Hollywood actresses Blake Lively and Jessica Chastain were among the six women honoured on Friday for their philanthropic efforts with organisations helping women and children.

They joined singer-actress Audra McDonald, television personality Gayle King, Viacom media executive Shari Redstone, and Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the board of the Clinton Foundation, at Variety's Power of Women lunch recognising their charitable work.

Chastain backs women's healthcare organization Planned Parenthood, which she credits for giving her "the career that I have today".

"I'm the first person in my family ... not to have a baby when I was a teenager, first person to go to college and have a college education, and to be able to have the choice in family planning," she told Reuters.

Lively, who was recognized for her work with the Child Rescue Coalition to stop the spread of child pornography, said she felt "shy" about being at the star-studded luncheon.

"Just because of the company I'm in, and you never feel like you deserve to be there, you know?" she said.