From Tiffany Haddish to Nicole Kidman, Oprah Winfrey to Jennifer Salke, they've led through constant change, survived mega-mergers and stepped up creation to meet a seemingly insatiable global appetite for content — amplifying fresh, diverse voices along the way — as The Hollywood Reporter honors 2018's real superheroes: entertainment's unstoppable female forces.

To create the 27th annual list of entertainment’s top female leaders, The Hollywood Reporter delved into 2018’s box office and ratings hits, hot deals and industry milestones — from cultural phenomena (Black Panther) to mega-mergers (Disney-Fox) — to identify the key women driving those wins and disruptions in C-suites, on backlots, in writers rooms and everywhere power operates in Hollywood. The result is a snapshot of female power that reflects what's changed in the world of entertainment (and what hasn't) amid Time's Up and the industry's merger mania.

At the highest corporate levels of Hollywood, a few women have ascended, notably Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke and THR's Women in Entertainment Executive of the Year Dana Walden, who will take her Fox TV empire (but not her longtime leadership partner, Gary Newman) with her to Disney in 2019. But it's primarily in the creative trenches where female voices have gotten louder, faster, with more and more stars taking on producer duties to tell the stories they care about — so multitasking veterans including Nicole Kidman, Octavia Spencer and Jennifer Lopez are added to this year's roster alongside meteoric breakouts like Tiffany Haddish.

THR surveyed all these dynamos about their morning musts (much coffee is involved, naturally, and some Peloton), their secrets for dealing with difficult people (listen, mostly — but sometimes, just "run away," advises Sharp Objects showrunner Marti Noxon), their entertainment escapes (there's a whole lot of Great British Baking Show being watched) and the changes they've seen among men in Hollywood over the past year. "There is greater awareness and restraint about inappropriate behavior," says Lionsgate TV's Sandra Stern. "But lack of inclusiveness hasn't changed at all — we still don't get invited to the party," she cautions. "If it's a good party."

An asterisk (*) denotes a Power 100 honoree who declined to give her age.

Profiles written by Ashley Cullins, Rebecca Ford, Mia Galuppo, Carolyn Giardina, Lesley Goldberg, Marisa Guthrie, Natalie Jarvey, Rebecca Keegan, Gregg Kilday, Borys Kit, Pamela McClintock, Michael O’Connell, Lacey Rose, Bryn Elise Sandberg, Tatiana Siegel, Rebecca Sun and Benjamin Svetkey.

• Mara Brock Akil

  Producer, Akil Productions

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  The fruits of her rich Warner Bros. TV deal (with husband Salim Akil) rolled out in 2018, when Brock Akil, 48, returned to the tube with two new hits: Black Lightning premiered to two-year highs on The CW, and semiautobiographical Love Is_ scored a quick renewal at OWN.

  My three morning musts "Dropping off kids at school, green tea, hike."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Try not to hire them."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Teen Titans Go … because I have a 10-year-old who loves it."

  Is it better to be an introvert or extrovert in Hollywood? "Don't limit me. I vote for an extroverted introvert — it's best to be yourself."

• Victoria Alonso

  Exec vp physical and post production, Marvel Studios

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Alonso oversaw the making of cultural phenomenon Black Panther. "It turned into a movie for social change," she notes with pride. Avengers: Infinity War's $2 billion haul and putting Marvel's first female hero in the title card (Ant-Man and the Wasp) also were 2018 highlights. Next up is March's female-led Captain Marvel. "I have an 8-year-old daughter, and she hasn't gone to any premieres," says Alonso, 53. "She'll be at that one."

  My three morning musts "Make coffee, get little one up (daughter), feed the dogs."

  I'd love to work with … "Shonda Rhimes. I think she's a definite force and I think I would be blessed to be in her company."

  My secret to working with difficult people "I believe that people are difficult when they are in fear. So I try to tap into the fear and deconstruct it. If you can get past that fear, you can get through anything."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year … "I've noticed that some men are listening this year. And that's a beautiful thing."

  … and what hasn't changed at all "The rest of them are not."

• Gina Balian and Stephanie Gibbons

  Exec vp series development; President, multiplatform marketing, FX Networks

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Balian oversaw nine new series in 2018, among them Ryan Murphy's Pose and Assassination of Gianni Versace, which won the limited series Emmy (one of the cable network’s five wins that night). The 44-year-old was also key in developing projects, including the untitled Fosse-Verdon series starring Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell. Gibbons, 58, who steers marketing for all original series, saw her department receive its eighth PromaxBDA team of the year honor.

  My three morning musts

  Gibbons: "Wondering if I can fake my own death — and get out of walking the dogs at the crack of dawn — while checking emails. Playing Morning Joe on the DVR and drinking orange Vitamin Water while reading The New York Times and The Washington Post. Looking for my keys — which are either in the dryer, the trash or the refrigerator beside the sink sponge."

  I'd love to work with …

  Balian: "Bong Joon-ho. He is a unique artist across genres and just wildly inventive and darkly funny."

  Gibbons: "Yorgos Lanthimos because his films mesmerize me. They are intellectually enigmatic, but hit your reptilian brain like a sawed-off shotgun — and that's also my favorite formula for wicked tight marketing."

  My secret to working with difficult people

  Balian: "Communication. Once people feel understood, they are a lot less difficult."

  Gibbons: "Keep trying. Then go home. Eat a quart of ranch dressing with one broccoli floret. Repeat."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Balian: "The Simpsons. My son and I are methodically watching every episode in order together."
• Sarah Barnett

  President, entertainment networks, AMC Networks

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  The 53-year-old executive has solidified BBC America as a scripted programming destination with 2018 Emmy-nominated breakout Killing Eve, but can she do the same for niche brands IFC and SundanceTV — while keeping perennial prestige outlet AMC in the game? That’s the big question for Barnett, whose AMC Networks ascent now finds her in charge of one of TV’s most enviable portfolios. Getting to steer AMC, with flagship The Walking Dead firmly on the ratings wane, will be a blessing and a burden.

  What would surprise people about me “I’m a descendant of a bare-knuckle Portuguese pugilist.”

  My entertainment guilty pleasure “No guilt, pure pleasure: Call the Midwife.”

  My dream 2020 presidential ticket "Chrissy Teigen and John Legend."

• Lorrie Bartlett, Toni Howard and Jessica Lacy

  ICM Partners

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Agency indie film head Lacy, 39, went nine for nine at Toronto, including partnering with CAA to sell ICM client Karyn Kusama's Destroyer to Annapurna. Talent co-head Bartlett, 55, reps Regina King, who claimed her third Emmy in 2018 and could win her first Oscar with If Beale Street Could Talk. Also in the Oscar hunt are BlacKkKlansman helmer Spike Lee and his film's David Duke, Topher Grace — both clients of Howard, 74.

  My secret to working with difficult people

  Bartlett: "I don't."

  Howard: "Humor. A little gossip and humor."

  What might surprise people about me

  Bartlett: "I am a sucker for a Kenny Loggins song."

  Howard: "That I'm a softie. People are always saying when my name comes up, 'Oh, she's so tough.'"

  Lacy: "The movie One Fine Day was based on me and my stepsister getting our parents together. It was directed by a family friend."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Bartlett: "Still obsessed with Love and Hip Hop. I wish I could explain why."

  Howard: "Video poker, but not for real money."

  Lacy: "I've already seen The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix four times and that was over the Thanksgiving holiday so who knows how many more times I'll see it before Christmas! I watched it each time with my 5-year-old son who has such a pure and innocent love of Christmas."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year …

  Bartlett: "Attitude."

  … and what hasn't changed at all

  Bartlett: "Inclusion. The numbers don't lie. Thank you, Dr. Stacy Smith!"

  Howard: "Very few women really run things. There's way more women running departments, but the number one spot, you couldn't name five women who are in the number one spot in this industry or in most professions."

  Lacy: "Pay equality is still lagging helplessly behind."

• Samantha Bee

  Host-producer, 'Full Frontal With Samantha Bee'

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Full Frontal — the No. 1 late-night show on ad-supported cable, which reaches 4.2 million multiplatform viewers — is much more than a cri de coeur against the mendacities of Trump and his minions. It's a call to action, including an extensive get-out-the-vote initiative in advance of the midterms. Not only has Bee, 49, pioneered a wry style of journalistic comedy, but she's made it a priority to raise awareness and money for marginalized groups.

  My three morning musts "4 a.m.: Wake up in a panic from news alerts on my phone. 4:05 a.m.: Turn off phone, throw phone across the room. 4:10 a.m.: Crawl to phone, apologize to phone, turn phone back on, panic continues."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Hands down, The Great British Bake Off. Nothing unspools my brain more efficiently than watching earnest home bakers affix complicated chocolate collars to show-stopper cakes. This is my self-care."
• Kristine Belson

  President, Sony Pictures Animation

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Hotel Transylvania 3, which bucked previous fall installments with its summer bow, scored a franchise high with $527 million worldwide. On Dec. 14, Belson, 54, will introduce Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which is already generating awards buzz. "The story of 2018 for us is that what we've been rebuilding finally arrived in the marketplace," she says. More filmmaker-centric fare will follow, including Lin-Manuel Miranda's Vivo in 2020.

  My three morning musts "I get up at 4:30. First there's a little snuggling with the cats, then reading the L.A. Times, and on a good day, there's hiking with the dogs."

  My secret to working with difficult people "It's that I love them. I love artists, I love their psychology. Difficult people are interesting; that's why people make movies about them."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "I am binge-rewatching Parks and Rec. Partially because it's brilliant but also because it's such an optimistic and hopeful show. That's incredibly welcome right now."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "Extrovert. But obviously, plenty of introverts succeed. I've always wondered if they need to be a little more talented than us loudmouths in order to succeed."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year … "That the expectations are in a different place. We still need to work to get there but the goals seem like they've been irrefutably established."

  … and what hasn't changed at all "I don't feel there is anything that hasn't changed at all."

• Frances Berwick

  President, Lifestyle Networks, NBCU Cable

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  With Bravo still powered by the Real Housewives and their disciples — not to forget the recent premiere of mini Dirty John with a 3.9 million-strong premiere — and Oxygen successfully refocused on true crime, E! is where Berwick* and her team's gaze is largely fixed. The celebrity-focused cable network needs a post-Kardashian identity now that the reality behemoth is getting long in the tooth. Big swings to help fill the looming void include acquiring the People’s Choice Awards and giving Busy Philipps a late-night showcase.

  My three morning musts "Exercise, making my son breakfast even if he’s old enough to make it himself, and getting to the office before anyone else."

  I'd love to work with … "Chrissy Teigen. She seems refreshingly authentic, smart, funny and has a point of view about many of our Bravo and E! personalities."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Not taking anything personally and serving up politeness with a small side of frost."

• Carolyn Blackwood

  President, chief content officer, New Line Cinema

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Blackwood, 51, who runs New Line with Richard Brener, is a driving force behind the $1.6 billion Conjuring franchise. She personally championed Annabelle (2014) and follow-up Annabelle: Creation, which earned $307 million worldwide in 2017, then saw spinoff The Nun gross $365 million, the top showing of any title in the franchise. Next up: It: Chapter 2 in September 2019.

  My three morning musts "A few minutes of extra cuddle time with my daughter before school (we aren't morning people), a cup of English Breakfast tea with milk (I have British roots) and the Today show (I love Hoda Kotb)."

  What might surprise people about me "I worked my way through college and law school (and beyond) by bartending."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "My friends and colleagues all know this answer: I am a big fan of the Bachelor franchise. It's an escape from our own daily drama into someone else's!"
• Michelle Bohan, Sharon Jackson, Elyse Scherz and Meredith Wechter

  WME

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Bohan* clients Emma Stone (The Favourite) and Amy Adams (Vice) are getting Oscar buzz this year, as is Steve Carell with three films: Vice, Beautiful Boy and Welcome to Marwen. Jackson* led the effort to bring Amy Schumer to WME and join her roster, which includes Elisabeth Moss, John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill and Jack Black. Wechter*, who reps DC stars Jason Momoa and Gal Gadot, recruited Diane Lane. And Scherz* (clients include Millie Bobby Brown and Maggie Gyllenhaal) installed Diego Luna in a Disney+ series centered on his Rogue One character while turning Charlize Theron into Megyn Kelly (for Jay Roach's Roger Ailes film) and placing Blake Lively in Paul Feig's A Simple Favor.

  My three morning musts

  Bohan: "Wake up my kids round 1, wake up my kids round 2, wake up my kids round 3."

  Jackson: "Wake up and check email, [my husband] Woody and I take our daughters to school each morning, and then I write a list of what I want to accomplish for the day."

  Scherz: "Snuggles. Prayers/meditation. Kite Hill almond milk plain yogurt with berries, maca and cacao."

  Wechter: "TM, Trader Joe's mixed nut butter, Daily Burn."
  
  My secret to working with difficult people

  Bohan: "Raising three children."

  Scherz: "Who is difficult? What is difficult?"
  
  What might surprise people about me

  Bohan: "I have a hard time negotiating for myself — I'm every car salesperson's dream."

  Scherz: "I am an amateur homeopath."

  Wechter: "I once starred as Dainty June in the road company of Gypsy."
  
  My entertainment guilty pleasure 

  Bohan: "Shark Tank with my 12-year-old son. Hoping he invents something soon to send me into early retirement so I never have to fill out another power list questionnaire!"

