Making Moves: Promotions, App Upgrades, and Calling Out Inequality
Women are speaking up this week.
Every Friday, we here at C&C like to celebrate all of the moves women are making in their industries. And as always, this was a good week for women. Read on to see women getting promotions, speaking up against inequality and discrimination, and more!
Sylvia Rhone has been promoted from president to chairman and CEO of Epic Records. In this position, she will have control over the label’s creative direction and management of the label. Rhone was the the first African American woman to be the chairman of a major record company when she was made chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group's Elektra Entertainment Group in 1994. That’s music to our ears!
Abigail Disney, the granddaughter of Walt Disney, called out the Disney Company for contributing to economic inequality in the US. She called Disney CEO Bob Igar’s $65.7m salary in 2018 as “insane” and noted that the lowest-paid company employees only make $15 an hour. Way to speak up, girl!
No filter necessary. Bumble is beginning to develop an AI-enhanced “private detector,” which will screen unsolicited nude photos sent through the app. Bumble CEO and founder Whitney Wolfe Herd and Bumble’s parent company founder Andrey Andreev are working together to make the internet a safer and friendlier space for women.
Way to call out workplace discrimination! Former CBS executive Whitney Davis recently published a letter in Variety detailing the discriminatory and toxic culture present within CBS. She details the racism she personally experienced, as well as racist comments spoken about other people of color. Davis attributes the network’s toxic environment to its “white problem,” and it bringing awareness to the systemic racism present in the entertainment industry.
Sign on the dotted line. Michelle Obama, the Reach Higher Initiative, and Better Make Room are hosting a College Signing Day on Wednesday, May 1st. The Reach Higher Initiative was started by Obama to encourage more high school students to pursue a college education. The event itself will have a multitude of celebrity guests and performances.
MORE ON THE BLOG
Making Moves: Pop Stars in Politics, Networking Retreats, & Talk Show Trades
The first person on Mars? Most likely a woman.
Each Friday, we highlight five news stories that celebrate women and their impressive accomplishments. Read on for badass networking retreats, women in space, and a new female talk show host!
Ariana Grande is saying, “Thank U, next!” to unregistered voters. The pop sensation started the #ThankUNextGen initiative which allows fans to register to vote at her concerts during the Sweetener tour, as well as through texting.
Networking just went next-level. The company Baddies and Bosses recently announced a retreat for black millennial women in sunny Cancun, Mexico. The retreat will focus on building meaningful relationships in the workplace.
The saying goes that men are from Mars, but it looks like a woman will be there first. The head of NASA recently spilled on a podcast that they are working hard to make sure a female astronaut is the first to step foot on the neighboring planet.
Get ready to stay up late! YouTube star Lilly Singh will be taking over Carson Daly’s late-night NBC talk show, making her the only female late-night talk show host on a Big 4 network. You go girl!
Making moves and making money! The career pathing platform and startup Landit recently closed at $13 million in Series A funding. The company was co-founded by Lisa Skeet Tatum and Sheila Marcelo—two women of color—and works to increase the success of women in the workplace.
MORE ON THE BLOG
Making Moves: Female Football Players, Women Astronauts, & Brand New Barbies
Great news for girls everywhere!
The first full week of International Women’s Month has not disappointed! Celebrate International Women’s Day with us and read on to learn how women are crushing it this week in football, film, and outer space.
College student Toni Harris became the first woman to sign a letter of intent to attend a university on a full football scholarship. The 22-year-old defensive back dreams of becoming the first woman to play in the NFL and proving that it’s great to play like a girl.
One giant step for womankind: NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch will be participating in the first ever all-female spacewalk. They’re scheduled to head out to space on March 29th, a great way to celebrate the end of International Women’s Month!
Where are all the women? New York City announced that it will add four statues of influential women in an attempt to combat the gender gap present in public art. The women to be memorialized include jazz singer Billie Holiday and pediatrician and activist Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías.
Girl power for generations to come! Mattel is releasing a Barbie doll of activist, model, and Gurls Talk founder Adwoah Aboah. The doll will be part of Mattel’s “Shero” program, which highlights influential women like Ibtihaj Muhammad and Laurie Hernandez.
IMBDPro and the ReFrame coalition of industry leaders released a list of 20 films from 2018’s top 100 box office movies that are certified as gender-balanced productions. The list includes Crazy Rich Asians, The Hate U Give, and The Favourite. ReFrame hopes its data will celebrate and promote the films in Hollywood that have just as many women working on them as men.
MORE ON THE BLOG
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Lana Condor
“The people know knew you before fame had your best interest at heart before anything happened.”
Lana Condor was 2018’s It Girl. Between her starring role on the Netflix adaptation To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and her part as Jubilee on X-Men: Apocalypse, Lana has built a fan base far and wide. And from the looks of it, 2019 will be no different—Lana is starring in Deadly Class, a Syfy series based on the comic of the same name. She’s proving she’s got quite the character range, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.
