10 Kick-Ass Women Who Owned Blockbuster Season

10) Susan Cooper (Spy)

In earlier roles, Melissa McCarthy’s weight was the butt of every joke, but that changed this summer when she took on the role of Susan Cooper in Spy. Sure, McCarthy was still overweight, but her transformation from a suppressed office worker to a strong, capable hero was refreshing in a genre that usually spends more time focused on women’s physical assets than their personal lives.

Spy put its predominantly female cast centre stage, pitting McCarthy against Rose Byrne’s hilariously offensive antagonist in a way that was both convincing and funny all at once, notably without the help of any men. It’s unusual to see an actress headline a comedy these days, particularly one that deconstructs a genre that tends to be aimed exclusively at male audiences, so McCarthy’s success with Spy must be lauded.

Move over plastic Bond girls and macho field agents. Susan Cooper is guaranteed to return in a sequel. Watch this space.