Women's Impact Report
Changing perceptions
Media-savvy femmes work to reverse sterotypes and raise consciousness
Hazardous impact
Tabloid queens are pawns in the fame game
The Couric Effect
A Look Back at Katie's Impactful Year
What's below
In Variety’s 10th annual spotlight on the industry’s femme movers and shakers, we examine how the accomplishments of these individuals have reverberated beyond their own spheres of influence and illustrate why we consider them at the top their game. Read more...
In Variety’s 10th annual spotlight on the industry’s femme movers and shakers, we examine how the accomplishments of these individuals have reverberated beyond their own spheres of influence and illustrate why we consider them at the top their game. Read more...
LEADING LADIES
Marion Cotillard
She's one of the year's first real Oscar contenders, which is no small feat considering how few Americans will recognize...
She's one of the year's first real Oscar contenders, which is no small feat considering how few Americans will recognize...
Angelina Jolie
actress, mother, celebrity, international humanitarian and mega-famous on all counts. Nearly a decade ago, she basked...
actress, mother, celebrity, international humanitarian and mega-famous on all counts. Nearly a decade ago, she basked...
Jeon Do-yeon
Korean critics call Jeon Do-yeon a chameleon: able to lose herself so completely in a character that she's virtually...
Korean critics call Jeon Do-yeon a chameleon: able to lose herself so completely in a character that she's virtually...
Helen Mirren
It's somehow fitting that in the past year, Helen Mirren won a slew of awards -- including an Oscar, a BAFTA, an Emmy and a pair of...
It's somehow fitting that in the past year, Helen Mirren won a slew of awards -- including an Oscar, a BAFTA, an Emmy and a pair of...
FILMMAKERS
Susanne Bier
Critics have often praised the films of Susanne Bier as if their voyeur-like intimacy and organic emotions were secret...
Critics have often praised the films of Susanne Bier as if their voyeur-like intimacy and organic emotions were secret...
Marjane Satrapi
In relating a young woman's experiences growing up in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the black-and-white animated...
In relating a young woman's experiences growing up in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the black-and-white animated...
Naomi Kawase
Naomi Kawase has been tagged Japan's leading woman director since her first feature, "Suzaku," won the Camera d'Or at...
Naomi Kawase has been tagged Japan's leading woman director since her first feature, "Suzaku," won the Camera d'Or at...
Adrienne Shelly
It's a bittersweet notion for all of those who worked with and knew writer-director-actress Adrienne Shelly that her final feature film...
It's a bittersweet notion for all of those who worked with and knew writer-director-actress Adrienne Shelly that her final feature film...
PRODUCERS
Darla Anderson
Producer Darla Anderson has Pixar to thank for launching her career in feature animation and for ruining her name...
Producer Darla Anderson has Pixar to thank for launching her career in feature animation and for ruining her name...
Salma Hayek
"They laughed when I came here," recalls Salma Hayek. "They said, 'You're never going to be an actress. You're Mexican.' "
"They laughed when I came here," recalls Salma Hayek. "They said, 'You're never going to be an actress. You're Mexican.' "
Laura Ziskin
Laura Ziskin says she's obsessed with the power of the media. "If the Founding Fathers could have envisioned an institution as...
Laura Ziskin says she's obsessed with the power of the media. "If the Founding Fathers could have envisioned an institution as...
Barbara Broccoli
It's a law of nature that when the children take over the business their father built up, there's a good chance they'll mess it up...
It's a law of nature that when the children take over the business their father built up, there's a good chance they'll mess it up...
Alexandra Wallace
The presence of a woman atop one of the big three evening newscasts is almost as rare as a female anchor. But just after Katie Couric...
The presence of a woman atop one of the big three evening newscasts is almost as rare as a female anchor. But just after Katie Couric...
MULTITASKERS
Tyra Banks
As the warm, outspoken den mother urging women to go for their dreams on "The Tyra Banks Show" and the glamorous, queen-bee...
As the warm, outspoken den mother urging women to go for their dreams on "The Tyra Banks Show" and the glamorous, queen-bee...
Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell had been out of the public eye for several years when she accepted an offer from Barbara Walters to join...
Rosie O'Donnell had been out of the public eye for several years when she accepted an offer from Barbara Walters to join...
Tina Fey
Tina Fey arrived at "Saturday Night Live" in 1997 and toiled on the NBC landmark show for nine years. That's a lot of all-nighters...
