Haute 100 Los Angeles 2015

OUR 2015 HAUTE LIST OF LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE COUNTY’S MOST INFLUENTIAL BILLIONAIRES, ATHLETES, POWER COUPLES, PHILANTHROPISTS,  ENTREPRENEURS, AND, OF COURSE, ENTERTAINERS. L.A. IS THE HOME OF HOLLYWOOD, AFTER ALL!

Category: THE A-LIST ATHLETES

 

1. Blake Griffin: Blake Griffin is truly an all-star player for the Los Angeles Clippers. Since being drafted by the team in 2009, he quickly secured a spot on the NBA All-Star team as a rookie in 2011, winning the Slam Dunk Contest and Rookie of the Year in that same season; he has played on the All-Star Team every year since.  In addition to being a key player for the team, he’s also a charitable one: Griffin’s worked with Stand Up To Cancer to help fundraise, create awareness and target research for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

2. Chris Paul: Chris Paul isn’t just one of the best basketball players in the world, he’s also one of the most philanthropic. The Los Angeles Clippers captain—named NBA Rookie of the Year (2006) and NBA All-Star Game MVP (2013)—is also a seven-time NBA All Star, four-time All-Defensive First Team and a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2012). When he’s not playing ball, he gives back through his CP3 Foundation.The point guard, whose endorsement portfolio includes Jordan Brand, State Farm Insurance, Kaiser Permanente and Foot Locker, is also the National Basketball Players Association President as well.

3. Kobe Bryant: Kobe Bryant is an NBA all-star. In his 19 years with the Los Angeles Lakers—the only team, incidentally, that he has ever played for—he continues to break records every single year. He is a 16-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, and holds two Olympic gold medals.  This season, he became just the fourth player in NBA history to reach the 32,000-point plateau. Bryant, an ambassador for the Swiss watch brand Hublot, is also the co-founder of the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation alongside his wife; the organization is dedicated to improving the lives of youth and families in need.

4. Maria Sharapova: Maria Sharapova is the total package. She’s a world-renowned tennis star, winning five WTA Grand Slam tournaments. Off the court, Sharapova’s tremendous international fan base led to major commercial endorsements with companies including Nike, Porsche, Tag Heuer, Evian, Supergoop, Head, and Avon. The Russian beauty is also 100 percent charitable. In 2007, she became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme and has donated more than one million dollars to Chernobyl-related projects. Through her Maria Sharapova Foundation, she commits herself to helping children around the world achieve their dreams through scholarships and more. She also  founded her own candy company, Sugarpova, with a percentage of proceeds benefitting the Maria Sharapova Foundation.

CATEGORY: THE ENTERTAINERS

1. Pharrell Williams: Pharrell Williams has had a long and storied career as a musician, songwriter and record producer (he was part of the outfits The Neptunes and N.E.R.D.), but it wasn’t until he went solo and wore “that hat”—the Vivienne Westwood Mountie affair that he first donned at the 2014 Grammy Awards—that the world truly seemed to be his oyster. Not only has he collaborated with a plethora of designers, he has also co-composed the music for The Amazing Spiderman 2 alongside Hans Zimmer. He also appeared as a mentor on The Voice, and is the founder of the non-profit organization From One Hand to AnOTHER.

2. Lupita Nyongo: 2014 was the year of Lupita. After dazzling on every single red carpet during awards season, the Kenyan-Mexican ingénue cleaned up, winning everything from the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award, to a Screen Actors Guild and Film Independent Spirit Award for her work in 12 Years a Slave. Because of her success, she became the newest face of Lancôme cosmetics, and also scored a major role in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. She will also voice “Rakcha” in The Jungle Book come 2015. 

3. Mark Wahlberg: Mark Wahlberg always seems to have a dozen different projects on his plate, and all are diverse. After appearing in the franchise Transformers: Age of Extinction and the crime drama The Gambler in 2014, he’ll star in the comedies Ted 2 and Daddy’s Home, as well as have a cameo in Entourage in 2015. He will continue to appear in the A&E reality series Wahlburgers, about his family’s Massachusetts burger joint, and executive produce shows such as HBO’s Ballers, a series centered around a former pro football player. Additionally, the two time Academy Award nominee acquired an equity interest in the Barbados Tridents cricket team in 2013.

4. Matthew McConaughey: If you’re not already involved with the McConaissance, you will be by 2015. 2014 was Matthew McConaughey’s year. After taking home his first Academy Award for The Dallas Buyers Club (as well as virtually every other major award last year), the Texan star also appeared in the most-buzzed-about series of the year, HBO’s True Detective—and received an Emmy nod for it, to boot. To top it all off, McConaughey gives back through his just keep livin foundation, an organization that is dedicated to empowering high school students and encouraging them to lead active lives and make healthy choices.

5. Jennifer Lopez: From the Block let it all hang out in 2014, literally and figuratively. With the release of her autobiography, “True Love,” she faced her fears, reflected on her life, and revealed that she had to love herself completely, flaws and all, before she could love someone else. She also literally “let it all out” by teaming up with gal of the moment Iggy Azalea to release the sexy single (and accompanying leotard-heavy music video), “Booty.” In 2015, she will return as a judge on the 14th season of American Idol, continue to produce the successful ABC Family series, The Fosters, and appear onscreen in the Universal/Blumhouse romantic thriller Boy Next Door.