  Jackson: "Fixer Upper. Chip and Joanna Gaines and their baby goats."

  Scherz: "Narcos because Diego Luna is fantastic and it is a tipping point to have a lead character on a television show who speaks Spanish. Make it and everyone will watch. The Deuce because Maggie Gyllenhaal is so brave and the show is my new feminist anthem."

  Wechter: "Dr. Laura on Sirius XM because it makes me feel normal."
  
  My dream 2020 presidential ticket

  Scherz: "Kathleen Kennedy and Oprah Winfrey." 

• Lisa Borders

  President and CEO, Time’s Up

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  Within moments of meeting Borders, it’s clear why a committee including such industry leaders as Shonda Rhimes, Bad Robot co-CEO Katie McGrath and Kerry Washington chose her as the first official leader of Hollywood-spawned but globally focused workplace gender-parity organization Time’s Up. The former WNBA president, 61, has decades of experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors (she was vice mayor of Atlanta and chaired The Coca-Cola Foundation). “I’ve thankfully had my share of successes, but I’ve also had some pretty public failures,” she says, pointing to her loss in Atlanta’s 2009 mayoral race. “I learned a tremendous amount about myself — the ability to be resilient and still serve in a different capacity beyond the one I originally envisioned.” With Time’s Up, which has raised $22 million for its legal defense fund and is planning a big early 2019 announcement that will outline a specific corporate, legislative and cultural agenda, Borders has the opportunity to expand her life’s work of supporting women. “When you help women, those benefits accrue to their families, communities and countries,” she says. “The ripple effect we will have by elevating women really will make the world a better place.”

  My three morning musts "I write in a gratitude journal, I do 20 to 40 squats while I brush my teeth, and then I sit for a moment and think about the day and how I can bring my best self to work. I try to compartmentalize things that are bothering me, and turn my full attention to the tasks at hand so I can be fully present."

  The most gracious thing I've witnessed at work lately "A colleague who made a mistake and was willing to offer an apology and accept full accountability. Particularly as we look at the environment in which we live, where some of our leaders never say they're sorry, never accept responsibility and also blame others, it is very gracious to say, 'I am sorry, I made a mistake, I accept full responsibility and let me move on.'"

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Scandal and House of Cards. Scandal obviously is no longer on, but now I binge-watch episodes over again. I was so fascinated with Olivia Pope, all the things she stood for and how she was always trying to problem-solve and do the right thing. She was vulnerable, she often struggled, which makes her all the more human. And then House of Cards hearkens back to my former days as an elected official. It reminds me of what a difficult role elected officials have to play, and it reminds me that politics is often a dirty game, and I'm not in it anymore partly because I was always guilty of telling the truth, which got me in so much trouble."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "From a civics perspective, I think it's better to be an extrovert. Planting a flag and saying, 'We are here and we demand to be heard. We insist on a safe, fair and dignified environment for women,' is really critical at this point. The house is on fire, not just in the U.S. but across the globe."

• Elaine Frontain Bryant

  Exec vp, head of programming, A+E

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  The highest-ranking woman in the sprawling A+E Networks portfolio, Frontain Bryant, 49, has helped turn the flagship around with high-minded unscripted plays. Born This Way and Leah Remini's Scientology docuseries are Emmy nom regulars, while Live PD (recently renewed for 150 episodes) tops cable ratings most Friday and Saturday nights.

  My three morning musts "I wake up and make a cup of coffee. That's a never-miss. I also never miss sitting with my girls over their breakfast. It's usually just toaster waffles, but since weekday dinners together are scarce, it's sacred time. And I have a seven-minute meditation I do on the train every day without fail that sets my intention for the day."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again."
• Karey Burke

  President, ABC Entertainment

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  With the November news of Channing Dungey's exit, the 52-year-old Disney vet made the jump from programming at cable net Freeform to ABC's top post. Her new job comes with clout and a vote of confidence from incoming boss Dana Walden, but there's an uphill battle ahead: Burke inherits an ABC that is again in last place.

  My three morning musts "Walking the dogs, listening to The Daily podcast in traffic, and trying to beat Waze to work."

  I'd love to work with … "The Obamas. No explanation necessary."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "The Crown. It's guilty because I tell my daughter that we can watch together. Then I cheat and pretend I haven't seen the episodes."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "I think extroverts have an easier time in this industry, and that's not necessarily always a good thing — said the extrovert."

• Suzan Bymel and Evelyn O'Neill

  Management 360

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Bymel*, whose roster includes Anne Hathaway and Michelle Pfeiffer, helped shepherd the deal for Halle Berry's directorial debut, MMA drama Bruised. O'Neill, 58, who earned an Oscar nom as producer on client Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird, is behind Chadwick Boseman's reign in Wakanda and his Black Panther co-star Daniel Kaluuya's entry into the Marvel Universe.

  My three morning musts

  O'Neill: "New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post."

  What might surprise people about me

  Bymel: "I'm obsessed with fly fishing."

  O'Neill: "I come from academia and my first love was ballet. I loved the combination of extreme physical discipline and the communication of emotion, and studying an art form that can only be taught person to person."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Bymel: "Escape rooms. I love problem-solving so give me a fantasy world, my closest friends and a little claustrophobia and I'm all in."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood?

  Bymel: "What's an introvert?"

  O'Neill: "The industry appears to favor the extrovert, but I would never underestimate the power of looking within."

• Gabrielle Carteris, Dawn Hudson, Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, and Keri Putnam

  President, SAG-AFTRA; CEO, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Presidents, PGA; Executive director, Sundance Institute

  

  CATEGORY Industry Stewards

  As head for two years of the 160,000-strong actors union, Carteris, 57, this year oversaw major initiatives to address sexual harassment and welcomed in Telemundo performers, who voted to unionize and signed their first contract in July, the first time in 65 years that actors at a major TV network have sought unionization. Berman, 62, and Fisher, 69, were voted presidents of the 8,500-member PGA in June. While each is busy producing — as head of The Jackal Group, Berman has projects at Fox, CBS and Netflix, and an animated Addams Family movie hitting theaters next October; while Fisher, co-chairman of Red Wagon Productions, is developing a Gladiator sequel with director Ridley Scott — they served on the task force that created the PGA's Anti-Sexual Harassment Guidelines (which has served as a template for other industry groups) and are working on health insurance options for their membership. They're also exploring bringing the Producers Mark, an established part of film credits, to TV. Putnam, 53, has channeled support to 500 artists via 21 residency labs (where Sorry to Bother You was developed), and nearly $3 million in grants for films including RBG. Hudson's push for a popular Oscar proved not at all popular and was shelved, but the 62-year-old continues efforts to diversify Academy ranks, as the organization invited a record 928 new members — 31 percent of its 9,200-plus members are now women; 16 percent are people of color.

  My three morning musts

  Berman: "Watch the East Coast feed of Morning Joe. Call my 95-year-old dad. Catch up with [Jackal Group president] Joe Earley before the rest of the staff arrives."

  Fisher: "Talking to our oldest daughter while she is on her way to work. Talking to our middle daughter while she is on her way to work. Talking to our youngest daughter while she is on her way to work."

  Carteris: "First I kiss my husband good morning. I go to hot yoga, and grab a Starbucks venti almond latte. And, of course, I look over my calendar to see what's on for the day."

  Hudson: "Meditation, treadmill, wishing I had gone to bed earlier."

  Putnam: "Coffee, Longreads and a walk."

  I'd love to work with …

  Berman: "Jordan Peele. He's hilarious, forward-thinking and a hell of a director."

  Fisher: "Ryan Coogler."

  Carteris: "Ryan Murphy. He recognizes his position in the Hollywood ecosystem and uses his voice with purpose and focus on inclusion. Plus, he's a great director!"

  Hudson: "Salma Hayek and Issa Rae. I am drawn to people who are using their talent to change the world, either overtly or subversively."

  Putnam: "Greta Gerwig."

  What might surprise people about me

  Berman: "I ride a Vespa."

  Fisher: "My longest job before Warner Bros. was as a waitress."

  Carteris: "I have the soul of a singer and the voice of a dog."

  Hudson: "I make a very good gluten-free apple galette."

  Putnam: "I medaled in Junior Olympic water ballet."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Berman: "Botched … can't turn away."

  Fisher: "Candy Crush, of course."

  Carteris: "I don't watch it often, but I really enjoy the show Below Deck: Mediterranean. It's about the crew of this charter ship and I just love the drama."

  Hudson: "The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. I love the passion everyone has."

  Putnam: "Great British Baking Show (all seasons)."
• Nicole Clemens

  President, Paramount TV

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  After two years revisiting her management roots at Anonymous Content, the former FX exec took on a new role heading a studio, Paramount TV. Clemens, 49, signed George Clooney and his Smokehouse Pictures banner with Grant Heslov to an overall deal, extending the studio's relationship with the producers of Catch-22, which hails from her now-former employer. In her fold now are such hits as Netflix's 13 Reasons Why and Amazon's Jack Ryan, too.

  My three morning musts "Before I get out of bed, I pause and take a second to remind myself to be grateful and to try to stay in the moment, then I start my day with four shots of espresso before I can speak to anyone. It's basically the Pulp Fiction shot of adrenaline. Then I try, and mostly fail, to get my kids out of the house for school on time without drama."

  My secret to working with difficult people "I don't take their bad personalities personally."

  What might surprise people about me "I speak Dutch and I won The Dating Game."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Succession. I had fun with the thinly veiled Murdoch references."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "An extrovert Monday through Friday and introvert Saturday and Sunday."

• Megan Colligan

  President, Imax Entertainment and EVP, Imax Corp.

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  The former Paramount exec starts her new job in February, when her focus will be on studio and talent relationships and partnerships with Netflix and other streamers. Colligan, 45, who in 2018 consulted for Plan B, Amazon, New Line and Participant (she also worked on Time's Up), says she was drawn to Imax for its "entrepreneurial spirit."

  My three morning musts "Telling my kids to get dressed, eat and get their shoes on in a constant loop. Looking at Twitter to see if something catastrophic happened while I was sleeping. Replying to emails."

  My secret to working with difficult people "People are difficult for two reasons — some are the top tier of what they do and expect perfection, so you try to be your best, be accountable when things go wrong, and make sure you and your team are giving 125 percent effort. Some are difficult because they are insecure, so you try to understand what makes them insecure and manage the insecurity as best you can."

  What might surprise people about me "I listen almost exclusively to hip-hop radio."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "I love every single unscripted show Bravo produces. It all makes me happy in ways I can't begin to fully explain."

• Melanie Cook, Deborah Klein, Jeanne Newman and Nina Shaw

  Talent attorneys

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Director Stephen Daldry is helming the film adaptation of Broadway's Wicked thanks in part to Ziffren Brittenham partner Cook, 65, who also inked deals for Sam Mendes to direct the WWI drama 1917 and Chadwick Boseman to star in the Russo brothers' 17 Bridges. Klein, a partner at Jackoway Austen, negotiated Paramount and CBS deals for Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez shingle and multiple feature roles for Samuel L. Jackson. After guiding Amy Sherman-Palladino through the Gilmore Girls reboot (and her Emmy-winning Amazon series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Newman, 54 — partner at Hansen Jacobson — is helping Rob Thomas' Veronica Mars come back to life at Hulu. She also advised Sharp Objects showrunner Marti Noxon on her Netflix deal. Del Shaw partner and Time's Up co-founder Shaw* guided Ava DuVernay on her pact with Warner Bros. TV, Lupita Nyong'o on her role in Jordan Peele's Us and Jurnee Smollett-Bell on her deal to join Birds of Prey.

  My three morning musts

  Cook: "Caffeine, aerobic exercise (boxing, cycling), shower."

  Klein: "Surfing dawn patrol at Leo Carrillo Beach, waking up my teenage daughter for school (not so easy), and, while still enjoying the morning quiet, multitasking by rubbing the bellies of our three dogs while catching up on the news."

  Newman: "Coffee, exercise, list-making."
  
  What might surprise people about me

  Klein: "I like to push physical limits with surfing, biking and high-altitude hiking (climbed Kilimanjaro last year)."

  Newman: "I abhor conflict."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure 

  Klein: "Watching Walking Dead, I am not really the zombie-movie type but I'm totally hooked."

  Shaw: "This Is Us — had to see if I could resist the cry fest (I did)."
• Maha Dakhil, Hylda Queally, Sonya Rosenfeld and Beth Swofford

  CAA

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  While Queally* shepherded her deep bench of A-listers (Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson among them), Swofford* guided Hugh Grant (Paddington 2 and Amazon's A Very English Scandal) and Steve McQueen (Widows), whom she reps with Dakhil*. Time's Up co-founder Dakhil negotiated Gary Ross' Ocean's Eight and J.A. Bayona's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom deals. And Rosenfeld* remains one of the most powerful agents in TV, selling Ava DuVernay's Central Park Five to Netflix and brokering Scott Frank's deal there for limited series Godless, which won three Emmys.

  My three morning musts

  Dakhil: "Peeling my 3-year-old off my face, looking for her stuffed puppy for 20 minutes, and racing out the door in a half-zipped dress — I'm in that phase at the moment."

  Queally: "My husband always brings me a cup of Barry's Irish Tea in bed. I then walk to the ocean and make my European calls."

  Rosenfeld: "Coffee, workout and more coffee."

