Most Famous Progressive Hollywood Actresses

From climate action and voter registration to gender equity and immigrant rights, many Hollywood actresses put real time and resources into causes they care about. Below are forty-five widely recognized stars whose advocacy includes founding organizations, supporting policy-focused coalitions, and using their platforms to mobilize volunteers and donations. Each entry highlights concrete initiatives, campaigns, or leadership roles tied to their activism.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda launched Fire Drill Fridays in 2019 to push for federal climate action, organizing weekly protests and teach-ins in Washington, D.C., and nationwide. She has raised funds for climate groups and backed policies focused on reducing fossil-fuel dependence. Fonda’s activism stretches back decades, including work on veterans’ issues and women’s rights. She collaborates with environmental organizations on voter education and climate-focused turnout efforts.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis co-founded JuVee Productions in 2011 to develop inclusive stories and expand opportunities for underrepresented creators. She has spoken publicly about pay equity and the need for systemic change in hiring and greenlighting practices. Davis supports scholarships and mentorship programs aimed at increasing access for young artists of color. She lends her platform to voting-rights drives and criminal-justice reform initiatives.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman helped support the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund to provide resources for people facing workplace harassment. She has campaigned for animal welfare and environmental reform, including promoting factory-farming alternatives through documentary work. Portman participates in get-out-the-vote efforts and civic-education campaigns. She backs arts-education programs that broaden access to filmmaking and performance.

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep supports organizations advancing women’s legal protections and leadership, including contributions to legal-defense funds and policy advocacy groups. She has backed museum and scholarship initiatives that preserve and teach women’s history. Streep participates in events focused on press freedom and the role of the arts in civic life. She uses major award-stage visibility to highlight threats to civil liberties and equal rights.

Susan Sarandon

Susan Sarandon has a long record of issue-based campaigning that includes labor rights, antiwar activism, and criminal-justice reform. She has partnered with humanitarian organizations on refugee assistance and disaster relief. Sarandon frequently joins marches, benefit performances, and fundraising telethons for progressive causes. She amplifies grassroots campaigns that center housing rights and access to healthcare.

Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington advocates for voting rights, working with nonpartisan groups to increase voter registration and turnout. She supports arts-education programs that connect civic learning with storytelling and performance. Washington uses social-media campaigns and PSAs to promote ballot access and election information. She collaborates with legal-aid organizations focused on protecting voting rights.

America Ferrera

America Ferrera co-founded Harness in 2016 to connect artists with community leaders and provide resources for civic engagement. She has worked on immigration-reform advocacy and family-separation awareness campaigns. Ferrera helped launch initiatives encouraging Latinx voter participation and leadership development. She moderates town halls and storytelling events that link policy discussions with lived experience.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie has served for years with UNHCR, focusing on refugee protection, anti-sexual violence in conflict, and international humanitarian law. She has briefed legislative bodies on asylum policy and supported reforms to protect displaced families. Jolie funds scholarships and legal-aid programs for children affected by war and persecution. She supports domestic initiatives aimed at improving foster care and child-welfare systems.

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron founded the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project in 2007 to support youth-focused HIV prevention and community health programs. She has backed campaigns to prevent gender-based violence and to protect LGBTQ+ rights. Theron’s foundation funds local partners that deliver education, safety, and health services. She supports voter-education efforts tied to public-health and human-rights policy.

Alyssa Milano

Alyssa Milano helped catalyze broader workplace-harassment conversations by amplifying survivor voices and connecting them with legal resources. She works with groups focused on gun-safety legislation and background-check expansion. Milano has advocated for paid family leave and access to healthcare through congressional outreach and public petitions. She partners with voter-registration organizations during election cycles.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain is an advocate for pay equity and contractual transparency in the film industry. She supports organizations that provide legal assistance and safety standards for workers on set. Chastain mentors emerging women filmmakers and backs labs that finance women-led projects. She uses festival platforms to elevate inclusion riders and equitable hiring practices.

