The Envelope, June 16, 2026

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WINNER CRITICS CHOICE AWARD BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

SARAH SNOOK

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What’s inside

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Cover photo by Jason Armond Los Angeles Times

For the Record: The June 11 story about TV mom costumes said Dakota Johnson plays Jenny on “All Her Fault.”

The actor is Dakota Fanning.

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THE CONTENDERS

“Wonder Man’s” Ben Kingsley (p 12) explains how he shaped his character and recalls his unconventional audition for “Gandhi.” Six showrunners share notes on tackling controversial topics, AI and mentoring young writers (p 16).

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THE SPOTLIGHT

Breaking down the music of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (p 35). With Emmy nominations voting underway, our awards columnist shares his personal favorites (p 36). How “Spider-Noir” achieved two distinctive looks (p 37).

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THE INDUSTRY

Audio erotica app Quinn is looking to normalize sexual content by enlisting actors from shows like “Heated Rivalry” and “The Pitt” (p 41). Television Academy chief Maury McIntyre (p 42) explains the Emmys’ new Legacy Award.

COVER STORY The stars and creators of high-finance drama “Industry” explain why the HBO show’s stock keeps rising and tease the satisfying payoff in store for its fifth and final season. p 22

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BUZZMETER

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ONE SHOT

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The Envelope June 16, 2026

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Executive Editor TERRY TANG Creative Director & Deputy Managing Editor AMY KING Entertainment and Features Editor BRITTANY LEVINE BECKMAN

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“A MASTERCLASS” COLLIDER

The Envelope June 16, 2026

BuzzMeter

Our Emmy experts share their picks

LORRAINE ALI

Los Angeles Times CAREY MULLIGAN, (‘BEEF’) SARAH PIDGEON, (‘LOVE STORY’) SARAH SNOOK, (‘ALL HER FAULT’) CLAIRE DANES, (‘THE BEAST IN ME’) SALLY FIELD, (‘REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES’) “I’m rooting for long shot Patricia Arquette, who was unforgettable as the matriarch of ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family,’ a Hulu true-crime series that dramatized the downfall of South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh.”

Front-runners: T1. Carey Mulligan, “Beef” T1. Sarah Pidgeon, “Love Story” 3. Sarah Snook, “All Her Fault” 4. Claire Danes, “The Beast in Me” 5. Sally Field, “Remarkably Bright Creatures” 6. Kerry Washington, “Imperfect Women”

IT’S A TIE ATOP THIS CATEGORY, WITH SARAH PIDGEON AND CAREY MULLIGAN

sharing the spotlight. And not far behind is “Succession” winner Sarah Snook. ¶ Matt Roush says Pidgeon “made the most of a star-making role as Carolyn Bessette in ‘Love Story.’” ¶ Count Glenn Whipp in Camp Mulligan: Her “dry put-downs mask a fury that she eventually unleashes with seismic force. Mulligan has been consistently great, but I don’t remember her being this ferocious — or funny.” ¶ A couple of panelists rue the seeming lack of attention paid to “Murdaugh: Death in the Family,” touting Oscar and two-time Emmy winner Patricia Arquette. ¶ Perhaps the shocking news of Alex Murdaugh’s convictions being overturned will spark voter interest in the Hulu true-crime miniseries.

GLENN WHIPP

Los Angeles Times

You can find all our picks at latimes.com/ buzzmeter

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MATT ROUSH

TV Insider

Freelance Critic

SARAH PIDGEON, (‘LOVE STORY’) CAREY MULLIGAN, (‘BEEF’) SARAH SNOOK, (‘ALL HER FAULT’) CLAIRE DANES, (‘THE BEAST IN ME’) KERRY WASHINGTON, (‘IMPERFECT WOMEN’) “It’s a shame that Hulu’s chilling true-crime series ‘Murdaugh: Death in the Family’ isn’t getting much attention this awards season. I hope voters check out at least one episode to see Patricia Arquette.”

TREY MANGUM

TRACY BROWN

Blavity

Los Angeles Times

CAREY MULLIGAN, (‘BEEF’) SARAH PIDGEON, (‘LOVE STORY’) SARAH SNOOK, (‘ALL HER FAULT’) CLAIRE DANES, (‘THE BEAST IN ME’) SALLY FIELD, (‘REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES’)

SARAH PIDGEON, (‘LOVE STORY’) SARAH SNOOK, (‘ALL HER FAULT’) CAREY MULLIGAN, (‘BEEF’) SALLY FIELD, (‘REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES’) CLAIRE DANES, (‘THE BEAST IN ME’)

SARAH PIDGEON, (‘LOVE STORY’) CAREY MULLIGAN, (‘BEEF’) SARAH SNOOK, (‘ALL HER FAULT’) CLAIRE DANES, (‘THE BEAST IN ME’) KERRY WASHINGTON, (‘IMPERFECT WOMEN’)

CAREY MULLIGAN, (‘BEEF’) SARAH PIDGEON, (‘LOVE STORY’) SARAH SNOOK, (‘ALL HER FAULT’) CLAIRE DANES, (‘THE BEAST IN ME’) KERRY WASHINGTON, (‘IMPERFECT WOMEN’)

“As Lindsay, Carey Mulligan’s dry put-downs mask a fury that she eventually unleashes with seismic force. Mulligan has been consistently great, but I don’t remember her being this ferocious — or funny.”

“Sarah Pidgeon made the most of a star-making role as Carolyn Bessette in ‘Love Story,’ and Sarah Snook ran the emotional gamut as a distraught mom.

They’re the ones to beat, unless Sally Field warms voters’ hearts.”

“Though the series may have gotten less acclaim the longer it went on, I do think that Sarah Pidgeon’s fantastic Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in ‘Love Story’ could be powerful enough to fend off ‘Beef’s’ Carey Mulligan.”

“Carey Mulligan is as much a lock for a nomination as ‘Beef’ is for the series category. Sarah Pidgeon carried ‘Love Story,’ and Sarah Snook and Claire Danes are both Emmy winners who were on very watchable thrillers.”

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LO S A N G E LE S TI ME S PH OT O ILLU ST R A TIO N; P H OTOS BY P E A COCK , F X, N ETFLIX; I L L US T R A T IO N S B Y K A GA N M C LEO D / FO R TH E TIM E S

LIMITED/MOVIE ACTRESS

KRISTEN BALDWIN

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

“LEANNE IS A HEAPING PLATE OF SOUTHERN CHARM.” VARIETY

In The Studio ...

Four podcast highlights

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Mark Olsen Host

Photograph by Evan Mulling For The Times

... with RACHEL SENNOTT AFTER BREAKTHROUGH ROLES IN FILMS SUCH AS “SHIVA

Baby,” “Bodies Bodies Bodies” and “Bottoms,” actor Rachel Sennott adds a number of occupations to her CV with “I Love L.A.” As aspiring talent manager Maia Simsbury, the series creator and star navigates the world of social media stardom alongside influencer friend Tallulah (Odessa A’zion) and many more zillennial strivers trying to make it on the internet. Sennott recently stopped by The Envelope podcast to discuss juggling new roles on set, embracing imperfect characters and more. Read on for excerpts from our conversation.

Scan to watch and listen to The Envelope video podcast

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“I Love L.A.” explores the challenges people have leading these very online lives. Is that something you grapple with yourself?

The characters on the show, they kind of skirt this line between being endearing and annoying. What is it that you like about that?

Basically, I created a sort of persona on the internet that was based in truth of a time when I was in my early 20s in New York and it was a lot more messy and a little chaotic, and I was just going through things in my life at that time [that inspired] the tweets, the jokes, the videos, that were coming out of me. And then I felt I changed, but I still wanted to project that character. And so I actually ended up putting that character into Tallulah. And I think Maia was a little bit more the version of myself when I first moved to L.A. and I felt isolated, and it was during COVID, and I felt I was kind of gripping onto my friends in a codependent way. Whether or not you’re an influencer, anyone who’s grown up on the internet is projecting some version of themselves.

Because that’s how people are. I am not interested in seeing perfect people or people who are flawed in a way that’s not actually real. ... I think Alani [played by True Whitaker], for example, is someone where you could really easily be like, “Oh, a nepo baby, she’s so privileged, whatever.”

I think she’s the character with the biggest heart. She’s the best friend out of the whole group. She cares for everyone.

She’s so deeply sensitive. And she’s actually been through a lot of s—, and she drops these little things, these clues where you’re like, “Gee, she went through something crazy but is choosing to look at life halffull,” and I think that’s fun. I like the characters who make you feel or expect something of them and then show you another side.

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What was it like learning how to switch hats, especially during production? I would imagine you have a producer brain, an actor brain, a director brain.

Can you talk a little about deciding to end the first season of “I Love L.A.” in New York?

I had to take it day by day.

There are days where it’s a lighter scene for me and I can be on the side approving locations, taking meetings during lunch. There was a day where I had two sex scenes, for Episodes 6 and 7. So we shot the end of 7, the fight scene with me and Josh [Hutcherson], and the sex scene where it’s Maia and Dylan but she’s fantasizing about Ben. It was a lot. And so I was like ... “Let’s not do any other meetings today in the middle of the day.”

It was sort of addressing the fact that these girls went to school in New York together.

They lived in New York and they chose to move to L.A., and I think when you do that, there’s always going to be the push and pull of the two cities.

Going back to New York, it was almost like getting a chance to get back together with your ex and being like, “You know what, there’s a reason it didn’t work out.” And they end the episode with, “I miss L.A.”

ILLUSTRAT ION BY KAGAN MCLEOD / FO R TH E TIMES

The Envelope June 16, 2026

Ben Kingsley p 12 Writers Roundtable p 16

COVER STORY

‘INDUSTRY’ p 22 Photograph of Myha’la and Marisa Abela by Jason Armond

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The Contenders Actor

Story by Glenn Whipp ■ Photographs

by Larsen & Talbert For The Times

Ben Kingsley’s sense of ‘Wonder’ The actor breaks down how he developed a backstory for his Marvel character by drawing on his relationship with his mother

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OULD YOU BE NERVOUS IF YOU

needed to call Sir Ben Kingsley — always “Sir Ben,” you don’t trifle with the title — and convince him to be in your movie? ¶ You should be nervous.

Destin Daniel Cretton would be the first to tell you that he was anxious when he dialed Kingsley at his London home to ask him if he might reprise the role of the washed-up, drug-addled actor Trevor Slattery, first seen in 2013’s “Iron Man 3.” Kingsley portrayed Slattery again the following year in a fun 14-minute short titled “All Hail the King,” which explored the character’s Shakespearean training and devoted relationship with his mother. ¶ Cretton wanted Kingsley to play Slattery again in the 2021 Marvel movie, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” He had an elaborate pitch, which he painstakingly rehearsed and refined. But once Kingsley answered the phone, Cretton went off script and started gushing, telling Kingsley what an honor it was to even be talking with him. ¶ Kingsley cut him off. ¶ “Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty,” Kingsley told him. And before Cretton could come back to his notes, Kingsley turned the tables and began grilling him. “What do you know about Liverpool?” he asked, testing Cretton’s knowledge of Slattery’s hometown. “How far back do you go with British comedy?” Cretton started to answer the queries, but was then interrupted by another voice. ¶ It was Trevor Slattery. More precisely, it was Kingsley performing Slattery, sounding like he was shouting from another room. And he was angry, berating Kingsley for giving Cretton a hard time and proclaiming how much he wanted to be in this new movie. ¶ “Very quickly, I realized how much he loves this character,” Cretton says, by way of telling me that the next time he asked Kingsley to play Slattery, for the new Marvel TV series “Wonder Man,” the call was short and, of course, the answer was yes.

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LARSEN&TALBERT F OR T H E TI M E S

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↓ Ben Kingsley, left, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in Marvel’s “Wonder Man.”

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I met Kingsley on the Disney lot shortly before a recent Emmy FYC event for “Wonder Man.” We sat together on opposite ends of a ratty sofa in an empty writer’s office. Offered a bottle of water, Kingsley asks for a glass, explaining he doesn’t want to dribble on the sharp suit he’s wearing for the upcoming event. I can’t picture Sir Ben Kingsley dribbling. At 82, he sits with perfect posture, possessing an elegance that transcends our threadbare surroundings.

Like Cretton, I come with notes. And like Cretton, I partake in something that is more of a performance than a conversation.

“Wonder Man” follows a struggling actor, Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), trying to land a big break in Hollywood while keeping his superpowers hidden.

Trevor befriends Simon. Initially he has ulterior motives, but soon becomes Simon’s mentor, turning the series into a look at the indignities that actors face while pursuing their profession. Topping the list: the cruelty of auditions.

Were you good at reading for roles? I ask Kingsley.

“That’s a tough question to answer because I haven’t auditioned for many decades,” Kingsley replies. “From my first job, I have been handed my next job by mentors and very affectionate hands.”

No auditions since joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967? Not even for the title role in “Gandhi”? I know that director Richard Attenborough cast Kingsley after trying to make the movie for 20 years, with Alec Guinness, Richard Burton, Dustin Hoffman and John Hurt being considered for the part. How did Kingsley, with only one movie credit, prevail?

Kingsley launches into the story, first taking me to the pandemonium of performing in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby,” where on opening night, in between costume changes from Wackford Squeers to Wagstaff, a voice rang out in the tunnel of

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‘VERY QUICKLY, I REALIZED HOW MUCH HE LOVES THIS CHARACTER’ Destin Daniel Cretton on Ben Kingsley

his dressing room: “Ben Kingsley wanted at the stage door now.”

Kingsley pantomimes resisting repeated entreaties amid the cacophony. He can’t be distracted by a call. It’s his “oxygen time.”

He needs to focus. But it’s impossible.

“Finally, I go up the stairs, pick up the phone,” Kingsley remembers. “ ‘Ben, it’s Richard Attenborough.’ Stand to attention. ‘Listen, I have the money for “Gandhi,” and my son Michael tells me I must see you.’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Can I see you tomorrow?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ” Kingsley went to Attenborough’s home in Richmond the next day. And Attenborough (“What a gracious man,” Kingsley says) had a big book of photos of Gandhi on a table. “Have a look at those, darling,” the filmmaker told him. Kingsley put the book on his lap and turned the pages. As Kingsley tells the story, he mimes methodically making his way through the enormous volume.

“And all he did was watch me,” Kingsley says, holding my gaze, pausing for effect.

Nearly half a century later, the day remains fresh in his mind and he relishes conveying it in all of its detail.

So, no, Kingsley doesn’t have much experience auditioning.

Cretton and Andrew Guest, the “Wonder Man” showrunners, note Kingsley’s thorough attention to detail in creating Trevor’s backstory, which was anchored by his relationship with his mother, Dorothy, a Liverpool nurse who had “unwavering faith” in his talent.

“It was important to me because I feel that if there is an indifference toward a child’s development and an indifference toward a child’s blossoming, it’s a tragedy,” Kingsley says.

Over the years, Kingsley has expressed hurt over how his own mother, actor Anna Lyna Mary Goodman, never acknowledged his acting talent or childhood achievements. “Part of what was interesting to him about Trevor Slattery was how different he felt Trevor was in so many ways,” Guest says.

Was the childhood that Kingsley created for Trevor the one he wished he had?

“Dorothy was in fact a nurse that I did

SUZANNE TENNER / MARVEL

The Contenders Actor

know in Yorkshire. She worked with survivors of World War II and obviously saw some terrible things. I remember her as being,” Kingsley pauses, his voice turning warm, “solid and kind.” Another beat.

“Then I extrapolated that she was that kind of down-to-earth, North of England mum who was supportive and encouraging. So that was Trevor’s debt to that generation, and to his mom, and I enjoyed playing it very immensely. I enjoyed the possibility of passing that sentiment on to the audience, that if one does have a parent like that, one is fortunate. And if one doesn’t, one is challenged.” Another pause. “And you rise to the challenge.”

And you rose to the challenge?

“I did,” Kingsley answers.

Two of Kingsley’s four children, his younger sons, Ferdinand and Edmund, became actors, a decision their father endorsed with his whole heart. Kingsley loves to tell the story of seeing them perform in Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 1” and afterward, bursting with pride, hugging them so hard that he “fractured their ribs.”

But that same day he saw something that still haunts him, a scene Kingsley relates with gravity and astonishment.

“I was waiting at the dressing room doors,” Kingsley says, “and I saw this lovely, what Shakespeare calls a ‘shining morning face’ in ‘The Seven Ages of Man,’ this lovely little apple of a child leaving the dressing room, having played Shakespeare onstage, and walking toward his mother, and his mother said, ‘Get your coat.’ ” Kingsley looks at me, gauging if I’ve grasped the heartbreak of the moment.

He doesn’t speak again for 15 seconds. It feels longer.

“You don’t do that,” he finally says, his voice hushed. “You’ve stopped something growing. You’ve nipped it in the bud. You’ll never get it back, that moment, that shining morning face coming through the door.”

Kingsley’s first job as an actor was performing Shakespeare in schools. He was 20 and remembers his stint as a “miracle.”

He had never uttered Shakespeare’s words onstage, and there was a woman with the theater company, “very pregnant, very beautiful,” Kingsley remembers, who told him he would someday become a “great classical actor.”

“Of course I took it as an enormous compliment, but as the years have gone by, I understand that she was saying you’ve got something in you and you’re going to have to work so hard,” Kingsley says. “To be a great classical actor is backbreakingly hard work because you can only do that through classical theater, and you can only do that through the governor, Shakespeare. But bless her, she was wonderful.” Kingsley smiles and circles back to his Gandhi story.

“She saw the pages turning.”

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Story by YVONNE VILLARREAL Photographs by CHRISTINA HOUSE

El Segundo, CA - May 3, 2026: Megan Gallagher, Michael Patrick King, Jonathan Glatzer, Andrew Guest, Bruce Miller, and Sonja Warfield, from left, at the Los Angeles Times’ Emm

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2026 EMMY ROUNDTABLE

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Angeles Times’ Emmys Roundtable for Writers in El Segundo, CA on May 3, 2026. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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BRUCE MILLER

SONJA WARFIELD

MEGAN GALLAGHER

ANDREW GUEST

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u, you’re touching Between the six of yo d risky themes in on some powerful an e working on, the series that you’r classism, delusional , whether it’s sexism with something like power, grief. Bruce, at made you “The Testaments,” wh mes you were nervous about the the characters? ge na exploring with tee pens is so much hap lly rea at MI LLE R Wh just unimaginably harsher and worse and w it on televisho ’t terrible that you can coat it, but on the sion. ... You can’t candyshow so that the other hand, what do you a without not being audience gets the ide sion show? evi able to watch the tel nes of molestation sce e There were som isodes, and the acin the first couple of ep a long time. But in tors worked on it quite ting most of it cut up editing, we ended the show is that if out. The hard part on h these issues, you you’re going to deal wit You have to do it in have to deal with them. ing to — because go t a way that you’re no look away and just I’m very squidgy too — because that’s how turn off the television, in the first place. ms we got in these proble

MOST TELEVISION LOVERS HAVE ONE: AN episode that left an indelible imprint long after the credits rolled. But which made the cut for the six creative minds on The Envelope’s 2026 Emmy Writers Roundtable? ¶ For Megan Gallagher (“All Her Fault”), it’s the series finale of “The Americans.” Jonathan Glatzer (“The Audacity”) selected the pilot of “Breaking Bad”: “When those pants fly up in the air in the beginning, I was just like, ‘What in the hell?’ And I was completely sucked in.” ¶ Others went further back.

Andrew Guest (“Wonder Man”) named “Seinfeld’s” “The Marine Biologist.” Bruce Miller (“The Testaments”) praised the pilot of “My So-Called Life.” And Sonja Warfield (“The Gilded Age”) is still thinking about an episode from the third season of “thirtysomething,” which featured the corporate-buyout storyline involving Michael Steadman (Ken Olin) and the spy posing as an office painter to listen in on his plan: “The painter was a Black woman,” Warfield said.

“What struck me about that was that she was invisible to him. And in the end, she’s wearing a suit, and he can see that she had all of the information.” ¶ Michael Patrick King (“The Comeback”) dug even deeper into the vault with “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” from “I Love Lucy.” The memory of a tipsy Lucy trying to sell a health tonic known as Vitameatavegamin left such a lasting impression that, while working on “Murphy Brown,” King got his hands on a copy of the script page with Lucy’s slurred spiel: “Lucy didn’t improvise anything,” King said. “The writing on the side is ‘bats eyes, winks, slips’ — it’s all on the side in stage directions.” ¶ Of course, these writers are getting viewers talking with their own work too. Here, they discuss their series, the threat artificial intelligence poses to the entertainment industry, why producing TV shows in L.A. matters and much more. Read on for excerpts from our conversation.

d on shows like Michael, you’ve worke ill & Grace,” “Sex “Murphy Brown,” “W e Comeback.” and the City” and “Th ing you were eth som Was there ever ng or seeing how nervous about pitchi ject matter? you would tackle a sub is, how are you ng thi KIN G It’s always the you stop and ere wh ll, wa r going to find you ”? “The Comeback” think, “That’s too far thought was, “We’re this season, the scary cial intelligence], tifi going to tackle [ar se it’s rich and it’s which is great becau ic.” But [in] the fear-based and it’s com m, somebody roo g middle of the writin and I, “So w] dro [Ku a said to [star] Lis story for writers?” what’s the moral of the two days. I was like, And it stopped me for an idea that gets ine “Am I supposed to div d?” And so we en the at everybody happy finally we realized talked about it, and m the front lines. we’re just reporting fro about this How are you feeling te about AI? ba de the d moment an about this, and What are your fears ng through some rki what was it like wo of that in the show? art, almost scientific KIN G Lisa is a very sm nt to go out there mind, and we didn’t wa s going to hapwa ing pretending someth of information. And pen, so we got a lot s it’s very far adwhat we learned wa even think. The joke vanced, past what we ther. But I always fur it’s is ChatGPT, but lity TV was the end think: We thought rea n when we did the of narrative televisio meback.” Then we first season of “The Co they’re calling the at wh went on to have television, and realisecond golden age of s weird, tacky wing ty TV just became thi

on the house. I’m guessing maybe that could happen again where there’s a weird, tacky AI wing that is just that kind of content, but people will still maybe be looking for well-made, handmade things.