You have quite the varied fan base! Many of us know you for your role in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, but you also have a ton of fans from your role in X-Men: Apocalypse. What did you enjoy about working on such different films?
For me, one of the best parts of this career is the fact that it’s never boring and I get to do such different things every day, and also meet incredibly diverse people. X-Men: Apocalypse truly changed my life and so did To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, but both in very different ways. X-Men: Apocalypse was my first experience and job in the industry. So it really kind of threw me in with the sharks. I learned the basics for what it means to work on a film set and the standards of professionalism, based off my amazing co-stars. I got very lucky on that set that I had such great role models to look up to and learn from, and I’ve definitely brought what I’ve learned from that cast with me throughout the rest of my career. X-Men also taught me what it like to be in a big studio film and the responsibilities that come with representing a franchise! To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before was my first leading role, and that movie gave me a chance to kind of exercise the leadership characteristics I learned from watching my co-stars in X-Men. I truly loved working on both, even though they were so different from each other, it was such a thrill to be a part of both projects.
What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?
I think one of the biggest highlights thus far in my career has been being on Jimmy Fallon. I’ve watched him religiously for years now, so the fact that I got to be on the show and meet him and do a skit with Bryan Cranston was absolutely surreal. When I was waiting behind the curtain backstage to go on, I was close to tears because it felt like such a dream come true.
What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?
Meeting all the people who watch the films and hearing their stories. I love when young girls come up to me and tell me about their experience in school and how we can both relate.
You’ve previously said “I’ve never been more aware of my Asian-ness and femaleness than working in Hollywood.” Tell us a little about your experience with that awareness, and what you hope can change within the industry.
I was adopted by an incredible American family when I was very young and we moved all over America throughout my childhood. So each state and environment really shaped me into who I am today. I was well aware of my ethnicity, but I was also well aware of my environment being a major factor in my identity. I lived all of my childhood just thinking of myself as Lana, not ignorant, but less defined by what I looked like, and more defined by who I am as a person, my likes, my dislikes, etc etc. So then coming to Hollywood was definitely a change for me, because in the beginning of my career I noticed that the first thing people see is what you look like, then they gauge from there whether or not you’re the right product for them. Now I definitely see a change in that and the industry is starting to see actors for their personality and talent.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
I rely so much on the support of my family and loved ones when I am going through hard times or bumps in the road. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout my short career is that you need to keep your loved ones and the people you knew before “fame” close and celebrate them because they truly loved you and had your best interest at heart before anything else happened.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
I was freaking out one day and overwhelmed and my grandma said to me “Lana, you’re completely valid in feeling this way, but right now the laundry is done and we got to take care of that because that’s what’s in our control and our immediate task at hand.” And that really put so much into perspective for me because I realized I can get so wrapped up in my career etc. and forget to just take a breath and not take things so seriously.
“I try not to compare myself to others, because I know our stories are all different and were unique. I just try and do what I’ve always done on social media: Be as true to myself as possible.”
Social media has been around for much of your life. How do you remain authentic in the age of Instagram?
I think because it’s been around for the most of my life, it’s just an average normal part of it, so I don’t glorify it because I’m used to it if that makes sense. I’ve always been pretty transparent with who I am as a person and I’ve done the same with how I handle my social media platform. I try not to compare myself to others, because I know our stories are all different and were unique, and I just try and do what I’ve always done on social media, which is be as true to myself as possible because that’s all I really know how to be. The good and the bad!
Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?
I look up to Sandra Oh more than anything. What she has done for the Asian community in terms of representation and providing so much hope and inspiration has truly been incredible. I was so emotional during the Golden Globes this year because I just watched her up there, so truthful and confident and vulnerable and brave all at the same time, and it made me so proud. And made me think that we’re truly moving in the right direction in this industry and truly are making huge changes. Which is obviously very exciting.
What are you most excited about working on in 2019?
I’m obviously very excited to shoot the sequel of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. But there are also a couple of secret projects that I can’t wait to share with everyone that I’m very excited to do, because I always love to try new things and surprise people!
Photo Credit: Riker Brothers
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Michelle Wolf
“You're gonna hit hurdles all the time. Run into them and try again.”
Known most recently as the woman who crushed hosting the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Michelle Wolf is a force in comedy. After working in finance and taking improv classes after college, she traded in her “Wolf of Wall Street” title for recruiting work at a biochemistry lab because it offered her more time to work on comedy. She honed jokes at her desk, tweeting them out and rewriting bits each day. Eventually, she saved up enough money from the gig to last a year without a job, so she took a chance on herself.
It paid off.
A year after leaving the lab, Michelle got hired as a writer on Late Night With Seth Meyers. Two years later, she was performing on-camera on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. And two years after that, she was giving that famed speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. If it seems she came out of nowhere, know this: Michelle performs sometimes upwards of 20 times a week. She’s a hustler, and it shows. We’re so excited to see where 2019 takes her.
