The Hollywood Reporter’s 2021 Women in Entertainment Power 100

Stacey Abrams - Producer; Founder, Fair Fight

The Georgia-based political activist earned her first producing credit in 2020, for the Oscar-shortlisted doc All In: The Fight for Democracy, while one of her romance novels is in development at CBS and she just penned a new legal thriller. But Abrams’ key role in Hollywood is as the town’s voting rights moral compass; she helped flip the Senate for Democrats and advised creators on their Georgia production plans as that state enacts restrictive new voting laws. Her evangelists on this list are too many to name.

Victoria Alonso - Executive VP Production, Marvel Studios

The Buenos Aires native is prepping the release of the MCU’s fourth phase, beginning with Black Widow (July 9) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Sept. 3) — helmed by the first solo female (Cate Shortland) and Asian (Destin Daniel Cretton) directors for the studio, respectively. And while the pandemic kept tentpoles out of theaters this past year, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier proved to be a boon for sister streamer Disney+ — and her studio’s prestige aspirations.

Last great read
El arte de no quedarte con las ganas: Llegó la hora de ganarle al tiempo by Luz María Doria.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“The restaurant I was going to open, Capricho!”

Sarah Aubrey - Head of Original Content, HBO Max

After a Friends reunion-free launch a year ago, Aubrey’s originals — led by The Flight Attendant, Raised by Wolves and Generation — helped HBO Max garner buzz alongside Warner Bros. feature films as the streamer grows ahead of schedule. Next up are updates of Gossip Girl and Sex and the City, James Gunn’s Peacemaker and, yes, that Friends reunion. It finally filmed this April.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“My Uggs and Birkenstocks. My feet are never going back.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Matt Reeves’ The Batman is going to be a tour de force.”

Bela Bajaria - Head of Global TV, Netflix

At the height of the pandemic, Bajaria’s purview — not unlike Netflix’s subscriber base, now at 208 million — grew considerably with the addition of former domestic content chief Cindy Holland’s portfolio. Today, Bajaria is tasked with overseeing all TV content for the global streamer, which includes a dizzying slate of scripted and unscripted series as well as overall deals with powerhouse showrunners such as Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“My InstaPot is still in the box, but I did succeed at boxing, hiking and yoga weekly.”

Morning routine highlight
“Keurig and lots of energy from Winston, the new shelter-at-home puppy”

Brittany Balbo, Nancy Gates, Lucinda Moorhead, Rena Ronson - Agents, UTA

Seizing on the limitations of COVID-19-era production, Balbo closed more than 300 endorsement and voiceover deals in 12 months — worth more than $75 million. UTA vet Gates made new pacts for clients Kenan Thompson, Cynthia Erivo and Sandra Oh, while Moorhead (who recently made partner) inked deals for Phoebe Waller-Bridge collaborator Harry Bradbeer and Lulu Wang. Ronson, co-head of the indie film group, helped package two Oscar winners (Promising Young Woman, The Father) and saw that $22.5 million Palm Springs sale to Hulu become a pandemic streaming hit.

Last great read
Balbo: “Too many to pick from. I recently discovered the library carries e-books… Every time I borrow one, I feel like I’m stealing.”

Morning routine highlight
Gates: “A walk in Central Park with my dog.”
Ronson: “Daily Calm meditation”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Moorhead: “The work of the LA LGBT Center. Under the leadership of Lorri Jean, the Center created “Pride Pantry” to combat food scarcity within our community and moved to provide over 400 meals a day to those in need.”

Gina Balian - President of Original Programming, FX Productions, FX and FXX

Overseeing FX’s scripted fare alongside Nick Grad, Balian was responsible for bringing projects such as Emmy-nominated Mrs. America, Devs and the Chris Rock-led installment of Fargo to the screen as part of the network’s fruitful partnership with corporate sibling Hulu. The exec is currently nurturing the brand’s upcoming slate, which includes Lee Daniels spy drama The Spook Who Sat by the Door and Ryan Murphy’s highly anticipated Impeachment: American Crime Story.

Morning routine highlight
“Getting the chance to read through the top news from the Premier League.”

During COVID, men have not had to deal with
“Most men are fortunate to not have had to think about home hair dye formulas”

Lorrie Bartlett, Toni Howard, Jessica Lacy, Janet Carol Norton - Agents, ICM

Regina King’s One Night in Miami meant another major awards season for Bartlett’s top client, while Howard’s work with Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) reaped an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for the comic actress. As for Lacy, she brokered a record-breaking Sundance acquisition with Sian Heder’s CODA going to Apple for $25 million. And as co-head of the production department, Norton was among the first agents in Hollywood to facilitate crews safely getting back to work with a few of the earliest TV productions during the pandemic.

What I’m bringing back to the office
Bartlett: “A glass of Chardonnay”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Howard: “Not arguing with my husband.”
Lacy: “Definitely not baking bread — but I did perfect my Nancy Meyers virtual background for Zoom.”
Norton: “A five-week shopping pause in January.”

Kristine Belson - President, Sony Pictures Animation

Belson is steering the pandemic-proof animation studio forward with projects from Matthew A. Cherry (HBO Max series Young Love, based on his Oscar-winning Hair Love; animated feature Tut) and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The latter duo’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines debuted on Netflix in April, while their sequel to Oscar winner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse swings into cinemas in 2022. Other upcoming titles include Vivo, featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, and musical K-Pop: Demon Hunters.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“The habit of playing music during the day.”

I’d like to take a meeting with
“I can’t believe that I don’t know Taika Watiti and I would really like to fix that.”

Frances Berwick; Susan Rovner - Chair - NBCUniversal Entertainment Networks; Chair of Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming

When Rovner made the jump from her longtime home at Warner Bros. in October, she inherited creative reins at a newly aligned portfolio that includes NBC, Peacock and six cable networks. She’s working in tandem with NBCU vet Berwick, elevated again in 2020 to run business across that exact suite, and they’re refocusing the broadcast network, stewarding a post-Kardashians E! Network, and building a young streamer with projects
like critical breakout Girls5Eva and upcoming swing Poker Face from Rian Johnson, starring Natasha Lyonne.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Berwick: “Getting my mum in England to use FaceTime and Zoom.”

Morning routine highlight
Rovner: “Walking my dog with my husband, Robert.”

If that meeting could have been an email, this email could have been…
Berwick: “A haiku?”

Carolyn Blackwood - COO, Warner Bros. Pictures Group

Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984 were the first tentpoles to brave opening on the big screen amid COVID-19, albeit to relatively modest returns. Not long after, Blackwood’s studio endured enormous criticism for announcing that its entire 2021 slate would debut simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Nevertheless, March 2021 event pic Godzilla vs. Kong has energized the box office, as another production under her umbrella (Judas and the Black Messiah) earned a best supporting actor Oscar for Daniel Kaluuya.

Morning routine highlight
“A cup of tea, light a candle and ask Alexa to play Fleetwood Mac or Bruce or Billy Joel. I’m old.”

Woman who most inspired me this year
“I hate being so obvious, but it’s got to be Kamala Harris — just a badass woman that made history.”

Michelle Bohan, Esther Chang, Sharon Jackson, Elyse Scherz - Agents, WME

Bohan has been working closely with “it” poet Amanda Gorman, running point on the wunderkind’s burgeoning talent efforts, and Chang guided client Andra Day from the music world to an Oscar nomination for her first major acting role, in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Jackson facilitated new projects for funny ladies Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler and Amy Schumer, while Scherz, in addition to repping all three stars of Godzilla vs. Kong (including Millie Bobby Brown), played an integral part in the June 2020 ruling that gave agents the right to vote at the Oscars.