MILLER If it solves climate change, it can have my job.

GUEST If AI could do our jobs as writers, it would be doing it. Believe me, there’s plenty of people who are trying to get AI to do our jobs and it’s not working. People look to storytelling for something very specific. And AI is collective information.

You don’t go to a story for a collective point of view on the world, you want your point of view. And the thing that’s magical about storytelling is the more specific you make your point of view, the more I connect with it. And that’s something that collective information can’t do.

GALLAGHER I heard somebody say something that made me feel a little bit better, which is that no matter how much AI learns, AI doesn’t have any experience.

WARFIELD It’s never had lived experience.

GALLAGHER Exactly. That’s never going to happen. And if you don’t have any lived experience, and I’m not saying it won’t be a threat to our jobs in some level, in some ways, but ... If you haven’t lived through something, how on earth can you tell that?

WARFIELD But also, I just have to say, AI is not always right. In fact, it’s very, very wrong. And working on a historical drama, we’ve had people Google things, and in fact they Googled something about Frederick Douglass being at this very important American event. And AI said he was there. Guess what? He wasn’t. In fact, he was literally in Europe. And it’s provable that he was in Europe. So on our show, which is a historical drama, we have a real historian who checks the database, who checks newspapers from the 1800s, and we have PhD candidates who also do that.

So AI is not always correct.

KING I have one interesting story that we learned from the researchers, which is that AI only gives you stuff that you’re going to react to favorably.

GUEST It wants you to like it. And to keep using it.

KING It’s only the humans that will kill a baby for a story. It’s only the humans that will say, “This is so painful, you won’t like it.” The AI at this point will only give you affirmations of your own power or things you like.

GLATZER: My own kid is 17 years old, he hates AI and finds it deeply uncool, and I think that is great. AI should find its place in the world and help what it can help. And stay out of what we do because what we do is the business of humanity, of chronicling it, of commenting upon it. And that’s not where it ought to be.

Intuitively, audiences, like my son, are just feeling that. Like, “No, I don’t want to

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hear about my life or hold up a mirror to my world by a machine that slices and dices and juliennes all of our experiences into some slop.” There’s a real — always will be — genuine desire for authenticity, and that is the opposite of what AI provides. It would be great if it can solve climate change, that would be really, really f— great. Unfortunately, it’s going to make it a lot worse first. ... But in terms of the long game, I don’t see it as being a primary storyteller of the human experience.

That’s our job.

Jonathan, you watched “Silicon Valley,” which was much more of a comedyforward satire on this world. And you didn’t necessarily want that tone for “The Audacity” because we’re at a different point with tech. Tell me about what you wanted this show to be and what you wanted it to have us thinking about.

GLATZER There is an inherent question in our show in terms of, “Do we want these people who are dictating to us how we communicate with each other and how we engage as human beings, how we shop ... political beliefs and our religion and everything, all the way to sex and masturbation?” And by the way, they’re watching it all. All of the things that we do interact with, it’s all being recorded. And that’s part of why data centers are so big, is that they will not erase anything. None of that is great for banter between two characters. ... These are just these things that, when you’re researching and telling stories about tech, can really weigh on you. And you don’t want to be frivolous about it, you don’t want to be glib about it. So I guess the way forward was to try to remind us of our own humanity, all 7 billion tech users, remind us that we need to hang onto that because otherwise we’re going to lose it. We’re losing it already, the way that we communicate with each other.

And of course, the irony is that these people who are notoriously bad at communicating themselves are the ones who are dictating how we in fact communicate to each other.

Sonja, many have said that the Gilded Age is back, with the robber barons of this era being the tech billionaires. In your show, George Russell engages in business practices that are unethical or potentially illegal.

WARFIELD That’s not any different than what’s happening right now.

Yet he’s not necessarily portrayed as a villain; he’s very much a family man.

What has fascinated you about exploring a man like George Russell?

WARFIELD We were very careful in Season 2 when there was a standoff with the union. We drew from history. Because there were robber barons who did engage

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OUR O D D L

OU ‘IF AI C

JOBS A

S WRIT ERS, IT WOULD BE DOING IT.’ Andrew

Guest

the militia and have them shoot the workers. [Creator] Julian [Fellowes] said he did not want to do that.

And so I said, “Well, let’s humanize these people.” Because that’s the difference. And what George originally tried to do was bring their “union leader” to his house in New York on 61st Street and impress him.

And so I said, “Let’s have George go to the worker’s house, the steelworker’s house, and humanize him and see his family and his children and see how he lives.” In that moment in Season 2, when George is supposed to give the order to shoot, he sees the son of the worker and decides he’s not going to. So I think bringing humanity to him — which I don’t know exists in some of the oligarchs/billionaires today; they don’t necessarily see the humanity in their workers — [to] see that humanity is what helps me write for George.

GLATZER That’s a lot of what we’re dealing with too, is just humanizing the people who are villainized otherwise and reminding them of their own humanity. Also, their fallibility is something that, at least in the Silicon Valley realm, they have lost touch with — the idea that they could make mistakes.

WARFIELD Because they live in this bubble where everyone is telling them how fantastic and amazing they are, and they’re all just together and they’re insulated.

Megan, even with the title “All Her Fault,” you’re challenging viewers to think about our own gender bias and how we view things. What were the conversations like in the room about the gender expectations and the way you wanted to subvert them?

GALLAGHER God, the gender themes in “All Her Fault” are massively important. And we had a small, intimate writers’ room where pretty much everyone was parents. And so after a few days of getting to know each other, it very quickly devolved into, “G— it, my husband does that all the time,” or whatever, that kind of thing.

We also had a lot of men in the room who were really good sports and were great. Pretty much every woman I know between the ages of about 35 to 55 who has kids and is married, every single one of them that I know has dropped their kid off at school and sobbed in the parking lot before going to work. And the sentence I always hear when we catch up is, “I literally don’t understand how this is supposed to get done.” And it’s just this idea that women who are now firmly in the workplace, and more or less expected to be and want to be — I was raised wanting to be into the work world, I wasn’t raised wanting to be a mother only — but we’re still the default parent. Generally speaking, we’re still the ones that know the names of the teachers and names of the doctors, and [responsible] if someone needs to go to the dentist and the soccer uniform has to be clean for Saturday’s game. ... Every single woman I knew, pretty much, was in this position. It hasn’t been a front-and-center theme that really has been tackled

[on a TV series].

And of course, th e kidnapping as a genre m otor was a great excuse to break all that wide open.

Michael, in addi tion to “The Co meback,” you mad e “And Just Lik e That...,” which was revisiting th e “Sex and the City” ch aracters at a di ffe rent stage in life. It wa s interesting to see the conversatio ns happening ab out these characte rs because viewe rs felt like they had a better sense of where the characters would be at this stage than maybe yo u did or what yo u gave us. What was th at like for you?

KI NG The resu lt was in a direct contrast to my interest; m y interest is ev olution.

That’s the only thing I’m interes ted in. I want to see wher e they are, what is happening. And wh at happened wa s, it was really well made, but it wasn’t their Carrie. ... The great news is that you create d characters that peop le love, so much so that they want to se e them again. An d then if they behave [diff erently], they wo uld say, “That’s not my Miranda.” And I was like, “But it’s my Mira nda because I wr ote her, but I understand it’s not what you want to see.” It’s an inter esting trick, beca use in order for us to do anything, you do n’t want to repeat or freez e-dry anything; why bother if you’re no t going to shake it up? But then you have to be pretty aware that you could be shaken up too by the re action, which is not ex actly what you ex pe cted.

Even though yo u stand behind it, you go, “Wow, that’s a su rprise. I thought that they would be interes ted in 57-year-o ld women who still hadn’t figured everythin g out.

And instead they wanted them to be 35 and still allowed to be lost.”

Andrew, how ab out fan expect ations from the Marvel universe — what were you nervous ab out?

GU ES T Workin g for Marvel co mes with a lot of baggage. An d you can’t really win no matter what yo u do. One of the nice things was this ch aracter, Simon W illiams, was lesser know n. So I didn’t feel lik e there was a ton of feeli ngs about it. But certainly when it came to the tone of the sh ow, being concerned th at the fans were going to be like, “What is this show? Why are they doing monologu es about Shakes peare for 10 minutes in th is episode?” And the truth was the fans were thrilled. They wa nt Marvel to try other things. They’re so excited.

And I feel like it shared some DN A with what makes a M arvel show a Mar vel show.

And allowed us to really just do our own thing, which was really nice.

An issue that’s generating a lo t of discussion in the in dustry is produc tion in L.A. How importa nt is it to you? W hat are we losing by not having it as a

po

training ground in the same way as maybe when you came up?

MILLER I’ve been on shows that have shot in Los Angeles and I’ve been on shows that have shot outside of Los Angeles. I just think you overshoot a place [as a location].

Growing up, every single show, no matter where it was set, was in Southern California. And the quality of the light and the quality of the hills and all that stuff, it’s just shot out. I don’t think it has anything to do with the crews. I think when you work on set, they’re astonishing. I think as a location, though, it’s pretty shot out. As a place to go on stage, there’s no place better. You can’t get Bastard Amber [lighting] gel at 4 in the morning in Toronto.

Is there something a mayoral or gubernatorial candidate should say about this moment that would make you vote for them?

KING Hollywood works when you let it. I shot “The Comeback” on [the] Warner Brothers [lot]. It was a show about Hollywood in Hollywood. And if you could see the crew coming to work a mile from their house, it was just the happiest crew in the world. ... It’s a big industry. And entertainment is almost America’s gross national product. So you better start guarding it better.

GUEST Having just shot in Los Angeles on two different projects, I can tell you that the crews are unmatched. And getting to see them be thrilled to continue to do the jobs they do is just fabulous. And “Wonder Man” is about this town. It’s about people who come here with dreams of doing this job. And for every crew member, every department head, it was personal. It was their story. And they imbued all that into making that show. We got to set a whole episode in Pacoima. When was the last time a Marvel show did that? The other thing about this city is there’s also so many people who may not be working in entertainment who are affected by the loss of work in entertainment. And to me, it’s really sad to see. Because the writing advice I used to give 15 years ago was move to L.A. first and then figure it out. And I don’t say that anymore.

What do you say?

GUEST God. I don’t know.

KING Move to Pacoima.

MILLER When I entered the business was

so long ago, it’s meaningless, my advice.

How to get into the business? I took a Conestoga wagon out here.

Michael, what advice do you give?

KING That there’s no one who’s going to have your journey, so try to just believe your own unfounded drive and see where it gets you. Because if you look around, everybody’s journeys are completely dif-

ferent. I think it’s tough that there’s no pipeline right now. ... There’s no 23 shows on that need 16 writers.

GUEST That go 10 months out of the year.

KING That go for 25 episodes where you always are in the room with — “Oh, there’s 12 people.” Three will survive. It’s like “The Hunger Games.”

WARFIELD I just gave someone advice, which was, “Just be open to wherever it’s going to take you.” I know a young woman who is an aspiring writer and she’s graduating this month. And she plans on moving to L.A. And I said, “But be open if there’s a job in New York or they’re building studios in New Jersey.” Because again, 15, 20 years ago, I would have said, “Come to L.A., make relationships,” all of that. But there’s so many different ways that this younger generation can be connected where we couldn’t. We had to be here. Anything’s possible, and you just have to be courageous and see where it takes you.

GLATZER I think courageous is probably it.

Because [it’s] also a little insane to come here ... a little delusional. Figure out what your voice is, and that’s the thing that you got to ride. There will always be a thirst for originality and something that hasn’t been done before. And to stay true to yourself along the way. You don’t lose your soul doing that.

GALLAGHER If you’re talking about giving advice, you’re usually talking to somebody who’s in their mid-20s or early 20s who’s getting started. I just remember being that age and thinking that Hollywood was this thing that was about who you knew. And 25 years out from that ... everyone I know who has sustained a career in this industry wasn’t connected to anybody and didn’t get into some magical party. They just put their head down and worked really hard.

Now, the industry is so rough these days, and working really hard is not a guarantee of anything. But of everybody that I know who has managed to sustain a career, it really is just about hard work. And I find that a comfort because it makes me feel like I’m more in control of my situation.

MILLER But the most fun part of it, I think, is work. You sit down with a writer, you say, “I know it’s hard, but every single person you work with, someone said to them at some point in their life, ‘You’re not going to make any money out of this, you should do something else.’ ” You’ve got a whole business full of people, someone said to them, “I know you’re really good, but you’re never ever going to make a living doing that.” And they said, “Eh, I’ll do it anyway.” I mean, that’s an incredible community of people. You may be nervous about getting into it, but it is the community of people who were nervous to get into it. I love that about our business. It’s just a bunch of people who just decided not to listen to their parents.

MICHAEL PATRICK KING

JONATHAN GLATZER

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These days, TV series are expected to premiere with their voice, and their audience, fully formed. How HBO’s sexy, seamy ‘Industry’ bucked the trend.

STORY BY MATT BRENNAN

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASON ARMOND

MICKEY DOWN AND KONRAD KAY

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ONE DAY, WHEN PEOPLE SAY “THEY DON’T make ’em like they used to,” they will be saying it about “Industry.” ¶ First filmed before the pandemic and launched in its throes, a survivor of the era of streaming wars, corporate consolidation and Hollywood strikes, HBO’s addictively dissolute workplace drama remains as ambitious and authoritative as ever. Indeed, despite being divided from predecessors like “Mad Men,” “Succession” and “The Leftovers” by a series of epochal crises, it more closely resembles a vestigial tail of the medium’s past than most of its current counterparts: Out of place and out of time, “Industry” can best be understood as the last great drama of TV’s golden age. ¶ Cast member and “Game of Thrones” alum Kit Harington, resident expert on series that reshaped the medium, agrees that “Industry” is a bit of a throwback in this respect. latimes.com/theenvelope

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MARISA ABELA

“If you scroll back to ‘Game of Thrones’ in the first two seasons, it wasn’t a massive Goliath success, and it exploded after Season 3 with the Red Wedding. I think there’s a similar story going on here,” he says. “So often in TV at the moment, you’re given one season and everyone needs to pack in f— everything to get people hooked. But they’re burning through too much story. Season 2 is then done; the characters haven’t got anywhere to go. I think this is where this show has been successful, is that it was given that time to breathe.”

Earlier this spring, I convened “Industry’s” creators and cast in a conference room at The Times to walk me through its evolution into one of the best shows on television, and what to expect from its impending end.

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‘WHAT THE F— ARE YOU THINKING, GUYS?’ A trading-floor knife fight of hot, young strivers, or “grads,” competing for a permanent place at the fictional Pierpoint investment bank, the first season of “Industry,” filmed in 2019, premiered in the waning months of 2020 as a warped love letter to office culture. But for Konrad Kay and Mickey Down, the emerging writers at the helm, the voice of the series didn’t fully take shape until they’d found their main cast, including Myha’la, as hard-charging American Harper Stern, and Marisa Abela, as privileged publishing heiress Yasmin Kara-Hanani.

KAY Season 1, me and Mickey were really green.

DOWN We actually pitched HBO on the idea that it was going to be eight

episodes, it was going to be in different months, and the big-bang dramatics were going to happen between the episodes.

A bit like “Boyhood.” Huge things would happen in between episodes, and the episode would be about the reaction to those huge things. And they were like, “What the f— are you thinking, guys?” It was so antidramatic.

ABELA I had a lot of rounds of auditioning for Yasmin. They weren’t sure about me at all. I think part of it was because they were quite hellbent on her being vulnerable, on her being soft, and that was what I was playing in those first two, three episodes. ...

And what happens in any functional collaboration is you start to see what they really want from you — what it is that they need from your character. And in those moments of conflict, the moments of change, Yasmin has to stand up for herself at some point, otherwise it’s too wet.

DOWN Yasmin was all vulnerability masked by Prada in script, and then you came in and you were very hard. [Laughs.]

ABELA There is one scene with [Yasmin’s abusive supervisor] Kenny [played by Conor MacNeill] in Season 2 where ... Yasmin turns around to him and tells him to f— off, basically: “You don’t have a disease, you’re a narcissist, with a new excuse to lord it over people. You’re weak.” I think that’s the first time that Yasmin became a gangster. I was watching “Real Housewives of New Jersey” at the time, being completely honest. She can go really mob wife really quick.

MYHA’LA I had almost the exact opposite experience in terms of finding or deciding who Harper was. When I read the scripts initially, I just thought, “There’s no way in hell that Harper can’t be steely and [on offense], because she’s clearly feeling out of her depth, and as a young woman of color going into a new space like this, you can’t show up like you’re vulnerable. You’re already expected to do poorly.” ... On the page, Harper was an anxious person when I first met her in the pilot episode. She was sweaty and clammy and stammering. And I just thought, “Hell no!”

DOWN Sometimes when we write the character, we focus on one thing, and then the actor comes in and then that one thing we thought the character was becomes the artifice that they have to play.

HARINGTON Great TV writers genuinely learn their actors as well as their characters, and they tie those things in as it goes through.

ABELA As much as they know how we speak now, we know how they speak. If Yasmin has a “F— off,” I know what they want with that. If she says “F— off,” it’s very different to “F— you.”

DOWN It’s like playing the piano with the foot pedal, blindfolded.

KAY When you get super-talented actors doing your writing, you sort of fall in love with them doing everything. There’s no story we can’t tell with them.

‘AM I BEING FIRED?’ The series’ second season, which opens with Pierpoint’s post-COVID return to office, found the grads established enough to become “active characters,” and the creators confident enough to begin breaking the mold they’d set for themselves in Season 1. From the nail-biting trade sequence with which Harper wins over hedge fund manager Jesse Bloom (Jay Duplass) to her firing from Pierpoint in the Season 2 finale, it marked the arrival of “Industry’s” distinctive, go-for-broke aesthetic.

KAY [In] Season 2 we were still figuring out what the show was, and we had Jami O’Brien as our co-showrunner, who really professionalized me and Mickey towards the American system, towards how to be producers, curbed some of our more bombastic instincts, made us more professional in terms of some of the style of the writing we were doing, found a cleaner version of the show and a cleaner version of the story.

DOWN [The Bloom trade] was one of the first times in the show where we were like, “Wow, we’ve actually created something kind of singular,” in that we were able to create scenes of people trading, [using] financial jargon that no one understands, and make it feel like a car chase. The contrast between the Harper that’s on the trading floor being able to be in command of that with all the people looking at her, and then the Harper that’s in the loo afterwards in floods of tears, that for me was kind of the moment where we thought that we had a completely 3D, rounded character.

MYHA’LA If you asked me to do the Jesse Bloom trade scene again, I’d piss myself.

Because at least when I did it two seasons ago, I could have anxiety and fear percolating inside me. If I had to do it today, I’d have to do it confidently, and I would have to try really hard because so much of the language is truly blind memorization and being able to juggle particularly the f— phones. ... You have to get the choreo[graphy] so good and you have to know the words so well so that you can do the important part, and that’s the subtext — communicating the feelings of the thing, which are not in the words. Which I love. It is so hard.

HARINGTON When you first read the scripts, you can’t understand a lot of what’s on the page. ... You look at it, you go, “This is f— impossible.”

MYHA’LA This is not spoon-feeding the audience. “I’m sorry that you’re hurting because I know last summer your mom died in a car crash.”

They don’t do that.

KAY Do you know who hates that about us? Network executives. [Laughs.]

DOWN We had a kind of mantra the first season especially, and then going into the second, that we would never have a scene that didn’t have one of our four main leads in it. And then, just for the necessity of the storytelling, we said, “We have to pop out of that perspective.” I don’t think HBO realized what a big decision that was, because I don’t think they’d actually realized we’d kept this mantra that we were never going to go away from the perspective of the grads.

KAY It’s also where we broke the rule of, “We’re not going to just tell the bottom-up story; we’re going to go to the top.” When we sold the show, we were like, “This is a bottom-up story,” and then by that point we were like,

KIT HARINGTON

“Actually, we have these older characters who might have these really rich inner lives that we should also explore.”

MYHA’LA We blew the s— up. [Harper’s firing] forced us all outside the bank, which was dangerous and scary for me and really exciting and was how we got to see all the other things that Mickey and Konrad are capable of doing. I think they didn’t tell me before, so I was like, “Am I being fired?” [Laughs.]

DOWN We thought we were all being fired. The reason the show evolves so much is because we basically never know whether we’re coming back, so we just blow up everything. We try to leave the audience with a satisfying conclusion. And then we get renewed, and then we have to basically write ourselves out of a corner.

So Harper getting fired could have ended the whole show.

‘OH, POOR HENRY’ Given time to develop its characters, refine its style and grow its audience, “Industry” returned for Season 3 with all the trappings of a series that had finally arrived: effusive critical acclaim, proliferating fan accounts and buzzy arcs

by Sarah Goldberg and Harington, as playboy and erstwhile green-energy executive Henry Muck. Had it premiered just a few years later, “Industry” may have ended up on the chopping block before finding its footing; instead, it was allowed to achieve “terminal velocity.”

KAY What happened between Seasons 2 and 3 was, we got renewed. We didn’t think we were going to get renewed. We operated from the principle of, “We might never get to do this again.” And that was incredibly freeing for me and Mickey because it was just like, “We’re gonna get eight hours, let’s just do everything we possibly can within that eight hours. Let’s indulge every creative impulse we’ve ever had. Let’s take the stabilizers off the story.

Let’s not necessarily keep it within Pierpoint.” What we felt like was a perfect marriage of creative latitude, trust in ourselves and the right point in our arc of writing the show and directing and producing. We reached terminal velocity, where we could actually do all of the stuff that we were pretending we could do in the first two seasons.