You quit a career in finance to pursue comedy. What did you learn from leaving a steady career to pursue your passion?
That the best motivation for me was to be absolutely terrified.
What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?
I just love jokes. I love figuring them out, finding where they go, and how they end.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Evolve.
What keeps you up at night?
Nothing. I work a lot. As soon as I go to bed, I'm out.
To prepare for your HBO special Nice Lady, you did a 100-show tour. What advice would you give women on the importance of practice and preparation for their dream job?
I'd give women the same advice I'd give men: do the work.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
Any time I'm stuck, I'll go for a run. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. Comedy is hard. You're gonna hit hurdles all the time. Run into them and try again.
You’re an ultramarathoner and completed a 50-mile race this year. What do you love most about running?
Everything.
Comedy is hard. You're gonna hit hurdles all the time.
Run into them and try again.
Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?
Carol Burnett. She's the best.
What are you most excited for in 2019?
I'm just excited to work hard and see what happens.
Photo Credit: Craig Blankenhorn
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Hilary Swank
“I’ve learned that our biggest obstacles are often ourselves.“
When Hilary Swank does something, she does it 100 percent. So when her father needed a lung transplant in 2014, Hilary was there. The two-time Oscar winner turned down work to be his live-in caretaker for three years—or as she so beautifully put it in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, ““I was saying yes to something else that I wanted to be a part of.”
But now, her father is well again, and she’s back at it again in Hollywood. This past year, she appeared on screens big and small in What They Had, I Am Mother, and Trust, all while producing three TV shows and running her clothing business, Mission Statement. We told you: Hilary gives 100 percent, and we can’t wait to see what she creates in 2019.
You won an Academy Award for your performance in Boys Don't Cry. Tell us a little about your work building up to your role in the film and how winning an Oscar changed the course of your career.
It was imperative that I tried my hardest to do justice to this real life person, who died in such a horrific manner for just wanting to give and receive love. So, I spent 4 weeks walking around public trying to pass as a boy, seeing what did and didn’t work. To be believable in front of the camera, it was important that I could pull of being a boy in all of my everyday experiences—no matter how challenging this was at times.
Winning an Oscar gave me more opportunities to learn and grow as an artist and human being and to continue do what I love...tell more stories collaborating with people I admire.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
You can do anything as long as you work hard enough. This came from my Mom.
You took a break from acting from 2014 to 2017 to care for your father when he had a lung transplant. How did it feel to leave Hollywood for three years?
On one hand, it was scary because I was walking away from something that defined me, but on the other hand, it was liberating as I realized I’m so much more than an actor. Ultimately, I was just grateful that my career was in a position that I could take time off to care for a loved one.
What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?
The biggest surprise of my career has been winning two Academy Awards for doing something I love so much. Getting to collaborate with so many extraordinary artists is a reward in and of itself, but getting peer and industry accolades on top of that makes it even more sweet.
The biggest highlight has been the challenge to push myself in ways I never imagined and learn that our biggest obstacles are often ourselves.
Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?
It sounds cliche, but I can’t help but look up to Meryl Streep. She has continued to surprise us with such poignant and chameleon-like performances while navigating mainstream and art house films. She seems to have found a perfect career balance while staying true to her internal artist’s compass.
You started your fashion company, Mission Statement, in 2016. What did you feel was missing from the women’s clothing space?
I created what I felt was missing in the marketplace: affordable luxury in the leisure space that also has versatility to take you through your entire day and all of its needs.
What have been the most exciting and most challenging parts of starting your own business?
I’ve learned that our biggest obstacles are often ourselves.
The most exciting part is embarking on a journey to fulfill a new dream you want realized. The challenging part is having to undergo a crash-course in business while not having any business training.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
I’m always looking for constructive criticism from people I love and who believe in me. This enables me to continue to grow, never become stagnant and never rest on my laurels. It’s important to me to remain curious and always seek to learn—which I can’t do without my tribe.
What are you most excited for in 2019?
Watching Mission Statement grow and continuing to tell stories about the triumph of the human spirit and perseverance.
Photo Credit: Greg Williams Photography
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Sophia Bush
“Pain is information. Take it as such and grow from it.”
Sophia Bush has had a year, on screen and off.
It began with a development deal with 20th Century Fox, which gave her the reins both in front of and behind the camera. She’s now hard at work both producing and starring in CBS’ forthcoming Surveillance, an NSA spy drama on CBS, meaning her days involve not only acting but also reviewing scripts, casting, hiring—and if you didn’t already know her for her starring roles in hits like One Tree Hill, Chicago PD, Incredibles 2, and our old fave, John Tucker Must Die, you’d think she was a seasoned producer, hearing the way she talks about running a set.
Sophia has also been a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement. She’s adamant that Time’s Up be not just about Hollywood, but every industry, because, in her words, the problem is a systemic, psychosocial, societal problem. But she knows her influence as an admired woman in Hollywood, and she’s committed to using that influence for good.