During COVID, men have not had to deal with 
Jackson: “Me in person”

I’d like to take a meeting with 
Scherz: “The incredible women leading COVID vaccine research, development and creation: Kizzmekia Corbett, Katalin Kariko, Nita Patel, and Ozlem Tureci.”
Chang: “This is a tie between Billie Eilish’s parents and the octopus from The Octopus Teacher … while she was alive.”

Last great read
Bohan: “Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin”

Nina Yang Bongiovi - Producing Partner, Significant Productions

Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker’s Significant has a winning track record of championing fresh stories from original auteurs, from Fruitvale Station to Sorry to Bother You and, in January, Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut, Passing. It sold to Netflix for $16 million after premiering at a virtual Sundance. Financing for the film, which explores colorism in a friendship between two women, was led by AUM Group, the film fund Yang Bongiovi launched in 2020 with several Asian American film and tech leaders.

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“Going for dim sum in the San Gabriel Valley and picking out my favorite dishes when those carts roll by.”

If that meeting could have been an email, this email could have been…
“A meme”

Melissa Breaux, Eryn Brown, Suzan Bymel, Evelyn O’Neill - Managers, Management 360

Breaux booked Nia DaCosta for the coveted The Marvels directing gig and client Nicole Kassell (Watchmen) earned her first Emmy, while Brown, whose roster boasts Cate Shortland and Pablo Larraín, is leading efforts focused on long-term institutional shifts to increase employment and authentic representation of disabled people in Hollywood. Bymel saw two key clients release popular flicks during the pandemic — Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) and Anne Hathaway (The Witches) — while O’Neill, whose longtime client Chadwick Boseman wrapped an Academy Award-nominated performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom before his 2020 death, saw the biggest year ever for recent Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“One of my ‘pandemic’ plants.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Brown: “Founding 1IN4, an advocacy organization focused on disability and accessibility in Hollywood.”
O’Neill: “A lot of reading and recalibration about this country and our history”

What I’m bringing back to the office
Bymel: “I’m taking the Zoom ‘touch up my appearance’ feature wherever I go.”

Nicole Brown - President, TriStar Pictures

In 2019, Brown became the first Black woman to run a film label at a major studio when she was handed the TriStar reins. She has put her stamp on the specialty label’s slate, namely with the Whitney Houston musical biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, which is about to begin production. The Women in Film board member also is overseeing Matilda (co-produced with Netflix), the Viola Davis starrer The Woman King, and the Dakota and Elle Fanning-led The Nightingale. Further out on the TriStar horizon is a Baby Driver sequel, a new Guys and Dolls, and Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Last Human.

I’d like to take a meeting with
“This answer will always be Michelle Obama.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“In the Heights. I love a good musical.”

Karey Burke - President, 20th Television

Burke spent half of the past year rebuilding ABC — thanks in part to David E. Kelley’s broadcast return, Big Sky — before being plucked to oversee the merged 20th TV and Touchstone TV (formerly Fox 21). In her new role as studio chief, Burke has been busy mining library titles with an update of The Wonder Years at ABC and Hulu’s gender-swapped spin on How I Met Your Mother. Burke has also prioritized off-network sales, with pickups at NBC and Fox (Ordinary Joe and Our Kind of People, respectively).

What I’m bringing back to the office
“A ring light! Just kidding … sort of.”

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Amanda Gorman”

Nicole Clemens - President, Paramount TV Studios

In her role atop the Viacom-owned studio, Clemens manages to churn out projects for virtually every streamer. After supplying the TV outfit’s 2020 offerings — including Apple TV+’s Defending Jacob, HBO Max’s Made for Love and the final season of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why — Clemens has turned her attention to the next two seasons of Amazon’s Jack Ryan, which are being filmed back-to-back, as well as The Godfather making-of series The Offer for newly relaunched streamer Paramount+.

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“No Time to Die”

Morning routine highlight
“Not having a morning routine.”

Melissa Cobb; Tracey Pakosta - VP, Original Animation; VP, Comedy Original Series, Netflix

While Pakosta has yet to share actual office space with her sprawling staff, the streamer’s new comedy chief has been tasked with overseeing all things funny — be it live-action series, animated shows or comedy specials. Having jumped from NBC last fall, the move puts her in business with comedy’s biggest names, from Chris Rock to Dave Chappelle. Meanwhile, Cobb has been busy fueling the industry’s animation boom, building one of the most prolific animation studios from the ground up. In her role, Cobb is as focused on preschool fare as she is on awards bait, recently generating 40 Annie noms and the division’s first Oscar win (for the short If Anything Happens I Love You).

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
Cobb: “Walking to Little Dom’s, dinner and drinks at the bar.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Pakosta: “Seventh grade common core math.”

Michaela Coel - Actor, Showrunner

Reportedly turning down $1 million from Netflix for I May Destroy You when the streamer refused to give her any percentage of the copyright, she took her show to BBC One and HBO, where it became the consensus No. 1 best TV show of 2020 on review aggregate Metacritic. Now the toast of the town, the British auteur is both hotly in demand and on pace for Emmy love.

Margie Cohn - President, DreamWorks Animation

Cohn has spent the past year expanding her studio’s relationships with filmmakers in both the feature and television units. Upcoming features include Elaine Bogan’s Spirit Untamed (Universal) followed by sequels to The Boss Baby and Puss in Boots, as well as the debut of The Bad Guys. Continuing DWA’s collaboration with Guillermo del Toro, the TV unit is set to release Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (Netflix).

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“I donated 10 garbage bags of old bills, statements and other detritus to the shredder truck.”

Last great read
“Deacon King Kong by James McBride”

Megan Colligan - President, Imax Entertainment and Executive VP, Imax Corporation

Among companies in the exhibition sector, Imax has been a pandemic bright spot thanks to its large-format premium offering. The company has been generating record-breaking business in Japan and China, where the box office has made an impressive recovery. Colligan, who was previously president of worldwide marketing and distribution for Paramount Pictures, is Imax’s liaison between studios and filmmakers and is advising on an industry-wide initiative to bring consumers back to theaters.

During COVID-19, men have not had to deal with
“Having their roots grow in.”

Melanie Cook, Deborah Klein, Gretchen Rush, Nina Shaw - Talent Attorneys

Key for Cook was longtime client Tim Burton inking a deal to transition to TV with the Addams Family-inspired series Wednesday. For Klein, Paul Rudd and Samuel L. Jackson are both upping their Marvel work post-pandemic, while Rush continues work with fellow Power 100 players Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. Shaw, perhaps the most high-profile lawyer in Hollywood, made massive deals for superhero projects — for Ta-Nehisi Coates (Superman), May Calamawy (Moon Knight) and Nia DaCosta (Captain Marvel 2) — and helped Ava DuVernay launch the Array Crew database.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Klein: “Improving my surfing.”
Shaw: “My 5-minute headstand.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
Rush: “Giorgio Baldi: the tiny tables, the candlelight, the carbs.”

During COVID, men have not had to deal with
Shaw: “A global loss of $800 billion in income!”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
Klein: “Avatar.”
Rush: “I am dying to see Dune. Huge fan of Denis Villenueve.”

Kaley Cuoco - Actor, Producer

A quick follow-up to her gig as one of the highest-paid actors in TV history, Cuoco’s post-Big Bang Theory move cemented her as a bankable star and producer. The Flight Attendant, under her Yes, Norman banner, soared as HBO Max’s first original breakout, generating two SAG Award noms and major Emmy buzz for its lead. Aside from a season two, Cuoco has a Doris Day limited series set up at Warner Bros.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Built a bunny greenhouse.”