HARINGTON When I joined up in Season 3, I had a good handful of friends who watched the show. It may be bigger than you think it was from the inside. It’s been fascinating for me, joining when I did and seeing it grow again ... We all want to do stuff that people actually watch. We’d be lying if we said we didn’t. We’ve all done jobs that we really love and no one’s f— seen. When there’s a focus in on something that you know is good and you love, that’s more rare than you think. I started in this job in “Game of Thrones” and just assumed, “That’s, like, how jobs go. You get invited to the Emmys every year and everyone frigging watches it.”

KAY The softness in Henry was a function of Kit playing the character and us writing to that vulnerability. There’s a totally

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different version of that character which never unlocks that kind of thinking in me and [Mickey].

HARINGTON You know that moment where it’s all going to s— with Lumi and he just gets up and he’s like, “None of this is real” and he f— off? For me, that was it.

Because it was like, “Wait a minute, he can’t just leave the f— room” — and he does. I think that kind of sums him up. I got a handle of him properly then, and that was quite an early one we shot.

DOWN He has a sense of entitlement most of the other characters don’t have.

MYHA’LA But you still manage to make me feel bad for you. I’m like, “Oh, poor Henry.” Do you know what I mean? Isn’t that psychotic?

DOWN I said it to him in an email recently.

Somehow he managed to make an exTory minister who bankrupted his company twice and needed bailouts from the British public — [a] junkie, adulterer — the most vulnerable and probably most empathetic character on the show, in some respects.

HARINGTON He’s one of the few characters who is actually trying to do good. Even if it’s about him being perceived as doing good. ... It’s also very smartly done in how you demarcate addiction and drug-taking.

You’ve got most of the characters, who can kind of put it down, but then you’ve got Rishi [a Pierpoint trader played by Sagar Radia] and Henry, who are a different kettle of fish. And also how it creeps up.

KAY As a sober person playing that stuff, is there a psychic trigger in your brain that sort of feels like it’s happening?

HARINGTON I was very worried about coming in and doing some of this stuff, but quite quickly realized I was A) sober enough for long enough to go back there safely; and B) it was a sort of muscle memory, a lot of it. I get to exorcise this stuff in my job. How many ex-addicts get to do that? It was a kind of cathartic thing.

ABELA There’s a real freedom that comes with drugs, alcohol, whatever it is, for the character. Those are the moments when you can really open the lid on something.

MYHA’LA When you’re f— up, you’re uninhibited, so you can do your own thing, but I think you’re also taking the other person at face value. I feel like it sort of

takes the judgment away. It creates a kind of childlike innocence.

DOWN If you’re in a situation like that, you can skip like five stages of relationship if there’s a big bag of drugs in front of you. That’s something we try to capture.

‘WHERE WE LEAVE THE CHARACTERS FEELS SO PERFECT’ Earlier this year, HBO announced that “Industry” had been renewed for a fifth and final season. But it was Season 4 — which finds Harper and Yasmin’s friendship in tatters, Yasmin and Henry’s marriage at an end, and the structure of the show evolving yet again to draw on new characters and genre influences — that led Down and Kay to determine that the series’ time had come.

KAY We did think to ourselves, “OK, so we’re going to do a Season 4, which means the show is a kind of success in and of itself, which means we can start to think about ending. If you get four seasons, you’re probably going to get five. So we felt that it created latitude there. What we thought to ourselves was, “We meet these two women in the pilot. If you’re going to spend five seasons of TV with them, what is the starkest contrast you can do between how you meet them and where they end up?” ... When we started, the show was about not having power. Five seasons in, they have it.

Then what do you do with it? The phrase me and Mickey have been talking about is this idea of “arrival fallacy.”

You climb and climb, you’re at the top of the mountain.

Is there another peak? Do I sit here and enjoy the view?

DOWN We’re writing Season 5 right now, and without giving too much away, we’re approaching that season very differently in terms of how information’s parceled out.

KAY It’s very dense, though, isn’t it? Honestly, it might be the densest season. There’s a lot of theology in it, actually.

DOWN We talked about doing a sixth [season], and then quite honestly we thought that was going to be diminishing returns. ... We would have been pulling our punches constantly. This has been one of the most creatively fulfilling versions of the show, because we are writing towards a conclusion that we know is the conclusion. We’re thinking of images for the last 10 minutes that we know are going to be what the audience is left with, and that’s really, really thrilling for us as writers. I’ve never once thought, “God, I wish we were doing a sixth one,” as much as I love writing and making the show. Where we leave the characters feels so perfect.

MYHA'LA

Connor Hines p 34 ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ p 35 Gold Standard p 36 ‘Spider-Noir’ p 38 Noah Wyle p 39

Illustration by Ben Kothe For The Times

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The Spotlight A Deeper Dive

These adult animated series color outside the lines Cartoons aren’t always silly. The creators behind ‘Primal,’ ‘Kevin,’ ‘Mating Season,’ ‘Long Story Short’ and ‘Strip Law’ share how they incorporated heavy themes this season.

Story by Whitney Friedlander ■ Illustration by Ben Kothe For The Times

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F YOU WANT PERSONAL STO-

ries of survival, family trauma or just how to get over a breakup, look no further than adult animation. Even better: Sometimes these shows do all that and are still funny.

We’ve rounded up some of this season’s best examples in the genre.

‘GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY’S PRIMAL’ (Adult Swim)

Set in an anachronistic world where prehumans and dinosaurs fight for survival, “Primal” is told sans dialogue and focuses on a Neanderthal named Spear (whose vocal grunts are provided by actor Aaron LaPlante) and a female Tyrannosaurus rex known as Fang. It’s raw, bloody and, somehow, tear-jerking.

“There’s drama, there’s violence, certainly there’s a bit of lightheartedness … we’re not trying to do it like a live-action thing, but we’re trying to get cinematic,” says creator Genndy Tartakovsky. “And because it’s dramatic and there’s no dialogue, we’re leaning into the visual storytelling of it all. This makes it seem a little bit more sophisticated.”

Tartakovsky says he even tries to make “the blood spurts look beautiful and designed”: “We’re not doing it for shock value.” The show also added the escaped female slave Mira (voiced by Laëtitia Eïdo) at the end of Season 1 because the creator felt it worked for the story.

‘KEVIN’ (Prime Video)

Talking cats are not new to animation. But this one is going through the very human roller coaster of a relationship rebound and self-discovery.

Joe Wengert co-created “Kevin” with ex-girlfriend/series voice actor Aubrey Plaza as a cathartic thought experiment about their actual pet cat, Kevin. (Jason Schwartzman voices him in the show.)

“It’s more fun to write for the animals,”

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says Wengert, whose credits include Netflix’s animated “Big Mouth” and Fox’s liveaction “New Girl.” “They have another level of crazy.”

The show also doubles as therapy.

“I’ve always been too into my relationship and I sort of neglect my friends,” he says, adding that “I’ve always wanted to write something about that, but it’s kind of sad when it’s a human man. It’s less sad when it’s a cat.”

‘LONG STORY SHORT’ (Netflix)

Raphael Bob-Waksberg, who also created Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman,” knows his beat is animated shows that are both funny and thought-provoking. He says the difference with “Long Story Short,” in addition to it being about humans and not an anthropomorphic horse, is that it has “sadness we can relate to.”

“Here, we see characters sad in the way that we are sad and we go, ‘Oh, this is not a cartoon exaggeration of our sadness.’ This is exactly the same as our sadness,” BobWaksberg says.

In order to keep the show from being a total buzzkill, the writers will craft scenes like an intense conversation between adult siblings about fertility treatments in the midst of the chaos and the bizarre costuming of a child’s dance concert.

He says you can do this in live-action, but it would have to be something in the Tina Fey-Robert Carlock style like NBC’s “30 Rock” or Netflix’s “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” which are known for rapid-fire bits.

“Usually in live-action, when you think about dramedy, your head goes to like, well, not too funny and not too dramatic.

And my shows are kind of the opposite,” he laughs.

‘MATING SEASON’ (Netflix)

Like another show Andrew Goldberg cocreated, Netflix’s “Big Mouth,” “Mating Season” is about sex and relationships.

But, because it’s not about kids, it can be less metaphoric. And, because it’s about a group of Gen Z-ish forest animals, it can almost seem … cute?

“It feels less voyeuristic than with people,” Goldberg explains of “Mating Season.”

Goldberg, who loves nature documentaries like Netflix’s “Life on Our Planet,” says they opened the second episode of “Mating Season” with a parody documentary because “we wanted to remind people as much as possible that, yes, these are cartoon characters. But these animals are real, and they’re out there, and they’re going about their lives.”

He says the writers were also inspired by dating shows about humans such as Netflix’s “Love Is Blind” and Peacock’s “Love Island,” because “we really discovered, as we were writing the first season, how much the show was a romantic comedy.”

‘STRIP LAW’ (Netflix)

“Strip Law,” about a Las Vegas lawyer attempting to live up to his late mother’s legacy, is a David and Goliath story, in which Adam Scott’s Lincoln Gumb and a ragtag crew attempt to defeat the powerful and nefarious attorney Steve Nichols (Keith David).

It’s also a send-up of legal procedurals, with Lincoln’s cases including a fight over who’s the real Santa Claus and a custody battle that devolves into a theological debate. Even the season finale is a meta masterpiece that’s told from the points of view of Lincoln’s rival attorneys.

“It would be disingenuous to say we weren’t at least a little trying to weird people out,” creator Cullen Crawford laughs.

Crawford cut some of his teeth on CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” but says he switched formats when he got burned out writing jokes about President Trump. He says that, at least in the comedy world, “a good animation writer will be a good live-action writer and the other way around, to an extent, as long as you understand the mediums.”

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The Spotlight On Writing

An essay by Connor Hines on making ‘Love Story,’ the Kennedys and how he won over producer Ryan Murphy GROWING UP, MY GRANDPARENTS VIRTU-

ally had a shrine to President Kennedy and Jackie. For many descendants of Irish immigrants, especially from the Boston area, the Kennedys were the realization of the American dream: a family that overcame anti-Irish prejudice and built an empire that would propel one son to the White House, two others to the Senate, and generations of public servants after them.

Needless to say, the lore of the family was embedded in me from a young age.

Around 2020, I descended into a Kennedy rabbit hole, starting with the tycoon and patriarch Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. and working my way through the generations.

Photograph by Evan Mulling For The Times

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When I reached John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s story, a switch went off within me — that jolt of adrenaline and inspiration you pray to stumble upon as a writer. Yes, their courtship was singular, sweeping and at times volatile, but I was mostly struck by the acute disconnect between the way they were posthumously characterized by friends and family and the often misogynistic, reductive narrative that surrounded them at the time. The more I read about them, the more convinced I became that there was an entirely new story to be told — through a fresh lens that could humanize and dimensionalize two people who

had been so widely mythologized.

But obsession does not a show make. I wasn’t at a place in my career where a network or streaming service would likely entrust me with a story of that magnitude — until a few months later, when it was announced in Deadline that Ryan Murphy was launching a new anthology series, “American Love Story.” The first season: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.

Fortunately for me, the heads of Color Force, Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobson — the producers behind acclaimed series such as “The People v. O.J. Simpson” and “Say Nothing” — read a sample of mine and agreed to meet with me. After extensive discussion, they suggested I meet with Ryan to walk him through my take on the story. While this might seem like the logical next step in the hiring process for a Ryan Murphy show, the suggestion felt anything but. Ryan Murphy was a name that entered my psyche circa 1999, at age 11, when I would sneak out of my room to watch Ryan’s first series, “Popular”: a clever, biting, provocative show that, like so many of his later works, upended the status quo of the genre and showcased characters — and talented, overlooked actors — found nowhere else on TV. I spent roughly three months in the trenches with Brad and Nina, deepening and refining my presentation — one that I’d recite in the shower, on runs, at Trader Joe’s, while I drove. It was a crash course in storytelling, producing, and understanding the alchemy that propelled so many of Ryan’s shows into the zeitgeist.

Most mega-producers likely would have balked at my less-than-robust résumé, but Ryan is someone who moves instinctively and decisively, and after our meeting, he offered me the chance to write the show. In the spirit of full transparency, I immediately experienced almost debilitating impostor syndrome, but after several frantic phone calls to my agents, manager and therapist, I accepted.

I’m not sure I’ve ever obsessed over anything the way I did the world of “Love Story.”

I knew it was a tremendous responsibility, and a story that had to be handled with care, but I was also exhilarated by the privilege of writing about a subject that not only I loved deeply, but one that my grandparents had loved deeply as well. Sadly, they passed away before this all came to fruition, but I can only imagine how happy — and, knowing my grandfather, how responsible — they would feel seeing my dreams materialize in such a fortuitous way.

Unlike many Hollywood experiences, working on “Love Story” turned out to be everything I had hoped for and more, and despite nearly a decade of watching projects wither on the development vine, it felt exactly like where I was supposed to be.

Westeros shifts into a different key

The Spotlight Music

How the music of ‘Seven Kingdoms’ heralds a new era for ‘Game of Thrones’

STEFFAN HILL

G

AME OF THRONES” WAS

known as the fantasy show for people who don’t like fantasy, thanks to language and graphic content akin to HBO’s contemporary dramas. But it also endeavored to sound different from previous fantasy media, replacing twee flutes with composer Ramin Djawadi’s deep strings, rhythmic drumming and a theme song that sought to inspire its audience to battle.

Spinoff series “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is not trying to be “Game of Thrones.” Nor is it trying to emulate the high court drama and mysticism of “House of the Dragon,” also scored by Djawadi. Instead, the story of a lone knight and his young companion forges a new tonal path.

And it has the music to match.

“We had mashed up this medieval western cowboy feeling,” says series creator Ira Parker — and after bringing in composer Dan Romer, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” possessed “that little bit of sparkle in there that gives you coming-of-age childlike hope… It’s an adventure story.”

The first season takes place during a tournament in which lonely knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) finds an apprentice in the young Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). Their journey highlights the smallfolk of Westeros more than the previous installments.

Music supervisor Alex Stacey says Parker knew from the beginning that songs would be central to the show. “He was like, ‘I just wanna hear music at all times because a festival is happening. Anytime Dunk is walking through the village, we should hear a fiddle player playing somewhere,’ ” he says.

Stacey and fellow music supervisor Evyen Klean came on board in the script phase to help plan out the multitude of songs that are heard as the characters travel through the tournament.

“Your brain starts forgetting if it’s part of the score or if it’s actually happening in the reality of the show,” Romer says.

The series’ musical landscape also includes a myriad of folk songs, developed with the help of research into medieval songs and kids’ rhymes. Djawadi returned to write the melodies, with lyrics by Parker.

“It’s my secret favorite part of the writing process,” says Parker. “If anyone needs

a funny songwriter on a show, I’m very happy to do that.”

To craft the score, Romer went back to research he had done for the 2017 medieval comedy “The Little Hours” about the tonality of string instruments from that time period. The score took roughly six months to craft and involved the creation of new tools to build the earthy and whimsical sounds, including a cello based on Mongolian string instruments.

“I wanted to have a feeling of a lonely cowboy out in the West but there are instruments that we associate with that [genre] that wouldn’t feel like Westeros,” says Romer, who substitutes electric guitars and slide whistles with fiddles and real whistling.

The music in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” toes the line between indulgence and realism. Many of the show’s most intense moments, like Dunk burying his mentor or the climactic trial by combat, have no score at all. Parker says of the sound design, “Everything should feel tactile. It should be focused on the rain and the trudge of your footsteps and the mud, the things that you hone in on when you’re having an out-of-body experience.”

Other sequences allow the bombastic possibilities of the series to take over. A pivotal reveal at the end of Episode 3 was edited using the UK version of “The Apprentice” theme song as temp music during postproduction. This guided Romer to build a song around the heightened tempo and emotions of the scene, including the use of an operatic choir.

The show also features two references to the original “Game of Thrones” theme.

The first moment is played for comedy: As Dunk readies himself for adventure, the theme begins to swell before cutting to him in a bout of sickness.

“We needed something else that sounded like the call to greatness that wasn’t part of him yet. And there’s no greater call to greatness than the ‘Game of Thrones’ theme,” says Parker.

The second instance comes at the end of Episode 4 when Dunk recruits Prince Baelor Targaryen to join his side in his trial by combat. Romer says it was planned from before he joined the production that Dunk’s theme would blend into the “Game of Thrones” theme in the moment he has a chance to be a hero.

“That four-note riff, the ‘Da da dada da da,’ being able to put that underneath something that I was writing was such an enthralling experience because it immediately makes it so recognizable and so memorable.”

But the series’ most bold musical decision comes at the end of the last episode.

As Dunk and Egg embark on their next journey, the opening bars of “Sixteen Tons,” a 1947 song by Tennessee Ernie Ford, close out the season. It’s the first use of anachronistic existing music in the franchise’s history.

The song was proposed early in development by Parker, but it was the reaction from “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin that cemented the tune’s presence.

“He said, ‘You know, this was the ringtone for a very dear friend of mine on my phone who had just recently passed away,’ ” says Parker. “When he told me that story I just sort of felt like, ‘Maybe this is right. Maybe this is supposed to be there.’ ” According to Parker, Season 1 is just the first test of how his series can transform what an installment in the franchise can be. “I like that we’re inching it forward just a little bit. ‘Game of Thrones’ in 2026,” he says. “Every now and then, when something is right, we’re going to try it and see if we feel like it works.”

Story by Leila Jordan

↖ Peter Claffey, left, and Dexter Sol Ansell in “Seven Kingdoms.”

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Nominations are coming.

Here are my picks TV has left a lot to be desired this year, but these are the shows and stars that deserve some attention

THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 EMMY CATEGORIES, AND IF YOU SCROLL THROUGH

Glenn Whipp Columnist

each and every one of them on the Television Academy’s website, you’re probably one of those people who read the terms and conditions on a document before signing your name. ¶ This hasn’t been the greatest year for television, which has had the converse effect of prompting me to sample more shows than ever in a quest to unearth that one hidden gem that merits a place on my mock Emmy ballot. Truth be told, I’m still looking. I’m sure I’ve missed something. And I’m sure you’ll let me know. ¶ In the meantime, here are my picks for the top 15 categories — five each for comedy, drama and limited series — along with a brief line of reasoning for each. And if it’s predictions you’re after, you can find our full BuzzMeter panel’s choices online. Emmy nominations will be announced July 8.

COMEDY SERIES

“Abbott Elementary” “The Bear” “The Comeback” “Hacks” “The Lowdown” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” “Shrinking”

Sterlin Harjo’s “The Lowdown” feels like it’s on the same trajectory as his last series, “Reservation Dogs,” an under-the-radar charmer that grows in estimation as its audience builds. Noir crime stories don’t come more delightful.

COMEDY ACTRESS

Illustration by Tate Rudisill

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Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” Rose Byrne, “Platonic” Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear” Elle Fanning, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback” Jean Smart, “Hacks”

“Platonic” heightened the chaos and conflict in its second season, affording the gifted Byrne additional room to flex her comic chops. How do you sleep on a show starring a newly minted Oscar nominee?

Ashley Padilla, “Saturday Night Live” Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary” Jeanne Tripplehorn, “The Lowdown” Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”

COMEDY ACTOR

The Padilla Pause is one reason I’m watching “Saturday Night Live” again.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Wonder Man” Ethan Hawke, “The Lowdown” Tracy Morgan, “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” Jason Segel, “Shrinking” Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear”

Morgan acting oblivious is one of the funniest things ever.

COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks” Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”

COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTOR

Harrison Ford, “Shrinking” Marcello Hernández, “Saturday Night Live” Ben Kingsley, “Wonder Man” Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear” Nick Offerman, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” Stephen Root, “Widow’s Bay” Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”

Hernández’s charisma and physical comedy is another.

DRAMA SERIES

“Industry” “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” “The Night Manager” “Paradise” “The Pitt” “Pluribus” “Slow Horses” “Task”

How many Emmy voters finally caught up on “Industry,” the fast-paced drama about a group of cutthroat Gen Zers? Four seasons in, it’s more addictive than ever.

DRAMA ACTRESS

Caitriona Balfe, “Outlander” Myha’la, “Industry” Chase Infiniti, “The Testaments” Michelle Pfeiffer, “The Madison” Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus” Zendaya, “Euphoria”

Now that “Outlander” is over, it’s time to pour one out for Balfe. Over the course of eight seasons, she hopscotched through time, enduring and overcoming numerous assaults and kidnappings, dealing with grief and trauma and enjoying lots of emotionally grounded sex. Balfe has earned a final reward.

DRAMA ACTOR

Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise” Peter Claffey, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” Tom Hiddleston, “The Night Manager” Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses” Mark Ruffalo, “Task” Noah Wyle, “The Pitt”

Claffey turned bumbling into art.

DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Isa Briones, “The Pitt” Taylor Dearden, “The Pitt” Fiona Dourif, “The Pitt” Supriya Ganesh, “The Pitt” Katherine LaNasa, “The Pitt” Sepideh Moafi, “The Pitt” Karolina Wydra, “Pluribus”

LaNasa should have bumped herself up to lead. As Whitaker explains to Langdon in Season 2’s penultimate episode, Robby’s the Professor of the ER and LaNasa’s Dana is the Skipper. And the Skipper should be lead.

PORTRAIT ILLUSTRATION: KAGAN MCCLEOD / FOR THE TIMES;PHOTOS FROM NBC; APPLE TV; SHANE BROWN / FX; SCOTT GRIES / NBC; LARRY HORRICKS / NETFLIX; HBO MAX

The Spotlight Gold Standard

Patrick Ball, “The Pitt” Diego Calva, “The Night Manager” Shawn Hatosy, “The Pitt” Gerran Howell, “The Pitt” Ken Leung, “Industry” Tom Pelphrey, “Task” Carlos-Manuel Vesga, “Pluribus”

Pelphrey has called his desperate single dad on “Task” the role of a lifetime. No argument here.