  Swofford: "Newspapers, tea and music. And lots of email."

  What might surprise people about me

  Queally: "I own the green Teletubby costume and proudly wear it every Halloween … without heels!"

  Rosenfeld: "I'm terrified of clowns!"

  Swofford: "My obsession with UNC basketball."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Dakhil: "I actually feel guilty about not watching what should be my answer: Riverdale. Will get to it soon."

  Queally: "The Voice. Mostly because I love to watch the personal journey each contestant is on and how they grow in confidence through mentorship."

  Swofford: "Babylon Berlin (watched two seasons in a few days — was immersed in 1929 Berlin)."

  My dream 2020 presidential ticket

  Swofford: "Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Roosevelt."

• Susanne Daniels

  Global head of original content, YouTube

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Daniels' first big swing at YouTube was a Karate Kid series sequel, the pilot for which has been viewed 51 million times since its May debut. Pilots in the works include an Edge of Seventeen reboot and Ben Stiller-produced drama Dark Cargo. Though Cobra Kai is set to return in 2019, Daniels, 53, will dial back on scripted originals beginning in 2020 in favor of big, ad-supported stunts like Will Smith live stream The Jump, which garnered more than 17.5 million views in 48 hours.

  My three morning musts "Lift weights, drink secret-ingredient power smoothie, meditate with guru. Wait, that's not right. Drink two cups of coffee, drive my daughter to school and make lists of everything I need to do."

  I'd love to work with … "Keanu Reeves. Did you say work with or date?"

  My secret to working with difficult people "I try to avoid them. If I cannot avoid them, then I listen very carefully to their issues and demands and calmly negotiate a creative approach that satisfies our goals as well as theirs."

• Julie Darmody and Christie Smith

  Partners, Rise Management

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Smith, 42, and Darmody, 51, handle serious business for Hollywood's funniest, including Alison Brie, Nick Kroll and Adam Scott, as well as Silicon Valley actors Martin Starr and Zach Woods. The duo, who co-founded Rise in 2015, also help their stars branch out of the comedy space, with Smith negotiating Tim Heidecker's deal for Jordan Peele thriller Us and Darmody helping Busy Philipps launch Busy Tonight on E!

  My three morning musts

  Smith: "The Today show, Go Get Em Tiger, Howard Stern."

  My secret to working with difficult people

  Smith: "Telling the truth and trying to stay calm. In the words of Michelle, when they go low …"
• Viola Davis

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Viola Davis and Brené Brown first spoke in May 2017. Davis had recently won her Oscar for Fences, and Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston and the author of multiple best-sellers on courage and vulnerability, was developing her 2017 book, Braving the Wilderness. Brown's work as a leadership consultant has earned her fans in Silicon Valley (Melinda Gates: "Brené taught me that leadership requires admitting what you don't know instead of pretending to know everything"), Hollywood (her A-list acolytes include Reese Witherspoon, Amy Adams, Laverne Cox and Oprah Winfrey, who calls her a "soul mate") and well beyond (her two TED Talks have close to 50 million views between them).

  Brown was eager to interview Davis because "she's such an incredible example of what it means to belong to yourself before you belong to anyone else," the author says. And Davis embraced being part of Brown's book because the actress had begun to speak more openly about the traumas of her past — growing up extremely poor, hungry and abused in Central Falls, Rhode Island — and her healing path, which includes her art as well as her activism on behalf of impoverished families. Their interview ranged from her damaged childhood ("I was a bed-wetter until I was 12 or 13. I smelled. Teachers complained about the smell and sent me to the nurse's office") to the fear and anxiety she carried into her adult life and, finally, her awakening, at age 38, to her own strength.

  Click here to read the full story.

• Ellen DeGeneres

  Host, executive producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Not content to rest on her hit daytime talk show (averaging 2.9 million daily viewers in its 16th season) or NBC primetime breakout Game of Games, the 60-year-old host and prolific producer returns to her comedy roots with her first stand-up special in 15 years. Relatable premieres Dec. 18 on Netflix, and the streamer is confident — $20 million confident — that viewers will be there waiting.

  My three morning musts "I wake up in bed with my wife, my three dogs, my three cats and feel grateful. Uncomfortable, but grateful."

  My secret to working with difficult people "I wouldn't know, because I'm lucky to be surrounded by talented, lovely and kind people. Many who've been with me for 16 seasons."

  What might surprise people about me "I do my own stunts."

  My dream 2020 presidential ticket is "I had a dream Snoop Dogg was my running mate, but we couldn't decide who would be president and who would be vice president, so we went and got pizza instead. Is that what you mean?

• Nancy Dubuc

  CEO, Vice Media

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  After two decades at A+E Networks, she joined Shane Smith at Vice to help turn around his edgy youth media brand following a string of sexual harassment allegations. Now it’s up to Dubuc, 49, to rein in the unwieldy, 3,000- employee business, cutting back on its portfolio of digital brands while zeroing in on such moneymakers as film and television production. To that end, Vice will premiere films Judy & Punch and The Report at Sundance this year and is planning to launch a live-programming block on cable channel Viceland. But while Dubuc promises that Vice, valued at $5.7 billion, is on a path to profitability, investors are getting antsy for an exit and Disney took a $157 million write-down on its stake in the business.

  My secret to working with difficult people "Focus on what you can control — the product you and your team can produce. No one can argue against hard work and the results it delivers. And, try and laugh a little ... levity has great powers."

  What would surprise people about me “I just got a dark blue ’75 Chevy Blazer K5 soft top, and I couldn’t be more in love.”

  Is it better to be an introvert or an extrovert in Hollywood? “It’s about leaning into what works for you. The loudest person in the room does not always come out on top. In fact, I think sometimes the quietest person — the one who is spending time listening — is the best leader.”
• Lena Dunham

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  By 32, Dunham had already written, directed and starred in groundbreaking projects for film (Tiny Furniture) and TV (HBO's Girls), to say nothing of penning books, hosting podcasts and launching a publishing imprint. But now the lightning rod, who can set off the news cycle with a single Instagram post, is starting anew with a solo deal at HBO and a string of other projects, including a J.J. Abrams- and Steven Spielberg-produced film that she's writing about a Syrian refugee.

  My three morning musts "Sleeping an extra hour then waking with a start full of intractable dread."

  The most gracious thing I've witnessed at work lately "A writer in my room gave me half her eggplant parm. I was stunned."

  My secret to working with difficult people “They are all God’s sweet babies and I imagine them crying out for love and hugs. Also, I pretend to take an important call.”

  What might surprise people about me "I love to-do lists and planners. I live for goals, bullet points and systems."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "Introverts get more done. But extroverts have more fun doing it."

• Ava DuVernay

  Producer-director

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  DuVernay, who became the first African-American female director to helm a $100 million studio film with February's A Wrinkle in Time, is on every studio's most-wanted list. Currently wrapping up the Netflix miniseries Central Park Five, she's attached to direct Warner Bros.' DC feature The New Gods. In November, the 46-year-old, who's also directing a multipart Prince doc, inked a high eight-figure overall deal with Warner Bros. TV.

• Megan Ellison

  Founder/CEO, Annapurna

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  Ever since Annapurna lost two executives (Marc Weinstock and Chelsea Barnard) and dropped its Jay Roach-helmed Roger Ailes movie on the eve of production, speculation has swirled that Ellison, 32, is downsizing her slate or abandoning the film distribution space altogether. But the company scored a major win with Creed II, the first test in its joint venture with MGM (the boxing sequel earned a huge $56 million in its opening frame). Creed II’s performance bodes well for Bond 25, which Annapurna will distribute in February 2020 as part of the MGM deal. Ellison’s acquisitions team also scored one of the few non-doc hits out of Sundance this year with Boots Riley’s directorial debut, Sorry to Bother You, which took in $17 million at the domestic box office. The Sisters Brothers proved to be an expensive misfire ($3 million at the U.S. box office on a $38 million budget). But the indie company’s awards season looks robust with Adam McKay’s Vice and Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk.
• Amy Entelis

  Exec vp talent and content development, CNN Worldwide

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  There was no such thing as CNN Films before Entelis* got to the network in 2012. Now her unit can lay claim to two top-grossing docs at the North American box office: RBG, about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, earned close to $14 million (and later drew more than 2 million viewers to CNN); Three Identical Strangers made $12 million. Among the 35 series Entelis has developed are the Emmy-winning Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown and W. Kamau Bell's United Shades of America.

  I'd love to work with … "I would love to see what kind of POV Tina Fey or Julia Louis-Dreyfus would bring to a CNN original series.'

  My secret to working with difficult people "Straight-up honesty. When you call someone out it usually gets their attention."

  What might surprise people about me "Went to law school for one day, walked up the steps and walked back down. It wasn't for me. I was also a French teacher and a cooking teacher before I became a network news producer."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "I am rewatching The West Wing again from the beginning."

• Rita Ferro, Jo Ann Ross and Linda Yaccarino

  President, Disney-ABC Ad Sales; Chief advertising revenue officer, CBS Corp.; Chairman Ad Sales, NBCU

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Ferro, 49, added the multibillion-dollar ESPN portfolio to her purview this year and was tapped by NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to join the city's Latin Media and Entertainment Commission. With CBS Corp. in disarray, Ross, 65, and her department have been an island of stability, pulling in as much as $2.6 billion in upfront commitments for the current season. Yaccarino's portfolio generated more than $6.5 billion in primetime commitments as the 55-year-old also has become an advocate for innovation, with a series of tech advancements that will remake her $70 billion industry.

  My three morning musts

  Ferro: "Watching GMA and getting my news headlines from my favorite morning crew; kissing my daughter goodbye before I get in the car to leave for work when I am home or FaceTiming with her if I am on the road; checking my calendar to make sure I am mentally prepared for the meetings and conversations of the day."

  Ross: "Coffee with my husband; hugging my dog, Justine; watching CBS This Morning!"

  Yaccarino: "Spin class, call mom, drink tea while reading Apple News."

  I'd love to work with … 

  Ferro: "Tiffany Haddish."

  Ross: "Sandra Bullock — she reminds me of me."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Ferro: "The Americans. It is an incredible series and I am always fascinated by great government and spy movies and shows."

  Yaccarino: "It's no secret: Kardashians all day, every day."

• Tina Fey

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Broadway musical Mean Girls brought a whopping 13 Tony nominations to Fey, 48, who still makes occasional use of the open door at alma mater Saturday Night Live and just signed on for a role in Amazon's Modern Love anthology. January marks the end of her 18-time Netflix Emmy nominee Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, as she and 30 Rock writing partner Robert Carlock turn to actively developing new projects.
• Kathleen Finch

  Chief lifestyle brands officer, Discovery Communications

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  In the wake of Discovery Communications’ $14.6 billion acquisition of Scripps Networks, made formal in 2018, it was the longtime Food Network and HGTV exec who saw the biggest expansion of purview. Finch, 57, now oversees a whopping 11 networks, including those she brought with her from longtime home Scripps and a few inherited from her erstwhile rival — such as TLC and ID. Hers is the largest stable of lifestyle networks — make that the largest portfolio of cable nets — in all of TV.

  My three morning musts “Lots of black coffee before I speak to anyone, watching Morning Joe and perusing Twitter.”

  I'd love to work with … "It's no longer possible, but I would have loved to work with Rod Serling. He was a prolific content creator and an industry pioneer and seems like he would have been fascinating to know. Plus, I could have geeked out over my favorite Twilight Zone episodes."

  My secret to working with difficult people is "Don't. But if you must, try and disarm them by being the exact opposite."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure “Cheesy scary movies. I can’t watch them alone because I get too scared, but my family kindly keeps me company while I lose myself in fear. My most recent fright was The Meg, which was satisfyingly ridiculous.”

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "This is not a business for introverts, at least not on the creative side. You need a thick skin and some moxie in order to pitch ideas, especially when you're beginning your career. I started out as an introvert but quickly learned to change after shyness kept me from speaking up in pitch meetings."

• Elizabeth Gabler

  President, Fox 2000

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Gabler's knack for turning books into big-screen events continued this year with Love, Simon and The Hate U Give, the latter of which has grossed nearly $32 million to date domestically. The 62-year-old is currently prepping faith-based Breakthrough and The Art of Racing in the Rain with Kevin Costner (voicing a canine), not to mention her move with her division to Disney.

  My three morning musts "Walking my two golden retrievers. Waking up my daughter, who is 16, and giving her the weather report. Starting the coffee."

  I'd love to work with … "Rob Marshall. I know him as a friend."

  What might surprise people about me "I'm actually kind of shy. I hide it very well."

• Lady Gaga

  Singer, actor

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  You can count on one hand the number of music divas who've successfully transitioned to screen queen: Barbra Streisand, Cher, Mary J. Blige and now, with her debut in the latest remake of A Star Is Born (in Streisand's onetime role), Lady Gaga. The film has grossed $362 million worldwide and put the 32-year-old platinum artist (11 million album sales, 56 million digital song downloads, 2.6 billion in song streams) on most lists for a best actress nom. Meanwhile, her soundtrack for the movie just became her fifth No. 1 album, making her the most chart-topping female artist of the decade.
• Dede Gardner

  President, Plan B

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  The only female producer with two best picture Oscar wins (for 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight), Gardner this year boasts three contenders: Barry Jenkins' If Beale Street Could Talk; Adam McKay's Dick Cheney satire Vice; and the addiction drama Beautiful Boy. On the TV side, the 51-year-old's restaurant drama Sweetbitter received a season-two order at Starz.

