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:
“We are caught up Mr. Perry on a great wave whether we will or no, a great wave of expansion and progress. All these mechanical inventions—telephones, electricity, steel bridges, horseless vehicles—they are all leading somewhere. It’s up to us to be on the inside in the forefront of progress.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)
“When Lady Mary Tufton married Dr. Duncan, an elderly physician, Mr. George Selwyn said, “How often will she say with Macbeth ‘Wake, Duncan, with thy knocking—would thou couldst!’””
—Horace Walpole (1717–1797)