PORTRAIT ILLUSTRATION: KAGAN MCCLEOD / FOR THE TIMES;PHOTOS FROM NBC; APPLE TV; SHANE BROWN / FX; SCOTT GRIES / NBC; LARRY HORRICKS / NETFLIX; HBO MAX

LIMITED SERIES

“Bait” “Beef” “DTF St. Louis” “Death by Lightning” “Half Man”

I put off watching the finale of the punishing “Half Man” for weeks. Does that mean the show worked?

LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE ACTRESS

Sally Field, “Remarkably Bright Creatures” Camila Morrone, “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” Carey Mulligan, “Beef” Sarah Pidgeon, “Love Story” Robin Wright, “The Girlfriend”

I like her! Right now (and always), I like her!

LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE ACTOR

Riz Ahmed, “Bait” Charlie Hunnam, “Monster:

The Ed Gein Story” Matthew Macfadyen, “Death

by Lightning” Mitchell Robertson, “Half Man” Michael Shannon, “Death

by Lightning”

The young actors on “Half Man” — Robertson and Stuart Campbell — outshone their well-known counterparts.

LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Linda Cardellini, “DTF St. Louis” Grace Gummer, “Love Story” Laurie Metcalf, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” Cailee Spaeny, “Beef” Joy Sunday, “DTF St. Louis” Constance Zimmer, “Love Story”

Both Cardellini and Sunday for “DTF St. Louis”? No way, José, you say? Yes way, I say.

All the way! ← Ashley Padilla (“SNL”), left, Rhea Seehorn (Pluribus”), Ethan Hawke (“The Lowdown”), Tracy Morgan (“The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”), Nick Offerman (“Death by Lightning”) and Linda Cardellini (“DTF St. Louis”).

DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTOR

LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jason Bateman, “DTF St. Louis” Stuart Campbell, “Half Man” Richard Gadd, “Half Man” David Harbour, “DTF St. Louis” Charles Melton, “Beef” Nick Offerman, “Death

by Lightning”

The mutton-chopped Chester A. Arthur joins Ron Swanson’s ’stache in television’s facial hair hall of fame.

latimes.com/theenvelope

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Making ‘Spider-Noir’s’ distinct visual languages The team from the MGM+/Prime Video series explains how they filmed in black and white and in color simultaneously

Story by Bill Desowitz

↓ Lamorne Morris as Robbie Robertson in “SpiderNoir.”

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W

ITH

“SPIDER-NOIR,”

starring Nicolas Cage as Ben Reilly, the webslinging, crime-fighting private eye in ’30s New York, we get two vintage-looking options: a high-contrast, shadowy, black-andwhite version, and a Technicolor-esque alternative (“True-Hue”) that pops in primary colors.

Which you’re watching definitely shapes your view of the strange world that the hard-boiled Reilly inhabits, where noir and sci-fi converge with gangsters and other mutant “Supers” (including Jack Huston’s Flint Marko/Sandman).

MGM+/Prime Video’s eight-episode series was inspired by both the Marvel comic “Spider-Man Noir” and the monochromatic version of the character voiced by Cage in Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s animated “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” (They executive produced “Spider-Noir.”)

“This was enormously challenging, but once the task was laid out in front of us, everybody rose to the occasion of trying to figure out just how to do this, because it hadn’t been done before. Things have been converted after the fact,” said co-showrunner Oren Uziel, a noir specialist who previously served as a writer on Lord and Miller’s “22 Jump Street.” He developed the series

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with superhero expert Steve Lightfoot of Marvel’s “The Punisher.”

The initial plan was to shoot only in black and white to capture the iconic Expressionistic look. But when the additional request for color came during prep, a new visual strategy and workflow were devised to accommodate both formats simultaneously.

“The question of whether or not the technology allowed us to do that was unknown when we first started,” Uziel explained. “There’s lots of programs for steering the information for what it’s going to look like, but it was challenging to find the right palette that would make the color of the lipstick or the walls look good in both formats. But I didn’t want a color palette that was standard. It had to have its own value and tell a version of the story that would be just as interesting.”

While they shot in black and white on set with a digital camera and customized image mapping, the conversion was done in parallel: colorizing the monochrome footage with different mapping and finetuning.

Final corrections were done in post by cinematographer Darran Tiernan (“The Penguin” ) and senior digital intermediate colorist Pankaj Bajpai. Tiernan shot six of the eight episodes, and cinematographer Peter Deming — a longtime David Lynch collaborator (“Mulholland Drive”) — pitched in for the trippier Episodes 5 and 6, which reveal Reilly’s Spidey backstory.

For Tiernan, the blackand-white prep showed off the versatility of noir in John Huston’s “The Maltese Falcon,” Stanley Kubrick’s “The Killing” and Orson Welles’ “The Lady From Shanghai,” which served as a model for replicating the look of the film stock.

However, Otto Preminger’s “Fallen Angel,” a cultish detour, was a surprise revelation.“That had a deep impact on me,”

Tiernan said. “One of the things that it did, which was kind of new, was how Preminger moved the camera. It felt contemporary. He’d move the camera eight or nine times in the diner to give you a beautiful new frame of two or three characters speaking.”

For color, Tiernan referenced early hand-tinting of black and white, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s Technicolor masterpiece “The Red Shoes” and Alfred Hitchcock’s dreamlike “Vertigo,” which was his touchstone.

“We just wanted to have as much wow as the black and white [aided by vintage lenses and period lighting],” Tiernan added. But he found each experience different: The monochrome was mysterious and dangerous, while the color was glamorous and romantic.

“In contemporary cinematography … hard light isn’t used as much, and we found that this was all part of the process of getting the recipe together,” Tiernan explained. But one of the hardest adjustments was embracing unmotivated light, which was a staple of noir’s heightened atmospherics.

Among the most striking sequences is an interlude in Episode 1 where nightclub singer/femme fatale Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li) performs “Dream a Little Dream of Me.” She’s seductive in both formats, especially with the moving lights, but her gold spike headband and gold dress are eyeopening in color.

“The whole point is Ben Reilly gets captivated by her, and this is the lock in,” suggested Tiernan. “Also, in the second part of the song, she floats away from the stage and the camera brings her over all the tables. This is meant to psychologically tell you how he’s feeling.”

Deming, who arrived after shooting began, swung into action quickly to get up to speed for his two episodes. “The black and white was especially aggressive, which you really needed to pull off this vintage look,” he said. “But even the color was not ordinary.”

For Episode 6, Deming made great use of a small lab set, where Reilly wrestles with emotional demons after being drugged. This is where the monochromatic lighting turns especially atmospheric. Deming goes old school to distort Reilly’s focus and bombard him with harsh spotlights. “These were tricks that I was very familiar with,” he added.

Uziel hopes this will stop modern viewers in their tracks. “If you’re coming to the show by way of ‘Spider-Man’ and the comics, black and white might open you up to a new aesthetic,” he said. “And if you’re a noir fan who pops on the color, you might enjoy a comic book aesthetic that you’re not familiar with.”

A A R ON EP S TE IN / P R IM E

The Envelope Behind the Scenes

2

In 2025, Wyle won the lead drama actor Emmy for playing complicated miracle worker Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, plus a producing prize for drama series.

5

Wyle was nominated five times (1995-1999) without winning for his supporting performance as Dr. John Carter on “ER,” his first hospital-set collaboration with producer John Wells.

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Nominations that “ER” actors Wyle, Julianna Margulies, Anthony Edwards, Sherry Stringfield, Eriq La Salle, George Clooney, Laura Innes, Gloria Reuben, CCH Pounder and Maura Tierney amassed in supporting and lead categories.

1

Emmy wins that resulted from those acting nominations: Margulies’ supporting triumph in 1995.

200%

“The Pitt” doubled that haul in one season, with Wyle’s lead and Katherine LaNasa’s supporting wins.

(And added a guest actor Emmy for Shawn Hatosy, who moves up to supporting in Season 2.)

3

Wyle could grab three more nominations this time around, including for his “Pitt” directing debut (Season 2, Episode 6).

The Spotlight Who’s Counting Story by Carla Meyer ■ Illustration by Agnés Ricart For The Times

Back for a follow-up?

“The Pitt” has put “ER” veteran Noah Wyle back where he excels: a fictional emergency room. But this time, Wyle has assumed far more control over the Emmy chaos by producing and directing as well as acting. It promises to keep paying off with Season 2.

8

He also no longer competes against his co-stars, as he did with La Salle, and as at least eight “Pitt” performers (LaNasa, Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Sepideh Moafi, Isa Briones, Patrick Ball, Gerran Howell and Hatosy) could this year.

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Illustration by Tate Rudisill

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EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP; OPPOSITE PAGE: RICHARD SHOTWELL / ASSOCIATED PRESS, HAROLD FENG / GETTY IMAGES, JACK PLUNKETT / ASSOCIATED PRESS, GETTY

The Emmys’ Legacy Award p 42

Celebrities talking dirty to you? Sounds great

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP; OPPOSITE PAGE: RICHARD SHOTWELL / ASSOCIATED PRESS, HAROLD FENG / GETTY IMAGES, JACK PLUNKETT / ASSOCIATED PRESS, GETTY

Audio erotica app Quinn hopes to normalize sexual content by teaming up with big stars

H

OLLYWOOD

RARELY

misses the opportunity to sell sex. And one buzzy app is capitalizing on that by combining smut and celebrity — bringing famous actors’ steamy voices directly into their listeners’ ears. Move over, coffee and tequila endorsements, there’s a new actor side hustle in town.

Caroline Spiegel founded audio erotica app Quinn when, as a senior in college, she experienced a “total loss of libido” while recovering from an eating disorder. After scouring the internet for solutions — and bemoaning how many sexual dysfunction drugs there were available to men in comparison to women — she was left disappointed.

“There was a dearth of options for erotic content for women,” Spiegel tells me, adding that she had to go deeper into internet community spaces to find erotica she appreciated. “I started thinking, ‘How can I bring erotica that women would enjoy into the mainstream?’ And I discovered audio erotica on Reddit and Tumblr and was like, ‘This is the ideal way to consume erotica. It’s so immersive.’ ” Spiegel says she became so obsessed with the idea of audio romances that she wasn’t doing any homework, so she dropped out of college to create her startup, Quinn, which was launched as an app in 2021.

In 2022, Spiegel released her first Quinn Original, a premium series often voiced by actors and celebrities like Shawn Hatosy (“The Pitt”), Sam Heughan (“Outlander”), Andrew Scott (“Fleabag”) and Jesse Williams (“Grey’s Anatomy”).

The company has released approximately 15 celebrity-narrated series thus far — a

gambit that’s proved so successful it aims to do one a month going forward. Traditionally, the original series have featured one celebrity narrator as a protagonist speaking to the listener in an immersive story. This changed when “Heated Rivalry” actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams broke the formula, starring as two rival fae princes in “Ember & Ice,” Quinn’s most popular series to date.

“We definitely heard our users that they really liked being more of a fly on the wall, rather than a person in the story,” says Spiegel, so the next few projects will contain multiple voices.

Quinn’s audience is more than 80% women and subscriptions cost $7.99 a month or $59.99 a year. The company currently has 12 full-time employees.

Spiegel says they brainstorm ideas for actors and themes based on what’s in the zeitgeist, tying the stories to specific moments in pop culture, then sprinkling in some evergreen stories throughout the year. Spiegel reached out to Storrie’s and Wiliams’ teams after seeing a trailer for their hockey romance series before HBO Max had even made its distribution deal with Canada’s Crave. Spiegel teased that this summer Quinn would also be introducing written projects. She says lately they’ve also been thinking about doing nostalgia-fueled projects, with fan-favorite voices from the early 2000s.

Pedro Pascal is the actor at the top of Quinn’s listeners’ wish list, and Spiegel says the company also gets a lot of requests from those hoping to hear Idris Elba and Matthew Gray Gubler whisper in their ear. She adds that one of the most interesting parts of the job has been pitching Quinn to talent and learning each person’s boundaries and questions. She re-

veals that some actors want to be in on the details of every line in the script, while others want to be in charge of choosing a story’s message, and some just want to speak to the director beforehand. For example, when Spiegel chatted with “Atlanta’s” Tyriq Withers about Quinn, she recalls, the actor expressed passion about how attractive consent is, so they worked it into his project, called “The Bodyguard,” about a special agent assigned to keep a U.S. diplomat safe while in Paris.

“From the first call when we talked to him, he was like ‘I think it’s really important to teach people about enthusiastic consent and how consent is sexy,’ ” says Spiegel. “That became the theme of his series and we worked with him on that.”

Spiegel says that a big impetus for starting Quinn Originals in the first place was to normalize erotica and make it more accessible for people to share and talk about it.

“It’s so much easier and more comfortable for people to say, ‘Did you see the “Heated Rivalry” guys are doing a Quinn audio?’ versus saying, ‘Hey, check out this audio erotica,’ ” Spiegel explains. She thinks it’s part of a bigger move toward investing in romantic storylines in general.

“Amazon has a whole slate of romance shows like ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ and ‘Off Campus,’ which was a very explicit book; there’s been ‘Bridgerton,’ ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ ” she says. “I think we’re seeing the increased visibility and normalization of explicit romantic content, and it’s definitely helping remove stigma and shame from consuming it.”

Her hope is that this can translate into shifting real-world dynamics as well.

“Once we give people the words to be able to talk about what they want and what they like, sex becomes more safe and more enjoyable for people.”

And, as a bonus, listeners get their favorite actors whispering dirty talk into their earbuds as they wait for the next season of their favorite TV series to drop.

The Industry All Ears

Story by Lorena O’Neil

↓ “Fleabag” actor Andrew Scott is one of the many stars who has given voice to a Quinn Original series.

latimes.com/theenvelope

41

The Industry Legacy Award

Was the name always the Legacy Award?

It has been the Legacy Award ever since it got presented and once that happens, how could you call it something else? We have a Hall of Fame for professionals who work in the industry and we need a Hall of Fame for shows that really stood the test of time and that’s a little bit what the Legacy Award is.

The TV Academy chief explains the new award honoring shows that have had a ‘lasting impact’

Story by Jim Halterman

↗ The stars of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1976.

42

F

INE-TUNING EMMY AWARDS

categories isn’t unusual for the Television Academy in any given year. Case in point, the upcoming 78th edition will feature changes to category names (Outstanding TV Movie is now Outstanding Movie) and rule clarifications (for Outstanding Main Theme Title Music, both the main and main-on-end of a program will be eligible).

But creating a new award altogether is more of a rarity — the last time the academy did it was 2007, when it inaugurated the Honors Award to recognize programming that drives positive social change.

Well, until now: This year marks the firstever Legacy Award, “presented to television programs that have made a ‘profound and lasting impact’ on audiences and remain relevant to society, culture and the industry.”

To find out why it took the academy this long to create the award, who actually receives the Emmy statue and when it will be given, The Envelope spoke with Television Academy President and Chief Executive Maury McIntyre.

How early did the talks start about creating the Legacy Award?

In general, we’re talking about awards throughout the year. We have an awards

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committee that meets almost every other month to talk about changes just in terms of either things we have seen at the academy or things that other peer groups or the governors themselves have brought up.

But the Legacy Award came about because of a conversation with Pearlena Igbokwe [chairman, Television Studios, NBC Entertainment and Peacock Scripted]. She asked, “Why don’t we do an award that celebrates shows that have had a longlasting impact?” And we were all like, “That’s a really great idea. We should have done this years ago.” It was just one of those things that when people ask, “Why now?” I’m like, “Because we were idiots and didn’t think about it until now.”

What was the process for getting it approved and making it a reality?

Once Pearlena gave me the idea, I worked with our awards department to flesh it out.

I took it back to our executive committee to say, “Here is what we would propose it maybe [should] look like.” We got some feedback from them, so once that happened, we [took] it to the awards committee. Since the Legacy Award is going to be an Emmy, it goes to them for their consideration. They made some changes and then once they review it, if they approve it, it then goes to the board for official approval to move forward.

Per the release, show nominations come from board of governors and special committees but also “individuals who may suggest recipients in a letter to the Television Academy.” Can anyone nominate a show?

Absolutely. Submit a letter! Part of this award is it has made a lasting impact on the audience, so we want to hear from the audience. What touched you and what still means something to you?

The rules also state shows must have a minimum of 60 episodes over at least five seasons to be eligible, which excludes big shows like “Ted Lasso” or “Succession,” for example.

We went back and forth on what’s the right number and how many years. We may get into it in 10 years and realize we are losing out on some of the most impactful shows because we’re not allowing it to be three seasons or whatever. We think that right now we’ve got a large cohort that we can get to with what we’ve got.

And how’s the conversation going about when and where the award will be given?

It will probably continue to be a conversation until we know who the award is going to. Once we know the [recipient of the] Governors Award or the Bob Hope Award, then we can have a conversation. Does the network want to showcase that? Does it make more sense to put in the Creative Arts Emmys? Or Televerse, our new festival that occurs in August? We have a number of places to do it and I think it’s just a matter of “Where does it fit the best?”

TVA / PI CT URE G RO U P / INV I SIO N F OR TH E A C A D E M Y O F T ELEVI S ION A R T S & SCIENCES / A P

Why the Emmys are revisting the classics

Since the award goes to a show, who receives a statue?

The way it’s worded, it’s supposed to go to the top creative individuals who made the show and its legacy. If you give a Governors Award to a program, it usually goes to the main distribution partner but then up to four or five executive producers that had the most to do with the longevity of the show.

This is the first year we’re giving it, but we may find that there could be a director who actually directed most of the episodes and they deserve some of the award. For us, again, it’s really about who in that core creative team helped give this its long life.

The Envelope June 16, 2026

N ET FL IX

Story by Daron James

One Shot At the 1880 Republican Convention, James Garfield made a speech to support the nomination of fellow Ohioan John Sherman for president. When he asked the crowd “What do we want?” though, a voice unexpectedly yelled: “We want Garfield!” Mike Makowsky’s “Death by Lightning” faithfully preserves the stirring rhetoric of the man who would become America’s 20th commander in chief. But words alone could not carry the moment. It was up to production designer Gemma Jackson to recreate the energetic pulse of Chicago’s Exposition Building: “We had to find a way to present it to be believable but also so that you as the audience will have your breath taken away.” Referencing original black-and-white photos, Jackson designed a massive 120-foot-long set, complete with a stage, seating, bleachers and mahogany flooring, to be filled with up to 500 extras. With the help of set decorator Hannah Gawthorpe, no detail went unnoticed, including the 38-star U.S. flag, delegate banners and the same fresh flowers that decorated the hall. “It was really important that you feel the set was powerful,” says Jackson. “It had to be in order to set the whole series up.”

LOS ANGELES TIMES (ISSN 0458-3035) is published by the Los Angeles Times, 2300 E. Imperial Highway, El Segundo, CA 90245. Periodicals postage is paid at Los Angeles, CA, and additional cities. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to this address. | Home Delivery Subscription Rates (all rates include applicable CA sales taxes and apply to most areas) | Print + unlimited digital rates: Seven-day $42/week, $2,184 annually. Thursday– Sunday $22/week, $1,144 annually. Thursday & Sunday $14/week, $728 annually. Saturday & Sunday $13/week, $676 annually. Sunday $12/week, $624 annually. Monday–Saturday $24/week, $1,248 annually (also includes Sundays, except 3/29, 5/24, 9/6, 10/11). Monday–Friday $24/week, $1,248 annually. | Subscriptions with a Thurs. delivery include 18 special issues of The Envelope with 1 issue in Jan., 3 in Feb., 1 in May, 4 in June, 3 in Aug., 2 in Nov. and 4 in Dec.

43

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS V I S I O N A R I E S Who Keeps the Lights On and the Cameras Rolling?

I

n an industry fueled by creativity and star power, it can be easy to overlook the accomplished professionals working tirelessly behind the curtain to keep entertainment moving forward. Yet the lawyers, accountants, financial experts, lenders, bankers, strategists, consultants, business managers/advisors and industry executives featured in this section are among the entertainment world’s most valuable architects – the individuals whose guidance helps productions launch, companies expand, deals close and careers flourish.

As the entertainment sector continues to navigate rapid change in 2026, these behind-the-scenes leaders have become more indispensable than ever. From evolving global markets and economic uncertainty to shifting labor dynamics, artificial intelligence integration, cybersecurity concerns and new business models across streaming and live media, the challenges facing the industry are increasingly complex. The professionals highlighted here help studios, networks, production companies, agencies, music labels, gaming firms and digital platforms adapt to these changes while remaining competitive and resilient.

Their work often happens outside the spotlight, but its impact is felt throughout every corner of the business.

They negotiate transformative agreements, structure major investments, protect intellectual property, guide mergers

44 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

and acquisitions, navigate legal and regulatory hurdles, and develop the financial and operational strategies that allow creative enterprises to grow. In many cases, they are the steady hands helping entertainment companies manage uncertainty while positioning themselves for future opportunity.

This year’s edition recognizes a distinguished group of advisors and executives whose expertise continues to shape the direction of the entertainment industry.

Representing a wide range of disciplines and specialties, these professionals exemplify innovation, leadership and a deep commitment to the success of their clients and organizations.

Arranged alphabetically, the individuals profiled in the following pages have earned the respect of peers throughout the Southern California entertainment community and beyond. Their contributions may not always play out on screen or on stage, but their influence is woven into the business decisions and strategic thinking that power the industry every day.

Simply put, while audiences see the finished product, these visionaries help make it all possible.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Addie ALLISON EVP & Chief Operating Officer

First Entertainment Credit Union

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ddie Allison is the executive vice president and chief operating officer at First Entertainment Credit Union.