• Dana Goldberg

  Chief creative officer, Skydance Media

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Goldberg, 48, who sets the company's vision across all divisions (film, TV, animation and now VR), saw a series-best haul of $791 million for Mission: Impossible — Fallout and is now overseeing the new Terminator, a Top Gun sequel and Michael Bay-helmed 6 Underground, starring Ryan Reynolds, which marks Skydance's first collaboration with Netflix for a tentpole-level feature. On the TV side, she serves as executive producer on series including Netflix's Grace and Frankie and Amazon's Jack Ryan.

  My three morning musts "I read a script, I play with my daughter, and I talk to [Skydance feature film president] Don Granger."

  I'd love to work with … "Allison Janney. She could read the phone book and make it just insanely entertaining."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Reality show Below Deck. It's not remotely wholesome."

• Amy Gravitt and Nina Rosenstein, and Francesca Orsi

  Exec vps programming; Exec vp, co-head of drama series, HBO

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Without Gravitt, 45, Orsi, 44, and Rosenstein* (responsible for comedy, drama and late night, respectively), there would be no prestige at HBO, the crown jewel in AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of parent Time Warner. Gravitt, a former U.S. Navy lieutenant, is behind 17-time Emmy winner Veep along with Insecure and Barry. Orsi set up the summer breakout Succession and the newcomer My Brilliant Friend. NYC-based Rosenstein counts among her credits the Peabody winner Last Week Tonight, Real Time With Bill Maher and Random Acts of Flyness.

  My three morning musts

  Gravitt: "6 a.m. Peloton On Demand Ride (on a good day), school drop-off, and — between 8 and 9 a.m. — I roll calls with other working parents; it's by far the most productive hour of my day."

  Rosenstein: "Morning Joe, meditation and massive amounts of French Roast coffee … not necessarily in that order."

  Orsi: "Coffee, emails and occasionally feeding my dad's donkey in Torrance, predawn."

  My secret to working with difficult people

  Orsi: "I have no filter, which will be my downfall, but it helps me authentically connect with artists."

  What might surprise people about me

  Orsi: "That my first name is Karen but I prefer my middle name, Francesca, despite everyone in Hollywood butchering it to 'Frannie' or 'Franny' or 'Fran.'"

  Rosenstein: "My first job out of college was as a research biochemist. After an unfortunate 'explosion' in the lab I decided to pursue my dream of a career in comedy."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Gravitt: "Dateline Friday is my appointment viewing. Whoever runs their social media is a comic genius."

  Rosenstein: "I could watch endless episodes of Shark Tank, and also like stumbling through WebMD, which for me is entertainment."

  Orsi: "Watching funny videos with my 8-year-old daughter."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood?

  Gravitt: "I have to side with my team on this. Introverts tend to keep their heads down and do the work … and they're funnier."

  Rosenstein: "Definitely introvert — I think there's much more power in being a great listener than being the loudest person in the room."
• Tiffany Haddish

  Actor

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  For Haddish, “She Ready” is part tagline, part rallying cry — though it’s clear Hollywood is paying attention already. The thrice-homeless comic’s meteoric rise kicked off in earnest during the summer of 2017 with her breakout success as supercharged sidekick Dina in the smash hit Girls Trip (which scored $140 million at the worldwide box office). Overnight, Haddish became Hollywood’s latest It girl, the industry showering her with offers and praise. Before long, she was tapped to host Saturday Night Live, a gig that earned her her first Emmy, and graced the cover of Time magazine’s Most Influential People issue. The 39-year-old followed Girls Trip with a Showtime stand-up special (another for Netflix is on the way), an HBO deal, a TBS comedy (opposite Tracy Morgan), a Netflix cartoon, a Super Bowl spot, a memoir (The Last Black Unicorn spent 16 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list) and a string of films being greenlighted on the strength of her name. Up next: The Kitchen with Melissa McCarthy and Elisabeth Moss, Limited Partners with Salma Hayek and Rose Byrne, and voice roles in the Lego Movie and Secret Life of Pets sequels. She ready, indeed.

  My three morning musts “I pray, use the restroom and talk to myself in my head when I brush my teeth.”

  I'd love to work with … "Meryl Streep because I honestly think I would learn a lot from her."

  What might surprise people about me "I used to breed dogs. And I snowboard."

• Bonnie Hammer

  Chairman, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  Challenged landscape be damned: Hammer just saw her 140-series portfolio grow in profit and revenue for the 15th consecutive year. And though linear ratings have taken a hit, in a given week more than 100 million viewers tune in to her six cable networks, which include USA, Bravo and Syfy. What she’s proudest of now, however, is her booming studio business — specifically the work of Universal Cable Productions, which she was handed a decade ago almost as an afterthought. With its president, Dawn Olmstead, Hammer has transformed the former NBCU feeder, with high-profile shows set up at all of the major streaming services (i.e., Amazon’s Homecoming). “Right now, the name of the game is content,” Hammer says, “and we, over the last number of years, have very slowly but very consistently become pretty damn good suppliers.” Next, she and Olmstead will look to do the same with unscripted unit Wilshire Studios, which just took aim on the People’s Choice Awards on E!

  Having recently renewed her contract, Hammer, 68, who reports to CEO Steve Burke and oversees nearly 1,500 employees, sees plenty of rocky road ahead. In fact, the “frenemy” relationship with streamers is among the things that keep her up at night. “They need you and you need them right now,” she says, “but at some point, it’s going to be a true conflict of interest as opposed to just conflicting interests that you can somehow work around for a while.”

  My secret to working with difficult people "It's all about the art of listening. You have to be willing to understand what makes a person tick. In my experience, people simply want to be heard."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "Sometimes you've got to mount an aggressive charm offensive and sometimes you've got to hold back and button up. It's all about reading the room."

• Janet Healy

  Producer, Illumination

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Overseeing Paris' Mac Guff studio and its 850 animators, Healy, 68, followed up 2017's Despicable Me 3 ($1 billion worldwide) with holiday remake Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, which has unwrapped $220 million. She's readying The Secret Life of Pets 2, with Patton Oswalt and Tiffany Haddish, for a July bow.

  My three morning musts "Since we have facilities in both Paris and Los Angeles, I get up at 4 a.m. in Paris to respond to emails from the West Coast. Then when I awake at 8 a.m., I catch up again. This means the teams in L.A. have all gotten feedback in a timely manner and I have the opportunity during my walk to work to contemplate issues and organize the priorities for when I arrive at my office here in Paris."

  I'd love to work with … "Meryl Streep, because she has such great talent and range for building fascinating characters."

  My secret to working with difficult people "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret!"

  What might surprise people about me "I am a serious opera fan."
• Cindy Holland, Bela Bajaria and Lisa Nishimura

  VP original content; VP content; VP original documentary and comedy programming, Netflix

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  With $8 billion spent on content in 2018 alone, this trio has put out so many new series, specials and docs that even insiders have lost count. Holland, 49, is the streamer’s programming kingpin, overseeing 70-plus development executives that this year managed to wrap up scandal-ridden House of Cards relatively smoothly and deliver beloved second seasons of Stranger Things, The Crown and GLOW. On the heels of Shonda Rhimes’ and Jenji Kohan’s jaw-dropping overall deals with Netflix in 2017, the Nebraska native also was the envy of the town when she lured more top creators (Ryan Murphy, Kenya Barris, the Obamas). Two years into her Netflix tenure, Bajaria, 47, has expanded the unscripted division with zeitgeist-y series like the Queer Eye reboot and big-bet talk show entries like Hasan Minhaj’s Patriot Act (following Michelle Wolf and Joel McHale misfires). She also oversees studio co-productions and co-licensing pacts, striking deals for popular shows like The CW’s Riverdale to air their second windows on the streamer. Nishimura, 47, landed two big wins: Hannah Gadsby’s breakout stand-up special Nanette and Emmy-winning docuseries Wild Wild Country.

  My three morning musts

  Holland: “Cycling. Coffee. Contemplation.” 

  Bajaria: “Black coffee. Homemade chai for my kids. Elliptical machine while I watch a Barcelona game.”

  Nishimura: “Coffee. Solo quiet creative time. Snuggles with my son.”

  The most gracious thing I've witnessed at work lately

  Holland: "Norman Lear warming up the audience for the One Day at a Time tapings. Gracious and inspiring."

  My secret to working with difficult people

  Holland: "Listen fully."

  Bajaria: "Be transparent, have perspective, and don't try to win."

  Nishimura: "I listen. I try to uncover the core of what their real concern, fear, issue or underlying passion is that's driving their behavior. If all that fails, I try to remember they were someone's kid once."

• Tracey Jacobs, Blair Kohan, Theresa Peters and Shani Rosenzweig

  UTA

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Two-decade veteran Kohan, 50, joined Jacobs* (whose clients include Taraji P. Henson, Brad Bird, Kate McKinnon and Kristen Wiig) on UTA's board in January and later added Tracee Ellis Ross, Hannah Gadsby, Ali Wong and Marisa Tomei to her roster. Partner Rosenzweig, 47, works with three Marvel superheroes: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Mark Ruffalo. For Ruffalo, she also packaged starring and producing vehicles Dry Run (a Todd Haynes film) and HBO limited series I Know This Much Is True. Peters*, also a partner, returns to the Power 100 on the strength of a banner year for Viggo Mortensen (Green Book), Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians, Captain Marvel), Nick Robinson (Love, Simon) and more.

  My three morning musts

  Jacobs: "Dogs, triple shot cappuccino and Page Six."

  Kohan: "Take a shower, brush my teeth, and drop my kid off at school."

  Peters: "The Today show, family time and emails."

  Rosenzweig: "Snuggling with my dog, Gertie, moisturizer with SPF and responding to texts and emails that came in overnight."

  I'd love to work with …

  Jacobs: "Rachel Maddow."

  Peters: "Christine Amanpour — she must have a world of stories from all of her travels."

  My secret to working with difficult people is

  Jacobs: "Be authentic, empathetic and have an armorized constitution."

  Kohan: "A little tequila and a lot of meditation."

  What might surprise people about me

  Jacobs: "My extensive knowledge of music. All forms of it."

  Kohan: "I read hard copies of scripts, I keep a Filofax diary, and I balance my checkbook manually."

  Peters: "Prior to coming to L.A., I worked and lived in Germany, Denver, D.C., Chicago and Iowa."

  Rosenzweig: "I was in the pilot of MTV's Road Rules."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Kohan: "Watching the World of Dance with my 9-year-old daughter and 23-year-old step-daughter."

  Peters: "Last Chance U! I get very invested in the players and the staff and what happens next. I could talk about this show for hours."

  Rosenzweig: "The Clinton Affair — it was moving to watch Monica Lewinsky's journey from isolation to the strong woman she is today."

• Nina Jacobson

  Producer, Color Force

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  Jacobson’s year has been one for the record books thanks to the $237 million success of Crazy Rich Asians, the top-grossing romantic comedy in 10 years and a cultural milestone with its all-Asian cast. “I’m surprised people are surprised,” says Jacobson, 52. “Because it’s not surprising to me.” Color Force (which she runs with Brad Simpson) also reteamed with Ryan Murphy for his new series Pose, which centers transgender talent in an unprecedented way.

  It’s the overall diversity of Color Force’s slate that has made the company such a, well, force in the industry. Jacobson won her second Emmy this year for FX’s Assassination of Gianni Versace (the true crime series scored 18 nominations) and produced Oscar contender Ben Is Back (bowing Dec. 7). And she and Simpson are in post on Warner Bros.’ high-profile adaptation of The Goldfinch (set for October) along with Joe Robert Cole’s All Day and a Night, a drama starring Jeffrey Wright and Moonlight's Ashton Sanders.

  “You enjoy the things as they go out into the world, then you immediately begin to think about what’s next,” says Jacobson, who adds that they are currently in a phase of replenishing their slate after a very active 18 months. So what is next? “I want to do a movie with a Latino cast and filmmaker,” she says. “It’s such a big part of American culture and a very present audience.”

  My three morning musts "Feed the kids, drive my youngest to school, listen to a podcast on the way to work."

  I'd love to work with … "Alfonso Cuaron. I love his movies so much I can barely stand it."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Weakness invites aggression."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "I don't think it's a guilty pleasure but I just madly binged Bodyguard."
• Patty Jenkins

  Director

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  Jenkins, 47, spent most of 2018 in production on TNT's upcoming limited series I Am the Night (starring Chris Pine) and a much-anticipated Wonder Woman sequel. Expectations for the follow-up, due in June 2020, are sky-high given that the first, with its $822 million worldwide haul, remains the top-grossing live-action film directed by a woman. Jenkins' payday for the sequel is believed to be in the $7 million to $9 million range, marking a high for a female helmer.

  My three morning musts "Lots of coffee, reading the news and prepping for my day."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Trying not to."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Documentaries about people's near-death experiences. I feel like the answers to the universe are within."

• Bozoma St. John

  Chief marketing officer, Endeavor

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Saint John jumped from Uber in June to help define Endeavor's sprawling brands. The former Apple marketing executive, 41, says she spent her first six months learning "the intricacies of dozens of companies, hundreds of events and thousands of hours of content." Now she's ready to build a cohesive strategy for properties from WME to Miss Universe and UFC. She describes that challenge as "threading the needle between all of the brands which make up the tapestry of Endeavor, and making sure that they each have their own distinct path while contributing to the whole."