Brie Larson

Brie Larson has supported initiatives to improve representation in film journalism and criticism, including programs that credential underrepresented writers at major festivals. She has promoted inclusion riders and industry accountability in hiring and marketing. Larson participates in campaigns that address online harassment and safety for creators. She supports youth media-education programs that expand access to filmmaking tools.

Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley has a public record of environmental activism, including on-the-ground protest participation to oppose pipeline construction. She co-founded All It Takes, a nonprofit that teaches young people leadership and environmental stewardship. Woodley supports ocean-conservation groups and plastic-waste reduction initiatives. She joins voter-registration and climate-turnout drives targeting first-time voters.

Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson co-founded Voto Latino in 2004 to boost civic engagement, voter registration, and leadership development in Latino communities. The organization runs digital outreach, campus tours, and election-information tools each cycle. Dawson supports criminal-justice reform and youth-mentorship programs. She hosts town halls and training sessions to connect volunteers with local election offices.

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria co-founded the Latino Victory Project in 2014 to recruit, train, and support Latino candidates and increase participation in the political process. She established a foundation that funds STEM and entrepreneurship programs for Latinas. Longoria produces documentaries and series that spotlight education equity and worker rights. She partners with voter-mobilization groups to provide bilingual resources and election reminders.

Emma Watson

Emma Watson served as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and launched the HeForShe campaign to engage men and boys in gender equality. She created the Our Shared Shelf book club to spotlight feminist literature and intersectional issues. Watson has advocated for parental leave and workplace transparency in the entertainment industry. She supports sustainable fashion initiatives addressing labor standards and environmental impact.

Laverne Cox

Laverne Cox has worked with civil-rights organizations to advance transgender equality, focusing on anti-discrimination protections and healthcare access. She executive produced the documentary ‘Disclosure’, which examines trans representation in media. Cox testifies, speaks on campuses, and participates in policy briefings on LGBTQ+ rights. She supports programs that provide legal assistance to transgender youth and their families.

Regina King

Regina King pledged to produce projects with at least 50 percent women and has pushed for inclusive hiring in her productions. She supports voting-rights groups that provide registration tools and nonpartisan election information. King collaborates with organizations that fund scholarships and mentorship for young filmmakers of color. She participates in public-facing campaigns addressing police accountability and community investment.

Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson founded the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation to expand mental-health services in Black communities. The foundation funds school-based counselors, therapy scholarships, and culturally competent provider training. Henson convenes annual conferences to connect clinicians, educators, and advocates. She supports workplace mental-health standards and awareness campaigns across the entertainment industry.

Salma Hayek Pinault

Salma Hayek Pinault co-founded Chime for Change to support global projects in education, health, and justice for girls and women. The initiative has funded community-led programs and policy advocacy in dozens of countries. Hayek has worked with UN agencies and NGOs on combating gender-based violence. She supports migrant and refugee assistance efforts through fundraising and awareness campaigns.

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore is a longtime supporter of gun-violence-prevention groups, participating in fundraising, public service announcements, and survivor events. She has advocated for background checks and safe-storage laws at state and federal levels. Moore uses film-festival platforms to host conversations with policy experts and community organizers. She supports arts-education initiatives that incorporate civic engagement.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway serves as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador with a focus on paid parental leave and caregiving policy. She has addressed international labor bodies on fair-work standards for families. Hathaway supports organizations that provide legal aid to workers facing discrimination and harassment. She participates in voter-registration drives and reproductive-health advocacy.

Patricia Arquette

Patricia Arquette is a leading voice for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and has campaigned for state-by-state efforts. She co-founded GiveLove, a nonprofit delivering ecological sanitation solutions in disaster zones and low-resource communities. Arquette supports wage-transparency reforms and equal-pay legislation within the entertainment industry. She organizes benefit events to fund legal and lobbying work for gender equality.

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon founded Hello Sunshine to champion women-led stories and to shift industry power toward diverse creators. She supports programs that train and finance women writers, directors, and producers. Witherspoon has backed workplace-safety standards and anti-harassment resources for film and TV crews. She participates in nonpartisan voter-education efforts tied to media literacy.