Tina Fey arrived at "Saturday Night Live" in 1997 and toiled on the NBC landmark show for nine years. That's a lot of all-nighters...
Arianna Huffington
With her sociopolitical website, Arianna Huffington wants to give voice to the face in the crowd. "There's a kind of wisdom of the crowd...
With her sociopolitical website, Arianna Huffington wants to give voice to the face in the crowd. "There's a kind of wisdom of the crowd...
LEGIT LUMINARIES
Christine Ebersole
At the Tony Awards ceremony June 10, Christine Ebersole arguably gave the evening's best performance, singing "The Revolutionary...
At the Tony Awards ceremony June 10, Christine Ebersole arguably gave the evening's best performance, singing "The Revolutionary...
Donna Murphy
In his review of "LoveMusik," Variety's David Rooney wrote that Donna Murphy as the iconic Lotte Lenya is "all cool looks, gangly limbs...
In his review of "LoveMusik," Variety's David Rooney wrote that Donna Murphy as the iconic Lotte Lenya is "all cool looks, gangly limbs...
Joan Didion
The end of Joan Didion's happy and fruitful marital and literary collaboration with fellow writer John Gregory Dunne came swiftly...
The end of Joan Didion's happy and fruitful marital and literary collaboration with fellow writer John Gregory Dunne came swiftly...
EXECUTIVE SET
Nikkole Denson
Nikkole Denson has a hard time walking into a Starbucks and simply ordering her signature tall soy chai. DVD displays, book racks and...
Nikkole Denson has a hard time walking into a Starbucks and simply ordering her signature tall soy chai. DVD displays, book racks and...
Dana Goldberg
To quote Bruce Springsteen, "From small things, mama, big things one day come." The Boss could well have been referring to...
To quote Bruce Springsteen, "From small things, mama, big things one day come." The Boss could well have been referring to...
Angela Shapiro-Mathes
Angela Shapiro-Mathes wasn't looking to take over TLC, the reality-centric cabler once known as the Learning Channel...
Angela Shapiro-Mathes wasn't looking to take over TLC, the reality-centric cabler once known as the Learning Channel...
Katherine Pope
For a few days over the Memorial Day weekend, a triumphant year for Katherine Pope seemed on the verge of disaster. Until the holiday break...
For a few days over the Memorial Day weekend, a triumphant year for Katherine Pope seemed on the verge of disaster. Until the holiday break...
Nancy Tellem
When Nancy Tellem talks about teamwork at CBS, she's really not spinning a line of corporate happy-speak. Tellem oversees both...
When Nancy Tellem talks about teamwork at CBS, she's really not spinning a line of corporate happy-speak. Tellem oversees both...
Paula Wagner
After 15 years as a talent agent and 14 years producing movies with partner Tom Cruise at Paramount Pictures, Paula Wagner is "buoyed"...
After 15 years as a talent agent and 14 years producing movies with partner Tom Cruise at Paramount Pictures, Paula Wagner is "buoyed"...
Chrissie England
With Chrissie England in charge, Industrial Light & Magic has its mojo back. Not that ILM was ever entirely in the doldrums...
With Chrissie England in charge, Industrial Light & Magic has its mojo back. Not that ILM was ever entirely in the doldrums...
Donna Langley
Production execs hate singling out their favorite projects, but Donna Langley will offer a few when pressed: "United 93," "Children of...
Production execs hate singling out their favorite projects, but Donna Langley will offer a few when pressed: "United 93," "Children of...
Stacey Snider
It's no surprise why Stacey Snider is feeling Zenlike as CEO/co-chair of DreamWorks Studios: She delivered four straight...
It's no surprise why Stacey Snider is feeling Zenlike as CEO/co-chair of DreamWorks Studios: She delivered four straight...
Dawn Taubin & Sue Kroll
Talk about divide and conquer. The two women who head up Warner Bros. global marketing machine -- Dawn Taubin and Sue Kroll presidents of...
Talk about divide and conquer. The two women who head up Warner Bros. global marketing machine -- Dawn Taubin and Sue Kroll presidents of...
Valerie Van Galder
When Sony tapped Valerie Van Galder as president of domestic marketing for Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group in late...
When Sony tapped Valerie Van Galder as president of domestic marketing for Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group in late...
Andrea Wong
Andrea Wong's appointment atop Lifetime this spring sent a strong message inside and outside the femme-centric network: Programming is...
