First published 2018
Sherry Lansing made history when she became the first woman to lead a major movie studio. Stephen Galloway chronicles her rise through Hollywood's male-dominated hierarchy and her unprecedented twenty-five year reign as the industry's most influential female executive. The biography reveals how Lansing navigated studio politics while overseeing the creation of hundreds of films, including blockbusters like Titanic, Forrest Gump, and Fatal Attraction. Galloway provides access to boardroom negotiations and movie set dynamics, documenting Lansing's interactions with stars like Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, and Steven Spielberg. The book examines her leadership style, which combined diplomatic finesse with decisive authority. Lansing's story culminates with her voluntary departure from Hollywood at the height of her influence, choosing personal fulfillment over continued corporate power. This portrait captures a woman who transformed an entire industry while maintaining her own vision of success.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, business, leadership, 21st-century, film
Vibes: inspirational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: glass-ceiling, overcoming-adversity, pioneering-woman
Setting: Hollywood
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
432 pages · Paperback · Crown