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Regina King”

Maha Dakhil, Sonya Rosenfeld, Tiffany Ward, Ida Ziniti - Agents, CAA

Powerhouse Dakhil will reunite longtime client Reese Witherspoon with Mindy Kaling, getting the latter on board to co-write Legally Blonde, as Rosenfeld, among many other major TV projects, helped package surprise hit The Queen’s Gambit at Netflix. Elsewhere in TV, Ward put both Emmy-winning I Know This Much Is True and summer hit Lovecraft Country at HBO, with Amazon’s upcoming The Wheel of Time up next. Ziniti, a particular force among female-fronted projects, got client Margot Robbie on board Barbie as both star and producer, and put together a precedent-setting deal for Julia Roberts at Netflix with Denzel Washington

During COVID, men have not had to deal with
Dakhil: “Their eyebrows connecting.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
Rosenfeld: “Sunset Tower.”

Last great read
Ward: “The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and Its History by Leo Braudy”

If that meeting could have been an email, this email could have been …
Ziniti: “A telepathic thank-you or a thoughtful series of dancer emojis.”

Tonia Davis, Michelle Obama, Priya Swaminathan - Co-Heads, Higher Ground Productions

The former first family’s Hollywood enterprise started 2020 with an Oscar win for American Factory, only to follow it up with the Academy Award-nominated Crip Camp. In addition, Michelle Obama proved exceedingly prolific amid the pandemic, dropping two big projects (biographical doc Becoming and children’s series Waffles + Mochi) on Netflix, where she and former President Barack Obama continue to amass myriad high-profile projects as part of their multiyear deal. She also launched her eponymous podcast, which quickly became the most listened-to Spotify original.

Last great read
Davis: “Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Davis: “My daughter (2 years old) has learned to love hot sauce.”

Viola Davis - Actor, Producer

On the heels of making this season’s awards circuit for her title role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, for which she picked up a SAG Award, Davis will next reprise her part as team boss Amanda Waller in The Suicide Squad. Her JuVee Productions shingle is behind both Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King and Showtime’s The First Lady, in which Davis will portray Michelle Obama.

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“West Side Story. I remember it as a kid, and the story never gets old. I always believe Maria and Tony will make it.”

I’d like to take a meeting with 
“Queen Elizabeth. I just want to get the real, real scoop on that duty, responsibility and just sip cocktails with her.”

Morning routine highlight
“Other than chilling in the jacuzzi with my hubby, just waking up. Yesterday’s problems are dissolved as soon as I see sunlight and I know I have another chance.”

Ellen DeGeneres - Host, Producer

Having weathered a rocky year of toxic workplace allegations and filming from home, DeGeneres remains the queen of daytime TV with The Ellen DeGeneres Show on a deal that runs through 2022. Her real power, however, is her sprawling portfolio of unscripted series such as Ellen’s Game of Games (NBC), The Masked Dancer (Fox) and recent HBO Max debut Ellen’s Next Great Designer. She also inked an exclusive multiyear deal with Discovery to produce natural history content, starting with narrating the doc Endangered.

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“Portia [de Rossi] started cooking during the pandemic, so I miss all the restaurants.”

I’d like to take a meeting with
“My dentist. I might have a cavity.”

Tara Duncan - President, Freeform

Nearing a year on the job, the former Netflix creative exec continues to prioritize BIPOC creators, having been tapped to oversee a new initiative to do just that for all of Disney’s platforms. Duncan will continue to oversee originals at cable net Freeform, too, building on a slate that includes ratings and critical breakouts Cruel Summer and Everything’s Gonna Be Okay.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“Who says I have to go back to the office?”

Morning routine highlight
“I spent some time on the East Coast, so actually being able to have a morning was a highlight.”

Channing Dungey - Chair, Warner Bros. TV Group

After developing two of Netflix’s biggest hits of the past year (Bridgerton and Emily in Paris), Dungey shifted back to sales mode when she took over the fruitful studio from longtime boss Peter Roth. Since starting in January, Dungey focused on the studio’s role as a content supplier to in-house streamer HBO Max, where she has multiple DC dramas and a new take on Head of the Class from Bill Lawrence. Dungey also remains focused on outside deals, with the studio’s first sale to Starz (Courteney Cox’s Shining Vale) and John Wells’ Maid for Netflix.

Last great read
“It’s not the most recent, but I can’t stop thinking about The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. Simply beautiful.”

During COVID, men have not had to deal with 
“The focus Zoom meetings put on your eyebrow game.”

Ava DuVernay - Filmmaker; Founder, Array

In 2021, the prolific DuVernay is shooting a Colin Kaepernick drama, Colin in Black & White, for Netflix and DC Comics series DMZ for HBO, while continuing to oversee her OWN drama Queen Sugar (recently renewed for a sixth season). Outside of her productions, DuVernay’s career-long efforts to bolster women and people of color in entertainment are thriving via her film distribution company and the database (Array Crew) she launched in February to ensure diversified sets across the industry.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Becoming a plant mom.”

Last great read
“Caste by Isabel Wilkerson.”

Jessica Elbaum - President, Gloria Sanchez Productions

In early 2020, Elbaum’s female-focused comedy production company signed a TV deal with Netflix and a feature deal with Paramount. During the pandemic, Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo’s Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, a PVOD release for Lionsgate, supplied needed laughs; Elbaum will produce Wiig and Mumolo’s evil stepsisters movie for Disney next.

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Michaela Coel”

I’d like to take a meeting with 
“Dolly Parton”

Amy Entelis - Executive VP of Talent and Content Development, CNN Worldwide

The cable news giant’s ambassador to Hollywood, Entelis is tasked with, among other things, identifying and producing urgent documentary features and awards bait. The past year saw CNN Films release John Lewis: Good Trouble, Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street and surprise hit serial Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.

Emerald Fennell - Actor, Filmmaker

An unexpected follow-up to her nuanced portrayal of Camilla Parker-Bowles in The Crown, Fennell’s feature directorial debut placed her squarely in the ranks of Hollywood’s most in-demand auteurs. Promising Young Woman was quick to win over critics after its Sundance premiere and kept up that buzz throughout awards season, ultimately nabbing five Academy Award noms, with a best original screenplay win for Fennell. Next up, she puts her spin on an adaptation of DC comic Zatanna at Warner Bros.

Last great read
“Giving Up the Ghost by Hilary Mantel. I can never get over how amazing she is. She’s the greatest horror writer of all time.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Zola. I saw it a year ago and am desperate to see it again. It’s just brilliant.”

Tina Fey - Actor, Producer, Writer

The pandemic did not stop Fey, NBCUniversal’s enduring queen of comedy, from selling and launching two series. Alongside producing partner and longtime collaborator Robert Carlock, Fey debuted Ted Danson vehicle Mr. Mayor on a sitcom-starved NBC and gave Peacock a critical breakout with the May bow of Girls5Eva. As an actor, the Soul voice recently signed on to star alongside pal Jon Hamm in John Slattery feature Maggie Moore(s), which will serve as a reunion for both 30 Rock and Mad Men stars.

Last great read
“Tenth of December by George Saunders. My apologies to a bunch of other very excellent books.”

If that meeting could have been an email, this email could have been…
“A burp.”

Kathleen Finch - Chief Lifestyle Brands Officer, Discovery Inc.

Commanding the largest collection of cable channels on TV (12, for those keeping track), Finch saw something rare for linear networks in 2020 — legitimate growth. Homebound viewers bolstered ratings for nets like HGTV, TLC and Food. Her stable is also delivering nearly all the programming to upstart streamer Discovery+, which hit 15 million paying subscribers during its first four months.

