5 Film & TV Girls Who Made Us Want To Be Journalists!

Growing up in the early-2000s, it seemed like all the cool girls worked in media and journalism. During the late-'90s and early-2000s, print journalism was at its peak. Many readers still got most of their news from their morning newspapers. Journalism was also viewed as a creative and exciting job, especially compared to mundane office operations jobs. Of course, art imitates life, therefore popular shows and movies had characters that worked in the exciting and thriving world of journalism. Here are 5 TV and movie girls who had us all dreaming about pursuing a career in journalism! 

1. Andie Anderson, How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days 

While many envied Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) for her wardrobe, especially for her iconic yellow dress, many wanted her job. Andie worked for a women’s magazine as a columnist. Her primary job was to write "How To" articles, and while she aspired to pursue more serious topics, there’s something magical and enjoyable about devoting your career to giving lighthearted advice. While there will always be serious news happening all over the world, and dedicated and brave journalists covering it, it’s also important for audiences to take a break from heavy news and read fun pieces too. Andie wore the cutest outfits to work and provided readers with escapism through her quirky articles; she had a job that many girls can only dream of! (Available on VOD/Digital)

2. Rory Gilmore, "Gilmore Girls"

Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) showed teenagers that it’s cool to care about school and to be best friends with your mom. She also showed that writing for a newspaper can be a serious yet exhilarating job. While we don’t get to see her work as a full-time paid journalist, her work for her high school newspaper The Franklin and for her university’s newspaper The Yale Daily News showed us the importance of covering stories that matter to local communities and how to use your creativity to cover a mundane topic. While many have debated if Rory was truly meant to be a journalist, she made the field seem like a romantic and elite career path -- a career that only the smartest and most cultured girls could do! (Stream on Netflix and Hulu)

3. Andrea Sachs, The Devil Wears Prada

For years, Vogue and its former Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour ruled fashion journalism. If you worked for Vogue, you made it in your career. When the novel The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (a former Vogue intern) came out in 2003, the reality of what it’s really like working for Vogue (and Wintour) was exposed. The novel was turned into a movie with the same name featuring Anne Hathaway as the main character, Andrea "Andy" Sachs. Andy gets a job at Runway Magazine (a publication inspired by Vogue) as a junior assistant to the powerful and demanding Editor-in-Chief of Runway, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Immediately, Andy is treated horribly by Priestly and her colleagues. She’s insulted for her looks, style, and lack of fashion knowledge. She’s also on call 24/7 and is given nearly impossible tasks to complete, like securing an unreleased Harry Potter book for Priestly’s twins. 

Despite how unglamorous her job was, many viewers still wanted to work for a powerful fashion publication. As Andy adjusted to her new and busy career, she was showered with expensive gifts and was given the opportunity to visit Paris on business. While the film and book made it clear that working for a powerful fashion publication is difficult and all-consuming, it also showed audiences that the opportunities that come with the job are endless, making it worth it! (Stream on HBO Max and Hulu)

4. Carrie Bradshaw, "Sex and The City"

Many refer to Carrie Bradshaw as the OG columnist. Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) wrote a weekly column, "Sex And The City", for the fictional newspaper The New York Star. The best part about her job is that she would give dating and relationship advice based on her own personal experiences; she would give readers practical and cared-for advice. While Carrie experiences financial troubles throughout the series, her writing eventually pays off. In Season 3, her column is optioned to become a movie. In Season 5, a selection of her columns are published into a book. Eventually, she goes on to write freelance pieces for Vogue. Giving advice based on her messy relationships and gut-wrenching heartbreaks led her to success -- a goal that many creative souls dream of! (Stream on HBO Max)

5. Rebecca Bloomwood, Confessions of a Shopaholic 

If you’re addicted to shopping and fashion journalism, then you definitely saw yourself in Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher). In the beginning of the film, Rebecca, a New York City shopaholic, works as a journalist for a gardening magazine. However, she dreams of working for the fashion magazine, Alette. After her shopping addiction has left her in debt and broke, and after her dream company hires someone else, she starts working for the financial magazine Successful Saving. She writes a column under the name "The Girl in the Green Scarf" and uses her love and passion for fashion to explain high finance terms in simple details. Throughout the film, she finds romance with her boss, Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy) and learns to take charge of her own finances. She pays off her debt and learns to control her spending habits. Bloomwood taught us that, as long as you’re creative, you can excel in any publication! (Stream on Disney+)