What do “Pretty Woman” Julia Roberts and “The Material Girl” Madonna have in common besides wealth, fame and beauty?
They are the two lone superstars to grace this year’s Hollywood Reporter list of the 50 most influential women in show business, a ranking started 10 years ago to shine the spotlight on the women doing great work behind the scenes.
Roberts and Madonna, who ranked No. 3 and 42 respectively on the list, however, were just too powerful to ignore, said officials at the Hollywood Reporter.
“We try to make room for the women who have superseded the celebrity aspect of their jobs,” said Christy Grosz, managing editor of special issues for Hollywood Reporter.
In celebration of the list’s 10th anniversary, it was expanded to include 100 women, up 50 from last year and will be unveiled in Tuesday’s edition.
Sherry Lansing, chairman and chief executive officer of the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group, who ranked No. 1 last year for the second year running, dropped to No. 2, while Stacey Snider, chairman of production for Universal Pictures, moved from No. 2 last year to the top slot.
“Snider has taken the studio from last to first in box office market share, breaking the hex of a years-long slump,” said Robert Dowling, Hollywood Reporter’s editor-in-chief and publisher.
The list is compiled each year by reporters and editors who rank women according to their power to change the direction of their companies or affect the industry’s future.
Roberts, Hollywood’s highest-paid actress with a $20 million per movie price tag, made the list two years running based on her ability to turn small projects into major vehicles and her clout in securing financing for films.
Madonna returns to the list at No. 42 after ranking No. 28 in 1998. “Madonna made the list again by force of her personality and her sold-out ‘Drowned World Tour” this year,” Grosz said. “She’s had a huge resurgence this year after being on the sidelines for a while,” said Grosz, noting Madonna also heads her own production company and record label.
Other significant changes this year include Oprah Winfrey’s move up to No. 8 from No. 15, and Lifetime Television’s Carole Black and Dawn Tarnofsky-Ostroff move up to the No. 10 slot from No. 23.
The top 10 is rounded out by Gail Berman, President of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting (4), Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Entertainment (5), Michele Anthony, Executive vice president, Sony Music Entertainment (6), Nikki Rocco, President, Universal Pictures Distribution (7), Winfrey, Head of Harpo Entertainment Group and Harpo Prods. (8), Judy McGrath, President, MTV Group (9).