Zendaya

Zendaya partners with groups that provide youth civic-education resources and has supported registration campaigns for first-time voters. She amplifies mutual-aid and racial-justice organizations, directing audiences to vetted donation links and volunteer opportunities. Zendaya has worked with fashion and beauty partners on scholarship and mentorship programs. She supports mental-health and anti-bullying initiatives for students.

Yara Shahidi

Yara Shahidi founded Eighteen x 18—now WeVoteNext—to help first-time voters navigate registration and elections. She launched Yara’s Club with the Young Women’s Leadership Schools to provide mentorship and college-readiness programming. Shahidi collaborates with education nonprofits on classroom resources that connect civics and media literacy. She participates in national voter-turnout campaigns and youth leadership summits.

Sophia Bush

Sophia Bush is a founding member and prominent ambassador for I Am a Voter., a nonpartisan movement that provides registration tools, election reminders, and civic education. She supports the ERA Coalition and organizations protecting reproductive rights. Bush hosts fundraisers and digital teach-ins with policy experts and activists. She works with youth mental-health and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups on community programming.

Jameela Jamil

Jameela Jamil created the I Weigh platform to promote body neutrality, disability rights, and broader social-justice education. She has campaigned for restrictions on diet-product advertising to minors on social platforms. Jamil collaborates with mental-health charities to expand access to support services and crisis resources. She produces educational content that connects media literacy with consumer protection.

Sarah Paulson

Sarah Paulson supports LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive rights, and civil-liberties groups through fundraising, auction campaigns, and public service announcements. She participates in benefits for organizations that fund litigation and community health services. Paulson uses premieres and award-season events to spotlight partner groups’ volunteer needs. She supports arts-education programs that integrate anti-bullying and inclusion training.

Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde co-founded Conscious Commerce to connect brands with nonprofits, funding projects in education, health, and community development. She partners with humanitarian groups on maternal and child-health initiatives. Wilde has supported youth-led voter-registration drives and produced PSAs that direct audiences to election resources. She collaborates on climate and sustainability campaigns linked to film-production practices.

Ashley Judd

Ashley Judd has advocated for survivors’ rights at the United Nations and helped organize large-scale marches addressing workplace harassment and gender-based violence. She supports programs that provide legal aid and trauma services for survivors. Judd has worked with global health organizations on maternal-health and HIV-prevention initiatives. She participates in policy briefings aimed at strengthening international protections for women and girls.

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence has partnered with RepresentUs to promote anti-corruption and electoral-reform measures such as ranked-choice voting and ethics rules. She narrates educational content explaining policy proposals and citizen-led initiatives. Lawrence participates in voter-registration and turnout efforts targeting young voters. She supports campaigns that address disinformation and civic-literacy gaps.

Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell supports No-Kids-Policy media guidelines and works with organizations addressing youth mental health. She has raised funds for clean-water projects and school-based counseling services. Bell participates in voting-information PSAs and registration drives. She backs workplace-respect training and anti-harassment resources for film and television crews.

Danai Gurira

Danai Gurira serves as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador focusing on gender equality and anti-violence initiatives. She founded Love Our Girls to spotlight organizations working for women’s rights and health. Gurira supports education programs in Zimbabwe and the United States that expand access for girls. She participates in global forums connecting arts advocacy with policy change.

Constance Wu

Constance Wu supports immigrant-rights organizations and initiatives combating harassment and discrimination. She has worked with community groups to expand language-accessible legal services. Wu participates in voter-education campaigns aimed at first-time and naturalized citizens. She supports industry inclusion standards that broaden opportunities for Asian American storytellers.

Uzo Aduba

Uzo Aduba advocates for mental-health access and partners with nonprofits that provide community-based services. She supports voting-rights organizations through PSAs, fundraisers, and digital outreach. Aduba participates in campaigns that connect arts education with civic engagement for students. She backs workplace-equity initiatives designed to improve hiring and retention of underrepresented talent.