She spearheads the operational trajectory of the entertainment industry’s primary financial partner by managing the infrastructure for a diverse member base of creative professionals. Leveraging over three decades of financial sector expertise, Allison catalyzed a comprehensive digital transformation that integrated automated platforms to optimize member efficiency and long-term institutional agility. Her execution became critical during the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes where she directed over $1 million in monthly financial relief to affected members. This commitment to the creative community persists through her philanthropic leadership as she orchestrated $75,000 in wildfire recovery donations.

E

ntertainment business manager at Abacus Financial Business Management Belva Anakwenze drives aggressive revenue growth and operational expansion for a premier client roster, including Jay Ellis and Kevin Frazier.

She commands a 25-year record of success in the financial sector where she translates complex economic concepts into actionable guidance for global creative entrepreneurs.

This expertise extends to media production through her financial show The Earn Up which she executive produces in partnership with Patreon to deliver financial literacy to the creative class. Leveraging her background as a former Disney financial analyst and SEC auditor, Anakwenze implements rigorous accounting practices that have historically saved internal teams 10 man-hours per account reconciliation. She champions financial education for youth as a board member for Junior Achievement Southern California and a mentor for the UCLA Black Business Student Association.

Jill BASINGER Partner & Chair, Media, Entertainment & Sports Litigation Practice

Stris & Maher LLP

Belva ANAKWENZE Entertainment Business Manager

Abacus Financial Business Management

M Maribeth ANNAGUEY Managing Partner

Annaguey McCann LLP

anaging partner of Annaguey McCann LLP Maribeth Annaguey advocates for high-profile entertainers and real estate entities facing significant reputational threats and high-stakes partnership disputes. She utilizes two decades of litigation strength to resolve complex breach of contract claims and defamation allegations for creative entrepreneurs. This expertise in dispute resolution extends to Annaguey’s deep involvement in the Southern California legal community where she provides discreet counsel to public figures. Leveraging a record of professional excellence, she served as the editorin-chief of the Southern California Law Review and earned recognition as a Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyer in America.

She fosters Latina leadership through her service on the board of directors for Hispanas Organized for Political Equality and as a founding board member of the nonprofit Extera Public Schools.

J

ill Basinger is a partner and chair of the Entertainment, Media, and Spor ts Litigation Practice at Stris & Maher LLP. She commands a reputation as a go-to litigator for Hollywood’s most consequential disputes. Drawing on her decade-long tenure at Glaser Weil and subsequent role as Chief Legal Officer for Discovery Land Company, she represents agencies, studios, production companies, talent, executives, investors, media organizations, and other prominent industry participants in high-stakes disputes.

Her practice extends to matters that play out behind closed doors and in front-page news alike. She is currently serving as the public face of Kathy Ireland’s $100 million lawsuit against the former managers of her international business empire, where Basinger has become a regular presence in national media coverage of the dispute.

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ecipient of widespread acclaim for pioneering a liquidity marketplace for entertainment royalties, Steven E. Blume is the co-founder, COO and CFO of Content Partners. He manages a global investment firm that has deployed nearly $2 billion in capital to acquire more than 600 films and 3,000 hours of television programming. This financial stewardship extends to the acquisition of the Saw horror franchise and co-ownership of the CSI television library, representing a collective global box office of more than $33 billion. Leveraging his previous experience as CFO for Brillstein-Grey Management, Blume provides financial certainty to major estates and institutions by assuming longterm performance risk on landmark intellectual property.

He contributes to the academic community by teaching film finance at the USC School of Cinema Arts and UCLA.

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Loren BOUCHARD Showrunner, Animator and Writer

Lee BRENNER Partner

Steven E. BLUME Co-Founder, COO & CFO

Content Partners

oren Bouchard is the creator and executive producer of Fox’s Emmy Award-winning “Bob’s Burgers,” currently airing its 16th season and renewed through season 19. A cornerstone of modern animated comedy, the series has earned two Emmys for Outstanding Animated Program and received nominations for 14 consecutive years. Since its 2011 debut, “Bob’s Burgers” has built a devoted worldwide fanbase and become a cultural touchstone, praised for its signature blend of offbeat humor, emotional storytelling and authentic family dynamics. Bouchard also co-wrote “The Bob’s Burgers Movie” with longtime collaborator Nora Smith and is the co-creator of the Emmy-nominated animated musical comedy “Central Park” for Apple TV+, as well as the executive producer of Fox’s “The Great North.” He began his career in Boston, where he served as an editor, writer and producer on the groundbreaking animated series “Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.”

P

Venable LLP

artner at Venable LLP Lee Brenner leads the firm’s Entertainment and Media Litigation Group while serving on the board of directors. He commands a high-stakes docket focused on defamation, copyright law and intellectual property for leading broadcast entities and movie studios. This expertise extends to secured victories for Paramount Global and Showtime in a $100-million dispute involving finder’s fee claims for the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight which concluded in a 2025 settlement.

Leveraging this record of success, Brenner orchestrated a $4.7-million damage award for 53 plaintiffs in a landmark international defamation campaign. He sustains his commitment to community service by starting Sharing Tables to provide food and necessities to families in need and serving on the advisory board for GriefHaven.

Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom. | LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT 45

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Matthew BURKE Partner, Business Management

Singer Burke, proudly part of Mercer Advisors

P

artner of Business Management at Singer Burke Matthew Burke spearheads the financial stewardship for the industry’s elite showrunners, actors and media executives. He facilitated the October 2025 acquisition of his firm

by Mercer Global Advisors, where he now serves as the cornerstone of a specialized national practice managing over $80 billion in client assets.

This transition extends his interdisciplinary model of wealth management, tax, and business management to an enterprise scale while maintaining the high-touch relationships that earned him recognition as a visionary financier.

Leveraging over 42 years of industry experience, Burke navigates clients through complex market transformations, including the rise of streaming to syndication and franchise eras. He maintains deep community ties by partnering with nonprofits, helping build homes for families and serving on the board of TOArts.

Chris CHATHAM Partner

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

P

artner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP Chris Chatham acts as the primary legal architect for global entertainment powerhouses where he has facilitated deals amounting to over $10 billion in total value. He orchestrates the creator economy strategy for Logan Paul, including a landmark $32.5-million real estate acquisition and the $1.2-billion annual sales launch of the energy drink brand PRIME. This expertise extends to the development of scripted content through the HYBE America partnership for Alan Chikin Chow. Leveraging his reputation as a top content creator lawyer, Chatham manages the legal affairs for the Vince Zampella Estate and oversees the 40-season broadcast monetization for the series COPS. He maintains industrial leadership as a member of the Law360 Media & Entertainment Editorial Board.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

P

rimary architect of the legal framework for the 2025 Berlin Film Festival winner “Blue Moon,” Lisa Callif is a partner at Donaldson Callif Perez LLP. She directs rights acquisition and clearance strategies for high-stakes projects, including the Sundance Award-winner “Didi” and John Early’s “Maddie’s Secret.” This expertise extends to the intersection of artificial intelligence and personal rights where she advises leading studios, like Asteria and XTR, on development and distribution deals. Leveraging her reputation as the nation’s primary fair use authority, Callif provides production counsel for the Emmy-winning “Pee Wee as Himself.” She supports the creative infrastructure by providing pro bono legal guidance to industry organizations, including Film Independent and the University Film and Video Association.

Christina CHANG Partner

Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Lisa CALLIF Partner

Donaldson Callif Perez LLP

L Leif CERVANTES DE REINSTEIN Partner, Entertainment, Sports & Media Group Co-Chair

O’Melveny & Myers LLP

eif Cervantes de Reinstein is a partner and co-chair of the Entertainment, Sports & Media Group at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. He acts as a primary deal strategist for major studios and streamers by negotiating high-stakes equity and licensing deals. This expertise extends to the Taylor Sheridan franchise where he manages finance and production operations for Paramount Pictures titles, including “Landman” and “The Madison.” Leveraging nearly 30 years of M&A experience, Reinstein navigated a groundbreaking multimedia deal for 101 Studios with NBCUniversal. He counsels Legendary Pictures on intellectual property matters for the “Street Fighter” film and the Monarch series at Apple TV+.

He facilitates international content acquisitions for European and Asian institutions entering the domestic marketplace during an era of global consolidation.

P

artner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP Christina Chang directs the expansive international portfolio of filmmaker Tim Burton by managing the Labyrinth blockbuster exhibition, which has drawn over 600,000 global attendees. She provided end-to-end counsel to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Amazon Prime Video documentary “Raise the Flags.” This expertise extends to the creator economy where she negotiated breakout agreements for Netflix star Harry Jowsey and beauty advocate Aditya Madiraju.

Leveraging her reputation as a trusted advisor to marquee talent, Chang structures investment opportunities for Maggie Q and manages complex trademark strategies across domestic and Asian markets. She serves as a member of the Sports Law Association and provides legal oversight for the national cultural event Freely Fest.

P

aul Chen is a partner at EY and leads strategic advisory services for global technology and media giants where he navigates high-stakes mergers and acquisitions within the California business ecosystem. This expertise extends to his role as the lead partner overseeing the ballot process for recent Emmy Awards ceremonies which underscores the trust placed in his financial precision by the entertainment elite. Leveraging this record of success, Chen directs complex strategic transformations that fuel industrial growth across the Southern California tech corridor. He advocates for child welfare as a member of the board of directors for Children’s Bureau and supports regional academic excellence on the board of trustees for Chadwick School. He maintains a massive professional footprint by serving on the SEC and Financial Reporting Institute Advisory Council at USC.

P Shaun CLARK Partner

Sheppard

Charlie COLLIER President

Paul CHEN Partner

EY

artner at Sheppard Shaun Clark orchestrates high-profile intellectual property acquisitions and complex financing relationships for major studios and global brands.

He recently represented Anthem Sports & Entertainment in the April 2025 sale of Gravitas Ventures to Shout! Studios to optimize cross-channel content monetization. This expertise extends to public interest journalism through his leadership of Hillspire’s majority interest acquisition in Jigsaw Productions. Leveraging this record of success, Clark facilitated a multi-year sponsorship and exclusive broadcast deal between QVC and USA Pickleball. He has also successfully negotiated complex bankruptcy filings for Thrill Intermediate to protect assets, including the series Ridiculousness in September 2025. He fosters the growth of national sports infrastructure as a founding member of the Southern California U.S. Soccer Development Council.

46 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

P

Roku

resident of Roku Charlie Collier directs the operational strategy for the top-ranked TV streaming platform in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has cemented The Roku Channel as the premier free ad-supported service in America where it represents nearly 3% of all domestic television viewing.

This leadership extends to technical integration through a milestone partnership with Amazon DSP which allows advertisers to reach a massive footprint of 80 million authenticated CTV households. Leveraging this record of success, Collier transformed Roku City into a programmable stage for global events, including live content celebrating the theatrical release of Wicked. He drives massive viewer engagement through record-breaking Roku Originals, like “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross,” which secured an immediate series renewal.

D I S N E Y C O N G R AT U L AT E S

RITA FERRO

for her recognition as a 2026 Entertainment Visionary

by LA Times Studios

©Disney

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Jacqueline COMBS

Partner, Matrimonial & Family Law

LA TIMES STUDIOS

R

Blank Rome LLP

J

acqueline Combs is a partner in the matrimonial and family law practice at Blank Rome LLP. She manages a sophisticated docket involving high-profile high-prof ile actors with complex corporate and intellectual property matters, as well as high-net-worth tech executives and professional athletes in matrimonial and paternity actions. This expertise extends to sensitive matrimonial matters where she successfully negotiated a five-year five-year permanent restraining order to protect high-profile high-profile clients from volatile domestic environments. Leveraging this record of advocacy, Combs serves as a thought leader in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and the National Law Journal regarding evolving matrimonial trends. She contributes significant significant pro bono hours to Bet Tzedek by assisting transgender individuals with legal name and gender changes and volunteers as a VAST mediator for for the LA Family Law Court.

ecipient of three Emmy Awards and two Peabody Awards, R.J. Cutler is the founder founder of of This Machine.

He directs a premier production entity specializing in high-impact documentary content, including “Elton John: Never Too Late” and the Academy Award-nominated “The War Room.” This creative dominance extends to the executive production of premium scripted and unscripted television programs ffor or major networks, such as “Nashville” and “Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul.” Leveraging a 30-year record of cinematic success, Cutler pioneered new storytelling models through his partnership with Sony Non-Fiction Television to develop a diverse global content slate.

R Robert DARWELL Head of Global Media

Sheppard

Ian EDDLESTON Partner

R.J. CUTLER Founder

This Machine

obert Darwell is the head of of global media at Sheppard.

He oversees an elite team o off 28 attorneys managing complex production and rights agreements for global powerhouses, such as Amazon MGM Studios and Disney.

This leadership extends to orchestrating landmark corporate transactions, including the $8.5-billion acquisition of MGM and Comcast’s historic acquisition of NBCUniversal.

Leveraging a 38-year record of legal innovation, Darwell currently manages multi-year film film partnerships for industry titans and first-look first-look deals for for Phoebe Waller-Bridge. He fosters global media literacy through his service on the Harvard Law School Film Society Board of of Advisors and as a judge for the 2026 GI Film Festival. He maintains a massive influence influence on the international circuit and is often invited to speak at multiple film film festivals, festivals, including ones located in Toronto, Zurich, Havana, Beijing, Shanghai and Rome.

P

EY

artner at EY Ian Eddleston leads the firm’s firm’s media and entertainment practice while spearheading the audit operations for for two of the world’s largest streaming services.

He pioneered the industry’s inaugural accounting processes for for streaming revenue models and content valuation during the sector's infancy. This expertise extends to the coordination of multi-billion dollar cross-border acquisitions as the former global media and entertainment assurance leader. Leveraging a 38-year career that includes tenures at major studios and independent film film entities, Eddleston ensures financial financial transparency for organizations navigating massive industrial consolidation. He sustains a 15-year commitment to regional environmental preservation by serving on the executive committee and chairing the finance finance committee f for or Heal the Bay. He maintains influence influence on financial financial leadership as a long-standing member of of the Loyola Marymount University accounting advisory board.

Congratulations to our partners Arash Khalili, Scott Edel and Ivy Kagan Bierman on being named 2026 Entertainment Visionaries by LA Times Studios.

We applaud your leadership, innovation and impact across the entertainment industry and beyond.

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ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Scott EDEL Chair, Entertainment

Loeb & Loeb LLP

S

cot t Edel is the chair of entertainment at Loeb & Loeb.

He acts as the primary deal architect for Alcon Entertainment where he manages the development and distribution of flagship properties, including the television series “Blade Runner 2099” and the animated Garfield feature. This expertise in high-stakes structuring extends to a distribution agreement for BBC Studios with Disney for an animated feature-length motion picture based on the record-setting Bluey franchise and mobile gaming negotiations for Supercell Oy with Netflix regarding Clash of Clans. Leveraging nearly four decades of industry experience, Edel manages a premier roster of film composers, including Brian Tyler and Bear McCreary to navigate complex music publishing transactions. He successfully concluded the $400-million asset purchase of Village Roadshow through a contested Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

L

eading lawyer in his field Hardy Ehlers is of counsel at Covington & Burling LLP. He currently directs the defense for TikTok against high-stakes lawsuits filed by multiple state attorneys general regarding platform disclosures and mature content. This expertise in intellectual property enforcement extends to his successful representation of Netflix in a contract dispute with Evil Genius Games involving the Rebel Moon franchise. Leveraging a record of creative advocacy, Ehlers co-led the litigation team that secured a global settlement for Universal, Warner and Sony in one of the largest copyright cases in history against major ISPs. He contributes to the legal community by developing First Amendment strategies and mentorship programs for emerging litigators within the California Bar.

Rita FERRO President, Global Advertising

The Walt Disney Company

Hardy EHLERS Of Counsel

Covington & Burling LLP

D David C. EISMAN Partner

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

avid C. Eisman is a partner at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. He serves as the head of the global Media and Entertainment Group where he directs massive industrial consolidations, including the $775-million sale of Downtown Music Group to Virgin Music Group. This expertise extends to the sports sector where he facilitated the $112.7-million acquisition of Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation and the technical partnership between Kiro Race Co and Porsche. Leveraging this record of success, Eisman managed the high-profile joint venture between Parkwood Ventures and Moët Hennessy to launch the ultra-premium SirDavis Whiskey brand. He maintains his status as an industry leader through his role on the UCLA Entertainment Symposium Advisory Board and as a pro bono coordinator for the firm’s Los Angeles office.

A

s t h e president of Global Adver tising at The Walt Disney Company, Rita Ferro leads a multibillion-dollar global business at the intersection of storytelling and data innovation. She commands a streaming infrastructure of over 164 million global ad-supported users while delivering more than 200,000 hours of premium content to advertisers. This expertise extends to the high-stakes sports market where Ferro secured nearly $4 billion in volume and 69 multiyear deals for marquee properties, including Monday Night Football.

Leveraging this record of performance, she directed the complete sellout of the 98th Oscars while achieving double-digit growth in ad rates year over year. She champions the next generation of industry standards as the chair of the Ad Council Board of Directors and a board member for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR

2026 Entertainment Business Visionaries

by LA Times Studios

Matthew Burke

Elaina Kogan

Richard Singer

818.654.4480 | merceradvisors.com 6345 Balboa Blvd., Bldg. 4, Suite 375 | Encino, CA 91316 Singer Burke is a tradename of Mercer Advisors. “Mercer Advisors” is a brand name used by several affiliated legal entities owned by Mercer Advisors, Inc., including, Mercer Global Advisors, Inc., an SEC registered investment adviser; Mercer Advisors Private Asset Management, Inc., an SEC registered investment adviser; Mercer Advisors Tax Services LLC; Heim, Young and Associates, Inc., (MA Brokerage Solutions); and Mercer Advisors Insurance Services LLC.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PARTNERS FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS 2026 ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

BY LA TIMES STUDIOS.

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ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Jonathan FITZGARRALD Managing Partner

Equinox Strategy Partners

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anaging par tner of Equinox Strategy Partners Jonathan Fitzgarrald empowers under valued professionals to drive revenue growth and enhance market visibility across the entertainment landscape. He utilizes a proprietary Moneyball-inspired strategy to coach talent agents and producers in building resilient networks and securing high-value creative opportunities. This expertise extends to the media sector where he serves as a frequent commentator for The Wall Street Journal and CBS Evening News on business development trends. Leveraging his record of coaching success, Fitzgarrald facilitates specialized guidance for business managers to optimize client portfolios and scale production ventures. He sustains his commitment to community advocacy as a former board member for Raise A Child where he worked to identify forever families for at-risk youth in foster care.

Tamerlin (Tammy) GODLEY Partner, Chair of Entertainment Litigation Practice

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

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s one of the industry's foremost litigators, Tamerlin Godley is a partner and chair of the entertainment litigation practice at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. She excels at managing complex business disputes and sensitive investigations for major studios and networks as well as Fortune 500 companies. This expertise extends to federal copyright defense for Pacsun against Warner Music Group and copyright litigation for cryptocurrency gaming site Mobland. Leveraging this record of success, Godley navigates the highstakes Hsieh Estate litigation and leads executive misconduct investigations overseas. She advocates for educational equity as a co-founder of Public Funds Public Schools and chairs the USC Intellectual Property Institute. She maintains a commitment to regional community development as the secretary of the board for the Los Angeles Review of Books.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

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artner at Miller Barondess, LLP Alexander (Sasha) Frid leads the firm’s entertainment practice as a primary trial attorney for high-profile music industry litigation. He recently secured a complete defense victory for Mötley Crüe in a three-year arbitration where he successfully upheld the termination of former guitarist Mick Mars as an officer and a director for legal cause. This expertise extends to criminal contempt proceedings where he obtained a 689-day prison sentence for a stalker of Nikki Sixx in a landmark digital conduct case. Leveraging this record of success, Frid vacated an $11.2-million judgment for Trey Songz and currently represents RSM Publishing LLC and Universal Music Group in copyright defense against claims involving Bad Bunny’s hit track "Enséñame a Bailar." He advocates for underprivileged youth through his previous board service with the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and raises funds for cancer research.

Jonathan GLICKMAN Chief Executive Officer

Alexander (Sasha) FRID Partner

Miller Barondess, LLP

P Patricia L. GLASER Partner & Chair of the Litigation Department

Glaser Weil

artner and chair of the Litigation Department at Glaser Weil Patricia L. Glaser directs a powerhouse practice of over 60 attorneys specializing in high-stakes commercial disputes for global entertainment icons. She succeeded in a high-profile marital contract lawsuit against David Geffen where the plaintiff dropped the lawsuit and currently represents veteran producer Karyn McCarthy in a breach of contract action against Lucasfilm. This expertise extends to the music sector where Glaser successfully settled a multiparty dispute for record producer Joshua Coleman following a denied summary judgment motion. Leveraging a 53-year tenure in the industry, she counsels prominent philanthropists on complex fiduciary breaches and intentional financial misconduct cases involving multimillion-dollar assets. She holds the distinction of being the sole recipient of the 2026 Variety Power of Law Award.

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rchestrating the strategic evolution of an iconic independent studio, Jonathan Glickman is the chief executive officer at Miramax. He directs the development of a massive content slate including the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Roofman and the upcoming sixth installment of the “Scary Movie” franchise. This expertise extends to global franchise management where he facilitated the sequel to The Beekeeper following its $162-million worldwide box office success. Leveraging a 25-year career as a premier producer, Glickman recently secured English-language remake rights to the hit How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and formed a landmark partnership with the Doha Film Institute to support premium Arabic-language scripted content. He supports global cultural preservation through his service on the board of the National Archives Foundation.

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eggie Gooden is the founder and CEO of 360 Business Management. He directs a specialized firm headquartered in Woodland Hills that services the business and accounting needs of elite entertainers and high-net-worth individuals. This expertise extends to investment strategy where his Series 65 securities license enables the execution of sophisticated wealth-building maneuvers for a global client base. Leveraging this record of financial stewardship, Gooden expanded the firm’s operations in 2025 by integrating a high-profile roster of professional athletes into the corporate portfolio. His strategic leadership has secured recurring recognition for the firm across premier industry publications, including “Billboard” and “The Hollywood Reporter.”

