Hollywood has always been criticized for many things, one of them being the lack of recognition women receive for their contribution to cinema. Whether we’re talking about actresses, female directors, producers or even executives, women in Hollywood have yet to receive the same return for their hard work as their male counterparts do. Even today, there’s still a clear and observable difference between men and women in regards to their salary, job opportunities and even more in the respect they receive.
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Here at SHIFTER Magazine, we’ve always made it our goal to acknowledge creators who have had strong and positive influences in their creative field and in society. That’s why we decided to present you with three of the most influential women in Hollywood. They’re individuals who have either used their fame and influence to champion important social causes or are having a profound impact on filmmaking. Without further adieu, here’s our list.
3) Angelina Jolie: Although she’s mostly known as an Academy Award-winning actress, Angelina Jolie is also an accomplished filmmaker as well as a well-known humanitarian. She has been working in the industry since 1982 and has been involved with the United Nations as a Special Envoy for refugees for almost 14 years. Jolie has had such a positive impact in front and behind the camera and we are proud to consider her among the top Shifters in Hollywood. In 2013, she became the holder of the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
2) Emma Watson: Emma Watson has proven many times that she’s one of the most influential women in Hollywood. Mostly known for her portrayal of Hermione in the Harry Potter franchise, Emma Watson has also been heavily involved in the feminist movement. She was appointed UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014. Since then, she has made it her goal to fight for gender equality across the globe. On September 20th 2014, Watson gave a speech at a special event for the HeForShe campaign in New York. She made the headlines for a few weeks after that and we strongly recommend that you take the time to hear her words.
1) Kathleen Kennedy: Kennedy stands among some of the most influential film producers of our time. Following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, she became the president of the studio and is now producing the new upcoming Star Wars trilogy, with Star Wars: The Force Awakens set for a December 18th 2015 release date. Kennedy also co-founded Amblin Entertainment alongside Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall. Her work has been essential to many films that ended up being critically acclaimed. In case you were doubting our reason for making her number one on our list, here’s the….short list of her filmography:
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (associate to Mr. Spielberg)
Poltergeist (1982) (associate producer)
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) (producer)
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) (associate producer) (segment 2)
Gremlins (1984) (executive producer)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) (associate producer)
The Color Purple (1985) (producer)
Back to the Future (1985) (executive producer)
The Goonies (1985) (executive producer)
Fandango (1985) (executive producer)
An American Tail (1986) (producer)
Empire of the Sun (1987) (producer)
The Land Before Time (1988) (co-executive producer)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) (executive producer)
Back to the Future Part II (1989) (executive producer)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) (associate producer)
Arachnophobia (1990) (producer)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) (executive producer)
Back to the Future Part III (1990) (executive producer)
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) (executive producer)
Hook (1991) (producer)
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991) (executive producer)
Cape Fear (1991) (executive producer)
Schindler’s List (1993) (executive producer)
Jurassic Park (1993) (producer)
Congo (1995) (producer)
The Bridges of Madison County (1995) (producer)
Twister (1996) (producer)
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) (executive producer)
The Sixth Sense (1999) (producer)
Munich (2005) (producer)
War of the Worlds (2005) (producer)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) (producer)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) (producer)
The Last Airbender (2010) (executive producer)
Hereafter (co-producer with Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz & Steven Spielberg) (2010)
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (2011) (producer)
War Horse (2011) (producer)
The Secret World of Arrietty (2012) (U.S. version executive producer)
Lincoln (2012) (producer)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) (producer)
That being said, who would you put on your list as part of them most influential women in Hollywood today? Comment below and let us know.
