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Rise of the heroine

new action stars

In author Suzanne Collins' popular series "The Hunger Games," Katniss Everdeen never intended to become a heroine. But the teen didn't only inspire Collins' readers and the filmgoers who turned up for the 2012 movie adaptation, her success has also helped fuel an appetite in Hollywood for movies featuring young women in empowered roles. "'Hunger Games' helped 'City of Bones' get made," noted Cassandra Clare. "That movie proved that people are willing to go watch a teenage girl kick butt."

Before there was Katniss, there was Bella Swan, the girl in love with a vampire in Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight." That film series was among the first to prove that an audience of young women could turn a book series into a successful franchise.

Yet despite the inspiration — and money — generated by films such as these, female roles are still a fraction of the total speaking parts in movies, according to a new study. Among the 100 highest-grossing movies at last year's U.S. box office, the study reported, only 28.4 percent of speaking characters were female. That's a drop from 32.8 percent three years ago.

As more franchises such as "The Mortal Instruments" and "The Hunger Games" draw in audiences, the hope is that this trend will be reversed. And it is certainly true that these films are having an effect on young actresses, who now want to play the hero rather than the princess waiting to be rescued.

"I'm a strong advocate of taking charge," said Shailene Woodley, who stars in next year's "Divergent." Based on Veronica Roth's series of novels, the film tells the story of Beatrice Prior, a gifted teenager who finds herself in a position to affect the future of humanity. "Right now, there are so many films that depict young women as strong and courageous," said Woodley, who will play Beatrice.

Vanessa Taylor, who is writing the screenplay for "Divergent," is hopeful that the wave of female-driven films indicates something permanent. "There came a point when we all decided that the princess couldn't be saved all the time, that it was no longer appropriate considering what girls and women were doing in the world," she said. "First, we saw lots of feisty princesses, who actually had weapons and could help save the prince. Then came these female heroes and it's their story — they are the prince."

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