6. Kevin Hart: Kevin Hart makes it his business to make you laugh. The actor, comedian, writer, and producer is hilarious—a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Hollywood heavyweights. After starting a successful career in standup, he released several comedy albums, including “Seriously Funny” in 2010 and “Laugh at My Pain” in 2011. He has also appeared in successful films like Think Like a Man, Ride Along, About Last Night, and Little Fockers. In addition to starring as himself on Real Husbands of Hollywood, he will release two films in 2015, The Wedding Ringer and Get Hard. 

7. Bradley Cooper: Bradley Cooper has exploded in recent years, reaching A-list status seemingly overnight. The two-time Academy Award nominee has had a massive last few years thanks to roles in David O. Russell films like American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook, and in the coming years he’ll be working with some of the greatest directors in the world. In 2014 he teamed up with frequent co-star Jennifer Lawrence yet again in Serena and worked with Clint Eastwood on American Sniper;  in 2015, he’ll join Emma Stone and Rachel McAdams on Cameron Crowe’s still-untitled project, and appear in John Wells’ upcoming comedy. The sky is the limit for young blue eyes. 

8. Robert Downey, Jr.: Robert Downey Jr. consistently tops Hollywood’s hot list of the highest-grossing actors, due to his sheer likeability and his sheer talent. The two-time Oscar nominee released The Judge in 2014, and will reprise his role as Tony Stark in what’s sure to be a box office smash with Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015. The generous movie star supports charities such as March of Dimes, the Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation, and The Robin Hood Foundation. He is also responsible for producing Paying It Forward, a series of pop-up concerts in the name of  music education. 

9. Jennifer Lawrence: Jennifer Lawrence is, hands down, America’s sweetheart. The world is her oyster. Given the fact that she has already won one of three Oscar nominations in the past three years and has starred in two of the biggest movie franchises around (The Hunger Games and X-Men), she clearly has a winning formula. It’s easy to see why J-Law, who also happens to be the face of Dior,  has discovered the secret recipe for success.

10. Tom Hanks: Tom Hanks is Hollywood’s nicest guy, a trait that has worked in his favor for almost four decades. He has two Academy Awards sitting on the shelf at home, and is one of the highest-grossing and most well-respected actors of all time. He is a quadruple threat in the entertainment industry as he acts, writes, produces, and directs. 2015 is going to be a big year for the 58-year-old star: he’s teaming up with Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail co-star Meg Ryan for her directorial effort, Ithaca, starring in the drama A Hologram for the King, and filming a Cold War spy thriller with Steven Spielberg. Additionally, he’ll reprise his role as Robert Langdon in the adaptation of Dan Brown’s Inferno. 

11.  Meryl Streep might just be the greatest living actress today. You only need to look at the variety of her roles and the sheer number of accolades she has to see the truth of that statement. At press time, she has been nominated for 18 Academy Awards total—starting with the 1979 film, The Deer Hunter—and has won three for her work in The Iron Lady, Sophie’s Choice and Kramer vs. Kramer.  It should come as no surprise that the 65-year-old has more nominations than any other actor in the history of the Oscars and The Golden Globes. In 2014, she tackled Stephen Sondheim with Into the Woods as well as Lois Lowry’s The Giver; in 2015 she’ll appear in Diablo Cody and Jonathan Demme’s latest, Ricki and the Flash, as well as the drama Suffragette. 

12. Asking why Jennifer Aniston is haute is like asking why she’s a good “friend.” This wildly successful star is one of the most recognized faces on the planet thanks to her ‘90s-era sitcom, Friends, as well as a string of feel good romantic comedies. In 2014, she changed things up and laid her soul (and face) bare in the indie drama Cake, which is already garnering early awards buzz. She is also a strategic businesswoman: she is the co-founder of production company Echo Films, and also co-owns the hair care line Living Proof. She is currently the face of Smart Water and Aveeno. 

CATEGORY: THE TRIPLE THREATS

1. Ryan Seacrest: What doesn’t make Ryan Seacrest haute?  He’s hands-down the hardest-working man in Hollywood thanks to his American Idol hosting duties; an agreement with NBCUniversal that includes on-air broadcasting duties; his syndicated radio show, “On Air With Ryan Seacrest”; and his work producing shows like Keeping Up With the Kardashians through his own Ryan Seacrest Productions. He has also launched his first fashion line,  Ryan Seacrest Distinction, and is an investor in media and technology companies like Civic Entertainment Group, TYPO Keyboards and Pinterest, among others. Somehow, he still manages to find the time for charitable commitments through his Ryan Seacrest Foundation. 

2. Sofia Vergara: Everything Sofia Vergara does looks effortless and relaxed (yet glamorous, of course), which might be the secret to her success. In addition to starring on one of the hottest shows on television, ABC’s Modern Family, the four-time Emmy-nominated and four-time Golden Globe-nominated Colombian actress has her own fragrance and earns top marks—and dollars—for endorsing brands like CoverGirl, Rooms to Go and Kay Jewelers.

3. Leonardo Dicaprio: Leonardo DiCaprio isn’t just an actor—though he’s clearly amazing at it, as his five Oscar nominations prove. He also tirelessly devotes his life to the environment through his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which seeks to find and implement solutions to save the Earth. He donated $2 million in 2014 alone to ocean conservation efforts. But a guy’s got to have a little fun in his life too—the 40-year-old actor (can you believe it?) also  announced a $2 million grant to Oceans 5 and a $3 million grant to Oceana, which support an array of ocean conservation projects across the globe, as well as a $1 million donation to the Elephant Crisis Fund.

