Behind the glamor: Who are the real leading ladies of Tinseltown?
Amy Pascal
Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairmen, Amy Pascal is a true Hollywood rainmaker. Along with chairman and CEO Michael Lynton, she in charge of all business connected to the studio -- including film production, television, home entertainment and digital output.
It's been a tough year for Sony Pictures following box office flops "After Earth" and "White House Down."
But the Hollywood heavyweight -- who reupped her contract with the major movie studio in 2011 -- might finally see a return on investments with the highly-anticipated release of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in May and the worldwide success of "Captain Phillips" late last year.
Stacey Snider
She currently holds the positions of CEO and co-partner of DreamWorks -- the studio behind such Hollywood hits as "Dreamgirls," "Lincoln" and "The Help."
She works directly alongside influential filmmaker Steven Spielberg and is responsible for "creative and financial aspects of all film development and production," according to the studio.
When DreamWorks faced an uncertain future due to financial instability, Snider made several pragmatic cost-saving decisions cutting filming budgets while securing new financial backers internationally.
According to industry insiders, this approach has helped stablize the studio while allowing the filmhouse to continue producing highly-anticipated features like the upcoming "Need for Speed" and "Tintin" sequel.
Megan Ellison
She's the enigmatic, billionaire's daughter-turned-independent film financier who solidified her place on Hollywood power lists thanks to her involvement in projects including "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Master."
However the heiress' exponential rise has largely come from founding Annapurna Pictures, a film production and distribution company that aims to produce films they say "might otherwise be deemed risky by contemporary Hollywood studios."
It has since released the Spike Jonze-directed "Her" and David O. Russell's "American Hustle" -- both films have so far received five and 10 nominations respectively for this year's Oscars.
But there are no signs Ellison will slow down after securing the rights for two new "Terminator" movies -- the next of which is scheduled for release in 2015.
Donna Langley
Another member of Tinseltown's movie-making elite is Universal Pictures co-chairman and former Leading Women guest, Donna Langley.
In charge of all aspects of Universal's business and strategy, she's helped orchestrate the production and development of box office hits "Les Miserables," "Knocked Up" and the "Bourne" franchise to name a few.
British-born Langley joined Universal Pictures in 2001 as senior vice president of production before ascending to president of production. It was in this role that she supervised production of the studio's most profitable movie to date -- "Mamma Mia."
Elisabeth Gabler
You will search in vain for Elisabeth Gabler's name in the credits, but Fox 2000 Pictures' president is the one who makes big things in Hollywood happen. She is the one that ultimately gives the green light for production and has signed off on the studio making blockbusters such as "Walk the Line," "The Devil Wears Prada" and most recently the visually stunning "Life of Pie."
Gabler is well-known for making movies "about great characters," as Amy Pascal, Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chair, told Forbes in 2008."
Then last year the Tinseltown mogul was ranked 20 on The Hollywood Reporter's "Women in Entertainment Power 100" list.
Kathleen Kennedy
A mogul of Hollywood -- film producer Kathleen Kennedy has been involved in 60 movies, which have accumulated over 120 Oscar nominations and grossed over $11 million internationally.
During her extensive career, Kennedy has had a hand in producing such classics as "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial," "Jurassic Park" and the "Indiana Jones" trilogy.
She also co-founded production company, Amblin Entertainment with husband Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg in 1981.
In October 2012, it was announced that George Lucas had handed over the reigns of LucasFilm to Kennedy, making her the studio's president. She is set to bring a new era of "Stars Wars" to the big screen in 2015 as she oversees director J.J. Abrams' vision for "Star Wars: Episode VII."
Mary Parent
Mary Parent is one of Hollywood's most successful executive producers, responsible for titles such as "Godzilla," "The Kingdom," and Daren Aronofsky's upcoming biblical epic, "Noah." "
In 2011, the former chairperson of MGM's Worldwide Motion Picture Group founded and became president of Disruption Entertainment, Inc., a company with a first-look deal at Paramount Pictures.
During her long career in Hollywood, Parent was also senior vice president of production and later vice chairperson of Universal Pictures. The Wall Street Journal placed Parent on their "50 Women to Watch 2008" list while Premiere Magazine ranked her 58th in their 2003 "Power 100" list.
Kathryn Bigelow
Kathryn Bigelow seems to be able to do it all when it comes to Hollywood. She's a highly-regarded film director, producer and screenwriter with several much-loved -- and at times controversial -- movies under her belt.
She emerged on the Hollywood filmmaking scene in the 1980s but it was after directing war film "The Hurt Locker" about a three-man bomb disposal team working during the Iraq War that her star truly began to shine.
In 2010, she snatched victory from fellow nominee and former husband James Cameron and to become the first woman to win for Best Director at the Academy Awards in addition to the film winning "Best Motion Picture of the Year."
Bigelow's next film was the dramatization of America's decade-long hunt to find Osama Bin Laden in "Zero Dark Thirty." Well received by critics, the film made over $132 million worldwide.
Anne Sweeney
Anne Sweeney is co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group. She controls more than 200 ABC-affiliated stations and another 107 young-oriented networks including Disney Channel.
Under Sweeney's leadership, the Disney/ABC Television group was the first to put their television content on an ad-supported full episode online player as well as on iTunes, and to develop an iPad app.
The Hollywood Reporter has repeatedly named Anne Sweeney the "Most Powerful Woman in Entertainment." She is also among Fortune's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" and "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" listed by Forbes.
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