Morning routine highlight
“Hitting the button on the coffee maker, which I have set up the night before, so that my wait is as brief as possible.”

I’d like to take a meeting with 
“Stacey Abrams. Between saving our democracy to her side hustle as a romance novelist, I find her fascinating.”

Elaine Frontain Bryant; Amy Winter - Exec VP and Head of Programming, A&E; Exec VP and Head of Programming, Lifetime

Leading the two top priorities at A+E Networks with decidedly different strategies, Frontain Bryant and Winter have managed to generate noise on cable at a time when the sound of streamers can be hard to overcome. On A&E, Frontain Bryant has pivoted from the speedy demise of Live PD, which she axed in the wake of police violence, with the help of incarceration exposé 60 Days In. On Lifetime, newly upped Winter has a sprawling slate of telefilms, including 2020 breakout The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, seen by over 13.2 million viewers.

Last great read
Frontain Bryant: “World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil.”

I’d like to take a meeting with
Winter: “Britney Spears”

Gal Gadot - Actor, Producer

In the year that WarnerMedia ticked off all of Hollywood by abruptly announcing its film slate would go day-and-date on HBO Max, there was one actor who got a heads-up — Wonder Woman herself. After that, she released Nat Geo doc series IMPACT, is next producing and starring in a Cleopatra film for Paramount, espionage thriller Heart of Stone for Netflix and drama Hedy Lamarr for Apple.

Last great read
“Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey.”

Morning routine highlight
“Finishing a good workout early to start my day off strong.”

Joanna Gaines - Host; Co-founder, Magnolia

The ascendant lifestyle host has a new cooking show (Magnolia Table), a reboot of her hit HGTV series Fixer Upper and, oh, a digital and linear network at her command. Gaines and husband Chip finally unleash their Magnolia Network on July 15 on Discovery+, with the pandemic-delayed linear net to follow in 2022.

Morning routine highlight
“Mornings are the quietest time of day in our house. I love to use that time to enjoy a cup of coffee, connect with Chip, and journal. Getting my thoughts down on paper first thing always grounds me.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Cooking with my kids! With all the time we had at home, my oldest son Drake had the idea to film us goofing around as we cooked our family’s favorite recipes. At the time, we were a few months out from filming my new cooking show, and, truthfully, I’d been nervous for a while. I’m not an expert chef. I’m a home cook. And I had all these insecurities about doing the show. But that fun, playful practice with my kids helped me feel more laid-back in the kitchen.”

Liz Garbus - Founder, Story Syndicate

The documentary filmmaker’s Brooklyn-based production company has become a hive of hot nonfiction projects, including 2020 must-sees like Amazon’s All In: The Fight for Democracy and HBO’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. Garbus also directed the narrative film Lost Girls, which became an early pandemic hit on Netflix. Up next are Cousteau for Nat Geo/Disney+, a GameStop doc series for Netflix, and docs on Pete Buttigieg for Amazon and Anthony Fauci for Nat Geo.

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“House of Gucci. I will strap on 10 N95 masks if asked to do so. I’m seeing that on the big screen.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“Via Carota. That cacio e pepe haunted my lockdown dreams.”

Dany Garcia - Co-Founder, Seven Bucks

Garcia and Seven Bucks co-founder Dwayne Johnson saved the XFL from bankruptcy; a $15 million acquisition made Garcia the first woman to own a majority stake in a major American pro sports league. She plans to expand the XFL into original content, something the Jumanji: The Next Level producer knows about well, with such titles as NBC’s renewed Young Rock and Titan Games along with upcoming features Jungle Cruise, Red Notice and Black Adam under her belt.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Re-engineering my entire workout regimen.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Respect“

Dede Gardner - Partner, Plan B Entertainment

Gardner — the only female producer ever to win two Oscars for best picture (12 Years a Slave and Moonlight) — was a force yet again at the recent Academy Awards with Minari. The best picture nominee nabbed a win for supporting actress Yuh-Jung Youn. Gardner’s upcoming slate includes Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad series at Amazon and Andrew Dominik’s Marilyn Monroe pic Blonde for Netflix. In July, she starts production on Sarah Polley’s Women Talking (MGM), starring another freshly minted Oscar winner: Frances McDormand (Nomadland).

Amy Gravitt; Nina Rosenstein; Francesca Orsi - Exec VP and Head of Comedy, HBO; Exec VP, HBO Programming; Exec VP and Head of Drama, HBO

Amid pressure to ramp up content at WarnerMedia’s crown jewel, the veteran execs have kept the prestige threshold high. Longtime drama head Orsi, who consolidated limited series and film under her purview last fall, was key to the network’s Emmys sweep, with wins for Watchmen, Succession, Euphoria and I Know This Much Is True. Gravitt’s highlight of the year was Michaela Coel’s critical knockout I May Destroy You, while Rosenstein succeeded in keeping Bill Maher and John Oliver on the air amid the pandemic without missing a beat.

What I’m bringing back to the office
Gravitt: “My lucky Kenny Powers bat. I’ve had it since season one of Eastbound & Down.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Rosenstein: “My daughter and I cooked our way through two Chrissy Teigen cookbooks. There’s not a stinker in there!”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
Orsi: “Robert Eggers’ The Northman. Few can do elevated horror like he masterfully does.”

Misha Green - Producer, Writer

After she co-created WGN’s Underground, 2020 saw Green break out as the showrunner of HBO horror drama Lovecraft Country, which has Emmy heat even without word on a second season. Either way, she’s heading to the big screen, writing and directing a Tomb Raider sequel for MGM and star Alicia Vikander. Also on her content plate is Netflix action feature The Mother, starring Jennifer Lopez, which she wrote and will produce, with Mulan helmer Niki Caro in talks to direct.

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“F9, the latest in the Fast & Furious saga. The car stunts, family-first motto and over-the-top spectacle will be worth the anxiety of being cramped in a theater.”

Morning routine highlight
“Enjoying a cup of green tea and a good book in an antique chair I was ‘gifted’ — aka stole — from one of the Lovecraft Country sets.”

Bonnie Hammer - Vice Chair, NBCUniversal

Hammer no longer oversees an empire of NBCUniversal cable networks — which, notably, she grew in profit and revenue for 15 consecutive years — but she does have CEO Jeff Shell’s ear. The 30-year company veteran was shifted mid-pandemic into a “key adviser” or consigliere role formerly occupied by Ron Meyer, and the move came with a contract extension.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Photography has always been my passion since I was a child. It has been great fun renewing that first love, shooting while walking in the neighborhood as well as sneakily eavesdropping on a few virtual photography classes.”

I’d like to take a meeting with
“Jacinda Arden, prime minister of New Zealand. Strong, smart, compassionate and wise way beyond her years!”

Pearlena Igbokwe - Chair, Universal Studio Group

Upped in September, Igbokwe now oversees all of NBCUniversal’s TV studios — including Universal Television, Universal Content Productions, Universal Television Alternative and International Studios — and reports directly to CEO Jeff Shell. Even as COVID-19 raged this past year, her group produced nearly 700 episodes of TV, with more than 110 productions set up around the world. In broadcast alone, Igbokwe’s Universal TV programming is accounting for some 60 percent of the top 10 series.

Morning routine highlight
“Jumping out of bed 15 minutes before my video calls!”

If that meeting could have been an email, this email could have been…
“An NFT. Now how do I monetize it?”

Patty Jenkins - Filmmaker

With Wonder Woman 1984, Jenkins became the highest-paid female director in the business, earning somewhere in the $7 million to $9 million range for up-front helming and writing fees. The superhero sequel, which premiered Christmas Day on HBO Max, spawned one of the biggest streaming titles of any kind since Nielsen launched its streaming measurement. The film, a follow-up to Jenkins’ 2017 Wonder Woman, also managed to take in $166 million worldwide from pandemic-hobbled theaters.

