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Queen Latifah
Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty
02of 14Christina AguileraChristina Aguilera.Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty"I look at the bad asses of how people have evolved in their career, and the vets, like Cher, for example, has just had so many amazing looks in their life. And I love when you can look back at a person’s career and just see the evolution of their creative work, and how they’ve been able to be experimental.I think Madonna’s another great one who has never been afraid to experiment with different looks. Every album has a different kind of era and creative vision. And Björk, those are the women that I think are just so badass in being expressive and unafraid."
02of 14
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera.Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty
“I look at the bad asses of how people have evolved in their career, and the vets, like Cher, for example, has just had so many amazing looks in their life. And I love when you can look back at a person’s career and just see the evolution of their creative work, and how they’ve been able to be experimental.I think Madonna’s another great one who has never been afraid to experiment with different looks. Every album has a different kind of era and creative vision. And Björk, those are the women that I think are just so badass in being expressive and unafraid.”
03of 14
Bethann Hardison
Amanda Jones/WWD via Getty
But I know for me for being inspired, there are a lot of young people today, I look and I go, good for them. Look at them. Right on. Yay team. I see that."
04of 14Brandi Carlile and Catherine ShepherdBrandi Carlile and Catherine Shepard.Matt Winkelmeyer/GettyCatherine:I would say Bonnie Raitt.Brandi:That’s what I was going to say! I love Bonnie Raitt’s ability to speak to the every man while pushing radical concepts that challenge people to think broader about one another. I just think that she is a fantastic activist, speaker, leader. I have so much respect.Catherine:She’s relentless, too. She never lets up. It’s in everything. Her activism is at the forefront of everything she does. Every interview, her songwriting. She’s truly one of our heroes.Brandi:Another woman that I look up to is our friend Allison Russell … She’s changing the way that roots music is shaped and the way it looks throughout this country, which needs to happen. I think it’s down to people like Ali Russell, and Yola.Catherine:And of course, the Indigo Girls.Brandi:I’ve been asking them for advice since I was very young.
04of 14
Brandi Carlile and Catherine Shepherd
Brandi Carlile and Catherine Shepard.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Catherine:I would say Bonnie Raitt.
Brandi:That’s what I was going to say! I love Bonnie Raitt’s ability to speak to the every man while pushing radical concepts that challenge people to think broader about one another. I just think that she is a fantastic activist, speaker, leader. I have so much respect.
Catherine:She’s relentless, too. She never lets up. It’s in everything. Her activism is at the forefront of everything she does. Every interview, her songwriting. She’s truly one of our heroes.
Brandi:Another woman that I look up to is our friend Allison Russell … She’s changing the way that roots music is shaped and the way it looks throughout this country, which needs to happen. I think it’s down to people like Ali Russell, and Yola.
Catherine:And of course, the Indigo Girls.
Brandi:I’ve been asking them for advice since I was very young.
05of 14
Jamie Chung
Stefanie Keenan/Getty
“I surround myself with a lot of supportive women. You know: the friends that will always show up, you got the friend that’ll be your cheerleader, you got the friends that will be an embarrassing parent, that will promote the hell out of you. You know what I mean? Those are the kind of women that influence me a lot. It’s showing that kindness is showing up, being supportive because it’s so hard out there.
06of 14Amber RuffinGotham/WireImage"Currently the king is Whoopi Goldberg. She’ll always be the king. She just is the funniest person I’ve ever known, but then can also act. And you never get that. But then also socially is very conscious but at the same time doesn’t give a f—. And you also never get that. She’s the best.”
06of 14
Amber Ruffin
Gotham/WireImage
“Currently the king is Whoopi Goldberg. She’ll always be the king. She just is the funniest person I’ve ever known, but then can also act. And you never get that. But then also socially is very conscious but at the same time doesn’t give a f—. And you also never get that. She’s the best.”
07of 14Robin RobertsPaula Lobo/ABC via Getty"There’s so many, you know? The people who immediately come to mind areOprah Winfrey,Michelle Obama, who I just talked with, Angela Bassett. There’s so many icons out there right now that are in their own lanes and they’re just pushing the envelope and I’m just so appreciative of the paths that they continue to blaze."
07of 14
Robin Roberts
Paula Lobo/ABC via Getty
“There’s so many, you know? The people who immediately come to mind areOprah Winfrey,Michelle Obama, who I just talked with, Angela Bassett. There’s so many icons out there right now that are in their own lanes and they’re just pushing the envelope and I’m just so appreciative of the paths that they continue to blaze.”