Amber Tamblyn

Amber Tamblyn co-founded groups that provide resources for survivors of harassment in the entertainment industry. She writes and speaks about policy reforms that strengthen reporting systems and legal support. Tamblyn supports voting-access and reproductive-health organizations through fundraising and public education. She mentors emerging writers and filmmakers advocating for safer sets.

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin has supported environmental and animal-welfare groups for decades through benefit performances and campaigns. She partners with LGBTQ+ organizations on youth-support and elder-care programs. Tomlin raises funds for community clinics and arts-education programs serving low-income students. She participates in voter-education efforts tied to local issue campaigns.

Laura Dern

Laura Dern supports reproductive-health and environmental organizations, appearing at benefits and policy roundtables. She has raised funds for domestic-violence shelters and survivor-support services. Dern participates in youth-mentorship programs that connect arts training with civic leadership. She backs industry initiatives promoting safety standards and equitable hiring.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Priyanka Chopra Jonas serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, advocating for child rights, education, and healthcare access. She supports refugee-aid programs and campaigns combating child marriage. Chopra Jonas participates in fundraising for disaster relief and vaccine equity. She uses global press tours to direct audiences to vetted donation portals and volunteer hubs.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett has worked closely with UNHCR to advocate for refugee protection and resettlement pathways. She supports arts-and-refugee projects that provide training and employment for displaced people. Blanchett participates in parliamentary briefings and public campaigns that counter misinformation on asylum. She backs sustainable-production standards within the film industry.

Debra Messing

Debra Messing supports voting-rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and reproductive-health organizations through fundraising and large-scale digital outreach. She participates in nonpartisan registration drives and election-information campaigns. Messing collaborates with media-literacy groups to combat disinformation and promote verified resources. She lends her platform to rapid-response humanitarian relief efforts.

Busy Philipps

Busy Philipps advocates for reproductive-health access and supports legal-defense funds for patients and providers. She participates in statehouse testimonies and public-education campaigns on healthcare rights. Philipps raises funds for youth mental-health services and school-based counseling. She uses social platforms to connect followers with local volunteer opportunities and clinics.

Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Ellis Ross supports pay-equity initiatives and industry standards that increase opportunities for women and creators of color. She partners with organizations delivering entrepreneurship and financial-literacy programs. Ross participates in voting-information PSAs and turnout efforts. She backs mentorship pipelines that prepare young women for leadership roles in media.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson supports racial-justice and LGBTQ+ organizations, appearing in benefits and policy conversations. She has worked with coalitions promoting inclusion riders and equitable casting practices. Thompson participates in voter-mobilization campaigns targeting first-time and infrequent voters. She supports mutual-aid networks that fund community safety and arts programs.

Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams advocates for wage transparency and equal-pay legislation, highlighting contract-negotiation reforms in entertainment. She supports legal-aid groups that address labor and discrimination cases. Williams participates in benefits for reproductive-health providers and community clinics. She backs mentorship programs for women in film production and composing.

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer supports scholarship funds and training programs that expand access to STEM and filmmaking for underserved students. She raises funds for organizations combating food insecurity and homelessness. Spencer participates in voter-education events tied to local and state elections. She backs industry initiatives that create internships and apprenticeships for underrepresented talent.

Danai Gurira

Danai Gurira serves as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and founded Love Our Girls to share resources for women’s health and rights. She supports education access programs and anti-violence campaigns in Africa and the U.S. Gurira appears at global forums linking creative work to policy solutions. She partners with groups that train young activists in advocacy skills.

Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones supports criminal-justice reform and education-equity organizations through fundraising and documentary production. She participates in campaigns that expand broadband and technology access for students. Jones backs voter-registration tools that reach young and first-time voters. She collaborates with environmental groups on plastic-waste reduction efforts.

Sandra Oh

Sandra Oh supports anti-racism and mental-health initiatives serving Asian American communities. She participates in campus and community events that provide bystander-intervention and civic-engagement training. Oh raises funds for refugee-support and language-access programs. She backs arts organizations that commission underrepresented playwrights and filmmakers.

Share which actresses you’d add to this expanded list—and the specific initiatives you think deserve more attention—in the comments!