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Carol Burnett … again. I started rewatching her show during the pandemic and I appreciate her even more now.”

Last great read
“The Jazz of Physics by Stephon Alexander.”

Mindy Kaling - Actor, Producer, Writer

Kaling drew on her own childhood experiences for her latest series, the charming coming-of-age dramedy Never Have I Ever, which (according to Netflix) reached 40 million households in the first month of its release. In addition to season two of the show, the multihyphenate’s empire is further expanding to include two upcoming series at HBO Max (The Sex Lives of College Girls and the animated Velma, whose titular character she also will voice).

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“It was exciting to give birth during a worldwide pandemic.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Nia DaCosta’s Candyman“

Theresa Kang-Lowe - Blue Marble

Breaking off from WME mid-pandemic, the industry darling transitioned from agent to manager and producer with the launch of Blue Marble and an exclusive multiyear overall deal at Apple. Maintaining clients such as Alfonso Cuarón, Lena Waithe and Gillian Flynn, Kang-Lowe is getting her first exec producer credit on the Apple series Pachinko.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“My beloved 0.5 Muji pens.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“The Dragon in Koreatown. They have craving-inducing Chinese-Korean entrees.”

Lisa Katz; Beatrice Springborn; Erin Underhill - President of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment; President, UCP; President, Universal Television

In the massive realignment at NBCUniversal’s almost exclusively female-led TV efforts, Katz inherited all scripted programming at the broadcast network (see enduring hit This Is Us), Springborn made the jump from Hulu to run studio UCP (The Umbrella Academy), and Underhill was promoted to head of Universal Television where she boasts some of TV’s biggest showrunners — Dick Wolf, Mike Schur and Nahnatchka Khan, to name a few.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
Springborn: “I wrote a very rough draft of a novel that I had been thinking about on my commute for a long time. Thanks, UCLA Extension!”

Last great read
Underhill: “Bossypants by Tina Fey.”

Courtney A. Kemp - Showrunner

A pioneering powerhouse showrunner, Kemp has two Power sequels set to air in 2021 (Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan) with two more on the way under her rich deal at Lionsgate that’s keeping Starz flush with original drama. Keen to sell elsewhere, Kemp has Dirty Thirty in the works at HBO and several other non-Power-related series and features in various stages of development.

During COVID, men have not had to deal with
“Men have it easier all the time. COVID didn’t change that shit.”

I’d like to take a meeting with
“Chad Stahelski and David Leitch. I’ve made a deal with myself to write and direct a small, intense indie action movie in the next couple of years, and I love the way the 87eleven guys attack stunts.”

Kathleen Kennedy - President, Lucasfilm

In the wake of franchise-ender The Rise of Skywalker (with the lowest box office of the trilogy, it still earned over $1 billion), Kennedy’s Star Wars studio is leaning hard on the serialized success of Disney+ original The Mandalorian. Her plan includes a universe of highly anticipated follow-ups on the streamer, such as The Book of Boba Fett, Ewan McGregor-starring Obi-Wan Kenobi, Diego Luna vehicle Andor and Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka.

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Amanda Gorman”

Paula Kerger - President and CEO, PBS

Having weathered the Trump administration, which tried to kneecap the public broadcaster’s modest federal funding, Kerger faces the new challenge of maintaining fundraising in the wake the economic downturn. Her plea is certainly reaching an audience. Viewership for PBS NewsHour jumped during the pandemic, as did educational programming for homebound school kids.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Completion of a series of house renovation projects and the installation of three beehives — all are thriving.”

I’d like to take a meeting with 
“MacKenzie Scott. She is focused on addressing so many of the same issues that we are tackling at PBS.”

Aleen Keshishian - Founder & CEO, Lighthouse Management & Media

The powerhouse manager, whose clients include Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman and Paul Rudd, has been bulking up her producing efforts of late. She produced Golden Globe-nominated Ratched, one of Netflix’s most watched shows of 2020, as well as the critically acclaimed documentary Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry. Keshishian — who also works with Kathryn Hahn, Mark Ruffalo and Selena Gomez — helped sell Eilish to Apple for a record $26 million, the largest sale of a doc in TV history.

I’d like to take a meeting with 
“Cardi B”

Nicole Kidman - Actor, Producer

The Undoing, which has made the star-producer an Emmy contender yet again, was HBO’s most watched show of 2020. Kidman’s Blossom Films shingle next brings Nine Perfect Strangers to Hulu, where she’ll lead the all-star adaptation before portraying another iconic Hollywood redhead: She’s starring as Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos for Amazon.

Regina King - Actor, Filmmaker

After years of helming episodic television, King won critical acclaim with her feature directorial debut. Her historical four-hander, One Night in Miami, earned her a Golden Globe best director nomination as well as the Independent Spirits’ Robert Altman Award for the director and her ensemble. She next returns to her day job, Oscar- and Emmy-winning actor, in Netflix’s Western The Harder They Fall.

Donna Langley - Chair, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group

Langley made waves in 2020, inking multiyear deals with AMC Theatres and other exhibitors that allow Universal Pictures to put its films on VOD as early 17 days after their theatrical debut. That made Universal, with specialty label Focus Features (Oscar winner A Promising Young Woman and November box office surprise The Croods: A New Age), the only major studio to release a steady stream of features throughout the COVID-19 crisis. With thousands of movie houses reopening, Fast & Furious installment F9 (June 25) should more than help revive summer box office.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“I wish it could be my dog.”

Jennifer Lee - Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney Animation Studios

The Oscar-winning Frozen director is diversifying the studio’s range of content, adding the upcoming Colombia-set Encanto that features new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda to 2021’s release Raya and the Last Dragon — and steering the studio into original series. Series featuring characters from the vault heading to Disney+ include Baymax, Zootopia+, Tiana and Moana, the Series.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Almost learning Minecraft.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“Never thought I’d miss food courts, but I do.”

Miky Lee - Vice Chair, CJ Entertainment

The South Korea-based CJ Entertainment head’s best picture win for Parasite only added awards clout to her operation’s already massive empire of television networks, movie theaters and live exhibition business. Further cementing her stateside foothold was the announcement of a $100 million-plus investment in Skydance Media and, on the television front, a three-year production and worldwide distribution pact with Netflix under CJ’s television banner Studio Dragon.

Last great read
“I Am Invincible by Norma Kamali … an amazing handbook for living from a beautiful life force.”

Wonya Lucas - President and CEO, Crown Media Family Networks

Since taking over as CEO of Hallmark in August, the former TV One and CNN executive met with the company’s more than 300 employees (over Zoom) to affirm that diversity and inclusion are the company’s top priority. To that end, in 2020 Hallmark Channel delivered a holiday slate that was its most inclusive of LGBTQ and communities of color and dominated cable ratings. Elsewhere, Lucas is teaming with Hallmark Cards to finally embrace synergy between the two brands.

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, president of Morehouse School of Medicine and my college roommate. I was proud to see her take a leadership role during the pandemic.”

Meghan Markle - Producer

Fresh off that Oprah Winfrey interview devoured around the world, the Duchess of Sussex and husband Prince Harry are making the segue to Hollywood royalty this year after striking lucrative content deals with both Netflix and Spotify via their Archewell Productions and Archewell Audio companies. After a 2020 holiday podcast special, up next is Netflix docuseries Heart of Invictus, following the Harry-founded international sporting event the Invictus Games, and continued expansion into documentaries, feature films, scripted TV series and children’s shows. Acting options for the former Suits star, at least for now, appear to be off the table. 

