20 Most Influential Actors Of All Time

Katharine Hepburn is as known for fierce independence and spirited personality than she is for her enormously successful career. With four Academy Awards to her name and a catalogue of great performances, Hepburn is the perfect image of a powerful star and a hero of the screen and stage.

From her roles in The African Queen, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter and On Golden Pond, she made a career from shunning the stereotypes of on-screen women, and each of her many characters carry an air of strength, resilience and independence rarely seen at the time. Biographers and critics alike have stated that it is a testament to her unconventional roles and sheer captivation on screen that she was able to bring to Hollywood a new breed of strong-willed female characters.

Often seen playing opinionated and happily outspoken women, Hepburn was at her best when clashing with intelligent and brash men, and to each of her roles she managed to balance both comedy, sternness and a degree of nobility.

Whilst her on-screen presence and talent cannot be denied, she also spread her influence to the rest of society, aiding in shifting gender attitudes. Her roles and her personal life aided in bringing an increased focus to feminist issues, and many of her characters are seen today as feminist icons. Hepburn not only paved the way for great things in cinema, she also made change beyond the screen which cement her as one of Hollywood's best exports.