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To celebrate her latest turn as a sophisticated and lethal spy, we’re looking back at some of cinema history’s most unforgettable female spies and assassins. From Angelina Jolie’s chameleon-like Evelyn Salt to Charlize Theron’s ice-cold MI6 agent in Atomic Blonde, these women redefine espionage with intelligence, style, and an unmatched ability to outmaneuver their enemies.
Cate Blanchett in Black Bag (Steven Soderbergh, 2025)
Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag (2025) thrusts Cate Blanchett into a world of high-stakes espionage and marital mind games. Playing British intelligence officer Katheryn Woodhouse, she shares the screen with Michael Fassbender’s George Woodhouse, her husband, fellow spy, and potential enemy. Channeling electric chemistry that echoes Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Blanchett delivers a razor-sharp performance as a spy forced to choose between her mission and her marriage. Nerdspin is diving into some of the most iconic female spy performances in thriller cinema history to celebrate Cate Blanchett’s latest turn as a British spy.
Angelina Jolie in Salt (Phillip Noyce, 2010)
In Salt, Angelina Jolie is a force of nature as Evelyn Salt, a chameleonic CIA officer with a highly mysterious past that keeps the audience guessing. Salt is a bullet-dodging spy who is interrogating Russian defectors one moment before being suspected of being a double agent the next moment. Jolie brings her signature mix of steely intensity and magnetic charisma to her performance. With every disguise, daring escape, and perfectly executed takedown, she proves that trust is a luxury in the world of espionage. Jolie’s performance as Evelyn Salt even rivals her lead role as Jane Smith opposite Brad Pitt.
Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde (David Leitch, 2017)
Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde commands the screen as MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton. Broughton is dispatched to Communist East Berlin, days before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, to recover The List, a document that has been lost with the names of every active agent in Berlin. Wrapped in a wardrobe of trench coats and stylish boots, she moves through the neon-soaked streets of late 1980s Berlin with an effortless cool that reflects her ruthless nature. Whether dispatching enemies with precision or coolly deceiving Russian KGB operatives, Theron embodies the image of a resilient spy who is as emotionally intense as she is physically unstoppable.
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Jennifer Lawrence in Red Sparrow (Francis Lawrence, 2018)
Jennifer Lawrence transforms into Dominika Egorova, a former ballet dancer who becomes a Russian intelligence operative trained to use seduction as a weapon. Forced into entering a specialist training school for “Sparrows”, Egorova becomes a highly trained Russian operative and “Sparrow” who tempts targets into fatal honeytraps. Lawrence brings an icy intensity to the role, especially when her loyalties are tested and she has the opportunity to become a CIA double agent. Slick and seductive, Jennifer Lawrence in Red Sparrow proves that in spy thrillers, power can be intoxicating, and it is best to stay in control of your senses to ensure you’re one step ahead of your enemy.
Jessica Chastain in Ava (Tate Taylor, 2020)
In Ava (2020), Jessica Chastain goes full throttle in one of her most memorable performances as a deadly assassin with a target on her back. After a mission goes wrong, Ava is hunted by the superior agents who trained her, forcing her into a brutal fight for her own survival. With betrayals lurking around every corner, including from untrustworthy characters played by John Malkovich and Colin Farrell, Chastain delivers a no-nonsense performance with equal parts of precision and raw intensity. If you love the idea of a beautiful armed killer with a conscience, Ava hits all the marks.
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Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow (Cate Shortland, 2021)
Scarlett Johansson may have confirmed that she has no plans to return to her infamous Black Widow role. But it won’t be easy to forget Natasha Romanoff. The Black Widow isn’t just a spy – she’s a force of nature in a sleek catsuit, armed with skills in hand-to-hand combat from her training as a Red Room assassin. She was the backbone of the Avengers in the MCU, outmaneuvering her enemies, including the Taskmaster, and leading the Avengers for five years until she sacrificed herself to obtain the Soul Stone. One of the MCU’s more memorable characters, Johansson made Black Widow more than just a femme fatale—she made her an unforgettable assassin.
Nicole Kidman in The Interpreter (Sydney Pollack, 2005)
Nicole Kidman brings her signature icy poise to The Interpreter (2005), where she’s not quite a spy—but close enough. As a UN linguist who overhears an assassination plot, she’s plunged into a world of political intrigue, shadowy agendas, and tense cat-and-mouse games. With Sidney Pollack’s slick direction and Nicola Kidman’s calm intensity, the film crackles with polished thriller energy. Watch out for the ending, when all diplomatic immunity goes out the window and Kidman dives into some explosive action scenes.
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Sofia Boutella – Kingsman: The Secret Service (Matthew Vaughn, 2014)
Sofia Boutella, with an acting CV including Star Trek Beyond (2016) and Atomic Blonde (2017) star, makes her mark in Kingsman: The Secret Service. Despite playing a supporting character, Gazelle, she is a mesmerizing and brutal screen presence across the screen in Matthew Vaughn’s film. As the lethal right-hand assassin of a sinister billionaire, she blends elegance with pure menace, moving like a phantom and striking her targets within seconds. Every moment she’s on-screen crackles with danger—because when Gazelle is around, death is always a short moment away.
Gina Carano – Haywire (Steven Soderbergh, 2011)
Gina Carano is a one-woman wrecking ball in Haywire (2011), another spy thriller by Steven Soderbergh. Carano brings bone-crunching realism to the spy thriller genre within Soderbergh’s story about a super-secret intelligence firm that handles black operations on behalf of wealthy clients. As martial arts-trained agent Mallory Kane, Gina Carano plays a double-crossed character hunted by multiple enemies – bad news for anyone at the end of her gun. With a steely gaze and brutal efficiency, Carano’s fight scenes hit harder than most, making every punch, kick, and takedown feel thrillingly real. Forget the gadgets – Carano, as Mallory, is a weapon.
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