Frances McDormand - Actor, Producer

At the 2021 Oscars, McDormand collected her third best actress statuette for Nomadland and her first best picture prize, for producing the Searchlight drama that dominated awards season. On deck is the role of Lady Macbeth in husband Joel Coen’s Shakespeare adaptation for A24.

Katie McGrath; Hannah Minghella - Co-CEO, Bad Robot; Head of Motion Pictures, Bad Robot

Minghella left her post at Sony’s TriStar to join McGrath and J.J. Abrams at Bad Robot as the banner’s film head just after the company struck a massive $500 million deal with WarnerMedia. Flush with cash and a new studio full of new IP (Bad Robot was previously at Paramount), the upcoming features slate includes the Ta-Nehisi Coates-scripted Superman reboot.

Woman who most inspired me this year
McGrath: “Ava DuVernay. She defined greatness — and goodness — in this crazy and unforgettable year.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
Minghella: “Little Beach House Malibu. It’s one of my favorite places.”

Last great read
McGrath: “Just Us: An American Conversation, by Claudia Rankine — an original, challenging, undeniable read.”

Julie McNamara - Exec VP of Original Content, Paramount+

The programming chief had a transformative year as CBS All Access became Paramount+ and upped its game in the streaming wars with a massive library of content. McNamara, who was also intimately involved with big bet The Comey Rule at Showtime, now aims to build that library with originals like the Yellowstone prequel, a reboot of The Game and a series based on the video game franchise Halo.

Last great read
“The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.”

Morning routine highlight
“Hearing my 14-year-old son playing piano in the other room while waiting for Zoom school.”

Janet Mock - Producer, Writer

As the first trans woman of color to write for a TV series (when Pose premiered in 2018) and the first to sign a multimillion-dollar overall deal with Netflix for TV and film projects, Mock’s significance to the industry — and its ongoing dialogues about gender and race — cannot be understated. The producer seems aware of that, too, delivering a fiery speech at Pose‘s season three premiere in New York on April 29, where she announced, “I don’t need Hollywood, honey.”

Courteney Monroe - President, National Geographic Global Television Networks

With her four networks and in-house studio, Monroe continues to marry Nat Geo’s history of prestige documentary content with star-driven collaborations — keeping an increased focus on women. 2021 has already brought Gal Gadot collaboration Impact, a doc series following women around the world who’ve overcome dire circumstances, and Cynthia Erivo Emmy contender Genius: Aretha. Up next on the scripted front is an installment of the Hot Zone anthology focused on the anthrax killer that haunted the U.S. after Sept. 11.

Last great read
“Think Again by Adam Grant.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“Tail Up Goat in Washington, D.C., where I live.”

Lisa Nishimura - VP Independent Film and Documentary Features, Netflix

The longtime Netflix staffer was a driving force in keeping the masses entertained during lockdown, a task that meant acquiring studio films like Trial of the Chicago 7 and festival offerings (Netflix spent some $80 million at TIFF alone), as well as parsing out the streamer’s supply of nonfiction and indie titles, from The Tiger King to the final To All the Boys film. The summer slate for Nishimura, who oversees everything from auteur filmmakers to the Princess Switch franchise, includes the gender-bent She’s All That remake and Kissing Booth 3.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Off-road camping with my family.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Top Gun: Maverick“

Dawn Olmstead - CEO and Partner, Anonymous Content

Since departing UCP and taking the lead at Anonymous in November, Olmstead has been charting the path forward in the wake of founder Steve Golin’s death. An early focus has been expanding the 170-person company’s in-house film and TV production effort, which has five shows on the air and seven films in the works. Among the notable titles: Apple’s Peabody-winning comedy Dickinson; Peacock’s Emmy Rossum-led Angelyne miniseries; and the feature film Swan Song, starring Mahershala Ali, Glenn Close and Awkwafina.

Morning routine highlight
“Coffee, solitaire app and not driving the kids to school during the pandemic.”

I’d like to take a meeting with 
“Yayoi Kusama”

Dawn Ostroff - Chief Content & Advertising Business Officer, Spotify

Spotify’s base has grown to more than 350 million active monthly users, 158 million of whom pay for premium subscriptions. Ostroff’s department is shoring up its roster (which already included the Obamas) to keep those users tuning in, signing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Ava DuVernay’s Array, and Joe and Anthony Russo to multiyear podcast deals. She also inked a first-look pact with Chernin Entertainment that will allow them to adapt Spotify’s library of more than 250 original audio programs for TV and film.

Last great read
“The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson.”

Mary Parent - Vice Chair, Worldwide Production, Legendary Entertainment

What pandemic? Parent can claim the biggest film success of the past year with Godzilla vs. Kong, a tentpole that drove wary audiences back to the cineplex. She also scored a major hit with the housebound thanks to Enola Holmes, which debuted on Netflix in September and ranks as the streamer’s No. 7 original film of all time. The Millie Bobby Brown-Henry Cavill flick is getting a sequel, with production kicking off in London in September. Up next, Parent will usher in the delayed adaptation of sci-fi classic Dune, starring Timothée Chalamet.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“My ‘not fancy’ coffee maker. It is incredibly simple, fast, lightweight but very sturdy, and every brand works with it. Plus the pods are recyclable.”

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Greta Thunberg, for her continued commitment despite the pandemic.”

Bruna Papandrea - Founder, Made Up Stories

It’s kind of wild just how much content the Aussie producer, often overshadowed by collaborators Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, has on her plate. The Big Little Lies producer launched breakout The Undoing (HBO) during the pandemic, shortly before Amazon’s Tell Me Your Secrets and Netflix feature Penguin Bloom. On deck, she’s got Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers, an adaptation of Lies writer Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name starring Kidman and Melissa McCarthy, and Netflix miniseries Pieces of Her (Toni Collette) and Anatomy of a Scandal (Sienna Miller and Michelle Dockery).

What I’m bringing back to the office
“Anything but my kids.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“I learned to swim at 49.”

Cynthia Pett - Co-owner and Managing Partner, Brillstein Entertainment

As if the manager’s roster wasn’t already chock-full of A-list talent, Tiffany Haddish has joined the list. Among Pett’s heavy hitters this past year, Elizabeth Olsen went straight from her acclaimed turn in Disney+’s WandaVision to the set of the next Dr. Strange movie. Brad Pitt, for his part, will headline Damien Chazelle’s Babylon opposite Margot Robbie, while Charlie Hunnam will front Shantaram for Apple. And longtime client Courteney Cox is plotting her TV return with Jeff Astrof and Sharon Horgan’s Shining Vale for Starz.

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Greta Thunberg”

Ellen Pompeo - Actor, Producer

In 2018, Pompeo made no secret of her clout when she opened up in a THR cover story about her latest blockbuster deal, which made her dramatic TV’s highest-earning actress with more than $20 million a year. In fact, Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes has long said the fate of the prime­time stalwart rests in Pompeo’s hands — which is why the recent renewal hinged on Pompeo’s latest renegotiation.

Gina Prince-Bythewood - Filmmaker

In a summer without movie theaters, the director delivered arguably 2020’s biggest (and only) tentpole with Netflix’s The Old Guard. According to the streamer, the comic book adaptation starring Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne was viewed by 78 million in the first four weeks of release. Prince-Bythewood, who has long mentored other creatives like Lena Waithe, will next direct Viola Davis in the historical epic The Woman King, as discussions around an Old Guard sequel swirl.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“A group of friends and I put on a series of live Zoom readings of old sitcoms that registered and engaged over 200,000 voters before the election.”

