The women of ‘Steel Magnolias,’ ranked
We already know “Steel Magnolias” is one of the South’s favorite films of all time, but now we know which character is the most beloved — even if she has been in a very bad mood for the past 40 years.
When it comes to the Southern women of “Steel Magnolias,” it can be hard to pick a favorite, but that’s exactly what we asked the folks in our membership program, The Potluck, to do.
See, while we love all of the “Steel Magnolias” characters, we love them for different reasons. Truvy’s impossibly friendly while M’Lynn shows such strength. Then there’s Annelle’s kindness, and we can’t forget about how brave Shelby is. Meanwhile, Clairee’s wit and Ouiser’s (admittedly bad) attitude make them icons in Southern cinema.
You can see the results of our “Steel Magnolias” ranking below, and if you’d like to participate in future members-only rankings, you can join The Potluck here.
Annelle Dupuy Desoto:
We’re going to attribute Annelle’s last-place standing in our “Steel Magnolias” ranking to the fact that she was new to the group and still getting her footing in the shop (and life, for that matter.) While Annelle, portrayed by Daryl Hannah, might have come off as uptight and naive to start off, by the end of the flick she was holding her own and speaking — as Clairee would say — like a “true smart-ass” with the best of ’em.
Shelby Latcherie:
While Shelby’s screen time in “Steel Magnolias” may have been tragically cut short, she still delivered enough memorable lines throughout the film to win a place in our hearts and garner fifth place on our list. After all, hasn’t every Southern bride uttered the classic line “My colors are ‘blush’ and ‘bashful’ because pink is my signature color” at least once during the wedding planning process?
M’Lynn Eatenton:
M’Lynn may have only landed in fourth place on this list, but let’s be real. She would probably take the throne if we were ranking mothers in movies. That’s because M’Lynn, played by Sally Field, is everything a Southern mama strives to be — devoted to a fault and stronger than nails — even if her hair does look like a brown football helmet.
Truvy Jones:
It’s not too surprising that Truvy, perfectly portrayed by our country queen Dolly Parton, did pretty well for herself in our ranking. After all, when it comes to Southern women, she sets the bar in a lot of ways. She knows all the town gossip, is a friend to everyone and almost everything that comes out of her mouth is quote-worthy. She’s basically living proof that laughter through tears really is the best emotion.
Clairee Belcher:
Clairee Belcher was ranked second on our list, and for good reason. Played by Olympia Dukakis, she might be one of the most iconic Southern women in cinematic history thanks to her quick wit and cheerful demeanor. She’ll do anything to keep things light-hearted, even if it means offering to let folks take a whack at her bestie Ouiser. Speaking of…
Ouiser Boudreaux:
Ouiser Boudreaux may have been in a very bad mood for the last 40 years, but that didn’t stop her from taking the top spot on our ranking of the “Steel Magnolias” women. Portrayed by Shirley MacLaine, Ouiser — against her best efforts — is the favorite among viewers thanks to her blunt sense of humor and hilariously bad attitude. Not to mention, while she’d likely call us a “pig from hell” just for suggesting it, she’s got a heart of gold.
