The Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture is one of the annual awards given by the International Press Academy. The category has gone through several changes since its inception. From 1996 to 2010, two categories based on genre were presented, Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama and Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical In 2011, the IPA pared down its Satellite nominations in the motion picture categories from 22 to 19 classifications; the change reflects the merger of drama and comedy under a general Best Picture heading, including the Best Actor/Actress headings and the Supporting headings. In 2016 and 2017, two winners were announced within the Best Actor category, one for the performance by an actor in a major studio film and other for a performance in an independent film. Since 2018, the two categories based on genre are presented again replacing the Best Actor in a Motion Picture category for the Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and Best Actor – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical categories previously presented.
Winners and nominees
Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama (1996–2010, 2018–present) YearActressFilmRole 1996 Frances McDormand Fargo Marge Gunderson Brenda Blethyn Secrets & Lies Cynthia Rose Purley Robin Wright Penn Moll Flanders Moll Flanders Kristin Scott Thomas The English Patient Katharine Clifton Emily Watson Breaking the Waves Bess McNeill 1997 Judi Dench Mrs. Brown Queen Victoria Joan Allen The Ice Storm Elena Hood Helena Bonham Carter The Wings of the Dove Kate Croy Julie Christie Afterglow Phyllis Mann Kate Winslet Titanic Rose DeWitt-Bukater 1998 Cate Blanchett Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth Helena Bonham Carter The Theory of Flight Jane Hatchard Fernanda Montenegro Central Station (Central do Brasil) Isadora "Dora" Teixeira Susan Sarandon Stepmom Jackie Harrison Meryl Streep One True Thing Kate Gulden Emily Watson Hilary and Jackie Jacqueline "Jackie" du Pré 1999 Hilary Swank Boys Don't Cry Brandon Teena Annette Bening American Beauty Carolyn Burnham Elaine Cassidy Felicia's Journey Felicia Nicole Kidman Eyes Wide Shut Alice Harford Youki Kudoh Snow Falling on Cedars Hatsue Miyamoto Sigourney Weaver A Map of the World Alice Goodwin 2000 Ellen Burstyn Requiem for a Dream Sara Goldfarb Joan Allen The Contender Laine Hanson Gillian Anderson The House of Mirth Lily Bart Björk Dancer in the Dark Selma Jezkova Laura Linney You Can Count on Me Samantha Prescott Julia Roberts Erin Brockovich Erin Brockovich 2001 Sissy Spacek In the Bedroom Ruth Fowler Cate Blanchett Charlotte Gray Charlotte Gray Judi Dench Iris Iris Murdoch Halle Berry Monster's Ball Leticia Musgrove Nicole Kidman The Others Grace Stewart Tilda Swinton The Deep End Margaret Hall 2002 Diane Lane Unfaithful Connie Sumner Salma Hayek Frida Frida Kahlo Nicole Kidman The Hours Virginia Woolf Julianne Moore Far from Heaven Cathy Whitaker Sigourney Weaver The Guys Joan Meryl Streep The Hours Clarissa Vaughan 2003 Charlize Theron Monster Aileen Wuornos Toni Collette Japanese Story Sandy Edwards Jennifer Connelly House of Sand and Fog Kathy Nicolo Samantha Morton In America Sarah Nikki Reed Thirteen Evie Zamora Naomi Watts 21 Grams Cristina Peck Evan Rachel Wood Thirteen Tracy Louise Freeland 2004 Hilary Swank Million Dollar Baby Maggie Fitzgerald Laura Linney P.S. Louise Harrington Catalina Sandino Moreno Maria Full of Grace (Maria llena eres de gracia) Maria Álvarez Imelda Staunton Vera Drake Vera Drake Uma Thurman Kill Bill: Volume 2 Beatrix Kiddo Sigourney Weaver Imaginary Heroes Sandy Travis 2005 Felicity Huffman Transamerica Stanley Schupak / Sabrina "Bree" Osbourne Toni Collette In Her Shoes Rose Feller Julianne