  My three morning musts "Workout, pray, take my daughter to school."

  I'd love to work with ... "Jean Luc Picard, aka Patrick Stewart, because when I immigrated to the U.S. from Ghana at 12 years old, I was obsessed with learning everything about pop culture; but in the midst of learning music, films and sports, I fell in love with the captain of the Star Trek Enterprise who never made aliens feel like an 'other.' I loved him for being inclusive at a time when I felt excluded. I'd love to continue to develop that narrative."

• Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Meredith Ahr, and Pearlena Igbokwe

  Co-presidents scripted programming, NBC Ent.; President, NBC Ent. Alternative and Reality group; President, Universal TV

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  NBC finished premiere week at No. 1 in the key demo on the strength of breakout Manifest and ongoing juggernaut This Is Us. That news came roughly four months after Katz, 45, and Pakosta, 48, wrapped the 2017-18 season at No. 1. At studio sibling Universal TV, Igbokwe, 54, expanded her scripted roster to a record 32 series (for the 2018-19 season), with the current slate generating a studio-best 51 Emmy nominations. Ahr, 39, continues her rise with a November promotion to run unscripted and syndication at both Universal TV and NBC. She helped establish Universal TV's Alternative Studio as a source for international formats after delivering NBC hits World of Dance, The Wall and Making It, which have sold in more than 45 territories. Dwayne Johnson's Titan Games bows Jan. 3.

  My three morning musts

  Katz: "School drop-off, coffee and more coffee."

  Pakosta: "Coffee, reading to prepare for my day, breakfast with my kids."

  Igbokwe: "Waking up at 5 a.m., listening to Howard Stern, telling my son I love him when I drop him off at school."

  Ahr: "Coffee, reading news headlines from a few major news sources, and singing songs on the way to dropping my kids off at daycare."

  I'd love to work with …

  Katz: "Ryan Coogler is an incredible storyteller and has the unique ability to be specific and universal at the same time. I'd love to see what he would do for network television."

  Pakosta: "Phoebe Waller-Bridge. I respect Phoebe's authenticity and fearlessness in her storytelling. Her comedically complex and vulnerable characters would make a great impact on the bigger broadcast audience."

  Ahr: "Reese Witherspoon. I am inspired by how she took control of the industry, not only creating meaningful roles and opportunities for women — but proving they could be profitable. I also love her comedic timing and bright outlook."

  What might surprise people about me

  Pakosta: "Sometimes I cannot do my 10-year-old son's math homework, but I'm great at giving him notes on his short stories."

  Igbokwe: "I was a nerd in elementary school. Maybe not everyone will be surprised. I may be overestimating how far I've come!"

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Katz: "The Great British Baking Show. There is something so calming about it — the accents, the music, the scenery. Everyone is so civilized and, of course, there are baked goods."

  Pakosta: "The Great British Baking Show. I cannot bake or cook but I'm in awe of those who can."

  Igbokwe: "To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Set It Up."
• Kathleen Kennedy

  President, Lucasfilm

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  She rode out Lucasfilm's first real box office disappointment, summer's Solo: A Star Wars Story, and got a vote of confidence from her bosses with a contract extension through 2021. Kennedy, 65, is expanding further into TV, with multiple series scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in 2019 and the animated Star Wars Resistance, which hit Disney Channel in October.

• Paula Kerger

  President and CEO, PBS

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  Kerger, 60, has been at the helm of PBS for more than a decade, which makes her not only the longest-serving chief in the history of public television but also the most veteran broadcast head at a time of unprecedented disruption. She is a tireless proselytizer, having made trips to member stations in 49 out of 50 states (all but Hawaii). She guided PBS through a #MeToo crisis, moving swiftly to fire accused hosts Tavis Smiley and Charlie Rose and tapping Christiane Amanpour to fill the void left by Rose. At a time when trust in public institutions is faltering — and Trump and Republicans are threatening to zero out funding — PBS ranked among the most trusted institutions in America, according to a recent survey.

  My three morning musts “Exercise, a review of the news from overnight and a very large cup of coffee. Usually in that order.”

  My secret to working with difficult people "Difficult people? Really? There are difficult people in our industry?!"

  My entertainment guilty pleasure “Bodyguard. So totally absorbing, I couldn’t follow my habit of spreading the viewing pleasure. I devoured it in one hugely satisfying gulp.”

• Aleen Keshishian

  Founder and CEO, Lighthouse Management & Media

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Selena Gomez looks to her for everything from film to branding, including deals to star in Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die and Puma and Coach campaigns. Keshishian* also oversaw Jason Bateman and Laura Linney's deals for Ozark's third season and guides Avenger's Paul Rudd and Mark Ruffalo's continued Marvel tenure.

  My three morning musts "Meditate, walk my dog with my husband and read The New York Times and Los Angeles Times."

  What might surprise people about me "I was in children's theater with Adam Sandler when I was 10."
• Nicole Kidman

  Actor; producer, Blossom Films

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  In 2017, Kidman vowed to work with a female director every 18 months, and she's more than delivered on that promise, collaborating with five in the past two years. She's back in the Oscar race with Karyn Kusama's gritty noir thriller Destroyer, and wrapped work on the second season of HBO's Big Little Lies. She also stepped back into superhero territory with Warner Bros.' Aquaman. Next, Kidman, 51, will be seen in Amazon Studios' adaptation of The Goldfinch, HBO series The Undoing and in the Roger Ailes movie as Gretchen Carlson. In June, her Blossom Films banner signed a first-look deal with Amazon.

  My three morning musts "Coffee. Kisses. Berries."

  I'd love to work with … "Steven Spielberg."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Finding the passion together and working from that positive place of passion. But I have to say I find very few people difficult. I think it's an overused word."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Riverdale! But I don't see that as a guilty pleasure!"

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "There is no 'better.' I've never seen 'better,' it's just what you are and how you navigate through life with grace and dignity." 

• Debbee Klein

  Senior agent, Paradigm

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Klein, 55, whose clients range from 24 co-creator Joel Surnow to ballerina Misty Copeland (who made her feature debut in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms), negotiated an MGM TV deal for Handmaid's Tale executive producer Eric Tuchman, packaged Jada Pinkett Smith's Facebook series Red Table Talk and saw a season four renewal for The Ranch, the Netflix comedy she helped package.

  I'd love to work with … "Reese Witherspoon. She is channeling women's voices with a point of view in her work that separates her from everyone else."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "The Bachelor. Why? It's The Bachelor!"

• Jenji Kohan

  Showrunner, 'Orange Is the New Black'

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  Orange Is the New Black is set to end after its forthcoming seventh season, but producers at Lionsgate are already plotting a spinoff. GLOW, one of the growing number of titles at her richly funded, Netflix-housed operation, earned 10 Emmy nominations in 2018 — and in the coming year Kohan, 49, will launch her latest production, American Princess, on Lifetime.

  My three morning musts "New York Times crossword, celery juice, yelling at my youngest son to turn off his incessant alarm and get up."

  My secret to working with difficult people "I often find that the more talented a person is, the less difficult. Being a pain in the ass is usually a front or a distraction for when you don't have the goods. Or you're just a miserable fuck, in which case, you should work alone and not inflict yourself on others. But also, difficult is relative — I love when people are difficult if it's about the work."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Love Island. They're all so vapid and fit! I could not stop watching."
• Kristie Macosko Krieger

  Producer, Amblin

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  After tackling both awards season (The Post) and the box office (Ready Player One) in 2018, the longtime member of Team Spielberg is gearing up for a remake of one of film's most enduring classics: West Side Story. Macosko Krieger, 48, is also set to produce Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born follow-up — the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro — and Steven Spielberg's first superhero foray, Blackhawk.

  My three morning musts "Watch the news, check my email, drive carpool (on Mondays and Wednesdays)."

  What might surprise people about me "I was a blackjack dealer in Tahoe."

  My dream 2020 presidential ticket "Kathy Kennedy/Frank Marshall."

• Donna Langley

  Chairman, Universal Pictures

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  “When I look at this year of mergers and acquisitions, continued disruption, the fact that our studio remains a place of stability with a consistent track record is something I’m proud of,” says Langley. That record is built on hits from a balanced slate, including family-driven movies like Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ($1.3 billion worldwide) and Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch ($219.5 million at press time), a Mamma Mia sequel ($394 million) and the increasingly rare comedy that gets audiences into theaters, Night School ($101 million). “It has never been easy to greenlight a movie from a financial perspective,” says the 50-year-old, who’s logged five years as studio chief. “The variables today are different. But it’s always a risk and always a gamble.” She watched with pride as Get Out!, the $4.5 million horror film that slayed the box office, collected four Oscar nominations from a horror-averse film Academy — and even an original screenplay win for Jordan Peele. In 2019, Langley has Peele’s next film, another comedy from Girls Trip and Night School producer Will Packer, and DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, along with her continuing work on Time’s Up, which she helped to launch. “This conversation is no longer just happening in quiet rooms,” she says. “People are having conversations they didn’t dare to have. I feel energized and positive about that.”

• Jennifer Lawrence

  Actor

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Swapping acting for activism, Lawrence, 28, announced in February that she was taking a year off from Hollywood to help "fix our democracy" by working with a voters' rights group called Represent.Us. And in September came another big reveal: The four-time-Oscar nominee ditched CAA to go agent-less (she's managed by Rick Yorn). She'll next be seen in June's X-Men installment, Dark Phoenix. She's also set to star in Vice helmer Adam McKay's film about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, Bad Blood.
• Jennifer Lee

  Chief creative officer, Disney Animation Studios

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  This year, the Oscar winner succeeded John Lasseter, who stepped down from Disney Animation (as well as Pixar) after admitting to a series of "missteps." But Lee, 47, didn't step away from filmmaking. She's co-director (with Chris Buck) on Frozen 2, next November's follow-up to their 2013 Oscar winner.

  My three morning musts "Scanning the news. Coffee by the bird feeders. Music blasting while driving my daughter to school."

  I'd love to work with … "Emma Thompson. Because she's Emma Thompson."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Don't waste time arguing. Keep calm and help them move on."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Great British Baking Show. Everyone is so nice. There are no politics, just sweets."

• Jill Leiderman

  Executive producer, 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  As Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s longtime leader, Leiderman is the only female showrunner in broadcast's late-night boys club. In her 12-year tenure, she has overseen more than 2,000 episodes, plus specials and Kimmel-emceed awards (including two Oscar telecasts). The Emmy-nominated Live! reaches more than 2 million nightly viewers.

  My three morning musts "Hugging my son. Scrambled eggs. 1,742 emails."

  I'd love to work with … "My brother Eric (producer at Late Night With Seth Meyers). He makes me laugh so hard, I can't breathe."

• Jennifer Lopez

  Actor, singer, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  She'll make a rom-com return Dec. 21 with Second Act, a feature she filmed and produced between seasons of NBC breakout World of Dance and before wrapping production on the net's Shades of Blue. One of Hollywood's greatest triple threats, Lopez, 49, has released six songs in 2018, including double-platinum Latin charts hit "El Anillo."
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus

  Actor, producer, 'Veep'

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  After taking nearly a year off to undergo breast cancer treatment, Louis-Dreyfus, 57, returned to Veep this summer to film the HBO stalwart’s final season (expected to bow in spring 2019). The star — who holds the record as the performer with the most Emmys for a single role — was honored in October with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. “Cancer isn’t at all funny,” she said from the Kennedy Center stage, “but a big part of dealing with it has been finding the funny parts.”

• Melissa McCarthy

  Actor

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  She starred in two comedies — with a decent performance for Life of the Party ($65.7 million worldwide) and a stale showing for The Happytime Murders ($27.5 million) — but McCarthy, 48, showed a whole new range with Can You Ever Forgive Me? Fox Searchlight's drama about author-turned-forger Lee Israel has put the Bridesmaids nominee (who will next appear with Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss in September's The Kitchen) back in the Oscar conversation.

• Kate McKinnon

  Actor, 'Saturday Night Live'

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  As the most dynamic talent on SNL's roster, McKinnon, 34, has channeled everyone from Kellyanne Conway to Justin Bieber. The two-time Emmy winner's run as Hillary Clinton helped rejuvenate the NBC stalwart. Her summer film The Spy Who Dumped Me slumped with $75 million at the global box office, but she'll be back on the big screen in Jay Roach's Roger Ailes feature.
• Marsha McManus

  Executive, manager, Principal

  CATEGORY The Reps

  McManus*, whose roster includes Seth Rogen and Steve Zahn, helped Killing Eve star Sandra Oh make history as the first woman of Asian descent to be nominated for a lead actress Emmy. She also shepherded deals for Ann Dowd's five Sundance features and for Jim Parsons' final season on The Big Bang Theory.

• Julie McNamara

  EVP original content, CBS All Access

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  CBS All Access has drawn more than 2 million subscribers on the strength of the slate McNamara, 48, has assembled, including The Good Fight and Star Trek: Discovery. A 10-year veteran of CBS Television Studios, she's prepping Jordan Peele's Twilight Zone revival and also working to expand All Access' Star Trek world with an undisclosed Patrick Stewart project and animated series Lower Decks from Rick and Morty writer Mike McMahan.