Read on for Sophia’s take on flipping the script, in more ways than one.
You signed a talent and development deal with 20th Century Fox last year. Tell us about your starring role in Surveillance and what other exciting things you’re working on through the contract.
Entering into this next phase of my career, and being able to check a few more boxes on my goals list, felt very empowering. It’s meant reading countless scripts and sifting through mountains of material to find the things that speak to me. First and foremost that meant zeroing in on a new show to both star in and produce. This marks my first time fulfilling roles on both sides of the camera simultaneously, aside from the episodes of One Tree Hill that I both acted in and directed. Shout out to my fellow ladies in the DGA! That meant I was part of meeting with and ultimately hiring our director, the incredible Patricia Riggen, who served as an executive producer and my North Star on set. That means I was involved in casting for every role. I screen tested many actors myself, alongside Patricia and David C. White, our writer & creator. And I was able to set a tone on set. To make sure that everyone knew that they were heard, cared for, and would be protected if the need ever arose. It was so incredibly fulfilling and I cannot wait for more.
You starred in Incredibles 2 and are now hard at work on Surveillance—two very different projects. What’s been the most challenging and enjoyable parts of working on each?
Well, when you make an animated film you can go to work in sweatpants, so that’s a real bonus! And to learn from Brad Bird and the incredible team at PIXAR was a real dream come true. And on a story where the ladies take the lead, no less I’ll happily work for them for the rest of my life!
Surveillance is a more traditional working environment. Long hours. A set that requires a flight away from my home to get to. But within those “tough” descriptors was also so much joy. Incredible attention to detail with everything from the script and what we’re saying with it. From wardrobe to set design. It was perfect. I was more energized than I’ve ever felt on a set. More alive. Being so invested in each and every aspect of the job made it feel so deeply connected from the jump off. If I can be that happy at work every day, I’ll do this job for as long as I can.
What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?
This year, certainly. Making films and shows that I truly believe in, with wonderful people, that have been deeply inspiring and completely healthy? That’s been a real earned joy.
Where does your passion/drive come from?
I think of it like a fire. I’m not sure where it was lit, but I know that it happened when I was young, and I’m in no danger of my fuel running out any time soon!
What piece of wisdom would you share with young women just starting out in the entertainment industry?
I’d say to women in ANY industry that you need to work hard, cultivate a real community of women, take constructive criticism as a challenge to better yourself, and also refuse to take abuse of any kind. Speak truth to power. Even when your voice shakes.
In the age of #TimesUp, how do we flip the narrative that the onus is on women to change how they’re treated in the workplace?
I’ve been frank about my experiences over the years, as have many women thanks to #TimesUp, because women need to know that they are not alone. And that mistreatment in the workplace is never okay. It should not be our responsibility to quit, to give up our financial security, our hard-earned positions, or our careers, because abusive people cannot keep their hands/words/body parts to themselves. Companies and employers need to make reporting safer, need to ensure that victims are not retaliated against, and need to actually punish abusers. Period. And women as a collective need to call for these changes, and we need men to back us up and join the chorus as well.
Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?
I look up to Ava DuVernay, Reed Moreno, Kerry Washington, and Oprah. Julianne Moore. Amy Adams. All of these women have forged their own paths, told their own stories, and offered truth about real, deep, human experience to their audiences. And they’ve fought to do so. They remind me never to give up pressing for more transparency and honesty.
Pain is information. Take it as such, grow from it, and figure out how to do better and work smarter next time.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
Bumps and hurdles are part of the journey. No one, and I mean NO ONE, has had a life or career without hardship. Pain is information. Take it as such, grow from it, and figure out how to do better and work smarter next time.
If you weren’t working in entertainment, what career path would you choose and why?
I’d be a journalist. Nothing matters more to me than telling true, empathetic stories about people. And journalists dedicate their lives to doing so, all over the world. They have my ultimate respect.
What are you most excited for in 2019?
I’m most excited that over 100 women will be sworn into the United States’ most diverse Congress in history. It’s about damn time.
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Lili Reinhart
“Exhaust the path, if necessary, until you need to find a new one.“
Lili Reinhart is wise beyond her years. Even after she scored a starring role on Riverdale, the subversive CW take on Archie Comics, she lost precisely zero percent of her humble personality. Talking to Lili is like talking to a best friend—she wants you to know about her rocky journey to Hollywood, her commitment to doing work she’s passionate about, and how she’s trying to post less about her personal life on Instagram.
When Lili’s first audition tape was turned down by the casting team at Riverdale, she didn't take no for an answer. She somehow got another chance at auditioning, and the second time, she killed it. The rest, of course, is history.
Lili may only be 22, but she knows what she wants, and we can’t wait to watch her go get it.
You moved to LA alone at age 18. What advice do you have for other young women on chasing their dreams, even if they’re scary?