08of 14Jane LynchBruce Glikas/WireImage"Lori Metcalf. I don’t know her personally that well, but I’ve been watching her performances since she was at Steppenwolf Theater in the 1970s and ’80s in Chicago. And then what she does now too, she’s 155% in on everything she does and makes the most interesting choices."
08of 14
Jane Lynch
Bruce Glikas/WireImage
“Lori Metcalf. I don’t know her personally that well, but I’ve been watching her performances since she was at Steppenwolf Theater in the 1970s and ’80s in Chicago. And then what she does now too, she’s 155% in on everything she does and makes the most interesting choices.”
09of 14Loni LoveStefanie Keenan/Getty"My mom, I would automatically say, because she’s the one that birthed me … you really don’t understand until you understand the power that you have when you have your daughter and your children. … And I know it sounds cliché, butMichelle Obama. To see Michelle, who was the first Black first lady, turn around and still continue her career and take it even higher, that was so influential and just — show the love."
09of 14
Loni Love
“My mom, I would automatically say, because she’s the one that birthed me … you really don’t understand until you understand the power that you have when you have your daughter and your children. … And I know it sounds cliché, butMichelle Obama. To see Michelle, who was the first Black first lady, turn around and still continue her career and take it even higher, that was so influential and just — show the love.”
10of 14
Nicole Ari Parker
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11of 14Zoe ChaoRaymond Hall/GC Images"Jennifer Garner, and Megan Mullally, and Jane Lynch. Yeah. They are three incredibly funny, incredibly smart, incredibly kind humans. I’m glad you asked me that question because I could wax poetic about the three of them for forever. They welcomed me onto the set with big open arms and I have just admired their careers for so long. I would love to sit next to them any day."
11of 14
Zoe Chao
Raymond Hall/GC Images
“Jennifer Garner, and Megan Mullally, and Jane Lynch. Yeah. They are three incredibly funny, incredibly smart, incredibly kind humans. I’m glad you asked me that question because I could wax poetic about the three of them for forever. They welcomed me onto the set with big open arms and I have just admired their careers for so long. I would love to sit next to them any day.”
12of 14Boris KodjoeMichael Buckner/Variety via Getty"Besides my wife and daughter, my paternal grandmother, Elsie Ofuatey-Kodjoe founded the Ghana Girls Guides, which is basically the Ghanaian version of the Girls Scouts, in 1921 to empower girls through educational leadership. And she was blind and she was in the Ghanaian government. And whenever I visited her, she would compliment me on my pants or my shirtor something. And I always was flabbergasted because I thought she was blind. And I realized later that she always had one of my little cousins next to her telling her exactly what we were all wearing so she could compliment on it on all of us."
12of 14
Boris Kodjoe
Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty
“Besides my wife and daughter, my paternal grandmother, Elsie Ofuatey-Kodjoe founded the Ghana Girls Guides, which is basically the Ghanaian version of the Girls Scouts, in 1921 to empower girls through educational leadership. And she was blind and she was in the Ghanaian government. And whenever I visited her, she would compliment me on my pants or my shirtor something. And I always was flabbergasted because I thought she was blind. And I realized later that she always had one of my little cousins next to her telling her exactly what we were all wearing so she could compliment on it on all of us.”
13of 14Kandi BurrussLester Cohen/Getty"I would have to go with Oprah because the thing is that she has accomplished no matter what color you are. You have to respect her. Her business moves. Like, where she started and the things that she’s been through — it’s amazing."
13of 14
Kandi Burruss
Lester Cohen/Getty
“I would have to go with Oprah because the thing is that she has accomplished no matter what color you are. You have to respect her. Her business moves. Like, where she started and the things that she’s been through — it’s amazing.”
14of 14Sarah PolleyJC Olivera/Getty"I would say Chinonye Chukwe, who madeTill. I think is a masterful filmmaker and is telling stories that are essential, and she’s also just an absolute master of her craft. I think that what Gina Prince-Bythewood did withWoman Kingwas a historic achievement, and she sort of completely changed the landscape of what big spectacle movies can be and mean while still having such a hand with performances. And I think those two women have really changed the landscape, and I consider Gina to be a mentor to me. Those two would be the first ones that come to mind."
14of 14
Sarah Polley
JC Olivera/Getty
“I would say Chinonye Chukwe, who madeTill. I think is a masterful filmmaker and is telling stories that are essential, and she’s also just an absolute master of her craft. I think that what Gina Prince-Bythewood did withWoman Kingwas a historic achievement, and she sort of completely changed the landscape of what big spectacle movies can be and mean while still having such a hand with performances. And I think those two women have really changed the landscape, and I consider Gina to be a mentor to me. Those two would be the first ones that come to mind.”
source: people.com
