A leading lady can also be an actress of renown. For example, Lynn Fontanne and Helen Hayes were both referred to as the 'leading lady of the theatre' in their time. Similarly, Mary Pickford was called the 'leading lady' of the cinema.
The epithet has been applied to an actress who is often associated with one particular actor, for example, Olivia de Havilland was Errol Flynn's leading lady in several films, Katharine Hepburn had a similar association with Spencer Tracy, and Lauren Bacall with Humphrey Bogart and Maureen O'Hara with John Wayne. A leading lady is also an actress who is typecast in romantic supporting roles.
The term is also used collectively, as in 'Hollywood's leading ladies' to refer to a group of notable, famous or popular actresses.
Famous quotes containing the words leading and/or lady:
“America is essentially a woman’s country—why shouldn’t the leading novelists be women?”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“Och, Dublin City, there is no doubtin’,
Bates every city upon the say;
‘Tis there you’ll see O’Connell spoutin’,
An’ Lady Morgan makin’ tay;
For ‘tis the capital of the finest nation,
Wid charmin’ pisintry on a fruitful sod,
Fightin’ like divils for conciliation
An’ hatin’ each other for the love of God.”
—Charles James Lever (1809–1872)