I think the most important thing to tell yourself is that it could take multiple tries in order for your dreams to come to fruition. I ended up moving back home to recuperate after my first time living in LA. I was there for 5 months, burned through my savings account and eventually had to go back home to save money. Nothing fell into place immediately, that’s for sure. I actually spent 2 months in LA when I was 16 as well, auditioning for whatever I could. My success didn’t happen overnight. I started auditioning for projects when I was 12 years old and finally booked my big Riverdale role when I was 19. Chasing your dreams is always going to be scary, but it will be easier if you remind yourself that it takes patience and perseverance for good things to come.
What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?
I think one of the highlights of this career has been the opportunity to travel. I grew up wanting to travel the world, but I had never even been to Canada when I booked Riverdale. Since then, I’ve gone to Paris, Mexico City, and all over the US for work-related press or conventions. Also I’ll be going to Milan in the springtime.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
Sometimes it’s all about being at the right place at the right time. It’s different for everyone, of course; no two paths towards success look the same. But, for example, with me… moving to LA was the right choice. It just didn’t workout the first time. It was only when I moved back again, did I have the chance to audition for Riverdale in person. It was the right project, the right role, and I was in the right city to audition in person. The stars had aligned when just a year earlier, they hadn’t. So I think it’d be harmful to think that a path or road isn’t working for you just because of one failed experience. I always say, keep trying. Exhaust the path, if necessary, until you need to find a new one.
What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?
It’s incredibly fulfilling to be a working actress. This is something that I’ve wanted to do my entire life. And to be honest, I didn’t have too much doubt about my making it in the industry when I was growing up. I felt discouraged and frustrated a lot, of course, but I think I always knew deep down that this was what I was good at and that everything would work out. Nothing else felt right. I didn’t give myself a plan B. I didn’t go to college to study anything else, I had no backup plan. I was going to be an actress. Period. So I think it’s incredibly fulfilling to be in the position where I am today. I’m glad I didn’t doubt myself, though at times other people saw my dreams as being unrealistic or out of reach.
On Riverdale, you play the beloved Betty Cooper. What would you say to people who might typecast you as a one-dimensional “girl next door” character moving forward?
I think that’s up to me not to be typecast, honestly. I have to choose the right roles for myself. I am not interested in auditioning or being part of projects where I would be playing the girl next door, or a young detective. I’m only seriously looking at projects where the role doesn’t remind me of Betty. It’s up to me to show my range in the upcoming roles that I’ll play. People can try to typecast me, but I’m not going to let it happen.
You’ve been pretty adamant about keeping your personal life out of the press. How do you handle the pressure to share your daily life that comes with being in the spotlight?
Hmm. I’m not sure I’ve done too good of a job at that, honestly. I like to say I’m going to keep my relationship private and my family-life private… but it’s hard. I’m an open person. I like to share things about myself and share glimpses into my world. Sometimes I share too much, or give too much of myself away. But it’s something I’m working on. I’ve only been in the spotlight for two years so I’m very much still learning my limits. One of my new year’s resolutions was to keep my life a little more private in general. I don’t need to share as much. It’s nice to have some mystery and not let the world know everything about where you are, who you’re with, what you’re doing, etc. etc.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The one piece of advice that really has held true for me is when I was told “Your heart will never lead you astray.” And it’s true. If I don’t feel passionate about something— I don’t pursue it. Let’s take roles for example: if I read a script and it has amazing producers, has a huge budget, big celebrities attached… but it doesn’t resonate or connect to me on a spiritual level, then I won’t pursue it. If something doesn’t give me butterflies or make me excited, it’s not worth my energy. I only want to give myself to things that strike a fire within me. And it can be hard to stay true to that in this business, any business or any aspects of life in general. But I plan on sticking with that piece of advice throughout my career.
Social media has been around for much of your life. How do you remain authentic in the age of Instagram?
I’ve realized recently how difficult it is for some people to remain authentic in their social media platforms. But to be honest, I’ve always been myself. I’m not trying to present myself in a different way or paint myself in the most beautiful light. I’m just me. I don’t think much about what I post, I just do it. That’s what keeps me authentic, I think. Also what get me in trouble sometimes, but whatever. If you’re actually having to stop and think or study whatever you’re posting… then it’s probably not coming very naturally.
If I don’t feel passionate about something, I don’t pursue it.
Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?
I had the privilege of being in the audience for the Glamour Women of the Year Awards and I saw Viola Davis speak. I was hanging onto her every word. She’s such an incredible woman and speaker. I just think she’s so wise and has so much to say about being a woman in this industry. Lady Gaga also has always been an idol of mine. She’s so talented and, to me, she’s the kind of person you’d want to go to for advice. She’s outspoken and she has always had a vision for her work which I find very inspiring.
You’ve previously said you don’t want to do another 22-episode show because it takes up your whole life. What do you want to pursue next?