4. Peter Guber: Peter Guber has his fingers in many different pies, all of which taste really, really good. The partner of Guggenheim Baseball Management became a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, and is owner and co-executive chairman of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors as well as the owner and the executive chairman of the Los Angeles Football Club. Additionally, he is the chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment, a multimedia entertainment and new media company formed in 1995. Oh, and there’s more: he’s also the chairman and co-owner of the Dick Clark Company. We’re exhausted just writing this.

5. Jessica Alba: Jessica Alba makes everything she does look effortless—and beautiful. After getting her start as an actress, the 33-year-old turned entrepreneur and founded The Honest Company, her line of non-toxic, family-friendly products. The Golden Globe nominee also finds time to devote herself to a series of charitable organizations such as Baby2Baby, the Children’s Defense Fund, Feeding America, March of Dimes, ONE, Project Home, Stand Up to Cancer, The Art of Elysium, and Habitat For Humanity.

6. Adam Levine: Everyone knew Adam Levine as the handsome frontman of pop outfit Maroon 5, but very few knew the 35-year-old crooner as a media personality until he began appearing as a mentor on The Voice in 2011. Since then, his world has been, well, rocked. He appeared in Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story: Asylum, and had his first feature film role alongside Keira Knightley in Begin Again. As an entrepreneur, he launched his own eponymous fragrance, and has also developed clothing collections for both men and women with Kmart. Oh, and by the way, he (along with the rest of Maroon 5) has received three Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, and a World Music Award. 

7. Channing Tatum: Channing Tatum is one to watch. The 34-year-old actor and film producer has had a stellar few years, picking projects that have created major buzz, such as Magic Mike, the G.I. Joe films, 21 and 22 Jump Street and the latest, Foxcatcher. He and his production partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan recently announced their new production company, Free Association.

8. Gwyneth Paltrow: Gwyneth Paltrow may have “consciously uncoupled” with husband Chris Martin in 2014, but in all other respects, 2014 was her year. She opened two successful pop-up shops (in Brentwood and Dallas, respectively) of her digital media and e-commerce company, Goop, and will also create her first Goop-branded clothing line. She also returns to film in 2015 in a big way, starring in the action/comedy Mortdecai alongside Johnny Depp and Ewan McGregor. After spending the last several years in London, she is really embracing making L.A. her home again, even hosting a fundraiser for President Obama at her Brentwood manse. 

9. James Franco: Does James Franco sleep? We’re not so sure. The 36-year-old star has hosted the Academy Awards, written several books, made his debut in dance theatre, directed several films, and released a single with his band, Daddy. He taught a class at NYU in feature filmmaking and production as well as a class at USC and a class at UCLA, and became a Ph.D. student in English at Yale University. He is also an artist who has professionally presented his first gallery exhibition, is active in charities like The Art of Elysium, and created the AOL web series “Making A Scene with James Franco.” Did we mention that he’s a Golden Globe Award winner and an Oscar nominee?

10. Sean Penn: Sean Penn is so much more than a mere actor. The two-time Oscar winner is an actor, director, and producer of films such as Mystic River and Milk. Though entertainment is in his blood—he’ll appear in the dramatic film The Gunman with Javier Bardem and Idris Elba in February 2015—his focus is predominantly his J/P Haitian Relief Organization. For his philanthropic efforts, Penn was named Ambassador at Large for Haiti and was also presented with the 2012 Peace Summit Award at the 12^th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates.

11. Brett Ratner: Brett Ratner is taking Hollywood by storm. The film director, producer, music video director, and photographer best known for movies like Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist, formed RatPac with billionaire James Packer with a first-look deal at Warner Bros. in addition to forming RatPac-Dune Entertainment with financier Steven Mnuchin and co-financing Warner Bros.’ upcoming slate of films. 

12. George Clooney: We’d say that George Clooney’s lack of bachelorhood makes him haute, though that would be a lie (but the fact that he tied the knot with top human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in 2014 certainly doesn’t hurt any). The eight-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner isn’t just a triple-threat actor, director, and producer—he’s also an A-list humanitarian, having founded the organization Not On Our Watch with Matt Damon and Brad Pitt—and actively fights for human rights in Sudan, among other causes. He’s also in the booze biz; he founded Casamigos tequila with longtime friend Rande Gerber.

13. Eva Longoria: Producer, director, and philanthropist Eva Longoria currently guest-stars on FOX’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine and has upcoming feature films Refugio, Any Day, and Visions. Longoria is also Executive Producer of Lifetimes’ Devious Maids, the NCLR ALMA Awards, and documentaries Harvest, Food Chains and Our Time. Longoria is founder of The Eva Longoria Foundation, Eva’s Heroes, and is the national spokesperson for Padres Contra el Cancer.  A brand ambassador for L’Oreal Paris, Longoria owns BESO Hollywood, the production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, and is a NY Times bestselling author.

CATEGORY: THE PRODUCERS

1. Quentin Tarantino: Quentin Tarantino made headlines in 2014 when he said that his tenth film, the Channing Tatum-starring spaghetti-western Hateful Eight, will be his final film. It remains to be seen if this shocking statement rings true for the two-time Academy Award winner, two-time BAFTA Award winner, two-time Golden Globe winner and Palme d’Or holder who is responsible for some of the most non-linear films of our time including Inglorious Basterds, Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.

2. Ryan Murphy: Ryan Murphy has created three of the most popular series on television, including Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story. The two-time Emmy winning screenwriter, director, and producer can also be credited with directing Julia Roberts in both the big screen adaptation of Eat, Pray, Love, as well as the Emmy-winning HBO TV movie, The Normal Heart. His current season of the cult series American Horror Story: Freak Show is already earning rave reviews.

