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Features
THE POWER & THE GLAMOUR
Portraits of the artists and visionaries pushing Hollywood forward in times both dark and bright
Features
THE POWER & THE GLAMOUR
Portraits of the artists and visionaries pushing Hollywood forward in times both dark and bright
THE ICON: MICHELLE YEOH
Two years ago she made history by becoming the first Asian woman to win an Academy Award for best actress in a leading role. Today she’s captivating audiences as Madame Morrible, the grande dame of Wicked. Yeoh’s genre-smashing career has spanned Hong Kong action films, the Bond franchise, and the hit rom-com Crazy Rich Asians. It’s no wonder she commands every room—and scene—she’s in.
THE TASTEMAKER: GWYNETH PALTROW
A whole generation has grown up since Paltrow won her Oscar for Shakespeare in Love. Now the hugely influential titan of Goop is returning to film in a major (non-Marvel) role for the first time in years, starring in the Safdie brothers’ Marty Supreme opposite Timothée Chalamet. It’s a testament to Paltrow’s ability to do anything and everything on her own terms—and look better than the rest of us while doing it.
THE ECCENTRIC: JULIO TORRES
If you’ve seen his A24 comedy-drama mash-up Problemista, with Tilda Swinton, or his surrealist plot-defying HBO series Fantasmas, you know why Torres, along with the likes of Cole Escola and Sarah Sherman, is leading a new generation of comedians blurring the line between humor and performance art. He may live in Brooklyn, but Hollywood has taken notice.
THE RENAISSANCE COUPLE: AYESHA & STEPHEN CURRY
Ayesha’s Sweet July started as a lifestyle brand, built on the heels of her culinary success. It has since expanded to books and film production and opened its first location outside the Bay Area at the Regent Santa Monica. Stephen’s Unanimous Media has a global talent partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal to produce original content. The entrepreneurial spirit was passed down by Ayesha’s mother, and that tenacity inspired Ayesha’s husband when the couple moved up the coast for the Golden State Warriors. “You have more control of your narrative,” Stephen says. “You’re building things that have more meaningful impact and ownership for the long term.” It’s way beyond basketball now.
THE SECRET WEAPON: JONATHAN ANDERSON
After conquering the fashion world with his namesake label and as the creative director of Loewe, Anderson is coming for Hollywood. In 2024 he served as costume designer for Luca Guadagnino’s captivating movies Challengers and Queer, with his I Told Ya T-shirt from the former becoming a social media phenom. Rumors of his continuing ascent abound, so it’s quite possible he’ll be onto a whole new chapter by the time you read this sentence.
THE ILLUSIONIST: ALEX PRAGER
For decades Prager has made photographs so cinematic, they explode off the walls of the gallery and exist as their own mini worlds. Now she’s directing a feature film starring John C. Reilly and Elizabeth Banks. “Because of my long career in art, I am innately tuned in to those in-between moments, those reflections of life, and I can spot emotional truth when it plays out in front of me,” Prager says.
THE GREENLIGHT: BELA BAJARIA
Following a shake-up at Netflix, Bajaria emerged as the chief content officer of the streaming giant, which serves a staggering 283 million subscribers globally. She’s the force driving its expansion into new territories as well as its live events and sports coverage—while simultaneously overseeing all film, scripted TV, documentaries, reality, comedy, and more. When you Netflix and chill, you can thank her and her team.
THE POWERHOUSE: ISSA RAE
Actor, writer, producer, restaurateur, and author, Rae is one of the busiest forces in Hollywood. She currently has a deal at WarnerMedia to produce film and TV, a new restaurant opening in South LA, and a role in the seventh season of Black Mirror. You won’t catch her wasting time—you probably won’t catch her at all.
THE NEGOTIATOR: LAURA WASSER
When your marriage is ending—and you’re famous, heartbroken, angry, and very, very rich—you call Wasser. An inspiration for Laura Dern’s character in Marriage Story, Wasser has become one of the most sought-after divorce lawyers in LA—think Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, and Johnny Depp—and she has progressive ideas about what she calls “the evolution of dissolutions.”
THE TALKING HEADS: JASON BATEMAN, WILL ARNETT, SEAN HAYES
Amid a cluttered landscape of celebrity podcasts that grows with each downturn in Hollywood day jobs, SmartLess is a singular and beloved bit of funny business that SiriusXM rewarded with a reported $100 million deal. These guys are so chaotic and goofy that they sometimes seem to forget there’s a guest present. In the end, the show is an ode not to cluefulness or dogged research but friendship.
YOUR FAVORITE ACTOR’S FAVORITE ACTOR: MICHAEL KEATON
The Batman. Birdman. Beetlejuice. Keaton has created unforgettable characters his entire career. He was only in the original Beetlejuice for 17 minutes, but the performance was so beloved that it spawned a sequel last year. Whether it’s broad comedy, quiet devastation, or political advocacy, Keaton always makes it look organic and effortless.
THE SHOWSTOPPER: NICOLE SCHERZINGER
It’s rare for a Broadway performance to go viral, but the striking image of Scherzinger as Norma Desmond in a black slip, covered in stage blood, has become a must-see for theater junkies this season. Scherzinger’s revelatory turn in Sunset Blvd, represents a stunning return to the spotlight for the actor—and we all know how much Hollywood appreciates the power of a comeback.
