Awards & Winners

Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead

Independent Spirit Awards

The Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Female Lead is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.

Check all the winners of Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead presented under Independent Spirit Awards since 1986 .


Michelle Williams

Honored for : My Week with Marilyn
(Role: Marilyn Monroe)

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lauren Ambrose Think of Me
Rachael Harris Natural Selection
Adepero Oduye Pariah
Elizabeth Olsen Martha Marcy May Marlene
Michelle Williams My Week with Marilyn
Role: Marilyn Monroe

Natalie Portman

Honored for : Black Swan

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Annette Bening The Kids Are All Right
Jennifer Lawrence Winter\u2019s Bone
Greta Gerwig Greenberg
Michelle Williams Blue Valentine
Nicole Kidman Rabbit Hole
Natalie Portman Black Swan

Gabourey Sidibe

Honored for : Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Gwyneth Paltrow Two Lovers
Helen Mirren The Last Station
Nisreen Faour Amreeka
Maria Bello Downloading Nancy
Gabourey Sidibe Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Melissa Leo

Honored for : Frozen River

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tarra Riggs Ballast
Melissa Leo Frozen River
Anne Hathaway Rachel Getting Married
Summer Bishil Towelhead
Michelle Williams Wendy and Lucy

Ellen Page

Honored for : Juno

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Angelina Jolie A Mighty Heart
Parker Posey Broken English
Sienna Miller Interview
Ellen Page Juno
Tang Wei Lust, Caution

Shareeka Epps

Honored for : Half Nelson

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Catherine O'Hara For Your Consideration
Shareeka Epps Half Nelson
Michelle Williams Land of Plenty
Robin Wright Sorry, Haters
Elizabeth Reaser Sweet Land

Felicity Huffman

Honored for : Transamerica

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Dina Korzun Forty Shades of Blue
S. Epatha Merkerson Lackawanna Blues
Cyndi Williams Room
Laura Linney The Squid and the Whale
Felicity Huffman Transamerica

Catalina Sandino Moreno

Honored for : Maria Full of Grace

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kyra Sedgwick Cavedweller
Vera Farmiga Down to the Bone
Catalina Sandino Moreno Maria Full of Grace
Judy Marte On the Outs
Kimberly Elise Woman Thou Art Loosed

Charlize Theron

Honored for : Monster

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Zooey Deschanel All the Real Girls
Agnes Bruckner Blue Car
Samantha Morton In America
Charlize Theron Monster
Elisabeth Moss Virgin

Julianne Moore

Honored for : Far from Heaven

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julianne Moore Far from Heaven
Catherine Keener Lovely & Amazing
Parker Posey Personal Velocity: Three Portraits
Maggie Gyllenhaal Secretary
Jennifer Aniston The Good Girl

Sissy Spacek

Honored for : In the Bedroom

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sissy Spacek In the Bedroom
Kerry Washington Lift
Molly Parker The Center of the World
Tilda Swinton The Deep End
Kim Dickens Things Behind the Sun

Ellen Burstyn

Honored for : Requiem for a Dream

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sanaa Lathan Love & Basketball
Ellen Burstyn Requiem for a Dream
Joan Allen The Contender
Kelly Macdonald Two Family House
Laura Linney You Can Count on Me

Ally Sheedy

Honored for : High Art

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alfre Woodard Down in the Delta
Ally Sheedy High Art
Robin Tunney Niagara, Niagara
Christina Ricci The Opposite of Sex
Katrin Cartlidge Claire Dolan

Hilary Swank

Honored for : Boys Don't Cry

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alfre Woodard Down in the Delta
Ally Sheedy High Art
Robin Tunney Niagara, Niagara
Christina Ricci The Opposite of Sex
Katrin Cartlidge Claire Dolan

Julie Christie

Honored for : Afterglow

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julie Christie Afterglow
Alison Folland All Over Me
Stacy Edwards In the Company of Men
Robin Wright Loved
Lisa Harrow Sunday

Frances McDormand

Honored for : Fargo

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
María Conchita Alonso Caught
Frances McDormand Fargo
Scarlett Johansson Manny & Lo
Renée Zellweger The Whole Wide World
Catherine Keener Walking and Talking

Elisabeth Shue

Honored for : Leaving Las Vegas

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jennifer Jason Leigh Georgia
Elisabeth Shue Leaving Las Vegas
Elina Löwensohn Nadja
Julianne Moore Safe
Lili Taylor The Addiction

Linda Fiorentino

Honored for : The Last Seduction

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Chien-lien Wu Eat Drink Man Woman
Lauren Vélez I Like It Like That
Jennifer Jason Leigh Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
Linda Fiorentino The Last Seduction
Karen Sillas What Happened Was

Ashley Judd

Honored for : Ruby in Paradise

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ariyan A. Johnson Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.
Emma Thompson Much Ado About Nothing
Ashley Judd Ruby in Paradise
Suzy Amis The Ballad of Little Jo
May Chin The Wedding Banquet

Fairuza Balk

Honored for : Gas Food Lodging

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Fairuza Balk Gas Food Lodging
Catherine Keener Johnny Suede
Edie Falco Laws of Gravity
Cynda Williams One False Move
Sheryl Lee Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

Judy Davis

Honored for : Impromptu

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lili Taylor Bright Angel
Judy Davis Impromptu
Mimi Rogers The Rapture
Lily Tomlin The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe
Patsy Kensit Twenty-One

Anjelica Huston

Honored for : The Grifters

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Eszter Balint Bail Jumper
Carolyn Farina Metropolitan
Joanne Woodward Mr. & Mrs. Bridge
Anjelica Huston The Grifters
Mary Alice To Sleep with Anger

Andie MacDowell

Honored for : Sex, Lies, and Videotape

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Kelly Lynch Drugstore Cowboy
Winona Ryder Heathers
Youki Kudoh Mystery Train
Andie MacDowell Sex, Lies, and Videotape
Annabella Sciorra True Love

Sally Kirkland

Honored for : Anna

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sally Kirkland Anna
Joanne Woodward The Glass Menagerie
Lillian Gish The Whales of August
Debra Sandlund Tough Guys Don't Dance
Louise Smith Working Girls

Jodie Foster

Honored for : Five Corners

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sally Kirkland Anna
Joanne Woodward The Glass Menagerie
Lillian Gish The Whales of August
Debra Sandlund Tough Guys Don't Dance
Louise Smith Working Girls

Isabella Rossellini

Honored for : Blue Velvet

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Isabella Rossellini Blue Velvet
Laura Dern Blue Velvet
Patricia Charbonneau Desert Hearts
Elpidia Carrillo Salvador
Tracy Camilla Johns She's Gotta Have It

Geraldine Page

Honored for : The Trip to Bountiful

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Rosanna Arquette After Hours
Laura Dern Smooth Talk
Geraldine Page The Trip to Bountiful
Lori Singer Trouble in Mind