I’d like to take a meeting with
“Serena and Beyoncé. I’m enamored by people who are the best in the world at what they do.”

Issa Rae - Actor, Producer

Though Insecure will come to an end this season, Rae just signed a five-year overall deal with WarnerMedia to develop TV projects for HBO, HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television — as well as a first-look deal for feature films. Rae and her Hoorae media company also have in development an adaptation of The Vanishing Half, backyard wrestling show Tre Cnt, Black TV pioneers doc Seen and Heard, and a comedy based on the podcast Nice White Parents.

Shari Redstone - Chair, ViacomCBS; President, National Amusements

Cementing priorities for the recombined Viacom and CBS, streamer CBS All Access became Paramount+ in March — launching with a huge library of titles and an eye on more original production. That sparked 6 million new subscribers in the first quarter, bringing the total global paid users to 36 million. Helping pay for the increased output, Redstone — now officially at the helm after father Sumner Redstone’s 2020 death — recently sealed new carriage deals and unloaded a few ViacomCBS assets to hefty paydays, including Simon & Schuster for a cool $2.175 billion.

Shonda Rhimes - CEO, Shondaland

Bridgerton, Rhimes’ first series for Netflix, was the TV equivalent of a mic drop. The period drama became the streamer’s most watched original (82 million viewers in its first month) and minted a new heartthrob in star Regé-Jean Page. Proof: His departure ahead of season two caused an internet meltdown. In addition to at least three more seasons of the Regency romance, Netflix-based Rhimes is readying her much-anticipated Anna Delvey drama for a 2021 release — when she isn’t consumed by brand deals, podcasts, a website and a fast-growing storytelling company.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“I will cross that bridge when my germophobia comes to it.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“During the pandemic, I organized my whole home, re-learned how to cook, began making my own natural home cleaning products, trained new puppies, enjoyed way more time with my kids, learned how to run a pod-school, worked out every day, reconnected with old friends and read a zillion books. So, I guess the answer is life.”

During COVID, men have not had to deal with
“That is a really great question to ask men. Let me know what they say.”

Margot Robbie - Actor, Producer

Her 2020 Oscar nomination for Bombshell preceded a suite of hits from her shingle LuckyChap — Birds of Prey and Promising Young Woman most notably. As an actor, Robbie’s dance card is full. An untitled David O. Russell feature, The Suicide Squad and big-screen Barbie (also from LuckyChap) are among the highlights.

I’d like to take a meeting with
“Tierra Whack”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Making jam.”

Jennifer Salke - Head of Amazon Studios

With few other distractions in the past year, more than 175 million Amazon Prime members streamed an original film, series or acquisition delivered by Salke’s sprawling division. In that same period, Salke transformed Amazon’s movie business, too, from simply a home for indie darlings to a destination for big fat commercial hits (thank you, Borat). Looking ahead, she’ll try to make a splash with a mix of awards bait (The Underground Railroad from Oscar winner Barry Jenkins) and pricey genre fare (The Lord of the Rings).

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Walking! I think I tripled the number of steps I take a day.”

What I’m bringing back to the office
“Less evening events, more time with cherished family and friends — as things open up.”

Ann Sarnoff - Chair and CEO, WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group

Nearly two years into the top job at the storied studio, Sarnoff has made bold decisions that could eventually pay off. The move to release the entire 2021 theatrical slate simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters sparked major criticism, but the streaming service ended March with a combined 63.9 million worldwide subscribers while the studio found pandemic-era cineplex success. Wonder Woman 1984 managed to take in a modest $166 million globally, while Godzilla vs. Kong shocked even the most optimistic by raking in $416 million worldwide to date.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“I managed to shave a couple of points off of my golf handicap, although it’s still nothing to brag about.”

Sarah Schechter - Partner, Berlanti Productions

Promoted to partner at Berlanti Productions in February 2020, Schechter spent much of the past year getting 15 TV series up and running during the pandemic while also launching the company’s first HBO Max feature, Unpregnant. Schechter was likewise key in developing breakout The Flight Attendant, which has become an awards magnet for star and executive producer Kaley Cuoco. Next up, Schechter is readying four feature films set to come out in the next year for Berlanti: Free Guy, My Policeman, Moonshot and Alice & Freda Forever.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“My entire house. I want to bring my whole house. Please don’t make me leave my house.”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“Sushi Park — and every restaurant in New York City.”

Leslie Siebert - Gersh

While much of Hollywood was on hold amid the pandemic, veteran agent and partner Siebert saw her shop sign new clients in Anna Paquin, Taylor Schilling and Hayden Panettiere. In the year ahead, she’ll see Allison Janney become an action star in Netflix’s Lou, Angela Bassett return to the Black Panther franchise and Catherine Keener appear in The Adam Project.

Morning routine highlight
“Grape-Nuts and workout Zoom training.”

Michelle Sneed - President of Production and Development, Tyler Perry Studios

Sneed’s biggest accomplishment this year was getting Tyler Perry’s stable of scripted series up and running safely in the early stages of the pandemic, making a blueprint copied by other TV and film productions. The production-focused exec, who’s in year three of her role at the Atlanta-based shingle, spearheaded logistics for the “quarantine bubble” setup that made it possible to shoot new seasons of BET and BET+ shows Sistas, The Oval, Ruthless, Bruh and All the Queen’s Men.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“I never really got a chance to miss the office! However, I do not leave home without something comfortable on my feet.”

Octavia Spencer - Actor, Producer

Thunder Force, Spencer’s superhero movie with Melissa McCarthy, drew 52 million views in its first month on Netflix. She also collected her first Emmy nomination for Netflix’s Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker. In 2021, Spencer will star in the Amazon sci-fi thriller Invasion, and her crime drama Truth Be Told gets a second season on Apple TV+.

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Wakanda Forever”

Restaurant I missed most during lockdown
“Forman’s Whiskey Tavern — but, don’t worry, I ordered take out from them about once a week.”

Sandra Stern - President, Lionsgate TV

Stern operates a sweeping portfolio that spans 50-plus scripted and unscripted series and generates more than $1 billion in revenue. In fact, her unit — responsible for everything from P-Valley to Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist — has doubled its output, from 12 scripted series in 2020 to 24 this year. And though she was integral to the 2016 Starz acquisition, the consummate dealmaker continues to secure pickups from around the landscape.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Making dumplings. I discovered I have endless patience for filling and folding.”

Meryl Streep - Actor

The three-time Oscar winner entered the streaming age in earnest, appearing in Ryan Murphy’s The Prom (Netflix) and Steven Soderbergh’s Let Them All Talk (HBO Max). Next up will be Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up, in which she’ll appear opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and pretty much all of Hollywood.

Charlize Theron - Actor, Producer

Theron ruled the movie theater-less 2020 summer with her turn in Netflix’s The Old Guard and will be a driving force in the masses’ return to cinemas with the highly anticipated F9. She is set to reappear on Netflix in Paul Feig’s splashy YA feature The School for Good and Evil, and on the TV front her Denver & Delilah banner recently inked a two-year first-look deal with HBO and HBO Max.

Jenno Topping - President of Film and TV, Chernin Entertainment

Topping’s 2020 began with a best picture nomination of Ford v Ferrari and then saw her banner, Chernin, ink a feature film deal with a new deep-pocketed studio, Netflix, jumping from its longtime home at Fox. First up with the streamer is Fear Street, a ready-made trilogy of films that is getting a splashy summer release.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“The ‘video off’ and ‘mute’ buttons.”

