11 Women From The '00s You Really Wanted To Be

As we all know, the '90s was the best time for pop culture, for reasons ranging from Friends to The Parent Trap. That being said, it's the 2000s that introduced some of the all-time greatest characters from both television and movies, especially when it came to women. Although there had been some interesting fictional women in the decade before, the many great female characters from many '00s TV shows and movies were complex, realistic, and easy for audiences to admire.

These are characters you looked at with awe, admiration, and sometimes a little jealousy for their imaginary silver screen lives, women you did impressions of in the bathroom mirror and maybe styled your hair in homage. They had it all: perseverance to achieve their goals, a loyal crew of folks behind them, and fantastic wardrobe changes pretty much every time they entered a new location (no wearing of dirty laundry for these Hollywood women). The following 11 characters from 2000s television and movies were some of the best pop culture has ever seen, and admit it: you totally wanted to be just like them.

1. Buffy From Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Sure, Buffy started in the '90s, but she didn't turn into the adult and all around G she was until the end of Season 3 (2000). That's when college Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) really began the quest to understand herself and her place in the world. Her witty Scooby gang of friends and badass kickboxing knowledge also contribute to major jealousy upon re-watches.

2. Jen Yu From Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

OK, so maybe you spent most of this movie hiding behind the couch because you were a) not allowed to watch it b) the sword fights got a little intense. But that doesn't stop Jen Yu (Zhang Ziyi) from being someone to admire. She killed an entire tavern full of assassins and didn't break a sweat. That's the kind of chill early '00s me could really get behind.

3. Taina From Taina (2002-2004)

Alas, this wonderful show starting Christina Vidal as Taina only lasted two seasons. But during its glorious reign, I admired Taina's drive to be successful, not to mention her funky pink jean jacket. I really want a reboot of this short-lived show with Taina's name in lights.

4. Bridget Jones From Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)

Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger) was a hot mess, yet she still managed to have both Colin Firth and Hugh Grant's characters fighting over her. I can't even describe how much I aspire for something like that to go down for me.

5. Lane Kim From Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

Because let's be real, the Gilmore girls can be hard to relate to sometimes. Lane (Keiko Agena), though, deals with her strict mother in the cleverest and sneakiest of ways, has tremendous musical talent, and is a great friend. She also lives in the coolest town of all time.

6. Elle Woods From Legally Blonde (2001)

After Legally Blonde, I stopped being a judgmental jerk and learned it wasn't a crime to be smart while still caring about one's appearance. Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) was gorgeous and super sweet, but she could also totally represent me in a court of law. And oh how I longed for all of her accessories.

7. Lana Lang From Smallville (2001-2011)

At the beginning of the show, Lana killed it. She was smart, interesting, and more than able to keep up with Superman.

8. Tiana From The Princess And The Frog (2009)

Even when Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) is a frog she's still pretty and has a great singing voice. We all wished for her drive to suceed and ability to cook delicious New Orleans style- food.

9. Raven From That's So Raven (2003-2007)

You totally would have been able to use your psychic powers in much better ways than Raven (Raven Symone-Baptiste). Episode after episode, she didn't use them to their proper advantage, and it broke my heart. I wanted to be her to use the future the right way.

10. The Olsen Twins In Any Travel Movie

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Mary Kate and Ashley got to travel all over the world for movies like Winning London, Our Lips are Sealed, and When in Rome. Literally every stop they took, they managed to grab some vespa-riding boyfriends. And the butterfly clips, oh the butterfly clips. Jealousy abounded.

11. Isis From Bring It On (2001)

Sure Torrance (Kirsten Dunst) and Missy (Eliza Dushku) were fine leading characters, but Isis (Gabrielle Union) was the real star. The way she led her team with confidence and great one-liners was inspiring, and it's no surprise that they were the best (and best-dressed).

Whether it be because of their butterfly clips or belly shirts, these women likely affected not only your style, but your way of life back in the '00s. And thanks to their strong and interesting personalities, you had role models and icons to emulate for all the very best reasons.

Images: galagadots/tumblr, giphy; Warner Bros.