3. Shonda Rhimes: Hello, Shonda Rhimes. We love your series—and so does everyone else. Rhimes is a screenwriter and producer best known as the creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and the political thriller series Scandal. Her most recent hit is How to Get Away with Murder, a legal series starring Viola Davis on which she serves as executive producer. It’s no surprise that Rhimes’ production company is called Shondaland: after all, it is her world…we’re just living in it (and watching it). 

4. Tyler Perry:  Tyler Perry has some kind of magic touch. He is an actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, producer, author, and songwriter who has been named the highest paid man in entertainment. Here’s why the 45-year-old truly has the “Midas Touch”: in addition to his successful directing career, he’s also in cahoots with Oprah Winfrey: he struck a multi-year partnership with her Oprah Winfrey Network that has resulted in series like The Have and the Have Nots and If Loving You Is Wrong.  Most recently, he received rave reviews for playing a slick lawyer in David Fincher’s big screen adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl.

5. Judd Apatow: Judd Apatow is taking over Hollywood, one comedy at a time. It feels like every major mega-earning comedic picture has had Apatow’s name attached to it, from HBO’s Girls, to Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. The man responsible for Knocked Up, Get Him to the Greek, Superbad, and Pineapple Express is currently developing projects though his film company, Apatow Productions, and is releasing the surefire hit Trainwreck as director and producer with Amy Schumer in 2015. 

6. James Cameron: James Cameron is the man responsible for the top two highest-grossing films of all time, Avatar and Titanic, which makes him a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. He has announced plans to release three sequels to his highest grosser, Avatar, as well as a long-term $400 million agreement to bring Avatar-themed lands to Walt Disney World. Cameron, a true environmentalist, is also a huge supporter of Global Green USA, an organization that fosters a global shift toward a sustainable future.

7. Kathryn Bigelow: Kathryn Bigelow is a trailblazer. She is the first woman ever to win a Best Director Academy Award (she did so in 2010 for The Hurt Locker). Her follow-up was the equally provocative Zero Dark Thirty, which earned Bigelow a Golden Globe award for best director. She is currently working on another project with her Zero Dark Thirty and The Hurt Locker writing partner, Mark Boal. Additionally, this groundbreaker also sits on the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors.

CATEGORY: THE REAL (ESTATE) DEALS

 1. Rick Caruso: Rick Caruso is hard at work making Los Angeles more recognizable as a cultural destination, with developments like The Grove, The Americana at Brand, The Commons at Calabasas, and 8500 Burton Way. The Caruso-affiliated chief is also hard at work making Las Vegas a more family-friendly locale with his new development, The Linq, and plans on redeveloping Montecito’s Miramar Beach Hotel as well as Palisades Village in Pacific Palisades. Caruso is also a renowned philanthropist; he is the founder of Caruso Family Foundation, which seeks to improve the lives of at-risk children in Los Angeles.

2. Mohamed Hadid: Mohamed Hadid has been a force in real estate development for over 30 years, earning the bulk of his net worth building mega-mansions and the hotels of the Ritz-Carlton chain through his company, Hadid Development. Last year he developed the $195 million Beverly Hills manse Palazzo di Amore; he is currently building the largest IMX home theater in the world as well as the Royalton project: the most exclusive ridge land left in Beverly Hills which will house eight haute homes. 

3.  Joyce Rey: Joyce Rey is often referred to as the “leading lady of luxury real estate” for a reason: the head of Coldwell Banker’s Estates Division is responsible for selling some of the most expensive homes in America. She is definitely the agent behind America’s most expensive home, Palazzo di Amore in Beverly Hills, which has just hit the market for $195 million. Rey is also an active philanthropist, serving on the Southern California Executive Board for the US Fund for UNICEF, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Blue Ribbon Committee at the Music Center, among other organizations.

4. Rick Hilton and Jeff Hyland: Rick Hilton and Jeff Hyland are founders of the Beverly Hills luxury real estate firm Hilton & Hyland. Chairman Hilton is responsible for developments like the Brentwood Country Estates and both sides of the sale of Aaron and Candy Spelling’s $85 million mansion, The Manor, to Petra Ecclestone Stunt. President Hyland is the founding member of Christie’s International Real Estatesand currently sits on the organization’s advisory board; he is also a renowned architectural historian and author.

5. Frank Symons: Frank Symons is a real estate leader. He serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Western Region at Sotheby’s International Realty. Frank has over 30 years of real estate experience, having owned and operated his own his firm, and in 1995 he opened the Western Region headquarters of Sotheby’s International Realty which has since expanded operations from Santa Fe to San Francisco. He is a member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Board of Realtors, and was also named the Board’s Realtor of the Year.  Most recently, Frank was appointed as a director on the NAR Board of Realtors for 2015.

6. Sam Nazarian: Sam Nazarian is the king of the hospitality industry. As the Founder and Executive Chairman of sbe, he has revolutionized “the scene” in L.A. thanks to brands like Katsuya by Starck, the SLS Hotels, The Bazaar by José Andrés, and Hyde Lounge with its most recent location Hyde Sunset Kitchen + Cocktails. In 2014, he brought his flagship SLS property to Las Vegas, and also plans on opening several residential developments in Los Angeles, Miami, and The Bahamas.

