The screen goddess is a formidable figure, renowned for her power, complexity and so often beauty. From Joan Crawford and Bette Davis to Laverne Cox and Michelle Yeoh, these women disrupted and redefined the female ideal by pushing boundaries, fighting gender stereotypes and transcending tired tropes.

Goddess examines cinema history through a feminist lens, charting the evolution of women’s on-screen representation and challenging dominant narratives and misconceptions. Contributors, including film critics, actors, podcasters, journalists and academics, share behind-the-scenes stories and celebrate some of cinema’s most memorable female characters at a time when the film industry is undergoing a long-awaited reckoning.