Up and coming stars like Hayden Panetteire, Alexis Bledel, and America Ferrera pose as influentual women of the last few decades, ranging from Rosie the Riveter to Audrey Hepburn to Amelia Earhart.
Miyazaki is a Japanese filmmaker. His films include Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Strong female characters populate his Film and I can't recommend his work highly enough.