Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead

The Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead was one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards to honor an actress who has delivered an outstanding lead performance in an independent film.

It was first presented in 1985 with Geraldine Page being the first recipient of the award for her role as Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful.

It was last presented in 2022 with Taylour Paige being the final recipient of the award for her role in Zola.

In 2022, it was announced that the four acting categories would be retired and replaced with two gender neutral categories, with both Best Male Lead and Best Female Lead merging into the Best Lead Performance category.

[1] With two wins, Frances McDormand and Julianne Moore are the most awarded females in this category, while with 4 nominations Michelle Williams is the most nominated female in this category.

Geraldine Page won for The Trip to Bountiful .
Isabella Rossellini won for Blue Velvet .
Sally Kirkland won for Anna .
Jodie Foster won for Five Corners .
Anjelica Huston won for The Grifters .
Judy Davis won for Impromptu .
Elisabeth Shue won for Leaving Las Vegas .
Frances McDormand has won the award twice, for Fargo (1996) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
Julie Christie won for Afterglow .
Ellen Burstyn won for Requiem for a Dream .
Sissy Spacek won for In the Bedroom .
Julianne Moore has won the award twice, for Far from Heaven (2002) and Still Alice (2014).
Charlize Theron won for Monster .
Melissa Leo won for Frozen River .
Gabourey Sidibe won for Precious .
Natalie Portman won for Black Swan .
Michelle Williams won for My Week with Marilyn .
Jennifer Lawrence won for Silver Linings Playbook .
Cate Blanchett won for Blue Jasmine .
Brie Larson won for Room .
Isabelle Huppert won for Elle .
Glenn Close won for The Wife .
Taylour Paige was the final recipient for Zola .