Films. My heart really lies in the film industry. Television has given me the most incredible opportunity to create a platform and have a consistent job. Also, I’ve met some of the most important people in my life through Riverdale. But at the end of the day, I want to be in movies. So I hope to pursue film projects when I’m on hiatus from Riverdale each season, for however long we run. It would be a dream of mine to be in a 19th or 18th century period piece. Maybe someday.
Photo Credit: James Wright
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Catt Sadler
“You aren’t always rewarded for your hard work or talent. Networking is paramount.”
When Catt Sadler found out her male co-host at E! was making double her salary, she did what anyone would do—addressed the problem with her employer, expecting they’d remedy the situation. When they didn’t, she made what can only be called a bold Hollywood move: She quit and took her story public.
In the era of Time’s Up—an era wherein Catt’s job literally entailed reporting women’s #MeToo stories—she felt it was her duty to speak up. She did so unapologetically, publicly demanding an end to the gender pay gap.
In addition to her work for equal pay, Catt launched The Cattwalk, an online media company focusing on fashion, beauty, and health. In NAKED, a powerful series on the site, Catt interviews inspiring greats like Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Schumer, and dozens more women you should know. The interviews are heartfelt and revealing in a way most journalists can’t evoke; but then again, most journalists aren’t Catt Sadler.
Read on for more on Catt, what she’s been up to since her E! exit, and the sage advice she has for women at work in 2019.
You left E! before the #TimesUp campaign had really gained traction. Tell us about making that decision without the support of a very public movement we didn’t know was coming.
Leaving my job after twelve years over a pay disparity issue was difficult in and of itself. Speaking up about it publicly required a lot of soul searching and courage. But honestly I looked to the brave women before me who in recent months had been speaking up and unapologetically using their voices to share their truths. I had been reporting on the #MeToo movement and again and again was awe inspired by women who had be treated unfairly but came forward anyway. These women opened the door for me to take a stand.
At the Golden Globes this year, several actors were vocal in their support for you and the fight for equal pay. How did it feel to see so many women you’ve worked with stand up with you?
I was shocked and completely humbled. I knew these women actually watched the network so they knew how glaring the disparity was. They were informed so that meant a lot. But mostly, I knew they were using my name as a symbol for something much bigger - for all of the women who aren’t paid in the ball park of their male coworkers doing similar jobs, all of the women getting passed up for promotions when they are deserving, all of the women who don’t have a platform to tell their story and make change.
Studies show nearly 70% of women accept job offers without negotiating pay. What advice would you give women on negotiating their worth?
Know your worth and be prepared to back it up. Come to the table with facts, records, achievements, accomplishments, and numbers. Also, do your research. What are others in your position in your particular industry making? Role play your negation with people you trust beforehand so you’re prepared for anything. Try and get so comfortable with your position and belief of your value that you are able to eliminate the emotion in the negotiation. And lastly, don’t be sorry for making money one of the most important issues to you. Men don’t. It’s often the first thing they discuss. We as women were taught the topic to be taboo. Speak up unapologetically!
What do you wish you’d known when you were first starting your career in entertainment?
That nothing is fair. You aren’t always rewarded for your hard work or talent. Networking is paramount.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
Failing is never just that alone. To fail is to learn. It is a teacher. Ask yourself: Why am I experiencing this setback? What does this hurdle teach me? You must dissect where you are before you pivot blindly. Can women really “have it all?” Is that a myth? It’s not about the fairytale house with the picket fence, having clean-faced kids, and a designer closet while doing your dream job anymore. To me, having it all is living on my own terms. That is true freedom.
What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?
I have to connect with people. That’s what I love about social media and digital media today. It’s not one-way traffic anymore. I love that I can get up and exchange with people all over the planet - from sharing inspirational quotes, to favorite lipsticks, to revealing interviews with kickass females - for me, it’s the SHARE.
Let’s be vulnerable and Photoshop-free, peel back the onion, and learn from one another.
Through your Cattwalk series, NAKED, you interview women we love in raw, unapologetic profiles. What inspired you to focus the series on vulnerability?
Love this question! I’m so sick to death of the armor everyone wears everyday. We, especially we as women, feel like we have to look a certain way, dress a certain way, and achieve a certain level of success to be fully received and admired. I am also used to interviewing women in a soundbite driven climate where nothing meaningful gets its due. I want women to take it all off! Come as you are! The more naked the better. Let’s be vulnerable and Photoshop-free, peel back the onion, and learn from one another. This brings me true joy and I think my audience appreciates the rarity of these types of discussions.
Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?
Oh man. So many. I adore Natalie Portman. She’s so insanely smart and beautiful and aware and strong and delicate. Oprah, the OG. She paved the way. I am currently obsessed with author and motivational speaker Brene Brown. She speaks on leadership and leading with our hearts, not just our minds.
Can women really “have it all?” Is that a myth?