  My three morning musts "Coffee in bed delivered by my husband; playing Words With Friends against my sister who lives in Russia and played something brilliant while I was sleeping; and driving my son to school listening to BPM, which becomes NPR after I've dropped him off."

  I'd love to work with … "Richard Linklater, because I think his work is emotionally honest and he's chosen to not live in Hollywood."

• Andrea Miloro

  Co-president, Fox Animation

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  One year into her job, Miloro, whose purview also includes Blue Sky and deals with independent animation houses, describes 2018 as "a building year." The 54-year-old's division is in production on September 2019's Spies in Disguise, with Will Smith and Tom Holland lending their voices, Nimona (based on Noelle Stephenson's graphic novel) and original Ron's Gone Wrong.

  My three morning musts "Up at 6 a.m. to touch base with Blue Sky since they are on the East Coast, walk with my dog, drink lots of tea."

  I'd love to work with … "Barbara Walters. She was an original out of the box. I have a journalism background, and it'd be nice to marry the journalist with the entertainment. She has a way to get to the bottom of the stories of real people."

  My secret to working with difficult people “I worked in daycare while in college. The same rules apply: Snack, nap, hug and an occasional time-out.”

  What might surprise people about me "I buy old houses and fix them up. Slowly."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "The Crown. I was watching it so early in the morning."
• Hannah Minghella

  President, TriStar Pictures

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  The Women in Film board member champions female representation behind and in front of the camera. The 39-year-old's Sony label just wrapped production on Marielle Heller's Mr. Rogers biopic starring Tom Hanks, is in preproduction on Clea Duvall's Happiest Season and is developing all-female militia movie The Woman King, with Viola Davis attached as producer.

  My three morning musts "We have three young children, therefore no routine!"

  I'd love to work with … "Just one?! There are so many! I'd love to work with Spike Jonze. He is consistently one of the most original and innovative storytellers working today."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Benign interpretation — you never know what other people are dealing with in their lives."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Not a guilty pleasure by any means, but I just binged Succession and loved it! Best final episode of any show I've seen this year."

  Is it better to be an introvert or extrovert in Hollywood? "Many of the most talented people I know are introverts, and many of the people who help them get their movies made are extroverts. It's a symbiotic relationship."

• Courteney Monroe

  CEO, National Geographic Global Networks

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  Among the top execs making the transition from Fox to Disney with the coming merger, Monroe, 50, signed in November to remain at the helm of the massive portfolio (distribution in 171 countries and 45 languages). She’s found prestige with Emmy-nominated anthologies including Genius, but mainstream commercial success often evades the flagship. (See the recent soft return of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Mars.)

  My three morning musts "Check email. Make breakfast for my kids. Kiss my husband — generally in that order!"

  I’d love to work with … “For scripted, Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields, the creators of The Americans, because it’s one of the greatest shows ever made. For documentary fare, Liz Garbus and Rory Kennedy, as I am a huge fan of their work and love working with badass female filmmakers.”

  My secret to working with difficult people "Kill 'em with kindness."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "I'd say extrovert since I am one! But introverts often make better listeners and tend be more thoughtful."

• Vanessa Morrison

  President, Fox Family

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Morrison, 49, is leading her division into a rebuilding mode as it focuses on family projects, both live-action and hybrid, and animated kids TV based on Fox IP (think Ice Age: The Series). "This year has been about ramping up our development, about going out and buying books and graphic novels," she says. "We're undertaking a full-out effort to amplify our force in the family film space." In development are Frogkisser (with Marc Platt producing), The Girls Who Drank the Moon (Carlos Saldanha directing), Kenya Barris' take on Cheaper by the Dozen and a recently rediscovered Mark Twain tale.

  My three morning musts "It's all about school drop-offs. Listening to jazz in the car, teaching my kid about the jazz greats, and drinking a strong cappuccino from a place called Profeta."

  I'd love to work with … "Someone I really admire is Ryan Coogler. I admire his movies, but I love how he brings a strong point of view to all his work, how he is able to infuse populist films with specificity and authenticity."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Overwhelm them with positivity and graciousness. I personally believe in not letting anybody's negativity poison you or the way you want to do business."

  What might surprise people about me "I almost chose getting a Ph.D. in English and becoming a professor over the film industry. My father was a physics professor at UC Berkeley and thought that my soul was at risk if I went to L.A. and entered the film industry. I did it anyway."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Watching reruns of Family Matters every day with my kid."
• Elisabeth Moss

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Moss appeared in just one scene in Robert Redford starrer The Old Man & the Gun, yet her performance earned raves. And even as her zeitgeisty Hulu drama The Handmaid's Tale saw waning buzz in its second season, its driving force nabbed her ninth Emmy nomination for her performance as Offred. Moss, 36, also acted in and produced Alex Ross Perry's rock drama Her Smell.

  My three morning musts "Coffee. Dailies. Emails."

  I'd love to work with … "The Coen brothers are my absolute favorite filmmakers."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Putting what goes onto the screen first, always. If you keep that goal in mind — that it's all about doing the best work possible — usually things will fall into place."

  What might surprise people about me "I don't like rehearsing at all and would prefer to do everything on camera in case something good happens."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "My binges this year have been Gilmore Girls and The Office. It's my happy place."

• Marti Noxon

  Showrunner, 'Sharp Objects'

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  Her AMC feminist drama Dietland may not have landed, but Noxon's* other 2018 entry, Sharp Objects, delivered critically and commercially (7.5 million viewers) for HBO. The prolific creator parlayed that heat into the latest four-year, eight-figure pact at Netflix.

  My three morning musts "Taking my meds, feeding the animals and listening to The Daily."

  I'd love to work with … "Emma Stone and Issa Rae — because they are both just luminous and brilliantly watchable and I'd like to make some kind of best friends rom-com where they are in fabulous clothes. Because that is the movie I personally need right now."

  My secret to working with difficult people "I have very little tolerance for people like this. My best secret is to do your homework beforehand, really understand who you're working with — and then avoid the ones that literally everyone says are nightmares. I know that's not always possible. But that's my advice. Run away."

  What might surprise people about me "My father was born in London, and I'm holding out hope that it makes me eligible to be a contestant on The Great British Bake Off."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Two full seasons of Love Island. You know why. And if you don't, trust me, don't start. It's like falling into vat of quicksand made from tanning oil, Astroglide and tears. You can't get out."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year … "The good ones are still good; the bad ones are more cautious but not actually contrite."

• Dawn Olmstead

  President, Universal Cable Prods. and Wilshire Studios

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Nearly five years in, Olmstead has transformed UCP from in-house supplier to full-fledged studio, with high-profile projects at Amazon (Homecoming), Netflix (The Umbrella Academy) and Hulu (George R.R. Martin's Wild Cards universe). UCP also has become the No. 1 producer of cable dramas. Add in reality-heavy Wilshire Studios and Olmstead, 49, oversees 50 series in active production, with 250-plus projects in development.

  My three morning musts "Waking up kids, coffee and Words With Friends."

  I'd love to work with … "Alfonso Cuaron. I'm a huge fan of his work. My favorite children's move is The Little Princess and everyone who's ever worked with me knows that I'm a huge fan of Children of Men — but honestly every movie he's ever done there's been something that I've absolutely loved about it."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Never let the crazy in."

  What might surprise people about me "I'm a Navy brat."
• Mary Parent

  Vice chairman, worldwide production, Legendary

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Summer's Skyscraper was a disappointment ($304 million worldwide off a $125 million budget), but Parent, 50, has a promising upcoming slate: Denis Villeneuve's Dune adaptation (Timothee Chalamet stars); Godzilla vs. Kong, led by Alexander Skarsgard and Millie Bobby Brown; and Detective Pikachu, featuring Ryan Reynolds.

  My three morning musts "Coffee, clarity (on the most critical things I must accomplish within the day no matter what) and calls (with a couple of key filmmakers, writers and agents in my life I like to talk to before the craziness of the day gets going)."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "The Kissing Booth. I admit to watching it more than once. Intellectually, there are aspects that I resist, but emotionally I'm completely swept up."

• Amy Pascal

  Producer

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  Spidey spinoff Venom earned a surprise $823 million, while newspaper drama The Post took in an impressive $180 million and nabbed two Oscar noms. Pascal, 60, is currently on location in Massachusetts for the Greta Gerwig-directed Little Women. Up next: animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Dec. 14), followed by a live-action Spidey sequel, plus two recently dated Spider-Man films for 2020.

  My three morning musts "Coffee. Thinking about yoga. Newspaper."

  I'd love to work with … "Jordan Peele. He understands how to make things that are subversive and entertaining at the same time. I think that's what we're supposed to be doing."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Pretending they're characters in a book. I just always pretend they're somebody in a Jane Austen novel."

  What might surprise people about me "I feel like everyone knows everything about me. Everything you would want to know you can find out already, unfortunately. I don't know if this is surprising, but I'm obsessed with Scandinavian cop shows."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "The Great British Bake Off."

• Cynthia Pett

  Co-owner, managing partner, Brillstein Entertainment

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Pett*, whose clients include Rami Malek, Charlie Hunnam and filmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson, guides the careers of both industry up-and-comers and established players. She oversees the career of 13 Reasons Why breakout Katherine Langford, who booked roles in the next Avengers and Daniel Craig starrer Knives Out and oversaw Brad Pitt's deal for Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

  My three morning musts "Coffee, cozying with my dogs and dropping my son off at school."

  My secret to working with difficult people "I don't. Life is too short."

  What might surprise people about me "I spend the weekends with rescued farm animals on my ranch."
• Terry Press

  President, CBS Films

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  In addition to running CBS Films, whose top title this year was Winchester ($25 million), Press, 58, was tapped by Steven Spielberg to consult on the mar­keting and awards campaign for The Post, which nabbed an Oscar best pic nom and grossed $180 million globally. Her company has Van Gogh biopic At Eternity's Gate in the awards race.


  My three morning musts "Morning Joe, Irish Breakfast tea with milk and taking care of the animals. We have a cat and three dogs — a beagle, lab and Airedale — and they are like alarm clocks. And I never miss Morning Joe. I don't care where I am. When I was in Cannes, I Slingboxed it."

  I'd love to work with … "Jason Blum. What he has accomplished is remarkable, and people I respect speak highly of him."

  My secret to working with difficult people "My secret is to remind myself that I fit into this category. Other than Tom Hanks and Sherry Lansing, I can't think of someone who isn't eventually called difficult."

• Issa Rae

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  The Insecure creator cemented her place as a critical favorite this year, taking home a prestigious Peabody for her HBO comedy. And Rae followed up her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations with her first feature role, a supporting turn in awards hopeful The Hate U Give, which she filmed around the third season of Insecure. Expect plenty more from the 33-year-old, who has a development deal at HBO.

  My three morning musts "I wake up at 4:45 and take a three- to four-mile walk and listen to an audiobook or music of some sort, come home and either make breakfast or go out to eat breakfast at one of my favorite breakfast spots, and then I dedicate an hour or two to responding to emails and business-related things. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I usually set out to start a day full of meetings at 9 a.m. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it's all about working on my writing projects."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Communicate with them constantly, hear them out, and level the playing field. I just don't have a tolerance for bad attitudes and I love getting along with people, so I will find ways to sit down with them, talk to them, and even mediate issues. I'm also very much a 'You don't have to be here' and 'We don't have to work together' person — so if talking it out doesn't work and my crew or my cast is miserable, they gotta go and life will go on ... peacefully."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Definitely the City Girls album. They're so unapologetic about playing men and prioritizing their money and bragging about their sex skills over fire-ass beats. Honestly, goals."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "If you're an actor or actress, I think it's way better to be an introvert. The less you say, the less you go out, the less people know about you, the more inclined they will be to believe a character you play. You also have less of a chance of getting some sort of backlash, if you care about that sort of thing. I also love mystery: One of my favorite artists, Frank Ocean, is such an introvert that whenever he actually goes out or posts something, I'm genuinely excited to see what he has to say or what he's up to. The more I hear from an artist, the less special it feels to me."

• Elizabeth Raposo

  President of production, Paramount Pictures

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Big wins for Raposo, 42, include February's A Quiet Place (which grossed $341 million worldwide) and the latest Mission: Impossible ($791 million), along with May sleeper hit Book Club ($69 million). Big gambles include Transformers offshoot Bumblebee (Dec. 21) and 2020's Top Gun reboot.

  My three morning musts "My day starts with talking to my daughter, consuming copious amounts of caffeine and diving into my to-do list for the day."

  What might surprise people about me "My dad, Joe Raposo, wrote the theme song for Three's Company. He also was one of the co-creators of Sesame Street."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "I vote for extrovert. Be loud, and make sure your voice is heard."
• Shari Redstone

  President, National Amusements; vice chair, Viacom and CBS

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  Redstone consolidated power in 2018, a task made easier thanks to the resignation of CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, who was brought down by accusations of sexual misdeeds. Redstone, 64, subsequently stacked the CBS board with allies including former Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons, who assumed the post of chairman of the board. But Parsons, who was poised to help Redstone carry out her wish of merging CBS and either Viacom (both of which she controls through her family’s National Amusements) or another media giant, abruptly left the board for health reasons. As for how the Viacom and CBS stock has responded since Moonves’ exit Sept. 9, it’s a mixed bag (Viacom is up from $32.8 to $35.17, while CBS is down from $54.85 to $53.68).