P Sarah L. GRAHAM Partner

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Ilan HAIMOFF Partner, Entertainment Practice Leader

Reggie GOODEN Founder & CEO

360 Business Management

artner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Sarah L. Graham serves as a primary advisor to global giants in the media, entertainment and technology sectors. She orchestrates complex transactions for high-profile clients, including Peter Chernin’s North Road Company and Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group. This expertise extends to the consumer brand sector where she navigated the strategic joint venture between Lobos 1707 and Diageo. Leveraging this record of success, Graham managed the high-stakes merger between The Spring Hill Company and Fulwell 73 to form a global production powerhouse. She demonstrates civic leadership by advising the Friends of Malibu Urgent Care Center and serving on the Malibu Elementary School PTA. She maintains professional dominance as a recurring honoree on the Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America list.

52 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

Miramax

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GHJ

lan Haimof f is the partner and entertainment practice leader at GHJ. He commands over three decades of expertise in profit participation and forensic accounting to ensure financial transparency for major and mini studios. This specialized scrutiny extends to the media landscape through his Media Clips podcast where he has produced over 70 episodes featuring high-level conversations with industry titans. Leveraging this record of success, Haimoff anchors his leadership in the GHJ mentorship program to train the next generation of forensic accountants in navigating complex royalty licensing. He sustains his commitment to the creative economy as a member of the USC Institute on Entertainment Law and Business Planning Committee. He also maintains an active influence on the California State University Chancellor’s Advisory Council to align academic programs with industrial needs.

Jill Basinger 2026 Entertainment Visionary LA Times STUDIOS

Congratulations from your partners

www.stris.com

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Claire J. HALL Partner & Co-Head, Structured Finance

DLA Piper

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artner and co -head of Structured Finance at DLA Piper Claire J. Hall spearheads a global music rights finance practice that has orchestrated over $5 billion in transactions for elite institutional clients. She pioneered the market for music asset-backed securities by representing Concord in a landmark $1.765-billion securitization involving copyrights from Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift. This financial engineering extends to the independent sector where she managed an $80-million debut ABS for Duetti to democratize catalog monetization for emerging artists. Leveraging this record of performance, Hall secured a $600-million revolving warehouse facility to fuel expanded asset acquisitions across diverse creative genres.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

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ounder and chief research scientist of the USC Race and Equity Center Dr. Shaun Harper provides strategic culture assessments for global entertainment giants, including NBCUniversal and Amazon Music. He commands a reputation as the primary expert for organizational recovery efforts following high-profile racial crises at major media outlets and production houses. The center he founded at USC is the diversity, equity and inclusion strategy architect and implementation partner for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic games. Leveraging a record of academic and corporate influence, he delivered comprehensive professional learning training to elite Los Angeles entertainment law firms to modernize industrial leadership standards. He maintains massive institutional influence by procuring over $51 million in grants and investments to fund large-scale equity implementation projects.

Partner

Barnes & Thornburg LLP

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ecognized as a leading authority on content distribution and corporate financings, Carolyn Hunt is a partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP. She has handled nearly $1.5 billion in production loans and tax credit incentive monetizations, including clients Lionsgate and IMAX. This expertise extends to the international sector where she facilitated production loans for major European features, including “Day Drinker” and Netflix’s “French Lover.” Leveraging three decades of experience, Hunt orchestrated corporate facilities for Fallbrook Films and secured distribution deals for “World Breaker” through Peachtree Media Capital. She maintains an active civic presence on the board of the Heartland Film Festival and the board of governors for Cedars-Sinai. She holds the distinction of closing multiple entertainment corporate facilities for Lionsgate throughout 2025 to fuel its ongoing production slate.

SVP & Head of the Entertainment Industries Group

Bank of America

Dr. Shaun HARPER Provost Professor; USC Race and Equity Center's Founder and Chief Research Scientist

University of Southern California

P Ellie HEISLER Partner

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Carolyn HUNT

Randy HUA

artner of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP Ellie Heisler serves as a primary architect for commercially sophisticated creators and digital-first media companies within the modern entertainment landscape. She manages the lifecycle of company formation and commercialization for elite talent, including Alan Chikin Chow and Matty Matheson. This expertise extends to the high-stakes crossover of digitally native talent into traditional platforms where she negotiated major deals with Netflix and orchestrated the successful sale of the social commerce platform Orca.

Leveraging this record of strategic brand counsel, Heisler protects the long-term value of enterprises that collectively command hundreds of millions of global subscribers. She provides pro bono intellectual property counsel to If You Heard What I Heard to preserve the stories of Holocaust survivors and combat antisemitism through education.

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teve Hurdle is a partner in the corporate and financial services department and the entertainment transactions practice at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. He advises investors and companies on mergers and transformative joint ventures across the media and technology sectors. Hurdle recently orchestrated the March 2026 sale of Ben Affleck’s filmmaking technology company InterPositive to Netflix and managed the $165-million minority investment in Create Music Group. This expertise extends to his representation of Shadow Lion, the entertainment and marketing studio co-founded by Tom Brady, in its strategic investment from Fox Sports. Leveraging this record of success, he structures capital raises for independent production companies, such as Artists Equity and 101 Studios.

M Alan IOSUE Manager

Withum

Nina JACOBSON CEO & Founder

Steve HURDLE Partner, Corporate & Financial Services

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

anager in the Los Angeles office of Withum Alan Iosue manages complex target capital structures and special allocations for the theatre and arts sectors. He develops forward-looking tax strategies to maximize deductions and operational efficiencies for production companies and professional athletes. Iosue recently performed a comprehensive review of an entertainment client’s tax return to uncover $65,000 in savings through previously overlooked R&D and PTE tax credits. This expertise extends to the global workforce as he leads training initiatives for the firm’s staff in both the United States and India. Leveraging this record of technical excellence, he provides strategic guidance on wealth protection through published insights for the Withum professional audience. Iosue serves as the CFO of the Strong Community Foundation and organizes care package donations for the Foster Children’s Resource Center.

54 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

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ver seeing the addition of over $800 million in loan commitments within a single year, Randy Hua is the senior vice president and head of the entertainment industries group at Bank of America. He directs client relationships and credit transactions for premier film production companies, talent agencies and music publishing firms. Hua oversees co-financing transactions for studio films exceeding $100 million and the development of novel facilities allowing borrowing against digital music royalties. With 28 years of industry experience, Hua navigated the firm through historic labor strikes and global market disruptions while maintaining double-digit growth and stability in market and personnel. He supports the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association as a former board member and champions regional youth athletics through the Crescenta Valley High School cross country program.

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Color Force

EO and founder of Color Force Nina Jacobson produces some of the most commercially successful franchises in cinematic history. She launched her independent production entity following a distinguished tenure as president of the Walt Disney Motion Picture Group where she oversaw 15 projects that grossed over $100 million domestically. Jacobson manages a global film and television slate that includes the $3.3-billion “Hunger Games” franchise and the critically acclaimed series “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” This artistic dominance extends to current collaborations with Ryan Murphy on the FX adaptation of “The Shards” and the upcoming theatrical prequel “Sunrise on the Reaping.” Leveraging this record of producing excellence, she transitioned the company into a leading developer of premium limited series for major streaming platforms.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Dallas JENKINS Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, Executive Producer

5&2 Studios

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allas Jenkins, chairman and chief creative officer at 5&2 Studios, oversees the global production of “The Chosen” and its top-10 animated spin-off “The Chosen Adventures” on Prime Video. In 2026, the first season of “The Chosen” was awarded the Guinness World Record for the most translated season of a streaming series being available in 125 languages (58 dubbed, 86 subbed).

His expertise also extends to theatrical distribution through the $60-million box office success of “The Chosen: Last Supper” and the critical acclaim of Lionsgate's “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Leveraging this record of performance, Jenkins manages a 25-year career directing faith-based entertainment that has reached 270 million viewers worldwide. He maintains massive industrial influence by expanding his 80,000 square foot studio facility to support original unscripted and scripted programming.

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ariety500 honoree Carlos Jimenez is the global head of media, sports and entertainment at Moelis & Company. He orchestrated over $125 billion in total deal volume over the past two years, including the $28.1-billion merger between Skydance and Paramount. This expertise extends to the professional sports landscape through the record-setting minority stake sale of the New York Giants and TKO Group’s $3.3-billion acquisition of Professional Bull Riders and IMG from Endeavor Group. Leveraging this record of success, Jimenez guides institutional investors through high-profile leveraged buyouts and transformative restructurings within the digital media sector. He champions diversity in finance as the senior sponsor of the Latino and Hispanic & Allies Employee Network where he mentors early-career professionals entering senior leadership roles.

I Ivy Kagan BIERMAN Chair, Entertainment Labor

Loeb & Loeb LLP

Michael David KARLIN Founding Partner

NKSFB, LLC

Carlos JIMENEZ Global Head of Media, Sports & Entertainment

Moelis & Company

vy Kagan Bierman is the chair of entertainment labor at Loeb & Loeb LLP. She facilitates ethical AI integration and high-stakes labor negotiations for production companies, such as Flawless AI and StorylinerAI. This expertise extends to industrial policy through her work with Mayor Karen Bass on the Entertainment Industry Counsel Workplace Development Subcommittee to expand job opportunities for marginalized communities in Los Angeles. Leveraging this record of advocacy, Bierman conducts Respect in the Workplace and PGA Set Etiquette trainings for talent agencies and production companies and works with film producers regarding their PGA Producers Mark applications, which creates eligibility for an Academy Award. She also fosters professional development as the co-founder of GreenLight Women and serves on the regional board of the Anti-Defamation League.

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ichael David Karlin, founding partner at NKSFB, LLC, has spent 50 years in the business management industry, including 45 years with the firm.

He manages the financial and business affairs of high-net-worth clients spanning entertainment, real estate and executive leadership, with expertise in financial planning, cash flow management, tax planning, contract review and generational planning.

Karlin graduated from the University of Southern California and was chosen as the Commencement speaker for USC Leventhal’s School of Accounting in both 2010 and 2025. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, as well as Westcoast Sports Associates, SYDA Foundation and Matthew Silverman Memorial Foundation, and the Board of Advisors of the University of Southern California Leventhal School of Accounting.

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Arash KHALILI Firmwide Co-Chair & Current Co-Chair of the Corporate & Capital Markets Department

Loeb & Loeb

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rash Khalili is the f irmwide co-chair and co-chair of the corporate and capital markets depar tment at Loeb & Loeb. He orchestrates high-stakes mergers and strategic brand partnerships for iconic figures, including Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood. This expertise extends to the professional sports sector where he managed Dwyane Wade’s ownership acquisitions in the Utah Jazz and Chicago Sky. Leveraging this record of success, Khalili represented Big Loud Records in the sale of a minority stake in Morgan Wallen’s master existing recording catalog (pre-2025) to Chord Music Partners, an independent music rights portfolio fund. He directs complex cross-border media rights negotiations for professional athletes, such as Chet Holmgren, Dylan Harper, and Naomi Osaka.

Peter KLASS Partner, Profit Participation Services Practice Leader

GHJ

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eter Klass is a partner and prof i t p articipation services practice leader at GHJ. He directs an elite team of forensic accountants specializing in complex profit-sharing arrangements and contract compliance for Los Angeles’ primary studios and talent. This expertise extends to the strategic expansion of the firm through Klass’ instrumental role in the acquisition of Hacker, Douglas and Company to deepen GHJ’s litigation support capabilities. He provides technical guidance on studio accounting as a co-author of the definitive industry text Movie Money. He contributes to the regional education system as a guest lecturer for the Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution and Pepperdine University. Klass sustains a commitment to local community welfare by organizing donation drives for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Los Angeles.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

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ounder and CEO of Reservoir Media Golnar Khosrowshahi leads the first female-founded independent music company to go public in the United States. She manages a diverse portfolio of master recordings and copyrights ranging from Joni Mitchell to the catalog of Miles Davis. This expertise extends to emerging global markets through the launch of PopIndia and strategic joint ventures with major Jamaican publishers. Leveraging a record of industrial disruption, Khosrowshahi orchestrated a landmark publishing deal with Snoop Dogg and Death Row Records covering domestic rights for his entire creative output. She advocates for equitable songwriter compensation as vice chair of the National Music Publishers’ Association and a director for the S.O.N.G.S. Foundation. She maintains a dominant position in the sector after being named to the Billboard 2026 Power List.

Yongsoo KIM President

WEBTOON Entertainment

Golnar KHOSROWSHAHI Founder & CEO

Reservoir Media

P Nary KIM Partner

Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP

artner at Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP Nary Kim develops winning case strategies for major film studios and recording labels in high-stakes litigation. She commanded the defense for Paramount and Skydance in a $500-million lawsuit alleging breach of licensing agreements for the South Park franchise. This expertise extends to significant copyright victories, including the dismissal of the child pornography case involving the Nirvana “Nevermind” album cover. Leveraging this record of success, Kim secured consecutive anti-SLAPP dismissals for Netflix and Condé Nast involving the docuseries “Last Chance U.” She mentors first-generation professionals and women of color while serving on the board of directors for Public Counsel. She maintains industrial influence as a member of the bench and bar committee for the Los Angeles Superior Court.

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eading transactional attorney Robb Klein is a partner at Sheppard where he orchestrates high-profile financing and licensing deals for international powerhouses, including Toho Co. Ltd and CTS Eventim. This expertise extends to global distribution through his representation of ITV Studios in the February 2025 acquisition of rights to 2,000 hours of Vice Media content. Leveraging a 34-year career as a solicitor in England and Wales, Klein facilitated Toho’s $225-million acquisition of a significant stake in Fifth Season to expand its premium production slate. He provides strategic counsel to independent financiers, such as Ashland Hill Media Finance by negotiating nine-figure credit facilities for major feature film packages. He supports the Southern California legal ecosystem by serving on the organizing committee of the UCLA Entertainment Symposium.

P Elaina KOGAN Partner, Tax Services

Singer Burke, proudly part of Mercer Advisors

Steven KRAM Co-Founder & CEO

Content Partners

Robb KLEIN Partner

Sheppard

artner of Tax Services at Singer Burke, Elaina Kogan leads tax compliance and strategy for high-net-worth clients in the entertainment industry. Her firm was acquired in October 2025 by Mercer Global Advisors, a national Registered Investment Adviser with more than $80 billion in client assets, with Singer Burke serving as the cornerstone of Mercer’s media, entertainment and creative professionals specialty practice nationwide. This expertise extends to the development of in-house technological solutions that provide precision for ultra-high-net-worth families. Leveraging a record of success dating back to 1999, Kogan navigates clients through complex wealth milestones from script sales to college savings accounts for grandchildren. She supports outreach for Jewish teens through her local synagogue and provides hands-on community service for Hope the Mission and Imagine LA.

56 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

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eading the global digital storytelling revolution, Yongsoo Kim is the president of WEBTOON Entertainment.

He directs a massive ecosystem of 160 million monthly readers and 27 million creators while serving on the firm's board of directors. This leadership extends to the execution of a successful 2024 IPO and a landmark collaboration with The Walt Disney Company to develop a digital comics platform for 35,000 titles. Leveraging this record of industrial growth, Kim pioneered Video Episodes to integrate motion animation and voice acting into the webcomic experience. He facilitates the integration of creator IP into Hollywood through high-profile production partnerships with Netflix and LuckyChap Entertainment. He maintains a dominant market presence by overseeing a creator-driven pipeline that paid out $2.7 billion to global talent between 2021 and 2025.

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o-Founder and CEO of Content Partners Steven Kram manages one of the largest independent entertainment intellectual property portfolios in the world.

He oversees a global content library representing a collective box office value of more than $33 billion, including titles, like “Black Hawk Down” and the “CSI” television franchise. This leadership extends to the strategic acquisition of the “Saw” horror franchise in June 2025 to broaden the firm's presence in the genre market.

Leveraging his previous experience as the COO of the William Morris Agency, Kram transformed content library ownership into a scalable asset class. He oversees the international expansion of legacy IP through projects, like the world premiere of “13 Going on 30 The Musical” at the Manchester Opera House.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Andrew KRAMER Chair, Motion Picture, Television & Entertainment Finance

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

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rchestrating t he sa le of filmmaking technology company InterPositive to Netflix, Andrew Kramer is the chair of motion picture, television and entertainment finance at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. He structures complex transactions for major studios and lenders while managing the firm’s content finance platform. This expertise extends to the high-stakes faith-based market where he represented 5&2 Studios in securing theatrical and U.S. streaming rights for “The Chosen” in connection with Amazon MGM Studios.

Leveraging his previous tenure as the COO of international distribution at Lionsgate, Kramer navigates cross-border licensing deals for independent production hubs such as Artists Equity and 101 Studios. He previously served as General Vice Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA).

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elanie Krinsky is the senior managing director and head of the entertainment and media group at Western Alliance Bank. She founded this strategic division in 2021 to provide critical capital for global production powerhouses, including A24 and Neon. This financial stewardship facilitated the production and distribution of Academy Award Best Picture winners “Anora” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Leveraging four decades of industry leadership, Krinsky expanded the group’s focus in 2025 to integrate music industry clients, including some of the highest-profile artists while increasing net loans outstanding by approximately $400 million. She champions women and diversity in the entertainment industry and supports creative economic stability across California. She maintains a reputation as a primary architect for complex revolving credit facilities and library acquisition deals.

E Marisa LAKE Executive Director

J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Debra Ellwood Meppen for being recognized as a 2026 Entertainment Visionary This recognition is a testament to her decades of legal excellence, commitment to mentorship, and the confidence she inspires in clients and colleagues alike.

grsm.com

Partner

Proskauer Rose LLP

Melanie KRINSKY Senior Managing Director, Head of Entertainment & Media Group

Western Alliance

xecutive director on J.P. Morgan’s Global Corporate Banking Media & Communications team, Marisa Lake leads highly structured financings and advisory assignments for intellectual property content production and distribution companies globally. She specializes in providing investment banking solutions and international capabilities to industry leaders, such as Legendary Entertainment and Skydance Paramount. This financial engineering was instrumental in raising the capital necessary to facilitate the separation of Lionsgate Entertainment and Starz into two separate publicly traded companies in May 2025. Lake fosters professional connectivity through the Female Executives in Media and Entertainment organization by hosting events that provide access to the breadth of J.P. Morgan’s resources.

GRSM IS PROUD TO CONGRATULATE

As the only law firm with offices and attorneys in all 50 states, we provide full-service representation seamlessly across the U.S.

Philippe LEBEL

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artner in the Employment Litigation and Counseling Group of Proskauer Rose LLP Philippe Lebel advises media giants, including NBCUniversal and Fox Corporation on legal and reputational risk. He manages high-stakes Private Attorney General Act claims and sensitive harassment defense for employers operating under significant public scrutiny. This expertise in complex litigation extends to his current representation of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in a sexual harassment lawsuit involving legacy executive conduct. He also sustains a commitment to civil rights through his previous board service for the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and his ongoing work with the LGBT Bar Association.

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

David P. LEFEBVRE Special Counsel

Covington & Burling LLP

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s Special counsel at Covington & Burling LLP David P. Lefebvre advises global media and technology companies on complex distribution frameworks and direct-to-consumer platform integrations. He served as lead counsel to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee for the development and multi-platform distribution of the documentary series “On the Edge: World Cup Ski Racing.” This expertise extends to transformational mergers as he co-led the licensing aspects of Disney’s $8.5-billion joint venture with Reliance Industries in India. Leveraging this record of success, Lefebvre assisted Roku in its $185-million acquisition of the streaming service Frndly TV to expand its domestic content platform. He supports the regional community by representing families in adoption proceedings within the Los Angeles County foster care system and assisting domestic violence survivors with humanitarian visa petitions.

Josh MARTIN Founder, Partner, CPA

Martin Business Management

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osh Martin is the founder, par tner and CPA at Martin Business Management, where he provides integrated financial leadership to a premier roster of professional athletes, chart-topping musicians and digital creators.

He recently served as the financial linchpin for two major digital talent management firms during their landmark eight-figure acquisitions by global media agencies. This expertise extends to high-profile corporate structuring and personal wealth optimization, including a comprehensive restructuring for an A-list actor that eliminated primary debt and generated over $50,000 in monthly post-tax savings. Leveraging this record of success, Martin navigated a 21-year-old creator through a complex all-cash home purchase alongside a synchronized $3-million long-term investment strategy. He channels his professional capital into community leadership through service with the Hollywood Radio & Television Society.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

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hair of West Coast Litigation at Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP, Brent Lehman leads high-stakes disputes involving intellectual property and commercial law. He represents a diverse roster of venture capital investors, major record labels and video game developers in multimillion-dollar courtroom battles. Lehman recently secured a significant federal preliminary injunction for Core Music Group, which prohibited the unauthorized use of the stylized CORE trademark in promotional materials, merchandise, social media and advertising. This expertise in brand protection extends to leading a litigation team focused on achieving decisive outcomes for emerging entertainment companies. He serves on the executive board of the L.A. County Bar Association Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property Section and supports animal welfare by fostering dogs through Hollywood Huskies and volunteering at the Union Rescue Mission.

Jillian Nicole LONDON Partner

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Brent LEHMAN Chair, West Coast Litigation

Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP

S Molly M. LENS Partner, Co-Chair, Entertainment, Sports & Media Group

O’Melveny & Myers LLP

ecuring a published decision from the Ninth Circuit for Paramount regarding the blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick,” Molly M. Lens is the co-chair of the entertainment, sports and media group at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. She represents prominent entities in Hollywood during highstakes copyright and employment litigation which shapes the industrial landscape. This litigation dominance extends to her defense of Netflix against screenplay infringement allegations involving the movie “Rez Ball” and star LeBron James. Leveraging this record of success, Lens represents Disney in a putative class action over a cancelled $1-billion Florida creative campus, where the court agreed with her that the Section 970 double-damages claim was time-barred and dismissed it. She also serves as a trustee for the Los Angeles Copyright Society and provides pro bono counsel for immigration and voting rights initiatives.