Moore The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio Evelyn Ryan Charlize Theron North Country Josey Aimes Robin Wright Penn Nine Lives Diana Zhang Ziyi Memoirs of a Geisha Chiyo Sakamoto / Sayuri Nitta 2006 Helen Mirren The Queen Queen Elizabeth II Penélope Cruz To Return (Volver) Raimunda Judi Dench Notes on a Scandal Barbara Covett Maggie Gyllenhaal Sherrybaby Sherry Swanson Gretchen Mol The Notorious Bettie Page Bettie Page Kate Winslet Little Children Sarah Pierce 2007 Marion Cotillard La Vie en Rose (La môme) Édith Piaf Julie Christie Away from Her Fiona Anderson Angelina Jolie A Mighty Heart Mariane Pearl Keira Knightley Atonement Cecilia Tallis Laura Linney The Savages Wendy Savage Tilda Swinton Stephanie Daley Lydie Crane 2008 Angelina Jolie Changeling Christine Collins Anne Hathaway Rachel Getting Married Kym Melissa Leo Frozen River Ray Eddy Meryl Streep Doubt Aloysius Beauvier Kristin Scott Thomas I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime) Juliette Fontaine Kate Winslet The Reader Hanna Schmitz 2009 Shohreh Aghdashloo The Stoning of Soraya M. Zahra Emily Blunt The Young Victoria Queen Victoria Abbie Cornish Bright Star Fanny Brawne Penélope Cruz Broken Embraces (Los abrazos rotos) Magdalena "Lena" Rivas Carey Mulligan An Education Jenny Miller Catalina Saavedra The Maid (La nana) Raquel 2010 Noomi Rapace The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Lisbeth Salander Nicole Kidman Rabbit Hole Becca Corbett Jennifer Lawrence Winter's Bone Ree Dolly Helen Mirren The Tempest Prospera Natalie Portman Black Swan Nina Sayers Tilda Swinton I Am Love Emma Recchi Naomi Watts Fair Game Valerie Plame Michelle Williams Blue Valentine Cindy Heller 2018 Glenn Close The Wife Joan Castleman Yalitza Aparicio Roma Cleo Viola Davis Widows Veronica Rawlings Nicole Kidman Destroyer Erin Bell Melissa McCarthy Can You Ever Forgive Me? Lee Israel Rosamund Pike A Private War Marie Colvin 2019 Scarlett Johansson Marriage Story Nicole Barber Cynthia Erivo Harriet Harriet Tubman Helen Mirren The Good Liar Betty McLeish Charlize Theron Bombshell Megyn Kelly Alfre Woodard Clemency Bernadine Williams Renée Zellweger Judy Judy Garland 2020 Frances McDormand Nomadland Fern Viola Davis Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Ma Rainey Vanessa Kirby Pieces of a Woman Martha Weiss Sophia Loren The Life Ahead Madame Rosa Carey Mulligan Promising Young Woman Cassandra "Cassie" Thomas Kate Winslet Ammonite Mary Anning 2021 Kristen Stewart Spencer Princess Diana Jessica Chastain The Eyes of Tammy Faye Tammy Faye Bakker Olivia Colman The Lost Daughter Leda Caruso Penélope Cruz Parallel Mothers Janis Martínez Lady Gaga House of Gucci Patrizia Reggiani Nicole Kidman Being the Ricardos Lucille Ball 2022 Danielle Deadwyler Till Mamie Till Cate Blanchett Tár Lydia Tár Jessica Chastain The Good Nurse Amy Loughren Viola Davis The Woman King General Nanisca Vicky Krieps Corsage Empress Elisabeth of Austria Michelle Williams The Fabelmans Mitzi Fabelman 2023 Lily Gladstone Killers of the Flower Moon Mollie Kyle Penélope Cruz Ferrari Laura Ferrari Sandra Hüller Anatomy of a Fall Sandra Voyter Greta Lee Past Lives Nora Moon Carey Mulligan Maestro Felicia Montealegre Bernstein Natalie Portman May December Elizabeth Berry 2024 Fernanda Torres I'm Still Here Eunice Paiva Lily-Rose Depp Nosferatu Ellen Hutter Angelina Jolie Maria Maria Callas Nicole Kidman Babygirl Romy Mathis Saoirse Ronan The Outrun Rona Tilda Swinton The Room Next Door Martha Hunt 2025 Jessie Buckley Hamnet Agnes Shakespeare Leonie Benesch Late Shift Floria Chase Infiniti One Battle After Another Willa Ferguson Diane Lane Anniversary Ellen Taylor Renate Reinsve Sentimental Value Nora Borg
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (1996–2010, 2018–present)