It’s not about the fairytale house with the picket fence, having clean-faced kids, and a designer closet while doing your dream job anymore. To me, having it all is living on my own terms. That is true freedom.
What are you most looking forward to in 2019?
Evolving professionally, helping my son celebrate his 18th birthday - a milestone - and getting to Tokyo. On my bucket list!
Photography by Annie McElwain Photography
Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Sandra Oh
“I’m here for you. And I’ll continue doing everything I can to fill something that I know you need right now.”
When Sandra Oh won her second Golden Globe earlier this month, we cried right along with her. Known best for her 10-year role as Cristina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy, which she left in 2014, Sandra spent four years playing small roles in film and on stage until she was cast in Killing Eve, arguably one of the most talked-about shows of 2018 (it was already renewed for a second season). The role of Eve is undeniably perfect for Sandra: it’s a psychological thriller that showcases her range, but it also flips the script on stereotypical norms—much like Sandra herself has been doing in Hollywood for years.
Below, Sandra talks representation, her role in Killing Eve, and if she’d ever return to Grey’s Anatomy.
On playing one of the only Asian characters in mainstream TV for years…
Young Asian people who come up to me have a certain vibration, and I receive it, and I understand it, and I feel emotional just talking about it. I’m here for you. And I’ll continue doing everything I can to fill something that I know you need right now, that we don’t yet have as a community.
On when she knew Killing Eve was right for her...
As soon as I started reading it, what jumped off the page to me were a few things: the originality of its tone and the fact that I felt like I understood where Phoebe [Waller-Bridge, the show’s creator] was coming from immediately. The idea that it’s a psychological piece between these two women, about the female psyche, was so interesting to me. There’s tons of things that are interesting to me. I love spy stuff—who doesn’t? So to kind of upend that…because this character is not slick. I felt immediately like I could understand Eve. But the two biggest things were what I felt the piece was about, which was an investigation of the female psyche, and the originality of the voice and the tone of Phoebe.
In the books Killing Eve is based on, Eve is white. On filling that role...
Can I just tell you, it’s about f–king time! The character is not Asian, but there are a billion examples of the reverse where the source material or the character in the book was one ethnicity or another and no one blinks an eye when people change it to being a white actor. I really hope that there is more pressure and sensitivity and understanding around it. And that comes from the actors themselves. It really does. When you read the source material — oh, you know, this person, this character is first nations, maybe I shouldn’t play it, right? Hopefully actors are empowered to be able to just make that choice.
On the prospect of returning to Grey’s...
I’m just going to say no. I’m just going to put that down there because it’s been four years since then, and I’ve really got to try and create much more of that separation. Even though I could just talk on and on and on about that show and what I feel like I learned from it and continue learning from it. It was so special, lightning in a bottle that’s lasted for over a decade.
This interview has been edited and condensed from multiple sources (1, 2).
Photos from Sandra Oh’s Instagram.
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Nicole Ari Parker
“Be resilient and get back at it after a no or 100 no’s.”
You may know her as Giselle Barker from Empire, but we know Nicole Ari Parker as a powerhouse on screen and off. The Boogie Nights star isn’t just an actor—she’s also the founder and brains behind Gymwrap, a moisture-wicking headband that keeps hair styled between washes and salon visits.
We’ve been big fans of Nicole since her Soul Food days and love how real she’s been since day one. She’s reflective and resilient, but brazen and bold. Read on to hear more about her career path, role models, and envy-inducing relationship with her husband, Boris Kodjoe.
You’ve been working in Hollywood for more than 20 years. How have you seen the industry change? Has it become a more empowering place for women?
I think it’s changed because of what's happening behind the camera and on the executive level. More of the decision makers and image creators look like the real world so it’s only natural that it is reflected on the screen. Women of all backgrounds are in leadership roles and it makes a difference not only in how many female characters are created but also in how they are depicted. The writing and execution of these roles have drastically improved in even the past 10 years. I used to study scenes for an audition to play a doctor for example and somehow all my lines were questions! ALL of them...lol...like no matter what the scene is about, she would say "What do you mean?" "Really?" “What do you think, Robert?" "Is that so?" As if the head of neurology didn’t know what to do. It’s gotten way better… more dynamic… more real.
What do you wish you’d known when you were first starting your career in entertainment?
Well I probably would have practiced more on camera... like on a cell phone or have a friend tape me...to get a sense of what your face does or if you have bad camera habits like tilting your head or scrunching your eyes...I always practiced how to be truthful to the scene only and would never know that I looked down a lot. I would never encourage an actor to abandon their craft, but having it translate on camera is another skill. Most auditions are taped and most jobs are for camera so it’s good to know technically what you're doing.
What advice would you give to women who are hungry to chase their dreams but just starting out in their careers?
Have good friends. Have a fulfilling life. Travel. Fall in love. Be resilient and get back at it after a no or 100 no's. Yes get an agent and go on auditions but also start to work on dreaming then writing creating directing producing the stories you want to tell. It gives you strength in ways you can't imagine. That strength translates when you walk into a room to read for a role.
