On June 17, the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles hosted the 8th Annual Women in Entertainment Summit, where a curated lineup of actors, showrunners, executives, and creators gathered to discuss the intersection of entertainment, marketing, and emerging technologies.
During a day devoted to vision, voice, and unapologetic female power, conversations tackled the economics of content, along with the practical realities of building a career in the creative industries. “Creating spaces for women to share knowledge, connect with industry leaders, and support each other is at the heart of what we do, all year round,” said Renee Rossi, co-founder of Women in Entertainment. “As the entertainment landscape evolves with new technologies, rising competition, and growing audience expectations, sharing information, challenges, and triumphs, as one community, becomes more vital than ever. Whether in front of or behind the camera, we’re here to empower women and help them thrive.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – (L-R) Emily Alyn Lind, Mamie Gummer, and Carina Adly Mackenzie attend the 8th Annual Women in Entertainment Summit
Oscar-winner Kathy Bates spoke about her excitement for doing Matlock, even at a time when she had originally been thinking of retirement. Upon reading the pilot, Bates shared that she’d already decided in her mind that she wanted to do the show, even before meeting with showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, who joined her on stage. “Here’s a woman who is of substance and my age. She’s powerful and she’s clever and there were so many things that I loved about her,” Bates said.
Both women also spoke candidly about the resilience required to endure in a business that often sidelines women past a certain age. “I feel better at 50 than I did at 20, and I want that to be respected,” said the Matlock showrunner.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – Ashley Williams attends the 8th Annual Women in Entertainment Summit
Earlier in the day, Executive Producers Erin Foster and Sara Foster chatted about their hit series, Nobody Wants This, while other conversations highlighted emerging technologies in Hollywood, new advertising and compensation ecosystems, and unlocking the power of film festivals.
Multi-hyphenate Ashley Williams spoke about her journey from actress to directing and creating Hallmark’s Make Her Mark Women’s Directing Program, while in another panel, the stars of We Were Liars, Emily Alyn Lind and Mamie Gummer, shared the stage with the show’s co-creator Carina Adly Mackenzie. Having been involved with the OG Gossip Girl, I chatted a bit afterwards with Lind, who, of course, also starred in the Gossip Girl reboot.
Attendees ranged from producers, writers, and actors to marketing and tech execs, as well as studio executives and other women in the industry.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – (L-R) Lauren Goldenberg and Emily Alyn Lind attend the 8th Annual Women in Entertainment Summit.
Women in Entertainment (501c3) launched in 2015 and was co-founded by Renee Rossi and Gretchen McCourt to bring together forward-thinkers from all areas of the entertainment industry to explore a variety of topics that greatly impact women.
This year, WIE’s exclusive media partner was Slate Magazine. Sponsors of the 8th annual Women in Entertainment Summit included Presenting Sponsor STARZ, Supporting Sponsor Hallmark Media’s Make Her Mark, with additional support by Moviepass, First Entertainment Credit Union, Buzzer PR, Screenvision, Amazon/UA, Prima Pavé, Poppi, Pop & Bottle, Ving Vodka, Teremana Tequila, Fresh Victors Mixers, LesserEvil Snacks, Angeleno Beauty, GoMacro, UNREAL, That’s it., Nature’s Path Organic Foods, Rodin Photography, and Solely.
