**Dame Judith Anderson** (Adelaide, February 10, 1897 – Santa Barbara, January 3, 1992) was an Australian-American actress, renowned for her intense stage presence and unmistakable voice.

Her film career was dominated by roles of strong women, often dark, authoritarian, or psychologically complex. Her most iconic and memorable role was that of the sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers in Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece *Rebecca* (1940), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Other significant films include *Laura* (1944), *And Then There Were None* (1945), and *Cat on a Hot Tin Roof* (1958), where she played the powerful and tormented Big Mama. Anderson excelled at portraying powerful female characters, often with a tragic or menacing streak, making her an unforgettable figure in classic cinema.