• Shonda Rhimes

  Producer, Shondaland

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  Others may have more shows, but no one else has a branded night of TV. Such is the power of Rhimes, 48, who became the first woman to create three 100-plus-episode TV dramas — led by Grey's Anatomy, still a top 10 ratings driver in season 15. She's parlayed that success into a best-selling book and a Netflix megadeal, and also serves as creative director to Dove's #RealBeauty campaign (and yes, that's her in the Pilot Pen ads).

  My three morning musts "Waking at dawn to make notes and to-do lists and write down my story ideas so I have a clear mind going into the day. Pleading 'Alexa, turn on NPR.' Answering the series of questions thrown at me by my very intense 5- and 6-year-old daughters. My mornings are like the world's most difficult oral exam — if anyone knows where the fairies come from or why the sky is sometimes pink but also orange, please call me. I need backup."

  My secret to working with difficult people "There is only one way: I tell them they have a reputation for being difficult and I ask them if they plan to continue being difficult because I don't work that way. Most people are mortified. It's amazing how many difficult people do not know people consider them difficult. No one wants to be that person."

  What might surprise people about me "I'm an excellent cook."

• Blair Rich

  President of worldwide marketing, Warner Bros.

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  The Warners veteran, who succeeded Sue Kroll in early 2018, has played a key role in the film studio's box-office rebound. A Star Is Born and Crazy Rich Asians were hardly layups, much less the umpteenth Hollywood shark pic, The Meg, which earned $538 million at the global box office. Rich, 43, is currently consumed with Clint Eastwood's The Mule (Dec. 14) and Christmas tentpole Aquaman   (Dec. 21)  .

  My three morning musts "In the words of my 3-year-old to her pre-school teacher: 'Don't worry, I'll talk to my mom about getting it together so I have more yard time in the mornings. She just takes forever to get ready. But she just really needs to get it together.' So I guess I need a better routine."

  I'd love to work with … "Wes Anderson. I'm obsessed with his films and the wholly original worlds and characters he creates."

  The most gracious thing I've witnessed at work lately "When people simply say thank you. It's so easy and elemental and meaningful."

  What might surprise people about me "I actually do own flats."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "Extrovert, hopefully!"
• Margot Robbie

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  It's been only five years since the Australian's breakout in Wolf of Wall Street, but Robbie — whose upcoming films include Quentin Tarantino's latest Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — already has major industry pull. After producing and starring in I, Tonya (and scoring a lead actress Oscar nom), Robbie, 28, and her LuckyChap banner, which has a first-look deal with Warners, will produce DC feature Birds of Prey and Kat Dennings' upcoming Hulu series Dollface.

  My three morning musts "Put on my morning wake-up song (at the minute it is "Honeybody," by Kishi Bashi), have a cup of tea, and feed the dogs."

  I'd love to work with … "Jennifer Kent, because she is an amazing Australian director, whom I have been obsessed with since The Babadook. Also, if I could be cheeky enough to name two: Wes Anderson, because his films are one of the reasons I love filmmaking so much."

  The most gracious thing I've witnessed at work lately "On a night shoot I was shooting a very emotional scene and my co-star who was reading off-camera dialogue had to catch a flight. Instead of having an AD read with me, Charlize Theron, who is a producer on the project and didn't have to stay so late that night (it was the night before Thanksgiving!), stayed to read the dialogue with me."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Love Island, because I loved getting to gossip with my girlfriends about it."

• Susan Rovner and Lisa Gregorian

  Exec vp development, Warner Bros. TV and co-president, Warner Horizon scripted TV; President, chief marketing officer, Warner Bros. TV

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Rovner, 49, this year secured orders for a J.J. Abrams thriller, Damon Lindelof's take on Watchmen and a reboot of The Time Traveler's Wife at HBO, Aidy Bryant's Shrill at Hulu and Netflix's Dolly Parton anthology. Gregorian, 54, runs marketing for 105 shows and was key to the launch of digital subscription service DC Universe.

  My three morning musts

  Rovner: "I wake up every day at 5:00 a.m. The first thing I do is have coffee — I have to start with my coffee. The second thing I do is decide on a cut to watch or a script to read on the treadmill, then I do work on the treadmill. Then, the third thing I do is wake my three kids up at 6:30 a.m. and get them ready for school. Pretty boring, but very, very effective."

  What might surprise people about me

  Rovner: "When I was in college at Barnard in the late '80s, I was a paid roller-skater at The Roxy in New York City on gay night. During the day, I worked at Benetton in the West Village. So, I used to be amazing at folding clothes and roller-skating. Not so much anymore."

  Gregorian: "I'm very shy in social settings, although an extrovert at work."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure

  Rovner: "I love Queer Eye so much! It makes me so happy! Jonathan is the best character on television right now. He is authentic, honest and full of joy. I can't get enough! The show gives me hope for our world."

  Gregorian: "I'm obsessed with Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix. It's a scary, fun ride, and I can't get enough."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood?

  Rovner: "Without a doubt, the answer is extrovert. It has never been more important to have an opinion and not be afraid to express it."

  Gregorian: "As a female executive, it is difficult sometimes for your opinion to be heard, so I might lean into extrovert just for that reason."

• Jennifer Salke

  Head, Amazon Studios

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  Eight months in as the head of Amazon Studios, Salke is making her mark. Since leaving her six-year post as NBC Entertainment president to take the top job at the streaming giant, the 54-year-old has moved to overhaul the culture in the wake of Roy Price’s ouster. “I feel like we’ve made great strides in establishing a different kind of leadership team that has been really infectious in a positive way,” says Salke, who reorganized the TV department under co-heads Albert Cheng and NBC vet Vernon Sanders. She also oversaw the film arm’s exec shuffle: exit Jason Ropell, enter Julie Rapaport as co-head of movies alongside Ted Hope and Matt Newman.

  With $4.5 billion to spend on content and a mandate to deliver CEO Jeff Bezos more commercial hits, Salke also has been using her strong talent relationships to aggressively lure creators in-house: In the past year, the studio has inked pacts with Jason Blum, Jordan Peele, Barry Jenkins, Nicole Kidman, Viola Davis, Reed Morano, Bryan Cogman and Gillian Flynn, to name a handful. Salke is hoping that projects from this A-team — Jenkins’ Underground Railroad, Flynn’s Utopia — will add to the streamer’s collection of Emmys, as Marvelous Mrs. Maisel did this year. “Our strategy is a curated one,” she says. “It’s not about just throwing a lot of things up on a wall and seeing what sticks.” Streaming competitor Netflix, she adds, “is in much more of a volume business than we are, and the traditional media companies are obviously in a period of transition, so I think there’s a space for Amazon to be able to really become the best home for talent.”

  My three morning musts "Coffee in bed, early emails, seeing kids off."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Knowing it's not about you and being honest, respectful and as transparent as possible."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "I think extroverts have an easier time making their voices heard, but we need more confident, thoughtful introverts to speak up."
• Stacey Sher

  Co-president, Activision Blizzard Studios

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Sher tapped Sicario 2 helmer Stefano Sollima to steer Activision's long-gestating Call of Duty film and Black Panther writer Joe Robert Cole to pen its sequel. "I've doubled down on story and character," says the longtime producer (who has side project Mrs. America for FX). "That's what will set franchise IP apart." Sher, 56, has two TV series based on the publisher's titles in the works.

  My three morning musts "Gently waking up my kids while making coffee; waking up my kids a second and third time while drinking coffee; listening to The Daily podcast while in bumper-to-bumper traffic during my commute."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Empathy, and a firm belief in karma."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Watching all 153 episodes of Gilmore Girls, plus the revival miniseries, cuddled up with my teenage daughter. We roped my son in eventually, too!"

• Amy Sherman-Palladino

  Showrunner, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  For years, all Sherman-Palladino, 52, had to her name was cult hit Gilmore Girls. (Well, that and its substantial backend.) But 2018 saw The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel become one of TV's biggest breakouts. The period comedy swept major categories at both the Golden Globes and the Emmys, minting Amazon as a scripted programming player and simultaneously setting up lofty expectations for the Dec. 5 return.

• Leslie Siebert

  Senior managing partner, Gersh

  

  CATEGORY The Reps

  Clients Allison Janney and Sam Rockwell picked up Oscar statues for I, Tonya and Three Billboards, respectively, while Angela Bassett reigned in cultural phenom Black Panther. Siebert* also oversaw Kyle Chandler joining Godzilla 2 and Godzilla vs. Kong, Mandy Moore's continued This Is Us run and Sara Gilbert's transition to The Conners.

  My three morning musts "Grape Nuts, work out, check-in calls with my sons."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "Introvert. Sit back, listen, learn and let my moves take them by surprise."
• Mireille Soria

  President, Paramount Animation

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Soria, 64, who notes with pride the female-led team she's built since coming to Paramount in mid-2017, spent 2018 laying groundwork for her strategy to release two features a year starting in 2020. March's Sherlock Gnomes made $90.4 million worldwide and next up is Wonder Park (March 15). Scheduled for 2020 are Monster on the Hill and a SpongeBob sequel.

  My three morning musts "Try to work out, call my kids, coffee."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "I have become addicted to New York Times crossword puzzles at night. It's educational and helps me wind down."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year … "A conscious undertaking to effect change."

  … and what hasn't changed at all "The lack of women in leadership roles."

• Octavia Spencer

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Spencer's no stranger to Oscar. Since her win for 2011's The Help, she pulled in back-to-back noms for Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water, and exec produced this year's contender Green Book. The 46-year-old will lead one of Apple's splashy series, Are You Sleeping, and reteam with Help director Tate Taylor on Blumhouse's Ma.

  My three morning musts "I usually start my day with prayer and meditation as it sets the tone that no matter what happens, everything will be all right. Because I'm of a certain age now, stretching has been implemented, and I always jumpstart my brain with puzzles. I do them while I have my first cup of coffee."

  I'd love to work with … "There are so many I'd like to work with but atop that list would be Jackie Chan and Angela Bassett. I'm a fan!"

  My secret to working with difficult people "Difficult people are usually people who suffer from a lot of trauma. I try to take that into account when their antics become insufferable, but I don't suffer fools gladly. So if a loving but firm voice needs to be interjected into a situation, I have no problem rising to that occasion."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "I decompress by watching Insecure, Game of Thrones, Mindhunter and Stranger Things. I don't feel at all guilty about it because it's great television!"

• Beatrice Springborn

  VP content development, Hulu

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Springborn is focused on hopefully landing another zeitgeist-worthy hit with upcoming adaptations Catch-22, from George Clooney, and Little Fires Everywhere, starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. The 43-year-old also has been instrumental in bulking up comedy at the streamer. Forthcoming entries include Ramy Youssef's autobiographical series, the Margot Robbie-produced Dollface and Aidy Bryant vehicle Shrill.

  My three morning musts "Breakfast outside with my daughter. Three dogs that I call the terrier-ists who won't leave me alone until I let them out. Coffee/commute/calls."

  I'd love to work with … "Tony Kushner. I have read and experienced the play, and watched the TV adaptation of Angels in America many, many times. It is always life- and love-affirming, but evokes different feelings each time. It takes true artistry and skill to craft such stunning weighted words that project a new meaning and narrative across time."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "This is a business that typically attracts extroverts, but we need both or there would be no one to listen, just a lot of talking."
• Sandra Stern

  President, Lionsgate TV

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  One of the town's most respected dealmakers, Stern* has grown her division into one of the largest independent TV businesses with nearly 70 series spanning dozens of platforms. She played a key role in the company's investment in 3 Arts Entertainment, orchestrated Lionsgate's partnership with BBC Studios, and negotiated deals for talent including Paul Feig and Power's Courtney Kemp.

  My three morning musts "A cappuccino and The New York Times. A jog and some window shopping in Beverly Hills. Music and responding to emails. Emails are better with a little Miles Davis … or Kendrick Lamar."

  What might surprise people about me "I did graduate work in French literature and planned to be a novelist."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "I binged on the entire last season of This Is Us in about three days and cried throughout. I am a sucker for family."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year … "There is greater awareness and restraint about inappropriate behavior."

  … and what hasn't changed at all "Lack of inclusiveness hasn't changed at all. We still don't get invited to the party — if it's a good party."

• Meryl Streep

  Actor

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  Her portrayal of crusading publisher Katharine Graham in The Post brought Streep, 69, her 21st Oscar nom, a record no other actor comes close to matching. She returned for another ABBA sing-along in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ($394 million worldwide) and literally kicks up her heels in Mary Poppins Returns. She will grace TV on HBO's Big Little Lies, then it's back to the big screen in Greta Gerwig's Little Women before joining the cast of Steven Soderbergh's Panama Papers film.

• Cathleen Taff

  President, theatrical distribution, Walt Disney

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  The only female to head distribution at a major film studio, Taff (who was promoted to the post in the spring) will only see her job grow with the Disney-Fox merger. Disney's domination at the global box office continues to increase exponentially, and in 2019, Taff, 50, will shepherd films including Avengers: Infinity War 2, Captain Marvel, Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lion King to screens.

