then you know I have, on occasion). The CW series would be nothing without its phenomenal leading lady, Jane Gloriana Villanueva, played with gusto by the great Gina Rodriguez. There are so many unique, complex facets to Jane that sometimes it's hard for me to pin down exactly why I love her so damn much. But, then again, maybe that's exactly why I do — she's a brilliant, fully-realized character of color, and scenes that show her working through heavy subjects like grief and heartbreak are just as incredible to watch as ones highlighting her comedic timing."

"I have watched Issa Rae be Issa since her days on Awkward Black Girl on YouTube, and with each iteration of the character, she has just gotten me. Issa Dee on Insecure upholds the tradition with each and every season, even if half of the time I'm wondering if anyone could truly be so painfully awkward (they can, I am, it's fine). During season three, Issa's main journey is moving on from the end of her relationship with Lawrence and finding solid ground without depending on someone else to prop her. It's not a smooth journey (it never is with Issa) and the steps along the way are enough to make anyone give up. But Issa's perseverance comes through in the end, leading her to make the decision to take a step back from the things she can't control and focus on bettering herself.

For anyone, that's a sound decision and one people should always turn to. But as a black woman who relates so closely to Issa Dee and intimately understands how easy it can be to lose yourself in other people's drama, opinions, or actions, it was gratifying to see Issa choose herself. It was validating to see another black woman choose to focus on her self-care, her prosperity, and her goals instead of outside factors. It wasn't a moment where the 'magical black woman' trope comes in and Issa just soldiers through her pain or doesn't let things affect her. Instead, she chooses to deal with her pain by distancing herself from those who are hurting rather than helping and endeavors to work on her personal growth. It was beautiful to watch and it made me feel like the struggles I have are seen, experienced by others, and understood."

"Shuri represents what I am — a nerdy black girl who appreciates good style and likes to quote viral memes — and everything I hope to be — a badass heroine whose intellect surpasses, or at least challenges, that of Bruce Banner and Tony Stark. No doubt, Shuri is my soul sister."

"Where do I start with Prudence Night, the baddest b*tch in Greendale? I was delighted to see such inclusivity in the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina cast, and besides being a stunning woman of color, Prudence is also just a fantastic example of the high school mean girl with something extra. She's almost feline-like (which makes sense, considering the fact that actress Tati Gabrielle took inspiration from Eartha Kitt for her performance) and is clearly dealing with some inner turmoil (which also makes sense, given her complicated family history). In addition to admiring her willfulness and unapologetic sexuality, I also happened to identify with Prudence's penchant for "tormenting mortal boys." Even though she and Sabrina don't always see eye to eye, Prudence will still put pettiness aside when it comes to standing up for other women — and as we battle our own Dark Lord (Orange Lord?) offscreen, what better message is there than that?"

"In addition to Crazy Rich Asians being a groundbreaking film as a whole, I would be remiss not to call out Constance Wu's impressive, heartbreaking, deeply entertaining performance as Rachel, a fish out of water in the most luxurious place on earth: the upper echelons of Singapore's elite. Romantic comedies rarely get the respect they deserve, but thanks to a beautiful love story and Wu's grounding presence in the film, Crazy Rich Asians made me want to stand up and cheer multiple times over (spoiler alert: I did cheer, apologies to those sitting next to me in the theater.)"

"I love Marlo's character in Tully. That movie is just incredible, and she sheds some much-needed light on the not-so-glamorous aspects of giving birth and being a mom. As much as we love scrolling through our Instagram feed and seeing newborn baby photos, that's not the whole story. What about mom?! Charlize Theron really crushes it as Marlo, and I'm happy it led to so many open conversations centering on postpartum psychosis."

"There are a lot of women on this list who I would not want to go toe-to-toe with, verbally or physically, but chief among them is Veronica (aka Her Majesty Viola Davis) from Steve McQueen's Widows. Intelligent? Beyond belief. The owner of the most perfect dog alive? Unquestionably. Ready to shoot anyone and everyone who gets in her way? You better believe it. While Ocean's 8 is a fun addition to the all-female heist genre, Davis's tough-as-nails performance — dashed with a raw streak of vulnerability as only she can — elevates Widows into being not only the best heist movie of the year, but one of the best movies of the year, period."

"Over the past two seasons, I've become a huge fan of Timeless, but I've really fallen in love with the character of Lucy Preston, played by Abigail Spencer. Not only is she intelligent and witty, but she's also incredibly strong. Even though the character has faced a lot of adversity, she never gives up and continues to fight for what she believes is right."

"Joelle has been my favorite since season one of DWP, but season two felt like such a revelation into her character and why she moves the way she does. Brilliant, perceptive, and funny as hell, Joelle is a queen among queens. She's not afraid to speak up and fight for what's right, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have her moments of insecurity like everyone else. Season two provides Joelle her own episode where she explains that even though she was the IT girl of her high school and her class's valedictorian, college has been the social reset that she didn't expect. She's still thriving: she's top of her class, found her posse of like-minded individuals, and even goes outside of her comfort zone to befriend Gabe (behind Sam's back). But still, her friendship with Sam brings up feelings of inadequacy stemming from the age-old colorism that inspires comparisons like Joelle being "the Kelly Rowland" to Sam's Beyoncé.

But Kelly is f*cking fire and so is Joelle! While Joelle's journey to feeling "seen" does involve the attention (and beat down) of her romantic interests, it's the way she learns to stand up for her own validation throughout the season that inspired me. Advice (more like tough love, but I digress) from Coco reminds her that she is complicit in Sam's frequent inability to pay attention to Joelle's wants or needs past her own. Hopefully, this changes the dynamic of their friendship into the next season and we get to see a lot more of Joelle being a boss like she's meant to be."

"As the titular Dumplin' at the heart of Netflix's endearing dramedy, Willowdean, a 'self-proclaimed fat girl,' decides to regain her confidence by entering the beauty pageant run by her thin, judgmental mother in their small Texas town. Unlike other movies to come out this year, Dumplin' is a masterclass in empowerment and self-acceptance, opting to make the focus of the film about a young woman falling in love with herself rather than simply falling in love with a boy (no matter how hot Bo Larson is). It's not until Willowdean accepts herself as beautiful, no matter her size, that she's able to start making the right decisions in life."