What’s been the biggest surprise or highlight of your career to date?
Meeting the great director Emily Mann in 2012 which was supposed to be a 30 min coffee but turned into a 2 hour lunch about her production of Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway. Then getting cast as Blanche Dubois. Highlight of my entire life.
You met your husband, Boris, on the set of Soul Food nearly 20 years ago. What’s it like to continue working together all these years later?
The writing and execution of roles for women have drastically improved in even the past 10 years. It’s gotten way better…more dynamic…more real.
Love it. We work really well together. Wish we could do it more often.
What about your job makes you feel the most fulfilled?
Tapping into the part of a character that's universal. Whether it's love or pain or loss or ambition or revenge…finding the humanity in that.
If you weren’t acting, what would you do instead?
I would love to be a literature teacher. Lol. Or an archeologist.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you find a new road + switch gears to find success?
The bump usually comes when there too much chasing..too much output moving too fast without being grounded. So then I sit back and begin to create something myself. Could be as simple as baking a cake with my daughter the old fashioned way..sifting flour..letting butter get to room temp..taking my time doing something I love etc I sometimes take my book idea off the shelf and start writing or write synopsis for movie idea. Follow up. Cultivate ideas i have inside of me. Something really good always comes out of it.
Which women in your industry do you look up to most? Why?
Felicia D. Henderson, Oprah, Cicely Tyson, Meryl Streep, Emily Mann, Channing Dungey, Shari Redstone, Lynn Nottage, Pearlena Igbokwe, Deborah Lee, Rose Catherine Pinkney, Patricia McGregor, Laurie Metcalf, Maria Maggenti and sooo many of my actor peers. You could say they all are excellent and steadfast and maybe even fearless..but i think the thing is..even if they were afraid...they did it and continue to do it anyway..and that makes all the difference.
What are you most excited for in 2019?
I put so many cakes in the oven. I think they're just about ready.
Photography by Annie McElwain Photography
Photoshoot skincare provided by Dermalogica
VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 ENTERTAINMENT LIST HERE.
Create & Cultivate 100: Entertainment: Diane Guerrero
Diana Guerrero has traded in her orange jumpsuit (of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black fame) for superpowers, podcast mics, and authorship.
Diane Guerrero has traded in her orange jumpsuit (of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black fame) for superpowers, podcast mics, and authorship. She’ll star as Crazy Jane in DC Comics’ new series Doom Patrol, premiering next month on DC Universe; hosts a podcast, How It Is, with Reese Witherspoon; and she’s just adapted her book In The Country We Love into a YA book. Below, she shares the story behind her book and what she’d do if she were president.
On when she knew she wanted to be an actor…
Well, for me I think that I’ve always had the bug. I’ve always fantasized about being on stage or on TV or singing or presenting. As a kid, we couldn’t really afford acting classes or at least steady classes so I would just take advantage of anything that was free or in the neighborhood or anything they offered after school. That was kind of my escape. I don’t think I ever realized that it was a possibility for me. I don’t think that anyone said, “You can really do this” or even myself I don’t think I believed in myself enough to say, “This is my path. This is what I want to do.”
On My Family Divided, her YA adaptation of her the story of her parents’ deportation...
This is an issue that affects the entire family, and that means children most of all. This was an issue that was always discussed in our home, a fear that we had. And that fear didn’t just start when it happened, when my parents were separated from me when I was 14, but when I was a kid. It would’ve been really helpful to have had resources and stories like my own when I was growing up—and that’s why it was so important for me to adapt the book for young readers. The new book is the same story, but it has a few more footnotes. It also has a synopsis at the beginning of every chapter. Really, the book is written in a very young voice. I already know young students who have read the [adult] book and teachers who have used the book in their classes. Now it will be easier for middle schoolers to read the story on their own.
On activism through her work...
My job as an actor is to be visible and to tell stories. I know I have a platform and a responsibility. I am representing my community, in a sense, especially given the fact that there are not as many Latino actors out there. I consider it as a way to represent a group that is underrepresented and often misrepresented. I’ve taken it upon myself to be out there fighting to represent my community in the best light possible. I hope to continue to portray characters with interesting stories, who are fighters and go-getters, who overcome challenges and are essentially superheroes in their community. That’s the kind of message I want to send out. I’m also telling stories about the American experience; brown, black, white, we’re all living that.
On what she’d do if she were president...
I would update the visa system, and I would have members in Congress who care about this issue and who want to make changes now and not people who are going to insult us and not people who are going to ignore us. Those are some of the moves I would make. I’m not a policy expert of course, but I think that from the knowledge that I do have, I would say that the visa system needs updating and then we can go from there.
This interview has been edited and condensed from multiple sources (1, 2, 3).
Photos from Diane Guerrero’s Instagram.