  My three morning musts "My alarm — which is my phone, and immediately takes me to Microsoft Outlook — coffee, and an hourlong drive to work when I listen to podcasts."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "The trashier the better when it comes to novels."
• Jenno Topping

  President of Film & TV, Chernin Entertainment

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  Topping, 51, wrapped 2017 on a high note with The Greatest Showman ($435 million worldwide). And though Jennifer Lawrence's Red Sparrow misfired, Chernin's jammed upcoming slate includes Kristen Stewart's Underwater and a J.R.R. Tolkien biopic. Recently wrapped: the untitled Ford vs. Ferrari project with Matt Damon and Christian Bale. In TV, Topping is in business with Apple on the world-building drama See and the Octavia Spencer thriller Are You Sleeping.

  My three morning musts "Kids, animals, falling behind."

  I'd love to work with … "Emma Thompson. Funny, smart, mischievous, immensely talented. A grown-up."

  My secret to working with difficult people "Don't rush to respond."

  What people might be surprised to know about me "Crowds make me extremely anxious."

• Nancy Utley

  Co-chairman, Fox Searchlight Pictures

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  In July, Utley, 63, and longtime partner Stephen Gilula were promoted to co-chairmen following a best picture Oscar win for The Shape of Water, which swam to $195 million at the global box office. Soon, the duo will become part of the Disney empire following the Fox merger, giving the Mouse House a specialty film division and awards behemoth — including this season’s Can You Ever Forgive Me?; Robert Redford starrer The Old Man & the Gun; and The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos’ Queen Anne pic starring Olivia Colman — for the first time since shedding Miramax.

  My three morning musts “Iced green tea, email and Twitter, and cuddling with my cocker spaniels.”

  The most gracious thing I've witnessed at work lately "At Fox, over the last months, I have witnessed many people with uncertain professional futures continue to act with professionalism, good humor and admirable grace."

  My secret to working with difficult people "In the case of a bully, I have learned to stand up to them. If it's quirkiness or insecurity, I try to remember that artists are necessary in this world and to appreciate that they sometimes have temperaments different from my low-drama personality."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure “I’m watching every single episode of the 10 years of Shark Tank in an obsessive manner. It’s guilty to me because I should be studying more narrative shows for all the great writing, directing and performances. But I find it necessary to switch gears.”

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "As a card-carrying introvert, I would say it would definitely be better to be an extrovert because it is a people-oriented business and much socializing is required."

• Lena Waithe

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  The multihyphenate has mined her own background for much of her art, from Master of None's "Thanksgiving" coming-out episode (which made her the first black woman to win a comedy writing Emmy) to Showtime's The Chi, an ode to the South Side of her native Chicago. When not developing semiautobiographical TBS pilot Twenties and BET's Boomerang sequel series, Waithe, 34, empowers others, from co-founding a network of black female TV writers to partnering on a pilot lab for writers of color.

  My three morning musts "Check my phone like every other red-blooded human being; feed my dog, which is a lovely thing for the spirit, to take care of a living thing; then while she's eating, I have a moment to myself. I put my phone down and have a couple minutes of solitude and quiet."

  I'd love to work with … "Janelle Monae. I love her spirit and energy and the way she walks in the world."

  My secret to working with difficult people "If I work with a difficult person, I make sure they aren't there the following year. That's my secret: to be as relevant as possible, because the more relevant you are and the more important you are, the more leverage you have. You only have to work with difficult people when you don't have power."

  What might surprise people about me "That I watch things over and over again. I watch really random documentaries, like old-ass documentaries. There's this documentary called The War Room about George Stephanopoulos doing the campaign for Bill Clinton. I'm not even that much of a political head, but George Stephanopoulos looks 12, and he's literally spearheading this campaign about a young Bill Clinton, and it's this amazing documentary and such an amazing moment in time. You learn so much about who he was, and as a culture how we haven't changed. I'll also sit and watch old Whitney Houston interviews on YouTube. I also watch Oscar speeches a lot on YouTube. I find them very inspirational. Another weird thing I do — this thing I watch constantly is Tom Hanks presenting Denzel Washington with the Cecil B. DeMille Award. If you haven't watched it recently, you should go back and watch it. Denzel doesn't need a eulogy now, because he has Tom Hanks' thing. They should play that at Denzel Washington's funeral."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "It's one of the best television shows on the planet, but I'm going to say guilty pleasure because it's animated: Big Mouth. I'm friends with Nick [Kroll], and I've said to him, 'Dog, it's the smartest, most gut-wrenching, funny, vulnerable, poignant thing I've ever seen.' You can tell it's a lot of his shit and his stuff he's dealing with when he was an adolescent, but it's also funny and he's not afraid to lean into the sexual hormones of it all, and the guilt of it all. And yes, it's about adolescence, but the truth is we still struggle with this shit as adults."

  Is it better to be an extrovert or introvert in Hollywood? "Both. You've got to be an introvert because you have to refill your cup, but obviously you've got to be an extrovert out here because you're a politician."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year … "Not much."

  … and what hasn't changed at all "Diversity in the upper-level positions of the industry."

  My dream 2020 presidential ticket "I'll say Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. Can he get on the ticket again? Fuck it, I'll be really black. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. That's the Willie Brown ticket."
• Dana Walden

  Fox TV Group chairman and CEO

  

  CATEGORY Executive of the Year

  Dana Walden found out that the studio she oversees was being sold to Disney the same way most of us did: via a Nov. 6, 2017, report on CNBC. The 26-year Fox veteran, who in a matter of weeks (or maybe months) will segue from chairman of Fox TV Group to chairman of Disney TV Studios and ABC Entertainment, was sitting in a regularly scheduled staff meeting when the news alert came through. Initially, Walden didn’t buy it. "We all thought, 'No way, that can't be true,'" she says now. After all, not long before, Rupert Murdoch had tried to scoop up Time Warner. "Of course it all made sense after the fact, but I always assumed he'd be a buyer." A year later, once the $71 billion deal wound its way through the regulatory process, Disney announced that the 54-year-old married mother of two, who'd led her Fox assets to 143 Emmy wins and established her reputation as a creative's executive, would be joining the newly merged company in a senior leadership role. Walden's purview will roughly double.

  Click here to read the full story.

• Phoebe Waller-Bridge

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY The Stars

  The British multihyphenate, 33, has quickly become one of the most in-demand creators in Hollywood with a distinctive voice that's spawned a dry-witted bad girl comedy (Amazon's Fleabag, in which she also stars) and a psychotic female assassin thriller (BBC America's Killing Eve). 2018 saw her segue from niche comedy breakout to Emmy-nominated writer, earning a nod for Eve. And yes, that was her in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

• Emma Watts

  Vice chairman, president of production, 20th Century Fox

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  With her move to Disney, the 48-year-old will keep her title and guide such franchises as James Cameron's Avatar and the Kingsman series. Her hits in 2018 include Deadpool 2 ($734 million worldwide) and Bohemian Rhapsody ($540 million through Dec. 2). Misses include The Darkest Minds ($41 million) and Bad Times at the El Royale ($31 million). Up next is a PG-13 cut of the Deadpool sequel (Dec. 12), a bold gamble by Watts and star-producer Ryan Reynolds.

  I'd love to work with … "Chris Nolan. Because he's Chris Nolan."
• Oprah Winfrey

  CEO, OWN

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  Winfrey, omnipresent as ever, has had America’s collective brow raised since her stirring Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech at January’s Golden Globe Awards got much of the actual globe talking about a potential run for office. The media mogul and CEO of her own eponymous cable network, seemingly content with the freedoms of life after daytime, remains adamant that a run for office is off the table. “I am actually humbled by the fact that people think that I could be a leader of the free world,” Winfrey, 64, told 60 Minutes, where she also is a correspondent. “It’s not in my DNA.” Her cinematic return, A Wrinkle in Time, underperformed at the box office, but Winfrey’s efforts in entertainment are now largely as a producer. In June, she signed a monster deal with Apple to distribute film, TV and other content under her Harpo Films shingle. Her production company also got cracking on the Netflix miniseries Central Park Five (another collaboration with pal and Wrinkle helmer Ava DuVernay) and now makes three (Greenleaf, Queen Sugar, Love Is_) of OWN’s five hit dramas. Each of those series is a top 20 player in basic cable among women 25-to-54, a bigger tally than any of OWN’s rivals.

  For those still longing for the Oprah of yore, she’s packaging longform interviews in a prolific podcast (85 million downloads for Super Soul Conversations), pitching passion projects to 60 Minutes and, yes, even keeping her book club up-to-date. The newest selection: Becoming, by friend Michelle Obama.

  My three morning musts “Meditation, toast and cappuccino.”

  My secret to working with difficult people “To not work with them. I believe I've adopted Shonda Rhimes' 'no assholes' policy.”

  What might surprise people about me “I am really an introvert.”

  My guilty entertainment pleasure “The Crown. I don’t like rich desserts, but it is so delicious and layered, and I love every minute of it.”

• Marci Wiseman

  Co-president, Blumhouse TV

  

  CATEGORY The Makers

  Since joining Jason Blum's company in 2016, Wiseman* has led its aggressive TV push alongside co-president Jeremy Gold. The former AMC exec greenlit a whopping 10 series that have either aired or are in production, and helped expand the label beyond niche genre fare (see Sharp Objects). She's also behind first-of-their-kind deals with Hulu and Amazon for a series of feature-length projects. Up next: Showtime's Roger Ailes miniseries.

  My three morning musts "Coffee from my trusty Keurig machine. Reading email. Reading actual newspapers."

  I'd love to work with … "Lin-Manuel Miranda."

  What might surprise people about me "I secretly want to be an interior decorator or work in the legit stage as a production designer."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "Riverdale from the very first episode through the current season. It makes me feel like a fangirl."

  What's changed with men in Hollywood this year … "Meaningful intent to create more opportunity for women."

  … and what hasn't changed at all "Entitlement."

• Reese Witherspoon

  Actor, producer

  

  CATEGORY Power Squad

  She was seen in only one film in 2018 (A Wrinkle in Time), but Witherspoon has wrapped production on the second season of her Emmy-winning HBO hit Big Little Lies (she won an Emmy for executive producing the first season), and is currently shooting Apple’s star-studded morning-show drama with co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carell and which is being helmed by Mimi Leder. “We talked about how important it was for not only the on-air talent to be very diverse, but Jen and I were very determined to make sure people behind the camera were inclusive as well,” says Witherspoon of choosing to team with Apple on the project. “And it was exciting to be part of a big global platform.”

  And off-camera, she’s busier than ever, building her female-focused Hello Sunshine into a prolific content production house, overseen by film and TV head Lauren Levy Neustadter and CEO Sarah Harden. “I’m having conversations about inclusion that I used to feel like I was having in an echo chamber — they would just blink at me five years ago,” says the 42-year-old of the industry’s shift toward inclusion. “And it all comes down to the audience — what do they want to see?”

  Her company inked a July deal with AT&T to launch Hello Sunshine Video on Demand (spotlighting female creators and their stories) and a September pact with Rooster Teeth, an exclusive partnership to power the genre studio’s network of female-centric podcasts, known as The Beam. The company also just wrapped its first 10-city speaking tour, which highlighted female storytellers, and the Hello Sunshine book club (in which Witherspoon picks one book each month) teamed with Audible for a monthly audio edition in May.

  “It’s time to dream more and set some new targets,” she says. “I’m really interested in animation from a women’s perspective — that’s a world that we could see being a little more inclusive.”

  My three morning musts "Coffee, I read The Broadsheet, and I run outside. I like to run outside because it clears my head."

  I'd love to work with … "Viola Davis. Everything she does is so powerful."

  My secret to working with difficult people "I don't think of people as difficult. I try to figure out where people are coming from. I usually say that acting is about 10 percent of my job, and 90 percent of my job is making sure everyone gets along. I've been doing that for 25 years. The most important thing is that people feel heard."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "90 Day Fiancé. Everybody at my office at Hello Sunshine talks about it, and I was like, 'What is this? I've got to watch it.' I binged a little bit, and I see why it's water-cooler talk."
• Susan Wojcicki

  CEO, YouTube

  

  CATEGORY The Chiefs

  Presiding over 1.8 billion logged-in users is no easy task, and Wojcicki faced her fair share of challenges in the first half of 2018 as YouTube struggled to police videos featuring conspiracy theories and exploitative children’s programming. But the 50-year-old also has overseen significant changes at the Google-owned streaming video juggernaut — valued at an estimated $160 billion — that are meant to curb such content. Simultaneously, she led the revamp of YouTube’s media offerings, relaunching dual services for music streaming and ad-free video viewing. While the platform will pull back on pricey scripted originals, high-profile plays Cobra Kai and Impulse will both see second seasons.

• Sharon Tal Yguado

  Head of Genre, Television, Amazon Studios

  

  CATEGORY The Execs

  Tal Yguado, 44, orchestrated Amazon's $250 million Lord of the Rings deal, leading the pitch to the Tolkien estate, and corralled its team of writers and producers. She also was key in luring Skybound's Robert Kirkman away from his long-time AMC home with a two-year overall deal. Other genre plays in the works include adaptations of Wheel of Time and The Boys, along with The Peripheral from Westworld duo Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy.

  My three morning musts "Cuddle with my kids, who never fail to sneak into our bed before dawn. Check the news and try not to let the madness get me down. Come up with my best ideas during my morning shower."

  I'd love to work with … "J.K Rowling — I would kill to make a Harry Potter TV series."

  What might surprise people about me "I can't watch horror alone. I get too scared."

  My entertainment guilty pleasure "The Great British Bake Off — so addictive!"

  A version of this story first appeared in the 2018 Women in Entertainment Power 100 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.