CATEGORY: SO-CAL ALL-STARS

1. Chef Ludo Lefebvre: Chef Ludo Lefebvre is revolutionizing the culinary landscape of L.A. After traveling around the City of Angels with his wildly successful Ludobites, he opened his first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Trois Mec, with friends Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo of Son of a Gun and Animal. Trois Mec has a set menu and reservations can only be made online; it’s Ludo’s way, or the highway. The eatery has topped every single “Best of” list since it opened in 2013. He then went on to open LudoBird at the Staples Center the same year, and in 2014, he opened the lauded Petit Trois, again with Dotolo and Shook. The James Beard “Rising Star” nominee is also known for his plethora of TV shows, such as ABC’s The Taste, Ludo Bites America, and Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.

2. John Simonian: John Simonian is the most important man in the SoCal timepiece community. As the owner of Hublot Beverly Hills  and four Westime boutiques, he carries a range of collectors’ dream pieces from the likes of Breitling and Audemars Piguet . He is also the CEO of Richard Mille Americas, the partner behind the Richard Mille boutiques in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas as well as the new Audemars Piguet boutique in Las Vegas.

3. Steven Mnuchin: Steven Mnuchin has had quite a busy few years. The Chairman, CEO, and founder of California-based regional OneWest Bank Group LLC and the private investment firm Dune Capital Management LP also formed RatPac-Dune Entertainment together with RATPAC Entertainment’s Brett Ratner and James Packer, to co-finance the Warner Bros. slate. It was also announced in 2014 that Mnuchin would join Relativity’s board as a non-executive co-chairman, assisting the company on strategic issues and its capital structure.

4. Nancy Silverton: Nancy Silverton is the star of Los Angeles’ culinary scene. She has been instrumental in putting L.A. back on the map as a destination for haute cuisine. The co-owner (alongside Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich) of A-list Los Angeles eateries Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, and chi SPACCA won James Beard’s coveted “Outstanding Chef” award in 2014, the first time an L.A. chef had done so in over 15 years; it is the most recent of many prior awards she has received from the culinary institution. The charitable chef also gives back in so many ways, including her work with the Garden School Foundation and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

5. Henry T. Segerstrom: Henry T. Segerstrom is an Orange County icon. He is best known for bringing luxury to The O.C. in the form of his tony retail shopping destination, South Coast Plaza, and the cultural institution the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. He is currently planning a new building for the SCFA in conjunction with the Orange County Museum of Art. The 91-year-old philanthropist is also a recipient of Carnegie Hall’s Medal of Excellence. 

6. Michael Govan: Michael Govan is well versed in the art of, well, art. Since becoming the CEO and Wallis Annenberg director of LACMA in 2006, he has added more than 19,000 works to its collection, doubled its attendance to 1.2 million, and enlarged its board to include Hollywood heavyweights such as Terry Semel, Ryan Seacrest, Michael Lynton, Bryan Lourd, Steve Tisch, Brad Grey, and Brian Grazer.

7. Bryan Lourd: Bryan Lourd is a force to be reckoned with in the Hollywood swimming pool. He has served as partner, managing director, and co-chairman of Creative Arts Agency (CAA) since 1995. His impressive roster of clients includes Robert de Niro, George Clooney,  Brad Pitt, Matthew McConaughey, Madonna, Natalie Portman, and Tom Cruise. Lourd also serves on LACMA’s Board of Trustees and as director of InterActive Corp., an online media company helmed by Barry Diller. He is also involved in several charitable organizations including amfAR, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, AFI, and J/P HRO.

8. Wolfgang Puck: The Austrian-born restaurateur and chef has built a culinary empire that extends across the globe. His Los Angeles eateries alone are institutions, including the fêted Beverly Hills institution, Spago, as well as WP24 in the Ritz-Carlton downtown, Cut at the Beverly Wilshire, and Wolfgang Puck at the Hotel Bel-Air. Puck, 65, has also penned seven cookbooks, appeared on a variety of cooking shows such as Iron Chef America: Battle of the Masters, and is active in philanthropic endeavors, having co-founded the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation in 1982. To top it all off, this true top chef was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2013.

 

CATEGORY: LEGENDS

1. Quincy Jones: Quincy Jones is an icon in the entertainment industry. The 81-year-old record producer, arranger, composer, television producer, film producer, instrumentalist, magazine founder, record company executive, humanitarian, and jazz trumpeter has a career spanning six decades, a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, and 27 Grammy wins, including a Grammy Legend Award. He can be credited with monster hits like Michael Jackson’s “Bad” and “Thriller,” as well as “We Are the World.” He has, quite deservedly, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2. Robert Redford: Robert Redford is a legend for so, so many reasons. The man who has been called the “Godfather of Indie Film” is responsible for founding the chic and highly lauded Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.  He is a multiple Academy Award nominee, taking home the Best Director Oscar in 1981 for the drama Ordinary People. He has also been awarded French Knighthood in the Legion d’Honneur. The 78-year-old actor, director, producer and founder of Wildwood Enterprises is also a true environmentalist and conservationist. Through his Redford Center, he is committed to transforming social and environmental issues into films that inspire positive change.

3. Jack Nicholson: Here’s Johnny! Is there any man on the planet that exudes cool more effortlessly than Jack Nicholson? We don’t think so. This 12-time Oscar nominee and three-time winner—for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), Terms of Endearment (1983), and As Good As It Gets (1997)—has had a career that spans six decades, the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award, and inductions into both the California and New Jersey Halls of Fame.  When Nicholson isn’t busy being a legend, he can usually be found in his courtside seats at the STAPLES Center supporting his beloved Los Angeles Lakers.

