Susanne Kord is professor at University College London. Elisabeth Krimmer is assistant professor at the University of California, Davis.

One of Hollywood Divas' key strengths is its attention to ambiguity and contradiction in women's representations. Kord and Krimmer examine how Hollywood films straddle progressive possibilities and traditional presumptions about women's roles. The authors are timely in their attention to the blurring of industry lines between Hollywood and Indie film production, and, even more importantly, they call on the audience to recognize the political underbelly and ideological power of all filmic representations.

• Part 1 Part I HollywoodChapter 2 1 IntroductionChapter 3 2 The New-Born Identity: Julia RobertsChapter 4 3 Running Woman: Sandra BullockChapter 5 4 Sleeping with the Enemy: Meg RyanChapter 6 5 The Real World is Not Enough: Renée ZellwegerPart 7 Part II Some AlternativesChapter 8 6 Highlights and Low Points: Affairs of State and Kung-Fu BunniesChapter 9 7 Hidden Alternatives: Judi Dench, Kathy Bates, Parker Posey, Whoopi Goldberg, and Frances McDormandChapter 10 8 Vamp(ire)s and Those Who Kill Them: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dana ScullyChapter 11 9 Is This As Good As It Gets?Chapter 12 NotesChapter 13 Works Cited

Susanne Kord is professor at University College London. Elisabeth Krimmer is assistant professor at the University of California, Davis.

One of Hollywood Divas' key strengths is its attention to ambiguity and contradiction in women's representations. Kord and Krimmer examine how Hollywood films straddle progressive possibilities and traditional presumptions about women's roles. The authors are timely in their attention to the blurring of industry lines between Hollywood and Indie film production, and, even more importantly, they call on the audience to recognize the political underbelly and ideological power of all filmic representations.

• Part 1 Part I HollywoodChapter 2 1 IntroductionChapter 3 2 The New-Born Identity: Julia RobertsChapter 4 3 Running Woman: Sandra BullockChapter 5 4 Sleeping with the Enemy: Meg RyanChapter 6 5 The Real World is Not Enough: Renée ZellwegerPart 7 Part II Some AlternativesChapter 8 6 Highlights and Low Points: Affairs of State and Kung-Fu BunniesChapter 9 7 Hidden Alternatives: Judi Dench, Kathy Bates, Parker Posey, Whoopi Goldberg, and Frances McDormandChapter 10 8 Vamp(ire)s and Those Who Kill Them: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dana ScullyChapter 11 9 Is This As Good As It Gets?Chapter 12 NotesChapter 13 Works Cited