By Alexandra Quilici
Time Magazine has once again released its famous 100 Most Influential People list, and while it includes the world’s most famous leaders, doctors, engineers and more; it also gives plenty of nods to artists and how they are changing the world. To some people’s surprise (perhaps annoyance), the list this year included far more entertainment personalities than usual.
Whether you agree or disagree, there is no denying that entertainment is incredibly influential and here are some of our favourites:
Familiar Faces
Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Julia makes this year’s list to recognize her over 30 incredible years in the industry. What separates her from everyone else though is that she has remained unquestionably relevant throughout her career. She has transitioned from one of the youngest cast members on SNL, to defining an iconic role as Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, to producing her own show The New Adventures of Old Christine, and finally, now starring in the critically acclaimed show Veep. A television goddess that only gets better with age.
Ariana Grande: Beyond the cat ears, lingerie, Nickelodeon background and cutesy persona; there is undeniable talent. Underestimated by everyone in the industry, Ariana gets the nod this year for proving almost everyone wrong and continuing to excel with music.
Mark Rylance: A theatre man at heart, Rylance recently took a step away from the theatrical scene only to win an Academy Award this past year for his performance in Bridge of Spies. His versatility is inspirational and entertaining.
Karlie Kloss: Not just a pretty face, Karlie is a rock star in many areas. Especially her program Kode with Karlie which offers teenage girls the opportunity to code over the summer and win scholarships for university. Her presence of social media makes her one of the most followed humans, and she takes it all in stride.
New Faces
Priyanka Chopra: This star as already made a name for herself as a superstar in Bollywood, but she is now entering mainstream media with her upcoming film Baywatch and her television series Quantico.
Ryan Coogler: A stunning filmmaker whose Creed was gritty, emotional and able to capture humanity in a way that very few can do. His snub at the Academy Awards does not lessen the influence his films have on people.
Other favorites include Lin-Manuel Miranda creator of Hamilton, Felix Kjellberg creator of number one most subscribed YouTube channel PewDiePie, Oscar Isaac and his stellar film year, and Charlize Theron recognized for her HIV prevention through her Africa Outreach Program.
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