4. Elton John: Elton John is more than a musical icon. He is a leader, a trailblazer, and a philanthropist. With a career that has spanned five decades, he’s sold over 300 million albums, making him one of the top-selling artists in the world. He is, naturally, a Rock and Roll Hall of fame inductee as well as a six-time Grammy winner, and has even received knighthood status from Queen Elizabeth II for his commitment to charity. Speaking of which, his Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised more than $300 million for HIV prevention, treatment, and advocacy programs across the globe since its inception in 1992.

CATEGORY: COUTURE CLUB

1. Rachel Roy: Rachel Roy is enjoying a warm welcome to our Haute 100 list now that she’s a newly minted Angeleno.  This Council of Fashion Designers of America member, who is most famous for her eponymous clothing line, is as philanthropic as she is fashionable: in addition to supporting causes like Born Free Africa and charity:water, she has created the platforms “Kindness is Always Fashionable” and “Self Rule,” which seek to make the world a better place.

2. Nicolas Bijan Pakzad: Nicolas Bijan Pakzad is the heir to the House of Bijan fashion empire, a Rodeo Drive boutique dubbed “the most expensive store in the world.” Nicolas, who inherited his father’s passion for and awareness of the global reach of the family brand, has served as a company director since 2008. Given that his father mentored him for several years in all aspects of Bijan design and operations, he is the perfect person to carry on his famous father’s legacy.

3. Rachel Zoe: Rachel Zoe is the highest paid—and most recognizable—stylist in Hollywood. She has used her personal profile for good, joining Save the Children as an Artist Ambassador in 2013 and working with the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. This Council of Fashion Designers of America inductee is also the co-founder and creative director of the blowout salon DreamDry. 

4. Kelly Wearstler: Kelly Wearstler’s name is synonymous with Los Angeles style. Her brand encompasses collections of home accessories, furniture, jewelry, fashion accessories, and objects d’art.Her list of credits includes collaborations with brands like The Rug Company, Pickard and Bergdorf Goodman. Wearstler also continuously creates grand residential interiors for some of the most prominent players in the worlds of art, business, and entertainment. She is also the author of four published books.

5. Jennifer Meyer: Anyone who is anyone in L.A. wears Jennifer Meyer’s jewelry. The 37-year-old designer—who is a Hollywood legacy thanks to father Ronald Meyer, the current Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal—can frequently be seen on the scene with gal pals like Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson and Nicole Richie, all of whom flaunt her lovingly made baubles. In addition to designing beautiful things, Meyer is also a beautiful person: she gives back through non-profit organizations Baby2Baby and Teaching Gardens.

 

CATEGORY: THE MOGULS

 

1. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer: In 1986, director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer imagined a bigger and brighter world of moviemaking, and thus joined forces to create the film and television production company Imagine Entertainment. Imagine Entertainment has produced several films including Friday Night Lights and 8 Mile, as well as television series such as Arrested Development, 24, and Parenthood. The two have enjoyed much success; together they took home the 2002 Best Picture Oscar for A Beautiful Mind and were nominated for Frost/Nixon and Apollo 13; Grazer was also nominated for Splash. In addition, Howard is the narrator on the hit series Arrested Development.

2. Ryan Kavanaugh: Don’t call Ryan Kavanaugh Hollywood’s “Money Man” any longer—call him “The Giver.” The Relativity CEO and chairman donates to over 50 charities including the Sheriff’s Youth Foundation, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, AmFar, the Motion Picture & Television Fund, the March of Dimes Foundation, the National MS Society, and the Fulfillment Fund. He is also an investor in Pathway Genomics and Dog for Dog. This innovative tour de force will continue to come up with the big ideas that have made Relativity one of Hollywood’s fastest-growing and hautest companies.

3. Mark Burnett: Mark Burnett is responsible for some of the most popular reality series on your TV screen, including Survivor, The Apprentice, The Voice, Shark Tank, and People’s Choice Awards. The television producer and United Artists Media Group CEO has won six Emmy Awards, one PGA Award, and five People’s Choice Awards, and his projects have garnered a total of 112 Emmy nominations. It’s no wonder he was elected into the Broadcast and Cable Hall of Fame and the Producers Guild of America Council Board of Delegates, or that he has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The British producer also gives back: he is an ambassador for Operation Smile and was recently honored, alongside wife Roma Downey, with the Anti-Defamation League’s Entertainment Industry Award.

4. Jon Feltheimer: During his 14-year-tenure as CEO of Lionsgate, Jon Feltheimer has grown the entertainment company from its independent studio roots into a leading next generation global content leader. Its success has been driven by a 16,000-title library, innovative partnerships with digital platforms, a feature film slate led by the global blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, and a flourishing television business encompassing over 30 shows on more than 20 different networks. This entertainment mogul has also received a plethora of accolades, such as MIPCOM’s prestigious “Personality of The Year” Award in 2010 and NATPE’s 2014 Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award; he will be honored with the Producer’s Guild of America Milestone Award this January.

5. Alan F. Horn: As chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, Alan F. Horn is responsible for worldwide operations of the studio,  including the production, distribution and marketing of live-action and animated films by Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, as well as the marketing and distribution of DreamWorks Studios films released under Touchstone Pictures. Basically, the Castle Rock Entertainment co-founder is a busy guy. Along with his wife Cindy, the entertainment chief co-founded the Environmental Media Association. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the Museum of Broadcasting. He also serves on the American Film Institute Board of Directors and Harvard Business School’s Board of Dean’s Advisors.

