They say Hollywood is a big, rich town. One full of the haves and have nots, the players and owners, the stars and sight-seers. Even so, there are a handful of people who stand out above the rest thanks to their influence, longevity, good work and impact on the culture within the industry.
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In recognition of that, we’re looking at a handful of Black folks in Hollywood who have the power and continue to yield it to make meaningful and entertaining work and leave their mark in a field that so often does it’s best to erase it.
Oprah Winfrey
They don’t call her “Queen O” for no reason. If you don’t know Harpo Productions and the plethora of projects they’ve had a hand in such as the original and 2023's “The Color Purple,” “Princess and the Frog,” “The Butler,” “Greenleaf” and more, then I don’t know what to tell you.
50 Cent
I have one word for you: “POWER.” I have another word for you: “GHOST.” And I’ll give you two more: “RAISING KANAN.” And here’s an acronym for simplicity: “BMF.”
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry didn’t make history as the first Black person to own a major film stuio for no reason. Whether you love his work or hate it, thanks to his classic Madea character, myriad of plays, films and TV shows like “Madea’s Class Reunion,” “Why Did I Get Married,” “The Have and Have Nots” and more—the man is a leading figure in entertainment and continues to cement his place as such. Not to mention, all the major films that use his 330 acres of a studio to film such as “Black Panther,” “Coming 2 America” and more.
Issa Rae
Hip, hip HOORAE. And by that I mean, I’m applauding Issa Rae’s growing media company Hoorae Media empire she created to support hit shows and projects like “Insecure,” “Rap SH!t” (bring it back HBO!!), her own acting career (looking at you “Barbie,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “American Fiction”), her “audio everywhere company” Raedeo and other endeavors (anybody down for coffee at Hilltop? I know I always am).
Lena Waithe
From her Emmy win for “Master of None” to becoming a master of TV in her own right, Lena Waithe has been serving the culture with hit shows like “The Chi” and “Twenties” and films like “A Thousand and One,” “Kokomo City,” “The 40-Year-Old Version” and “Queen & Slim.”
Shonda Rhimes
I mean, do I really have to say it? “Grey’s Anatomy?” “Scandal?” “How to Get Away With Murder?” “Bridgerton?” Shondaland has basically been running TV for years. And doing so pretty flawlessly.
Ava DuVernay
Thanks to Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY, films and series like “When They See Us,” “Origin,” “Selma,” “Queen Sugar” have not only impacted the landscape of Hollywood and set precedent for representation that means something — but it’s also been a source of positivity and change for the culture at-large.
Will Smith and James Lassiter
Quiet as it’s kept (or not depending on who you ask), the Fresh Prince is also the fresh producer thanks to his company Overbrook and by joining forces with James Lassiter for a handful of box office bangers that include: “The Karate Kid,” “Hancock,” “I Am Legend,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “ATL,” “Hitch,” and “Ali.”
Jordan Peele
Jordan Peele inspired a completely new subgenre of horror films thanks to his 2017 hit film, “Get Out” and many directors and creatives have been trying to recreate or recapture the essence of it ever since. That’s what you call influence, folks.
Will Packer
We’d be here all day if we listed all the movies Will Packer has made that have grossed millions at the box office, but just know “Girls Trip,” “Think Like A Man,” “Little,” “Ride Along,” “The Photograph” all have his stamp on them.
Charles D. King
As the founder and CEO of MACRO, Charles D. King has gone from former partner/agent at William Morris Endeavor (WME) to a powerhouse Hollywood mogul himself. The driving force behind films like the Oscar-winning “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “They Cloned Tyrone,” “Really Love” and the recently released “Young.Wild.Free” on BET+, King has proved himself to be mainstay in the industry.
Spike Lee
From “Crooklyn” and “Malcolm X” and “Do The Right Thing” to “BlackKklansmen” and “Da Five Bloods,” Spike Lee is a legend on the industry and anyone who isn’t hip, better get hip quick.
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