There's a myth that Black women don't have power in Hollywood. We've found 75 who do (and that's not even all of them). Meet the players making the deals, the visionaries creating the movies and TV shows audiences love, and the sisters who will make their mark in 2014.
There’s a myth that Black women don’t have power in Hollywood. We’ve found 75 who do (and that’s not even all of them). Meet the players making the deals, the visionaries creating the movies and TV shows audiences love, and the sisters who will make their mark in 2014.
For more info on each of these women, please check out the March issue of ESSENCE.
Trailblazer:
1. Cheryl Boone Isaacs, President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Black Women in Hollywood Honoree
Visionary:
2. Ava DuVernay, Filmmaker, Black Women in Hollywood Honoree
Breakthrough:
3. Lupita Nyong’o, Actress, Black Women in Hollywood Honoree
Game Changers:
4. Shonda Rhimes, Creator, Executive producer and head writer, Scandal
5. Judy Smith, Co-creator and co-executive producer, Scandal
6. Kerry Washington, Lead actress, Scandal
7. Khandi Alexander, Guest star, Scandal
8. Vanessa Morrison, President, Fox Animation
9. Oprah Winfrey, Chairwoman and CEO, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
10. Issa Rae, Creator, writer, actress, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl
Breakthroughs:
11. Samira Wiley, Actress, Orange is the New Black
12. Danielle Brooks, Actress, Orange is the New Black
13. Uzo Aduba, Actress, Orange is the New Black
14. Laverne Cox, Actress, Orange is the New Black
15. Nicole Beharie, Actress, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow
16. Naomie Harris, Actress, Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom
The Negotiators:
17. Nina Shaw, Partner, Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano
18. Bianca Levin, Partner, Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown
19. Lorrie Bartlett, Partner and co-head of talent, ICM Partners
20. Andrea Nelson Meigs, Talent Agent, ICM Partners
21. Dana Sims, Talent Agent, ICM Partners
22. April King, Talent Agent, ICM Partners
Queens of TV:
23. Wendy Williams, Host, The Wendy Williams Show
24. Aisha Tyler, Co-host, CBS’ The Talk; host, CW’s Whose Line Is It Anyway?; and actress, FX’s Archer
25. Mara Brock Akil, Creator and executive producer, Being Mary Jane
26. Gabrielle Union, Lead actress, Being Mary Jane
27. Debra Lee, Chairman and CEO, BET Networks
28. Loretha Jones, President, Original Programming, BET Networks
29. Angela Bassett, Actress, Black Nativity and FX’s American Horror Story: Coven
30. Sharon Liggins, Board of governors, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
31. Pauline Fischer, Vice-President, Content Acquisition, Netflix
32. Janine Sherman Barrois, Executive producer, CBS’ Criminal Minds
33. Yvette Lee Bowser, Showrunner, TV Land’s The Soul Man
34. Channing Dungey, Executive vice-president, Drama Development, Movies & Miniseries, ABC Entertainment Group
35. Queen Latifah, Host, The Queen Latifah Show
36. Jada Pinkett Smith, Executive Producer, The Queen Latifah Show
37. Endyia Kinney-Sterns, Vice-President, Programming and Development, OWN
38. Traci Lynn Blackwell, Vice-president, Current Programs, The CW Network
39. Tamar Braxton, Host
40. Loni Love. Host
41. Tamera Mowry-Housley, Host
42. Aisha Muharrar, Producer, NBC’s Parks and Recreation
Screen Gems:
43. Nicole Bernard, Senior vice-president, Fox Audience Strategy, 21st Century Fox
44. Jacqueline Lyanga, Director, American Film Institute Fest
45. Sharen Davis, Costume Designer, Get On Up
46. Nikkole Denson-Randolph, Vice-president, Special & Alternative Content, AMC Theatres
47. Gina Prince-Bythewood, Writer and director, Blackbird
48. Talitha Watkins, Vice-president, Multicultural Marketing, Universal Pictures
49. Tabitha Jackson, Director, The Sundance Institutes Documentary Film Program
50. Gabrielle Glore, Executive producer and head of programming, Urbanworld
51. Effie T. Brown, Producer, Dear White People
52. Stephanie Allain, Executive producer, director of the Los Angeles Film Festival, Dear White People
53. Lena Waithe, Producer, Dear White People
54. Terilyn A. Shropshire, Film Editor
55. Ruth E. Carter, Costume designer, Lee Daniels’ The Butler
56. Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd, Casting director, Fruitvale Station
57. Sheila C. Johnson, Executive producer, Lee Daniels’ The Butler
58. Nija Kuykendall, Vice-president, Production, Warner Bros. Pictures
59. Zola Mashariki, Senior vice-president, Production, Fox Searchlight
60. Cassandra Butcher, Vice-president, National Publicity, Fox Searchlight
2014’s Watchlist:
61. Tonya Lewis Lee, Screenwriter, The Watsons Go to Birmingham
62. Mellody Hobson, Chairman, Dreamworks Animation
63. Amma Asante, Director, Belle
64. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lead Actress, Belle
65. Maya Rudolph, Host and executive producer, NBC’s The Maya Rudolph Variety Show
66. Ashley Holland, TV and digital agent, Creative Artist Agency
67. Emayatzy Corinealdi, Actress, Addicted
68. Mo’Nique, Actress and executive producer, Blackbird
69. Regina Hall. Actress, About Last Night and Think Like a Man Too
70. Quvenzhane Wallis, Lead Actress, Annie
71. Regina King, Director and producer, Let the Church Say Amen
72. Shasheer Zamata, Featured player, NBC’s Saturday Night Live
73. Keke Palmer, Actress, Animal
74. Alexandra Metz, Actress, ABC’s Once Upon a Time
75. Nia Long, Actress, The Single Moms Club
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