If you’ve been paying close attention then you know that Black women in entertainment have been having quite a year. From Beyoncé’s record-breaking Renaissance, to Viola Davis’ The Woman King conquering the box office, to Abbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson changing the TV comedy game, Black women have dominated the stage and the boardroom. The Hollywood Reporter’s 2022 Women in Entertainment Power 100 recognizes these badass bosses as the most powerful women in entertainment.
Angela Bassett
Whether she’s saving the day as 9-1-1’s Athena or ruling over Wakanda, Angela Bassett reigned over TV and movies this year. Next, she looks to add awards season to her kingdom.
Beyoncé
Renaissance. That’s it. That’s the reason. Ok, the history making Grammy nominations and internet breaking singles are also pretty good reasons why Queen Bey dominates the music world.
Nicole Brown
Nicole Brown, President, TriStar Pictures, believed in The Woman King when no one else would, once again proving that we take care of each other.
Quinta Brunson
The Emmy-winning creator, writer and star of Abbott Elementary has kept the magic going with a hilarious, record-breaking second season that has completely dismantled the “sophomore slump” tradition.
Kathryn Busby
Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming at Starz, is responsible for bringing fans all those Power series, as well as Ava DuVernay’s upcoming romantic drama starring Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson.
Ayo Davis
You have Ayo Davis, the President of Disney Branded television, to thank for all those cute shows your kids make you watch non-stop. Don’t act like you don’t spend the day watching Bluey.
Michelle Obama
In addition to topping the Root 100, our Forever First Lady has released her latest book, The Light We Carry and the Obama’s production company Higher Ground is presenting Descendant, the critically acclaimed documentary set to make a big awards push.
Viola Davis
Not only did Viola Davis deliver another stellar performance in The Woman King, she also produced the film, shepherding it through a years-long development process. The Oscar-winner defied all the naysayers and was rewarded with a box office hit.
Tara Duncan
With Reasonable Doubt and The Hair Tales, Tara Duncan, the President of Freeform and Onyx Collective, is turning the cable network and its Hulu sibling into more than just Disney offshoots.
Channing Dungey
The TV vet brought her midas touch to Warner Bros., greenlighting Abbott Elementary and rewarding creator Quinta Brunson with an overall deal.
Ava DuVernay
Though Queen Sugar came to an end, DuVernay is already developing her next can’t miss drama at Starz. Plus, she now has her own Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, which makes her the most important person on this list.
Pearlena Igbokwe
If you’re still recovering from Nope and thought it was cool to see the set on the Universal Studios tour, you have Chair of Universal Studio Group, Pearlena Igbokwe, to thank for Jordan Peele’s overall deal with the media giant.
Lizzo
Yes, “About Damn Time” was a hit, but Lizzo’s biggest success of the year came in how she empowered women to believe in themselves with the Prime Video series Watch Out For the Big Grrrls and repeatedly pushed back against haters.
Wonya Lucas
With Hallmark Channel programming now available on Peacock and Hulu, Wonya Lucas, President and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, is protecting the brand’s spot as the holiday movie go-to.
Alana Mayo
As Till makes its way through awards season, look for Alana Mayo, the President of Orion Pictures, to be a major part of the film’s campaign.
Gina Prince-Bythewood
The filmmaker who has brought us so many classic Black-woman led stories, went even bigger with The Woman King. Gina Prince-Bythewood commanded a set full of spectacular women to bring the Agojie warriors to the big screen.
Issa Rae
Insecure may be over, but Issa Rae is still keeping things interesting with Rap Sh!t. The writer/producer also has several projects and deals in development through her Hoorae Media.
Shonda Rhimes
Almost 20 years after Grey’s Anatomy started, Shonda Rhimes is still keeping us glued to our screens with Bridgerton and Inventing Anna.
Rihanna
Not only did Rihanna have a baby, the Savage x Fenty mogul dropped a new fashion show, returned to music on the soundtrack of the biggest movie of the year and is poised to start 2023 with a bang, when she performs at halftime of the Super Bowl.
Zoe Saldaña
As she returns to Pandora in Avatar: The Way of Water, and possibly makes one final appearance as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Zoe Saldaña is once again the queen of big franchises.
Nina Shaw
Lawyer Nina Shaw has assembled a dream team of her clients to work on Genius: MLK/X, with Gina Prince Bythewood and Reggie Bythewood executive producing, Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon as showrunners and Kelvin Harrison Jr starring as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Octavia Spencer
Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer continues to surprise audiences with her ability to work across genres. As she prepares to premiere Season 3 of the AppleTV+ drama Truth Be Told, she also co-stars in the musical A Christmas Carol remake, Spirited.
Karen Toliver
Netflix’s VP of Animated Film, Karen Toliver is the woman tasked with bringing the same success to its animated division that the streaming service has found in its feature films.
Kerry Washington
The Scandal star has transitioned into producing and directing with Hulu drama Reasonable Doubt and the podcast The Prophecy. Like her most famous character Olivia Pope, she’s creating opportunities for others as she continues her own world domination.
Oprah Winfrey
We don’t need to recap all the reasons why Oprah is Oprah. So many of the women on this list wouldn’t be in the business without walking through doors she kicked open. Now, she’s taking things back to the beginning by producing the feature musical adaptation of The Color Purple.
Zendaya
Zendaya consistently shocks audiences with her masterful, emotionally raw performances in every episode of Euphoria. Then she effortlessly switches gears to entertain in blockbusters like Spider-Man and Dune. She refuses to be put in a box and we’re the ones benefiting from her inspiring work ethic.
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