**Joanne Dru** (born Joanne LaCock; 1922–1996) was an American actress and icon of Hollywood's golden age, famous for her roles as strong, independent women.

Her film career took off in the late 1940s. Among her most notable films is Howard Hawks' epic western *Red River* (1948), in which she plays the strong-willed Tess Millay alongside John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. She cemented her image as a heroine of the West in John Ford's classics *She Wore a Yellow Ribbon* (1949) and *Wagon Master* (1950), often starring alongside Wayne.

Dru was appreciated for her ability to embody intelligent, resilient, and strong-willed characters, far removed from the stereotypes of the “damsel in distress.” She also had a significant role in the Oscar-winning drama *All the King's Men* (1949), demonstrating her versatility beyond the Western genre.