HOLLYWOOD (Hollywood Reporter) — Each year, The Hollywood reporter puts out an issue listing the 100 most important woman in the entertainment industry. These include (but are not limited to) actresses, musicians, talent representatives, heads of studios and networks, and many more. This year’s list features some of the most well-respected women in the business like Academy Award winning actresses Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence, influential powerhouse Oprah Winfrey, multi-platinum global musician Beyonce, and comedian and talk show host Ellen De Generis. This year, four Armenian names join the list: reality stars and business moguls The Kardashians, TV executives Gina Balian and Lisa Gregorian, and talent manager Aleen Keshishian.
Balian, 42, was instrumental in developing “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” the net’s most successful series, averaging 13.2 million viewers across multiple platforms and winning nine Emmys, including the limited series prize.
One habit that holds her back? “The news app on my iPad. I waste a lot of time reading random food sections of local newspapers when I should be reading a script,” Balian said.
Gregorian, 52, oversees global marketing for more than 75 scripted and unscripted series and played a key role in securing the off-network syndication deal for the Chuck Lorre comedy “Mom.”
Is there a glass ceiling? Gregorian: “I don’t think about it because I look forward, not up.”
“Keeping Up With the Kardashians” recently wrapped season 12, holding steady as E!’s highest-rated show. Despite recent events (Kim Kardashian was robbed in Paris in October, while her husband, Kanye West, was hospitalized on a psychiatric hold in November), the network insists that production is underway for another season. That’s good news for the family as their ancillary businesses explode from the already lucrative TV well. New this year: “Rob & Chyna” starring Rob Kardashian and fiancée Blac Chyna; the upcoming “Revenge Body” toplined by Khloe Kardashian.