Krista Vernoff - Showrunner

The Walt Disney Co. entrusted Vernoff with its most lucrative night of television (Thursdays) on its biggest platform possible (ABC). With mentor Shonda Rhimes focused on her Netflix fare, Vernoff is kept (very) busy running Grey’s Anatomy, still a ratings powerhouse in its 17th cameo-filled season, along with spin­off Station 19 and new entry Rebel, starring Katey Sagal. In March, her Trip the Light Productions company inked a massive overall deal with ABC Signature.

During COVID, men have not had to deal with
“Menstruation? Misogyny? Lower pay for equal work? I’m not sure I understand the question.”

What I’m bringing back to the office
“Long walks on the beach. Not sure how that will work. Maybe I’ll bring the writers to the beach.”

Lena Waithe - Actor, Producer, Writer

The TV titan, whose Hillman Grad Productions has The Chi (Showtime), Boomerang (BET+), Twenties (BET+) and Them (Amazon), reprises the role that made her famous later in May: Netflix’s Master of None returns for season three with Waithe writing and her character, Denise, the new focus.

What I’m bringing back to the office
“Weed.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“The new House Party.”

Dana Walden - Chair of Entertainment, Walt Disney Television

With her vast suite (two studios, two networks and a streamer), Walden fortified Walt Disney Television as one of the most expansive and female-led suppliers and distributors of TV in 2020, tapping women for top posts across the portfolio — one that deploys a multibillion-dollar content budget annually. Network ABC saw ratings climb, boasting four of the top 10 scripted series on broadcast, while Hulu enjoyed its most watched original to date in ABC Signature production Little Fires Everywhere.

During COVID-19, men have not had to deal with
“Getting Zoom-ready.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Chloe Zhao’s The Eternals“

Phoebe Waller-Bridge - Actor, Writer

The Fleabag writer and star’s big follow-up to her beloved comedy, a pricey script polish on Bond flick No Time to Die, should finally see the light of day if its Oct. 8 release isn’t delayed again. Waller-Bridge next heads back in front of the camera for nothing less than the lead opposite Harrison Ford in his fifth Indiana Jones feature.

Kerry Washington - Actor, Producer

In 2020, Washington raked in four Emmy nominations (and one win) for three projects: Little Fires Everywhere, American Son and Live in Front of a Studio Audience, all three of which she starred in and executive produced. Along with a renewed overall deal at ABC Studios via her Simpson Street banner, she’s got Paul Feig’s The School for Good and Evil and Eva Longoria’s Universal comedy 24-7.

Last great read
“A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“I have already watched it and loved it, and I’m very excited to see In The Heights on a big screen.”

Emma Watts - President, Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group

Arriving at Paramount from Disney in summer 2020 was a homecoming of sorts for Watts; the move reunited her with former boss Jim Gianopulos. She’s stayed busy since. Among numerous development moves, she set a new course for the next Star Trek and Transformers installments, hired Minari director Lee Isaac Chung to helm Your Name and struck a first-look deal with Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Productions.

Last great read
“Mark Harris’ Mike Nichols: A Life.”

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“I have perfected my pizza making.”

Erin Westerman - President of Production, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group

While many studios suffered as the pandemic halted moviegoing and production, Westerman was able to get 11 films into production, including Borderlands (Cate Blanchett), Shotgun Wedding (Jennifer Lopez) and White Bird: A Wonder Story. With a knack for courting A-list talent and winning bidding wars (recent gets include The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent with Nicolas Cage and the adaptation of Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret), Westerman also helped shepherd two of the COVID-19 era’s buzziest streaming releases: Hulu’s Run, starring Sarah Paulson, and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“I am fundraising for a candidate in the Manhattan D.A. race, Eliza Orlins. She is a public defender and brings a much different POV.”

Woman who most inspired me this year
“Jennifer Lopez. She was born with talent, yes, but she has so many superpowers. She is full of conviction and heart and outworks us all.”

Olivia Wilde - Actor, Filmmaker

Following up directorial debut Booksmart, Wilde spent the pandemic helming 1950s-set drama feature Don’t Worry Darling, starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine and herself. Other behind-the-camera gigs include an untitled Marvel film for Sony, which she’s co-writing with Booksmart scribe Katie Silberman, and Kerri Strug biopic Perfect for Searchlight.

During COVID, men have not had to deal with
“The assumption that they’d give up their careers entirely to focus on childcare.”

Movie that will bring me back to the theaters
“Zola”

Oprah Winfrey - CEO, OWN

Ever the unparalleled booker, Winfrey landed the get of the year in March — a barn-burning sit-down with expatriated royals Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. It brought a boffo 17.1 million viewers to CBS News, netted a reported $7 million-plus licensing fee to Winfrey’s Harpo Productions and inspired a bit of an existential crisis for the Commonwealth. The mogul’s quick follow-up, the book What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, sits atop the New York Times best-seller list.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Watching 31 movies that I’d been meaning to get around to.”

Morning routine highlight
“Stillness and a cappuccino.”

Jana Winograde - President, Showtime Entertainment

Winograde’s programming led the cable brand to record signups in 2020. She’s kept the momentum up into 2021, with Showtime’s OTT service enjoying its best quarterly growth to date. Bolstering those numbers (and Emmy buzz) was nail-bitter Your Honor. The limited series ranks as the network’s most streamed ever and its biggest debut season for any show. Winograde is now shepherding this year’s slate of shows, which includes Jeff Daniels’ American Rust, Chiwetel Ejiofor’s The Man Who Fell to Earth and the May 9 debut of Ziwe.

Biggest non-work-related pandemic accomplishment
“Perfecting my at-home version of the Jon & Vinny’s spicy fusilli.”

What I’m bringing back to the office
“My chair. I brought it home when I realized the pandemic wasn’t ending anytime soon.”

Reese Witherspoon - Actor, Producer

Seemingly everybody is in business with Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, which had Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu) and Get Organized With the Home Edit (Netflix) in 2020. Apple has renewed both The Morning Show and Truth Be Told, and Amazon is in preproduction on the miniseries adaptation of rock novel Daisy Jones & The Six, while Sony Pictures has partnered with the producer for the feature adaptation of her book club pick Where the Crawdads Sing.

Susan Wojcicki - CEO, YouTube

With an early proliferation of vloggers, YouTube spawned the first generation of internet influencers. Now, competing against TikTok and Instagram, the Wojcicki-led video site is out to reclaim dominance in the creator economy. According to a Nielsen study commissioned by the company, in September YouTube reached more adults ages 18-49 than all linear TV networks combined, and its users watch 1 billion hours of video per day on the site. In the mainstream, the slate of original content coming to YouTube includes work from A-listers like Will Smith, Alicia Keys and LeBron James.

The last great book I read was…
“I loved The Overstory and the fresh approach it took on trees, forests and the way many people’s stories were interwoven with those of trees.”

If that meeting could have been an email, this email could have been…
“A YouTube Short — video is a great way to communicate!”

Zendaya - Actor

In the past year, Zendaya snagged her first Emmy and generated awards buzz for her shot-in-quarantine face-off Malcolm & Marie, which also marked a deeper move into producing. The coming year may be even bigger, as the delayed film calendar is now packed with Zendaya vehicles Dune, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Space Jam: A New Legacy.

Chloé Zhao - Filmmaker

The Chinese filmmaker made history with her best director Oscar win for Nomadland, as only the second woman and the first woman of color to take that prize. Nomadland also was named best picture at the Academy Awards and earned a Golden Globe, two BAFTA Awards and a Directors Guild of America Award. With a no-frills vérité style, Zhao has managed to win over Hollywood’s biggest players, and she brings that unique perspective to her biggest canvas yet with Marvel’s Eternals, which Disney held back during the pandemic in order to give it a theatrical release Nov. 5.