6. Bob Iger: Bob Iger is chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, which means he’s in the business of making dreams come true. During his tenure, Disney has acquired Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. He also currently sits on Apple’s board of directors, as well as on the U.S.-China Business Council and the boards of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and is a member of the Academy of Arts & Sciences. Additionally he is a member of the Partnership for a New American Economy, and was personally appointed to the President’s Export Council by President Barack Obama in 2010. Naturally, he’s also a man who gives back, and was recognized as such by Steven Spielberg’s USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education with its Ambassador for Humanity Award, among other accolades. 

7. Harvey Weinstein: Harvey Weinstein first launched Miramax—an independent film distribution company—with his brother, Bob, in 1979. The two left in 2005 to launch a new production company: The Weinstein Company. Under their leadership, the brothers have accumulated 331 Oscar nominations and won 79 Academy Awards. Harvey, 62, is a true power player in every sense of the world. He has been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his contributions to film, as well as a Chevalier of the Ordre des Artes et des Lettres by the French Consulate. He also serves on the board of the Robin Hood Foundation, a non-profit which seeks to end poverty.

8. Kathleen Kennedy: George Lucas trusts in Kathleen Kennedy, which is why he personally appointed her to run the company that he built from scratch, Lucasfilm, in 2012. as its president. His trust is rooted in her experience, given that she is an eight-time Academy Award nominee who has produced over 60 films, which have collectively garnered 120 Academy Award nominations, 25 wins, and grossed over $11 billion worldwide. Next up, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences governor will release the highly secretive Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens in 2015.

9. Michael Lynton: As CEO, Michael Lynton oversees Sony’s global entertainment businesses, including Sony Music Entertainment, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Lynton is also chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), managing the studio’s overall global operations including motion picture, television, and digital content production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; the operation of studio facilities; and the development of new entertainment products. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the boards of the American Film Institute, the Smithsonian Board of Regents, the Harvard Board of Overseers, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, J. Paul Getty Trust, USC School of Cinematic Arts, and the Rand Corporation. In addition, he sits on the board of directors of Snapchat and Ares Management, L.P.  His most recent credit: truly keeping his cool despite the drama that Seth Rogen’s comedy The Interview created in 2014.

10. Kevin Tsujihara: Kevin Tsujihara, a 20-year studio vet, became CEO of Warner Bros. in 2013, and has been overseeing worldwide operations and marketing and distribution for one of the most innovative and successful entertainment companies in the world ever since. Under Tsujihara’s thumb, Warner Bros. has earned millions for big budget films like Godzilla, 300: Rise of an Empire, The Edge of Tomorrow, and The Lego Movie. In addition to his professional commitments, Tsujihara sits on the boards of directors for the MPAA, City Year Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission, and the Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation.  He is a member of the board of trustees of the AFI, the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy & Jobs, and the Leadership Cabinet for the Los Angeles Region Red Cross.

11. Brad Grey: Brad Grey has done great things at Paramount since becoming chairman and CEO of the company in 2005. He is responsible for all feature film development and production for the Paramount Motion Picture Group, which includes Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Paramount Animation, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. He has also produced the Academy Award winning film The Departed, among others, as well as popular series like The Sopranos. He is a multiple Golden Globe, BAFTA, PGA, and Emmy Award-winner, as well as a four-time recipient of the George Foster Peabody Award. He serves on UCLA’s Executive Board for the Medical Sciences, the USC School of Cinema-Television Board of Councilors, the LACMA Board of Trustees, and the Board of Directors for Project A.L.S. and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

12. Steven Spielberg: Steven Spielberg is one of the industry’s most successful and influential filmmakers, wearing the hat of top-grossing filmmaker of all time thanks to blockbusters such as Jaws, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The DreamWorks Studios principal partner is also a  three-time Academy Award winner for the films Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. Aside from his filmmaking and TV work, Spielberg has also devoted his time and resources to many philanthropic causes including The Righteous Persons Foundation and the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, which in 2006 became the USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education,  which he founded. Additionally, he is the chairman emeritus of the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

13. Ron Meyer: Ron Meyer continues to be a powerful force at NBCUniversal. As vice chairman, he provides strategic guidance and counsel on all aspects of the company, including its film and television assets as well as its global theme parks. Prior to taking on his current role in 2013, Meyer served as president and COO of Universal Studios., though he might be best  known for co-founding the Creative Artists Agency in 1975.

14. Jim Guanopulos:Jim Gianopulos, the Chairman and CEO of Twentieth Century Fox, is one of the longest-tenured studio chairmen in the film industry. During his time helming Fox, the studio has experienced its most profitable years: last summer it became the first studio to cross the $3 billion mark in worldwide box office revenue. In addition to his success at work, Gianopulos is a member of the USC School of Cinematic Arts Board of Councilors and is a trustee of Carnegie Mellon University. He is involved in a number of civic and philanthropic activities, including serving on the National Entertainment Advisory Council for the Anti-Defamation League and on the Board of the X-Prize Foundation. In 2013, the Simon Wiesenthal Center bestowed him with its highest honor, The Humanitarian Award.

CATEGORY: THE POWER COUPLES

1. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner: As a two-time Oscar winner, Ben Affleck naturally has the cream of the crop when it comes to Hollywood projects, which would explain his recent turn in David Fincher’s Gone Girl and the Caped Crusader in Zack Snyder’s upcoming Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Ben isn’t just focused on making, directing, writing and producing films, however; a major part of his life is his work with the Eastern Congo Initiative, an organization he founded in 2010 that is the first U.S. based advocacy and grant-making initiative wholly focused on working with and for the people of eastern Congo. His equally philanthropic wife, actress Jennifer Garner, has been an Artist Ambassador for Save the Children since 2009, and joined its board of trustees in 2014.

2. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West: Kim Kardashian is a household name thanks to her E! reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, as well as a strategic businesswoman with her own fashion and beauty lines. Her husband, Kanye West, is a successful music producer, director, entrepreneur, and fashion designer with 21 Grammy wins under his belt. How’s that for “power?”

3. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: The newlywed couple of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are as philanthropic as they are successful. She just released her second directorial effort, Unbroken, while he picked up an Academy Award in 2014 for producing the drama 12 Years a Slave. She also acts as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, and founded the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict. He is the founder of Make it Right, an organization that builds homes for those in need. To top it off, they also stared their own wine label. Are these two perfect, or what?

4. Cookie and Magic Johnson:  NBA great Earvin Johnson continues to make “Magic” long after he retired from the NBA. He now runs Magic Johnson Enterprises and co-owns both the L.A. Dodgers and  L.A. Sparks. He and wife Cookie—the founder of the high-end denim brand C.J. by Cookie Johnson—he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation, which works to develop programs that address the educational, health, and social needs of ethnically diverse urban communities.

5. Will and Jada-Pinkett Smith:  Will Smith is a household name. He has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, and has won four Grammys. Meanwhile, his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, is also a household name thanks to shows like Gotham and films like the Matrix and Magic Mike XXL. Together, the couple founded the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation, a charity that focuses on inner-city youth; she is also an activist for the fight against human trafficking. They also co-own the Philadelphia 76ers.

6. David and Yolanda Foster: David Foster is a tour de force in the music community. The Verve Music Group chairman is a 16-time Grammy winning producer, composer, songwriter, and arranger who has produced records for just about every major musician from the likes of Whitney Houston and Jennifer Lopez to Madonna and Rod Stewart, to Michael Jackson and Beyoncé Knowles. His wife, Yolanda, is a Dutch model and interior designer, who is instantly recognizable as the most likeable star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

7. Eva and Michael Chow: Michael Chow is the man responsible for the luxe Chinese Mr. Chow eateries worldwide. This muse to artists such as Andy Warhol, David Hockney and Jean-Michel Basquiat was recently appointed as one of 12 governors of Eli and Edythe Broad’s new art museum, The Broad. After a 50 year sabbatical, Michael has returned to painting and will be exhibiting at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing and the Power Station of Art in Shanghai this year. His wife, Eva, is a fashion designer and painter who serves on the board of trustees at LACMA, and is responsible for founding and co-chairing the art institution’s toniest party of the year, LACMA’s Art + Film gala, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.

8. Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber: It’s almost impossible not to recognize Cindy Crawford’s name.  This iconic supermodels now predominantly makes her millions through her Meaningful Beauty line and her Cindy Crawford Home collection.  Husband Rande Gerber, meanwhile, is a nightlife impresario responsible for Malibu’s Café Habana, Caliche rum, and Casamigos, the tequila company he founded with best friend George Clooney. This beautiful couple leads a picture-perfect life with their two stunning children in Malibu. Who says you can’t have it all?

CATEGORY: BILLION DOLLAR BABIES

 

1. Phillip Anschultz: Philip Anschutz is the man behind AEG—Anschutz Entertainment Group—which dominates many of Los Angeles’ most popular people and venues. That’s right, Anschutz owns STAPLES Center, the Los Angeles Kings and a third of the Los Angeles Lakers—not to mention the 125 sports and music venues worldwide, such as London’s The 02. He also owns a variety of other worldwide assets, including Xanterra, which owns and operates lodges and restaurants near national parks.  He endowed the Anschutz Foundation with $1 billion, and also backs the Foundation For A Better Life.

2. Steve Ballmer: If there’s anyone in the world who doesn’t know Steve Ballmer’s name, they’re living under a rock. In 2014, Ballmer became the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers after former owner Donald Sterling was asked to relinquish his claim to the team. Earlier last year, he also retired as the CEO of Microsoft, a position he had held for 14 years. During his tenure at the company, Microsoft pioneered personal computing and democratized enterprise computing growing from almost nothing to a company that employed over 100000 people, made almost 80 billion in revenue and was the third most profitable company in the United States.

3. Eli and Edythe Broad: 2015 is going to be a huge year for perpetual philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. Their highly touted, $140 million free art museum, The Broad, is finally slated to open downtown in the fall. The couple, who have been together for 60 years, have committed themselves entirely to the art of giving after creating  two Fortune 500 companies, KKB Home and SunAmerica, which merged with AIG in 1999. The Broad Foundations—which include The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and The Broad Art Foundation—have assets of $2.7 billion. Additionally, Eli is the founding chairman and life trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and a life trustee of LACMA, the California Institute of Technology, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

4. Wallis Annenberg: Wallis Annenberg is a major player in Los Angeles’ arts community, opening the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts in the former Beverly Hills Post Office space in 2013. She also serves as the Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation, where she has overseen the distribution of more than $237 million to over 1,170 organizations. She has also built the Annenberg Community Beach House, the Universally Accessible Treehouse project in Torrance and is responsible for the 2009 opening of the Annenberg Space for Photography. Additionally, she is the longest serving trustee at USC and serves on numerous boards including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, MOCA, the California Science Center, the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

5. Petra Stunt: Petra Stunt, née Ecclestone, learned to go after what she wanted from F1 boss father Bernie Ecclestone. Armed with her dad’s determination, the British socialite married private financier James Stunt, moved to Los Angeles, started her own luxury handbag company, Stark, and purchased Aaron Spelling’s former home—The Manor—for $85 million. In 2013, the British stunner gave birth to her first child, daughter Lavinia.