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resident at Content Partners John M. Mass leads the strategic acquisition and management of premier cash-flowing intellectual property across the film, television and music sectors. He leverages 40 years of media experience to command an independent portfolio holding more than 700 films and 3,000 hours of television programming. This leadership trajectory supports a global distribution footprint that has generated a collective worldwide box office exceeding $33 billion. Mass sustains this momentum by driving high-profile asset acquisitions, including purchasing the global Saw horror franchise in June 2025 and the Hoodwinked animated catalog in July 2025. He expanded the firm's legacy intellectual property into live theatrical formats by launching the award-nominated world premiere of 13 Going on 30 the Musical. He also holds a definitive industry footprint backed by deploying nearly $2 billion in corporate capital.

P Glen G. MASTROBERTE Partner

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Jordan MATTHEWS Founding Partner

John M. MASS President

Content Partners

artner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Glen G. Mastroberte orchestrates high-stakes corporate transactions related to the financing, production and distribution of global intellectual property assets. He manages an elite entertainment law practice representing iconic industry brands, major studios and multi-platinum music artists, including Drake, Eminem and J. Cole. This expertise extends to landmark cross-border market consolidations, headlined by advising Reliance Industries on its historic $8.5-billion media joint venture with The Walt Disney Company. Leveraging this record of success, Mastroberte directed the Skadden team advising Hailey Bieber’s skincare brand, rhode, during its monumental $1-billion acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty. He channels his civic dedication into hyper-specific advocacy by personally processing cases for Spring Adoption Day and National Adoption Day in partnership with the Alliance for Children's Rights.

58 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

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amed to Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers for two consecutive years, Jillian Nicole London is a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. She serves as a strategist for a media practice where she manages high-visibility entertainment disputes in California. This expertise extends to the intersection of technology and labor where she represents Range Media Partners in a landmark conflict against Creative Artists Agency involving the Talent Agency Act. Leveraging this record of success, London provides counsel to media titans, such as Apple and Warner Bros. on sensitive profit participation claims and First Amendment litigation. She maintains a robust pro bono commitment by filing amicus briefs in the Supreme Court and serving on the Western Justice Center board.

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Holtz Matthews LLP

a v i n g secured more than $10 million in settlements and judgments since 2023, Jordan Matthews is the founding partner at Holtz Matthews LLP. He specializes in high-profile entertainment litigation, crisis management and plaintiff employment mat ters. Mat thews served as lead counsel for the primary witness in the high-stakes Wall Street Journal exposé concerning Steve Wynn, spearheading five years of litigation that directly triggered a record $55 million in fines against Wynn Resorts, and a $10-million fine against Steve Wynn. This expertise extends to high-profile fraud disputes, including his current representation of Priscilla Presley's business partners in a $50-million lawsuit. Leveraging this record of success, he commands active cases across state and federal courts in California, Nevada, Massachusetts and Texas. Matthews channels his civic focus into local athletics by volunteering as a youth soccer coach.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Debra ELLWOOD MEPPEN Partner & Chair of the National Employment Law Practice Group

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Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP

elebrated as a leading force in high-stakes entertainment crisis resolution, Debra Ellwood Meppen is a partner and chair of the National Employment Law Practice Group at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP. She commands three decades of legal experience, advising Hollywood producers, directors, studio executives, talent and their agents during volatile employment disputes.

This expertise extends to firm leadership, where Meppen spearheads the firm's Women's Initiative and co-chairs the Leadership Equality and Diversity Program, accelerating inclusion.

Leveraging this record of success, she handles sensitive, multimillion-dollar cases entirely behind the scenes to protect reputations and avert crises.

She directs her philanthropic commitments by serving on the international board of StandWithUs.

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lissa Miller is a partner at Akin, where she serves as the partner-in-charge of the Los Angeles office and orchestrates capital arrangements for the entertainment sector. She leverages 24 years of experience to direct institutional investments for high-profile clients like A24, Netflix and HarbourView Equity Partners. This expertise extends to market-defining transactions, including navigating a $30-million investment in Lion Forge Entertainment alongside a strategic investment in Issa Rae's management company, ColorCreative. Leveraging this record of success, Miller represents major asset management groups in high-value intellectual property acquisitions, including a $337.5-million rights purchase for multiple long-running television series.

She anchors her pro bono work in historical preservation by securing critical film and photography trademark clearances for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

James MOLEN Partner

Greenberg Glusker

Partner

Akin

T Darrell D. MILLER Managing Partner & Founding Chair of the Entertainment & Sports Law Department

Fox Rothschild

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Alissa MILLER

ransforming high-profile talent brands into lucrative multi-platform revenue streams, Darrell D. Miller is the managing partner and founding chair of the Entertainment & Sports Law Department at Fox Rothschild. He represents Academy Award winners Angela Bassett and Da’Vine Joy Randolph alongside top-tier creators like Taylor Tomlinson. This expertise extends to high-stakes contract negotiations, recently finalizing Tomlinson’s fourth Netflix comedy special and securing a primary cast role for Kam Patterson on Saturday Night Live. Leveraging this record of success, Miller structures comprehensive entertainment partnerships that include major on-camera commercial campaigns for global corporations like Mercedes-Benz and Rubrik. He channels his civic dedication into regional cultural arts infrastructure by serving as the vice chair for the Music Center.

onored as Legal 500’s US Elite in Los Angeles for Media and Entertainment, James Molen is a partner at Greenberg Glusker. He orchestrates high-stakes trial strategies for premier entertainment entities, technology firms and celebrity clients, including Tom Cruise and James Cameron. This expertise extends to complex telecommunications and digital assets, recently securing a historic $33-million recovery for a tech entrepreneur in a landmark SIM swap arbitration against T-Mobile. Leveraging this record of success, Molen handles high-profile intellectual property defenses, including representing Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment in an active copyright action regarding the Avatar franchise. He channels his civic focus into hyper-specific pro bono advocacy by resolving overwhelming tax liabilities for the Inner City Law Center as their pro bono champion.

Celebrating Our Entertainment Visionaries Where Bold Leadership and Innovation Take Center Stage

First Entertainment Credit Union congratulates Addie Allison, Stephen Owen, and Mag Wangsuwana for being recognized as 2026 Entertainment Visionaries by LA Times Studios.

ADDIE ALLISON EVP, Chief Operating Officer

STEPHEN OWEN President & Chief Executive Officer

MAG WANGSUWANA SVP, Chief Financial Officer

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Benjamin MULCAHY Partner & Chair, National Advertising Team

DLA Piper

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enj a m in M ulcahy is the par tner and chair of the National Advertising Team at DLA Piper. He structures marquee sports and entertainment marketing transactions for global consumer brands, streaming services and Hollywood studios. This expertise extends to massive commercial distribution agreements. Leveraging this record of success, Mulcahy negotiates partnerships, including an Apple Studios product integration and promotional rights agreement with Mercedes-Benz and AMG for F1 – The Movie. He provides high-level counsel to professional athletes and sports teams, directing commercial endorsements and TV asset developments for NBA star Victor Wembanyama. He sustains this momentum with historic acquisitions, headlined by finalizing a massive, multi-year $21-billion NBA agreement that accelerates streaming-first distribution.

Stephen OWEN President & CEO

First Entertainment Credit Union

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resident and CEO at First Entertainment Credit Union Stephen Owen leads the premier financial institution dedicated to serving creators and entertainment professionals nationwide. He spearheads the executive development of tailored financial solutions that meet the unique needs of entertainment professionals. This expertise extends to digital banking innovation, highlighted

by Owen’s landmark launch of CineFi, a specialized digital banking platform offering premium deposit products to creative professionals regardless of where they film. Leveraging this record of success, he expands the credit union's market footprint while simultaneously maintaining a toprated corporate workplace culture recognized for operational excellence.

He channels his civic dedication into educational equity by serving on the board for In4All to provide underprivileged students with critical STEM resources.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

F

ounder and managing attorney at Newell Law Group Quincy Newell aligns creative visions with sophisticated legal strategy across the media and technology sectors.

He leverages 35 years of entertainment experience to architect high-level film financing, television development and corporate operations. This expertise extends to commercial content packaging, headlined by forming a non-legal packaging group that secured licensed distribution deals with STARZ and AMC. Leveraging this record of success, Newell structured the corporate launch and underlying intellectual property portfolio for action-focused production banner Tremor House in 2024. This leadership trajectory supports over 20 personal production credits, including major hit comedy releases starring Kevin Hart. He channels his civic dedication into nonprofit community leadership by serving on the board of directors for The Pico Union Project and Us Or Else.

Anthony J. ONCIDI Co-Chair Emeritus, Labor & Employment Law Department

Proskauer Rose LLP

Quincy NEWELL Founder & Managing Attorney

Newell Law Group

C Tim O’BRIEN Chief Revenue Officer

Scopely

hief Revenue Officer of Scopely Tim O'Brien orchestrates global commercial strategy and high-impact entertainment partnerships within the competitive mobile gaming industry. He leverages 30 years of elite media and executive experience to scale an expansive mobile gaming portfolio that commands over 500 million unique players annually across hits like Pokémon GO. This expertise extends to monumental corporate consolidations, headlined by spearheading the massive $3.5-billion acquisition of Niantic's games business. Leveraging this record of success, O'Brien engineered landmark franchise integrations to launch major gaming content based on iconic properties like Star Wars, Hello Kitty and Marvel. He sustains this momentum by driving unprecedented fiscal milestones for the organization, exemplified by directing MONOPOLY GO! to become the fastest mobile game in history to surpass $6 billion in lifetime revenue.

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artner of Dunn, Pariser & Peyrot Mark Pariser engineers multi-generational financial stability for prominent entertainment icons, chart-topping alternative rock bands and elite professional athletes. He aligns complex international tax structuring, venture capital asset entries and trust management under a unified fiscal strategy to protect long-term creative legacies. This expertise extends to high-stakes entertainment bookkeeping, recently establishing the corporate accounting infrastructure for major film finance companies and leading television production teams behind Family Guy. Leveraging this record of success, Pariser manages financial planning for the independent label Up/Down Records while reviewing distributor royalty reports for the platinum-selling band Blue October. He directs his philanthropic efforts toward regional workforce development by volunteering with Manifest Works to support individuals affected by homelessness and foster care.

E James R. PARKS Executive Director

CBIZ

Chris PEREZ Partner

Donaldson Callif Perez LLP

Mark PARISER CPA & Partner

Dunn, Pariser & Peyrot

ngineering the landmark $145-million refinancing of New York's luxury Hotel Barriere Fouquet’s in 2025, James R. Parks is the executive director at CBIZ. He commands more than 45 years of diversified tax, corporate business management and high-stakes entertainment litigation consulting experience. This expertise extends to judicial master appointments, previously serving as a specialized accounting master to the California Superior Court for high-profile motion picture film trials. Leveraging this record of success, Parks orchestrated the financial turnaround of Laser Pacific Media Corporation as its chief executive officer, driving the postproduction company to earn six Emmy Awards before completing its acquisition by Kodak. He directs his monumental philanthropic commitments toward higher education, executing a transformative gift agreement that officially renamed the Jennifer and James R. Parks Master of Business Taxation Program.

60 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

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ecuring precedent-setting results in complex workplace disputes, Anthony J. Oncidi is the co-chair emeritus, labor & employment law department at Proskauer Rose LLP. He leverages 41 years of litigation experience to defend major entertainment studios, television networks and prominent talent agencies. This expertise extends to sensitive executive contract disputes, famously representing Viacom and Paramount Pictures to successfully challenge Netflix for tortious interference and secure a permanent injunction against competitive poaching.

Leveraging this record of success, Oncidi serves as lead employment counsel to the GRAMMY organization, directing multi-decade defense strategies across high-profile litigation and arbitration involving the television industry. He sustains this momentum by defending premier media institutions nationwide, maintaining an unbroken record of advising Fox for over 20 consecutive years.

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artner at Donaldson Callif Perez LLP Chris Perez guides hundreds of content creators through complex rights clearance, copyright and fair use mandates across the entertainment industry. He serves as primary production counsel for high-profile multi-year media properties, headlined by steering Apple's 2025 docuseries on the career of director Martin Scorsese. This expertise extends to cutting-edge First Amendment and artificial intelligence issues, including directing risk assessments for the 2025 SXSW documentary Deepfaking Sam Altman. Leveraging this record of success, Perez navigated the complex legal, defamation and parody clearances required for NEON to secure the February 2026 commercial release of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie. He sustains this momentum by co-authoring text in the newly released fifth edition of Clearance & Copyright, cementing his position as the industry's definitive author on media clearance law.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Alan PERRY Principal

GHJ

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rincipal at GHJ Alan Perry spearheads forensic accounting, contractual revenue analysis and profit participation audits for Hollywood's premier studios and talent blocks. He commands 27 years of specialized entertainment industry experience to translate complex studio data into actionable insights that guarantee absolute contract compliance for creative stakeholders. This expertise extends to sophisticated litigation support and multi-million-dollar royalty dispute resolutions across Southern California's media ecosystem. Leveraging this record of success, Perry preserves financial equity for clients by auditing contractual agreements tied directly to the industry's highest-grossing film and iconic television properties.

He maintains deep professional alignment across the state's financial sector through active memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

A

uthoring the definitive resource on divorce, “Divorce: It’s All About Control,” Stacy Phillips is a partner at Blank Rome LLP. She leverages 42 years of family law experience to navigate complex, high-profile matrimonial disputes and sensitive multi-million-dollar asset divisions across Los Angeles. This expertise extends to statewide legislative reform, headlined by drafting and testifying for California Senate Bill 924 to successfully extend civil statutes of limitations for domestic violence survivors. Leveraging this record of success, Phillips expanded her cultural footprint by launching the Stacy Phillips and Friends Podcast in 2024, blending legal insight, cultural commentary and conversation with leaders across entertainment, business and advocacy.

She channels her civic dedication by founding the Blank Rome Adopt A Center Program to support underserved children and families throughout Los Angeles.

Tobias QUEISSER Co-Founder & CEO

The Cinelytic Group

Partner, Matrimonial & Family Law

Blank Rome LLP

E Erin PROUTY Partner

Lagerlof, LLP

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Stacy PHILLIPS

rin Prouty is a partner at Lagerlof, LLP, where she manages the firm’s El Segundo office and designs sophisticated estate plans for high-net-worth individuals across the film and music industries. She anchors her highstakes practice in protecting sensitive intellectual property portfolios, complex entity formations and long-term asset succession structures. This expertise extends to academic leadership, where Prouty shapes the next generation of legal professionals as an active adjunct professor at the USC Gould School of Law. Leveraging this record of success, she provides elite wealth preservation counsel and corporate risk management solutions to protect valuable personal legacies from volatile media market shifts. She channels her civic dedication into regional cultural initiatives by performing with the LA Lawyers Philharmonic Orchestra.

o-founder & CEO of The Cinelytic Group Tobias Queisser orchestrates global content intelligence strategies and artificial intelligence adoption for the media and entertainment sectors. He commands an advanced multi-product platform that empowers major Hollywood studios, including Warner Bros. This expertise extends to comprehensive corporate market expansions, headlined by orchestrating a massive corporate rebrand that successfully integrated Jumpcut Media, Callaia, ScriptSense and RightsTrade under a single unified data suite. Queisser recently deployed SocialSense360 to provide studio marketers with real-time audience trailer analytics. He channels his specialized knowledge into panels at the prestigious Cannes Marche du Film.

He commands an enterprise content intelligence suite that has scaled to support predictive analytics across three major Hollywood studios.

Congratulations to our Matrimonial & Family Law partners Jacqueline Combs, Stacy D. Phillips, and Kristina Royce for being recognized as 2026 Entertainment Industry Business Visionaries by L.A. Times Studios.

Jacqueline Combs 424.239.3815 jackie.combs@blankrome.com

Stacy D. Phillips 424.239.3474 sdpdissoqueen@blankrome.com

Kristina Royce 424.239.3808 kristina.royce@blankrome.com

Boston

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ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Rollin RANSOM Partner; Co-Leader, Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice

Sidley Austin LLP

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artner and co-Leader of the Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice at Sidley Austin LLP Rollin Ransom directs high-stakes litigation defenses for premier record labels, entertainment studios and television networks.

He commands an elite trial practice, famously leading the defense of Universal Music Group in a high-profile federal defamation lawsuit brought by Grammy-winning artist Drake. This expertise extends to digital asset protection and copyright enforcement, headlined by securing a critical temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in January 2026 against the pirate platform Anna's Archive. Leveraging this record of success, Ransom defended Universal Music Group against a massive $200-million royalty accounting lawsuit filed by the rock band Limp Bizkit. He channels his personal philanthropy into regional animal welfare by serving as the chairman of the board for spcaLA.

Bryna RIFKIN Partner

Narrative

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ryna Rifkin is a partner at Narrative, where she shepherded high-profile Academy Award campaigns for premier global talent. She directs comprehensive tactical marketing and corporate communications strategies that have driven definitive Oscar-winning performances for cinematic icons, including Marion Cotillard, Jean Dujardin, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lawrence and Olivia Colman. This expertise extends to complex, multi-layered competitive awards positioning, securing additional Academy Award nominations for acclaimed performers like Willem Dafoe, Michael Shannon, Keira Knightley and Adam Driver. Leveraging this record of success, Rifkin structures market-defining media campaigns and festival rollouts to maximize project viability within the global entertainment ecosystem. She sustains this momentum by commanding a decorated career that spans 21 years of elite industry publicity experience, highlighted by her designation as a Publicist Extraordinaire

by The Guardian.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

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aunching nine premium original titles to compete directly against multi-billion-dollar corporate entertainment titans, Aram Rappaport is the founder & CEO at The Network. He writes, directs and produces original dramatic series for the independent streaming platform, including the Gilded-Age murder mystery series The Artist starring Mandy Patinkin. This expertise extends to global commercial advertising, having previously established the creative agency The Boathouse to architect major promotional campaigns for prominent corporate clients like Apple and Netflix. Leveraging this record of success, Rappaport forged the streamer's prestige brand by writing, producing and directing its inaugural dramatic series The Green Veil starring John Leguizamo.

Adam RICHMAN Co-Owner & Co-CEO

Aram RAPPAPORT Founder & CEO

The Network

R Brian RICHARDS Founder & Managing Director

Artisan

ecognized as one of the global music industry's most active and influential corporate dealmakers, Brian Richards is the founder and managing director at Artisan. He commands more than two decades of elite financial advisory experience, bridging independent music infrastructure with institutional capital. This expertise extends to massive catalog acquisitions and structured growth equity investments, recently advising on the $250-million sale of Daddy Yankee's music catalog to Concord. Leveraging this record of success, Richards orchestrated a $500-million capital raise for GoldState Music from Ares and Northleaf Capital alongside a $300-million management buyout for Nettwerk Music Group. He sustains this music industry momentum by capitalizing on an active transaction pipeline that has closed over $3 billion in transactions within the past 18 months.

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s co-owner and co-CEO, Adam Richman leads Medium Rare, a prominent entertainment company that transforms high-profile celebrity brands into live event franchises. He operates as a core business partner to legendary personalities, including Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski to build repeatable, brand-anchored experiential festivals.

This expertise extends to massive live event production, famously serving as the co-architect for Shaquille O'Neal's global entertainment career and co-owning the iconic Shaq's Fun House franchise. Leveraging this record of success, Richman expanded his corporate portfolio into a designated Inc. 5000 enterprise while establishing the company as the second-largest producer of live events during the Super Bowl.

He sustains this momentum by driving unprecedented weekend revenue figures, recently generating more than $20 million across three flagship events during Super Bowl LIX in February 2026.

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artner at McDermott Will & Schulte Maria Rodriguez leads high-stakes labor disputes and employment litigations for Hollywood's premier film studios, television networks and sports organizations. She advises corporate giants like Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. and the UFC alongside elite athletes like Stephen Curry and his multi-platform media enterprises. This expertise extends to complex, multi-layered litigation management, recently serving as the lead unifying architect to dismantle a high-profile employment lawsuit filed against Disney, ABC and Twentieth Century Fox. Leveraging this record of success, Rodriguez engineered a flawless defense narrative regarding industry vaccine protocols, securing a unanimous defense verdict from the jury after only two hours of deliberation. She channels her civic dedication into educational and community advancement by serving on the board of directors for Thrive Scholars and the Natasha Watley Foundation.

P Vanessa ROMAN Partner

Akin

Roma ROTH President

Maria RODRIGUEZ Partner

McDermott Will & Schulte

artner of Akin Vanessa Roman orchestrates monumental commercial debt arrangements and project financing structures for global media conglomerates, production labels and institutional lenders. She provides essential counsel to primary banking syndicates, including Bank of America, East West Bank and Comerica Bank to capitalize high-profile cinematic assets. This expertise extends to massive corporate credit facilities, recently serving as the lead attorney to structure a $300-million facility for Miramax Films alongside an $18-million production loan for Bear Country starring Russell Crowe. Leveraging this record of success, Roman navigated a high-value $500-million refinancing transaction for a premier entertainment investment banking institution. She sustains this momentum by driving multi-billion-dollar capital liquidity, headlined by executing a landmark $1.1-billion senior secured library credit facility for Lions Gate Entertainment.