Andrea Wong's appointment atop Lifetime this spring sent a strong message inside and outside the femme-centric network: Programming is...
THE GREEN GANG
PUBLISHING MAVENS
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
With her ever-present armed bodyguards just steps away, Somalia-born author Ayaan Hirsi Ali expresses some bewilderment...
With her ever-present armed bodyguards just steps away, Somalia-born author Ayaan Hirsi Ali expresses some bewilderment...
Joanne Lipman
After landing the highest post ever held by a woman at the Wall Street Journal, Joanne Lipman did the unthinkable: She left...
After landing the highest post ever held by a woman at the Wall Street Journal, Joanne Lipman did the unthinkable: She left...
Jane Friedman
When Jane Friedman walked into the Rainbow Room in New York recently, all eyes turned to record her arrival. The...
When Jane Friedman walked into the Rainbow Room in New York recently, all eyes turned to record her arrival. The...
J.K. Rowling
With "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final installment in the bestselling series having just hit the streets in...
With "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final installment in the bestselling series having just hit the streets in...
CRAFT MASTERS
Anna Behlmer
Women are a common sight in some parts of post-production, but not in sound bays. That makes Anna Behlmer's success even more...
Women are a common sight in some parts of post-production, but not in sound bays. That makes Anna Behlmer's success even more...
Pilar Revuelta
Pilar Revuelta's film roots, working on short films with friends, are more collegial than academic. "We did it on the weekends and everyone did...
Pilar Revuelta's film roots, working on short films with friends, are more collegial than academic. "We did it on the weekends and everyone did...
Allison Jones
Funny lady, Allison Jones. Just don't ask her to tell a joke. "Personally, I have no talent for making people laugh," she...
Funny lady, Allison Jones. Just don't ask her to tell a joke. "Personally, I have no talent for making people laugh," she...
Thelma Schoonmaker
People intuitively understand what directors, actors and cinematographers do, but not so much the job of an editor, says Thelma...
People intuitively understand what directors, actors and cinematographers do, but not so much the job of an editor, says Thelma...
REPS & LEGALESE
Blair Berk
Blair Berk is concerned someone will die. Berk has emerged as one of the entertainment industry's top criminal defense...
Blair Berk is concerned someone will die. Berk has emerged as one of the entertainment industry's top criminal defense...
Sue Naegle
Sue Naegle came out of the May upfronts celebrating several hard-fought victories. The UTA TV department co-head helped...
Sue Naegle came out of the May upfronts celebrating several hard-fought victories. The UTA TV department co-head helped...
Beth Swofford
CAA partner Beth Swofford boasts the best director's list in Hollywood, from studio titans Ridley Scott and Chris Columbus...
CAA partner Beth Swofford boasts the best director's list in Hollywood, from studio titans Ridley Scott and Chris Columbus...
Allison McGregor
In 1999, before the music industry paradigm had begun its radical shift, CAA made a prescient move and approached the VP...
In 1999, before the music industry paradigm had begun its radical shift, CAA made a prescient move and approached the VP...
Lori Sale
As head of global branded entertainment at ICM, Sale is connecting the agency's clients and properties with marketers looking to court consumers...
As head of global branded entertainment at ICM, Sale is connecting the agency's clients and properties with marketers looking to court consumers...
MUSICMAKERS
Marin Alsop
Sept. 27 is set to be a red-letter day. That night, Marin Alsop conducts her first concert as music director of the Baltimore...
Sept. 27 is set to be a red-letter day. That night, Marin Alsop conducts her first concert as music director of the Baltimore...
Brit Pack
Not since the mid '60s -- when U.K. groups like the Beatles took over U.S. radio waves -- has such a confluence of talent produced such a perfect...
Not since the mid '60s -- when U.K. groups like the Beatles took over U.S. radio waves -- has such a confluence of talent produced such a perfect...
Bjork
as Iceland's best-known export, Bjork has gone from the Sugarcubes' pixieish frontwoman to the godmother of alt-pop...
as Iceland's best-known export, Bjork has gone from the Sugarcubes' pixieish frontwoman to the godmother of alt-pop...
Kara DioGuardi
Move over, Diane Warren, Kara DioGuardi is on a roll. When she shared BMI's songwriter of the year honors in May, it only solidified her rep...
Move over, Diane Warren, Kara DioGuardi is on a roll. When she shared BMI's songwriter of the year honors in May, it only solidified her rep...
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