The Hollywood Reporters 35 Rising Executives 35 & Under The Hollywood Reporter

Flashback to the 2002 Class

Next Gen has always been about identifying future industry leaders. See what some current top brass had to say 20 years ago.

Donna Langley

PREVIOUS: Senior vp production, Universal Pictures

WHERE IS SHE NOW: Chairwoman, Universal Pictures

POWER SPOT “The Grove. Trust me, it’s happening.”

IN 10 YEARS, I’LL BECOME … “I can’t predict, but hopefully, I’ll still be making films and feeling as challenged and rewarded as I do today.”

FAVORITE MOVIE/TV SHOW The Deer Hunter, Gandhi, I Love Lucy, The Young Ones

Charles D. King

PREVIOUS: Motion picture agent, WMA

WHERE IS HE NOW: CEO & founder, MACRO

CAREER MILESTONE “Tim Story was my first director client, and I helped him make his studio directorial debut with a movie called Barbershop.”

POWER TOY “Standard Motorola cellphone and a large-screen BlackBerry.”

Pamela Abdy

PREVIOUS: President of production, Jersey Films

WHERE IS SHE NOW: Co-chair, Warner Bros. Pictures Group

POWER TOY “My [Apple] iPod.” 

GREATEST CHALLENGE OVERCOME IN THE BIZ “Making the right decisions for a movie, even if it means waiting longer to see things unfold.”

FIRST JOB IN HOLLYWOOD “Production assistant on The Next Karate Kid.”

Bela Bajaria

PREVIOUS: Senior vp movies and miniseries, CBS

WHERE IS SHE NOW: Head of global TV, Netflix 

POWER SPOT “The Smog Cutter”

LESSON LEARNED “Never underestimate your audience. Television, besides being entertaining,  can be provocative, challenging and inspirational.”

This story first appeared in the Nov. 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qbvLpbCwp5%2BZv6a8zqurnqpemLyue8uiqq2rX6OyucCMoJynZWJlf3N506GcZqCfobm6w86om2aqlaW8s8DEq6pma2Viv6q%2FyKeeZp2omrC2wMivnKxlY2p6orrDZqynnJWnfA%3D%3D