62 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

Medium Rare

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Reel World Management (RWM)

o m a Ro t h , president of Reel World Management, is a multi-hyphenate whose work spans the full life cycle of production, from development to distribution. An executive producer, showrunner, writer, director and sales agent, Roth has a rare instinct for creating chart-topping shows that develop a dedicated global fan following. She is the creator, executive producer and showrunner of the hit series "Sullivan’s Crossing," which reached No. 1 on Netflix and The CW, and is the visionary behind Netflix's longest running original series, “Virgin River,” which Bloomberg listed as the 5th most watched original show of the decade. Roth is a member of the PGA, TV Academy, Association for Women in Media, WGC, DGC and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Kristina ROYCE Partner; Co-Chair, Matrimonial & Family Law Practice Group

Blank Rome LLP

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e l e c te d f o r Variety’s prestigious Legal Impact Report, Kristina Royce is a partner and co-chair of the Matrimonial & Family Law Practice Group at Blank Rome LLP. She commands nearly two decades of matrimonial law experience to guide high-profile entertainment executives, artists and entrepreneurs through complex custody disputes, asset valuations and marital negotiations. This expertise extends to sophisticated multimillion-dollar asset valuations, complex forensic tracings and intricate cash flow analyses. Her leadership trajectory supports strategic out-of-court resolutions that safeguard corporate reputation, personal privacy and longterm wealth during volatile marital transitions. Royce directs her civic commitments through her involvement with the Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law and her membership on the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors.

J

oseph Rust is the chief strategic innovation officer at Prager Metis. He orchestrates the firm's overarching strategic focus, technological evolution and corporate asset expansion across a prominent four-office western regional network spanning California and Nevada. This expertise extends to sophisticated entertainment business management, directing comprehensive royalty and profit participation examinations, licensing examinations, copyright and intellectual property valuations for recording artists, songwriters and music publishers. Leveraging this record of success, Rust partnered with a technology company that uses AI to rapidly analyze billions of music streams across digital service providers to detect historic royalty reporting anomalies and forecast future music revenues.

Ilissa SAMPLIN Partner, Co-Chair of the Media, Entertainment & Technology Practice Group

Joseph RUST Chief Strategic Innovation Officer

Prager Metis

P Neema T. SAHNI Partner, Co-Chair of Entertainment and Media Industry Group

Covington & Burling LLP

artner and co-chair of the Entertainment and Media Industry Group at Covington & Burling LLP Neema T. Sahni handles high-stakes commercial litigation and risk mitigation for global entertainment conglomerates. She leverages her previous in-house experience at The Walt Disney Company to advise premier platforms like Netflix, Paramount Global and Sony Music. This expertise extends to high-profile intellectual property defense, recently securing the complete dismissal of a prominent copyright infringement lawsuit brought against the creator of Squid Game.

Leveraging this record of success, Sahni represented Spotify to successfully defeat a high-profile pre-litigation discovery petition filed by Drake. She maintains deep academic alignment with regional legal institutions by serving on the executive committee of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law Intellectual Property Institute.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

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o-Chair of the Media, Entertainment & Technology Practice Group at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Ilissa Samplin commands an elite global trial practice defending major Hollywood studios, record labels and streaming platforms. She handles high-stakes commercial arbitrations, trademark confrontations and profit participation disputes for the industry’s most prominent figures. This expertise extends to high-value intellectual property defense, famously protecting Lady Gaga against a massive $100 -million trademark infringement lawsuit regarding her Grammy-winning album Mayhem tour and merchandise. Leveraging this record of success, Samplin delves into youth mentorship by serving on the board of directors for the L.A. chapter of Friends of the Children.

Congratulations!

Joseph Rust Thomas Smith

for being recognized as 2026 Entertainment Business Visionaries by LA Times Studios Thank you for continuing the traditon of unparalleled, people-first service. Cheers to all of this year’s & Accountants for Entertainment Advisors honorees!

We understand the complexities and challenges of the entertainment and music industry. Prager Metis has specialized in accounting and advisory services for the entertainment and music industry since its inception, over 100 years ago.

ment Entertain Advisors & Accountants for Entertainment

PRAGERMETIS.COM

NEW YORK | LOS ANGELES | LONDON | MIAMI

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Malak SANTINI

Managing Director

J.P. Morgan Private Bank

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aving helped forge JPMorganChase’s signif icant par tnership with the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Malak Santini is a managing director at J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

She delivers sophisticated wealth management, cross-border asset structuring and long-term estate planning for high-net-worth executives and professionals in the media, sports and entertainment sectors. This expertise extends to foundational institutional development, having collaborated with regional executive leadership to establish the bank's specialized media and entertainment vertical in Los Angeles. Leveraging this record of success, Santini utilizes her multilingual background to oversee complex international portfolios while actively serving on the firm's Los Angeles Market Leadership Team. She drives high-impact cultural advocacy, highlighted by presenting the Woman Changemaker award to Alex Morgan at Visionary Woman 2025.

Tara SENIOR

Founding Partner

Weinstein Senior LLP

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ounding partner of Weins tein Senior LLP Tara Senior orchestrates complex transactional deal structures across traditional Hollywood formats and emerging digital media platforms. She leverages over two decades of legal experience to safeguard intellectual property rights, creator ownership and longterm enterprise value for elite global entrepreneurs. This expertise extends to market-defining digital content enterprises, serving as primary counsel to global creator Jimmy Donaldson to structure the landmark competition series Beast Games. Leveraging this record of success, Senior commands full production legal strategies for multi-series scripted networks like Dhar Mann Studios while negotiating high-profile talent agreements for television icons like Lisa Vanderpump. She channels her civic dedication into long-term community mentorship by volunteering one-on-one with underserved high school students through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

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ecognized across Hollywood for his unwavering commitment to financial precision and absolute discretion, Sebastian Sassoon is a business manager at Fulton Management. He commands eight years of specialized industry experience to orchestrate comprehensive wealth planning, complex tax coordination and corporate cash flow management. This expertise extends to diverse entertainment sectors, allowing him to engineer customized budgeting strategies for prominent actors, directors and live event companies navigating shifting market models.

Sassoon analyzes emerging revenue streams to insulate creative clients from sudden fiscal disruptions while systematically optimizing wealth accumulation. This leadership supports the stabilization of modern creator enterprises so that independent producers and digital influencers maintain robust financial foundations to scale their artistic operations.

Mickey SEGAL

Founding & Managing Partner

Sebastian SASSOON

Business Manager

Fulton Management

R Robert M. SCHWARTZ Partner

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

obert M. Schwartz is a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, where he spearheads high-stakes entertainment and media litigation for premier Hollywood studios, television networks and streaming platforms. He leverages more than three decades of courtroom experience to navigate complex digital copyright enforcement and constitutional protections before the U.S. Supreme Court. This expertise extends to sensitive criminal and civil defenses, such as when he famously directed the legal team that handled the civil aspects for actor Alec Baldwin’s Rust shooting case. Leveraging this record of success, Schwartz orchestrates high-profile defamation strategies and pre-publication reviews to protect corporate executives from damaging media exposure. He sustains this momentum by commanding an elite courtroom docket, recently securing a complete streaming rights arbitration victory that awarded total costs to corporate clients MGM and EPIX.

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s founding managing par tner at N KSFB, LLC Mickey Segal leads the financial management sector by constructing the largest business management f irm in the U.S. He leverages 46 years of elite financial experience to direct specialized wealth advisory services for Hollywood's most prominent entertainment executives and high-net-worth clients. This expertise extends to nationwide institutional capitalization, having successfully chaired and completed a massive $40-million capital campaign for the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. Leveraging this record of success, Segal has continuously secured top-tier industry recognition as a permanent fixture on Variety’s business management list since its inception. He sustains this momentum by driving localized healthcare infrastructure growth, headlined by finalizing a monumental $25-million capital campaign for the final building at USC Arcadia Hospital.

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ecognized among the Daily Journal's Top Professional Responsibility Lawyers in California, Shawn Shaffie is a partner at Parker Shaffie LLP. Over a 17-year career, he has built a reputation, in part, for handling high-stakes entertainment business, ethics, and fee disputes, as well as professional liability claims often stemming from double-dealing and sensitive conflicts. Trusted by prominent artists, media entities, and counsel alike, Mr. Shaffie pairs sharp advocacy with a focused engagement in the unique ethical challenges of the entertainment world—protecting the rights of his clients while defending the integrity of the legal profession against systemic fiduciary failures.

Monica J. SHILLING Partner

Shawn SHAFFIE Partner

Parker Shaffie LLP

C Robert J. SHERMAN

Partner; Chair, Entertainment Finance Practice

DLA Piper

hair of the Entertainment Finance Practice at DLA Piper Robert J. Sherman spearheads high-value asset-backed securitizations and complex domestic debt arrangements for the global music rights sector. He structures foundational multi-million-dollar revolving credit facilities and catalog monetizations for premier entertainment entities like Concord Music, HarbourView Equity Partners and Duetti. This expertise extends to complex capital structuring, recently advising HarbourView on a private $500-million securitization facility backed by diverse music royalties. This leadership trajectory supports systemic financial liquidity across the entertainment landscape, transforming predictable royalty streams into upfront corporate capital for industry rightsholders. Sherman sustains this momentum by driving monumental transaction volume, co-leading more than $5 billion in structured music financings and corporate mergers throughout 2025 alone.

64 LATIMES.COM/B2B/ENTERTAINMENT | Produced by LA Times Studios. Independent of the L.A. Times Newsroom.

NKSFB, LLC

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Kirkland & Ellis LLP

ivotal in orchestrating the highprofile outside investment of Reese Witherspoon’s mission-driven media banner Hello Sunshine from Blackstone, Monica J. Shilling is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She commands three decades of elite corporate experience to execute complex mergers, acquisitions and private equity investments across California's creative economy. This expertise extends to multi-generational legacy preservation; Shilling recently represented FSE Holdco LLC in a high-profile partial stake sale of Frank Sinatra’s name, image and likeness rights to Iconic Artists Group. Leveraging this record of success, she structures values-aligned corporate partnerships that unlock institutional capital at scale while preserving core creative control for modern founders. She channels her personal philanthropy into regional public broadcasting by serving as the board chair for the KCRW Foundation.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Joe SILBERZWEIG Co-Owner & Co-CEO

Medium Rare

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ewly cele brated as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Variety New Leader, Joe Silberzweig is the co-owner and co-CEO at Medium Rare. He orchestrates celebrity-driven live event franchises by forming equal corporate partnerships with global icons like Travis Kelce, Guy Fieri and Rob Gronkowski. This expertise extends to multi-platform brand management, serving as the co-architect of Shaquille O'Neal's live music career as DJ Diesel across major festival residencies. Leveraging this record of success, Silberzweig is scaling nationwide sports entertainment properties by producing the upcoming Sports Illustrated World Cup event series launching in Los Angeles. He also sustains this momentum by driving unprecedented festival revenue metrics, recently generating more than $20 million across three massive events during Super Bowl LIX in February 2026.

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rad Simpson is a partner and executive producer at Color Force, where he develops critically acclaimed independent film and television properties alongside founder Nina Jacobson. He commands three decades of entertainment experience, producing global theatrical blockbusters like Crazy Rich Asians and the massive Hunger Games cinematic franchise. This expertise extends to prestige television production, recently executive producing the FX limited series “Love Story” alongside Ryan Murphy and launching the No. 1 Hulu series “Clipped.” Leveraging this record of success, Simpson secured a comprehensive overall film agreement with Sony Pictures Entertainment alongside an overall television renewal with FX. He sustains this momentum by driving elite creative capital, commanding a decorated industry legacy that encompasses two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes and a Peabody Award.

W Richard SINGER Wealth Management Partner

Singer Burke, proudly part of Mercer Advisors

Thomas F. SMITH Partner & Entertainment Industry Leader

Brad SIMPSON Partner & Executive Producer

Color Force

ealth Management partner at Singer Burke Richard Singer leads the comprehensive investment strategy and bespoke wealth portfolio management for high-net-worth entertainment professionals. He balances customized asset allocations with non-traditional investment channels to insulate top-tier showrunners, content creators, production companies and media executives from volatile industry shifts. This expertise extends to alternative market placements, having established bespoke private equity, real estate and hedge funds to optimize capital growth and mitigate risk. Singer orchestrated the integration of his practice into Mercer Global Advisors following a milestone October 2025 corporate acquisition that expanded his advisory network. He drives wealth management operations across SB Capital Management, Singer Burke’s sister company, which grew to more than $1.2 billion in assets under management.

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Prager Metis

s a partner and entertainment industry leader of Prager Metis Thomas F. Smith oversees the strategic fiscal direction, international tax compliance and operational execution across music, spor ts, entertainment and media sectors.

He commands more than 25 years of accounting experience to guide entertainers, professional athletes and creative executives through complex cross-border financial architectures.

This ex tends to touring budget optimization, where he reduces overhead costs, re-engineers corporate tax structures and develops merchandise, VIP models and branding opportunities. Smith coordinates with the firm's global affiliates to expand international revenue streams, and he supports medical research advocacy by serving as the team captain for the Alzheimer’s Westport, Connecticut Walk.

ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

Patrick J. SOMERS Partner

Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP

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aving secured a summ ary judgment for Wasserman Media Group in a massive $250-million lawsuit, Patrick J. Somers is a partner at Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP. He orchestrates high-stakes trial strategies and complex intellectual property litigation for prominent talent agencies, media corporations and creative executives. This expertise extends to high-profile copyright defense, successfully representing Kobalt Music Publishing America in March 2025 to defeat a major $20-million infringement action regarding Mariah Carey’s holiday catalog.

Leveraging this record of success, Somers obtained a complete trial victory for Creative Artists Agency against a former ESPN anchor while securing dismissal with prejudice for Hipgnosis SFH I, Limited. He channels his civic focus into systemic anti-poverty advocacy by serving on the board of directors and the development committee for the Western Center on Law & Poverty.

Heidy VAQUERANO Partner

Fox Rothschild

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artner of Fox Rothschild Heidy Vaquerano closes lucrative commercial transactions, asset acquisitions and multi-platform media deals for prominent musicians, comedians and entertainment executives. She focuses her transactional practice on supporting diverse creators to build an inclusive business environment across Southern California's media landscape.

This expertise extends to high-value catalog monetization strategies, representing global alternative investment firm HarbourView Equity Partners since its corporate inception in 2021. Leveraging this record of success, Vaquerano brokered an exclusive creative partnership with Grammy Award-winning producer Hit-Boy while managing publishing and master recording royalty acquisitions for international artists like Slipknot. She channels her civic dedication into public broadcasting equity by serving on the PBS SoCal Board of Directors' Content and Distribution Committee to advocate for diverse regional programming.

LA TIMES STUDIOS

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ecognized across Hollywood in Variety’s Dealmakers Impact Report and The Hollywood Reporter’s Power Lawyers series, Chris Spicer is a partner at Akin, where he leads the media, entertainment and sports practice group. He orchestrates high-value commercial debt facilities, institutional production financing and catalog acquisition transactions for major independent studios and premier financial lenders. This expertise extends to monumental corporate line-of-credit syndications, recently advising Fifth Third Bank on a massive $1.1-billion senior secured library credit facility issued to Lions Gate Entertainment. Leveraging this record of success, Spicer guided Comerica Bank through a high-profile $200-million production loan facility for the theatrical feature film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. He channels his civic focus into arts preservation by delivering pro bono legal counsel to the American Film Institute.

Matthew THOMPSON Global Co-Leader, Entertainment, Sports & Media Group

Sidley Austin LLP

Chris SPICER Partner

Akin

S Stanton "Larry" STEIN Partner & Co-Chair, Entertainment & Media Group

Russ August & Kabat

tanton "Larry" Stein is the partner and co-chair of the Entertainment & Media Group at Russ August & Kabat, where he handles high-stakes litigation for premier global music artists, directors and talent executives. He anchors his practice in protecting creative copyrights, profit participations and complex intellectual property portfolios against major media conglomerates. This expertise extends to sensitive celebrity defense mandates, recently securing a dismissal with prejudice for Drake's corporate entity in a high-profile copyright lawsuit concerning the Dear Mama docuseries. Leveraging this record of success, Stein overturned a multi-million-dollar Florida jury verdict for negligent security while managing federal trademark and impersonation actions for prominent television personalities. He channels his civic leadership into systemic public interest law by helping to establish and serve as president of Public Counsel.

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xpanding the firm's Los Angeles headcount by recruiting 12 attorneys over the past two years, Jenifer Wallis is the chair of entertainment at Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP. She maintains a dual practice specializing in complex business litigation, trademark and copyright infringement litigation for studios, production companies and creative businesses. This expertise extends to cutting-edge digital rights consulting, operating as a trusted thought leader to help creative enterprises navigate the legal implications of generative artificial intelligence. Leveraging this record of success, Wallis serves as outside general counsel to small- and mid-sized media corporations, drafting location agreements, managing talent contracts and negotiating network deals. She channels her civic focus into regional animal welfare by serving on the board of directors for Charlie’s Acres to promote compassionate living.

M Mag WANGSUWANA SVP & Chief Financial Officer

First Entertainment Credit Union

Todd WEINSTEIN Founding Partner

Jenifer WALLIS Chair, Entertainment

Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP

ag Wangsuwana is the SVP & chief financial officer at First Entertainment Credit Union, where he structures long-term fiscal strategies and regulatory compliance frameworks for creative professionals. He leverages more than 25 years of financial services experience spanning investment banking, commercial banking and credit unions to guide the organization’s financial strategy and long-term sustainability. This expertise extends to risk management, leading to the implementation of robust internal financial controls to maintain corporate agility in a dynamic market.

Leveraging this record of success, Wangsuwana evaluates new initiatives and partnerships that drive institutional growth while maintaining stability. He sustains this momentum by spearheading a transformative deposit insurance program scheduled to debut in early 2026 that protects accounts beyond the standard NCUA $250,000 limit.

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s the global co-leader of the Entertainment, Sports & Media Group at Sidley Austin LLP Matthew Thompson orchestrates massive eight-, nine- and 10-figure mergers, corporate joint ventures and institutional financing deals. He counsels high-profile content creators, global entertainment businesses and private investment firms, including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Shamrock Capital. This expertise extends to monumental media asset consolidations, advising a premier sponsor consortium on a landmark joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery to manage a library of iconic music copyrights. Leveraging this record of success, Thompson directed Warner Music Group through a high-value partnership with Bain Capital to make $1.2 billion of new capital available for catalog acquisitions.

He channels his specialized expertise into industry mentorship by serving as co-chair emeritus of the UCLA Entertainment Symposium Advisory Committee.

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Weinstein Senior LLP

s one of the founding partners at Weinstein Senior LLP Todd Weinstein orchestrates complex transactional deal structures, strategic rights frameworks and scalable business models across the global creator economy. He leverages 26 years of entertainment experience to manage an elite roster encompassing premier media studios, digital entrepreneurs and world-class athletes like Kylian Mbappé. This expertise extends to massive unscripted television properties, such as serving as lead production counsel for Amazon Prime Video’s Beast Games to oversee production agreements with budgets exceeding $100 million per season.

Leveraging this record of success, Weinstein expanded his transactional portfolio by negotiating a high-profile publishing partnership between global creator MrBeast and author James Patterson. He channels his civic dedication into youth athletics by serving as the president of the board of directors for the Sand & Surf Soccer Club.

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ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS VISIONARIES

David WEISE Founding Partner

David Weise & Associates, a division of NKSFB

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ounding partner of David Weise & Associates, a division of NKSFB David Weise directs comprehensive wealth management, sophisticated financial planning and tactical business advisory services for elite entertainment professionals. He leverages 36 years of business management experience to structure high-value transactional deals across the global music, television and professional sports. This ex tends to cross-industry client preservation, cultivating long-term institutional relationships to build platforms that secure multi-platform revenue streams for Hollywood talent.

Weise orchestrates bespoke financial architectures that insulate high-networth creative families from market volatility while optimizing long-term wealth transfer. He also participates as a dedicated member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

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ropelling the organization to achieve a fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit advertising growth, Anthony Wood is the founder and CEO at Roku. He leverages 29 years of television and digital media experience to scale the nation's premier streaming platform across diverse global markets. This expertise extends to subscription video-on-demand innovation, recently launching the ad-free premium subscription service Howdy at a market-leading price of $2.99 per month. Leveraging this record of success, Wood expanded the platform's distribution ecosystem by securing nearly 10,000 hours of premium entertainment assets from major studios, including Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery.

This leadership trajectory supports the systemic transition of modern digital media monetization, establishing the platform's proprietary channel as the most-watched free ad-supported streaming television service nationwide.

P Ashley R. YEARGAN Partner & CoChair, Media & Entertainment Group

Russ August & Kabat

Sophia YEN Partner

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Anthony WOOD Founder & CEO

Roku

artner and co-chair of the Media & Entertainment Group of Russ August & Kabat Ashley R. Yeargan handles high-stakes entertainment litigation and sophisticated intellectual property transactions for premier global creators.

This expertise extends to global television format development, recently advising Simon Cowell on launching a new boyband through the unscripted series Simon Cowell: The Next Act, alongside structuring production agreements for America's Got Talent. Leveraging this record of success, Yeargan advises Tokyo Broadcasting System Television on local intellectual property protection while closing multiple agreements to adapt prominent international formats for United States broadcast networks. She sustains this momentum by driving elite market recognition, culminating in her selection to receive the prestigious Variety Legal Impact Report Award for 2026.

Congratulations to our 2026 Entertainment Visionaries Jenifer Wallis and Brent Lehman.

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a v i n g orchestrated the highprofile nine-figure sale and corporate merger of FilmRise to Oaktree Capital, Sophia Yen is a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. She structures sophisticated transactional cross-border finance mechanisms, intellectual property protections and studio distribution agreements for iconic global entertainment brands. This expertise extends to independent production financing, including The Wonder Project’s historical epic “Young Washington” and the feature film launch of "I Play Rocky” with former Warner Bros. Pictures Group Chairman Toby Emmerich. Leveraging this record of success, Yen guides global media juggernauts like The Pokémon Company International and Kojima Productions through intricate franchise adaptations across television networks and streaming platforms. She also provides pro bono legal representation to the creator accelerator Rideback Rise.