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Just your type: Secretaries who made sure they were remembered
See how the idea of the personal assistant has been politicised, sexualised, lampooned and celebrated in popular culture.
Moneypenny
From the James Bond films
Aside from 007, this loyal secretary is the only character to have appeared in every Bond film. Moneypenny, befitting a Secret Service employee, is efficient, discreet and in awe of the suave but unpredictable James Bond.
Joan Harris and Peggy Olsen
From the Mad Men TV series
While Harris plays the office fantasy, a curvy femme fatale who holds her own in an office full of powerful men, Olson’s career graph is more interesting. She starts off mousy but ends up a copywriter, pushing the limits of what a woman in 1960s America could do.
Donna Paulsen
From the TV series, Suits
Donna goes from listening in on private conversations to sorting out the law firm’s 10-a-day crises, to knowing more than the partners — and ends Season 7 as COO.
Andy Sachs
From the film, The Devil Wears Prada
An assistant’s assistant, Andy starts off not quite understanding fashion, or how influential her magazine editor boss is. She masters her job but eventually moves on to pursue her dream of being a journalist.
Tess McGill
From The Working Girl
When her stockbroker boss steals her idea without crediting her, Tess plots revenge. While her boss is injured, she impersonates her and ends up winging a major deal (and a romantic interest). But then her boss finds out!
Pepper Potts
From the Iron Man franchise
Virginia “Pepper” Potts is Tony Stark’s PA and has been portrayed as his platonic aide in the comics. But the recent films have seen her taking over from Stark as CEO, cutting major deals and getting into a relationship with him.
Jonathan
From the TV show, 30 Rock
Being PA to an egotistical nutcase like Jack Donaghy is no picnic but Jonathan loves his boss (obsessively enough for us to worry) and is never without his headset.
Gina Linetti
From the TV show, Brooklyn 99
No one works as little as Gina, who spends her time sassing Brooklyn’s cops, playing games on her phone, or tweeting. But she does display better knowledge of human behavior and civilian life than most of the precinct.
