Girl Power: Top Ten Behind-the-Scenes Power Players

Meet the dynamic ladies behind our fave films and shows.

Girl Power: Top Ten Behind-the-Scenes Power Players - Celebrities are usually the ones who come to mind when we think about Hollywood power players, but the real influencers can be found behind the scenes. In honor of Women's History Month, we're putting the spotlight on the women who work their magic to bring us some of the most influential shows and films in modern media.  (Photo: Robin Marchant/Getty Images)

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Girl Power: Top Ten Behind-the-Scenes Power Players - Celebrities are usually the ones who come to mind when we think about Hollywood power players, but the real influencers can be found behind the scenes. In honor of Women's History Month, we're putting the spotlight on the women who work their magic to bring us some of the most influential shows and films in modern media.  (Photo: Robin Marchant/Getty Images)

Mara Brock Akil - From The Jamie Foxx Show to The Game, Akil is the voice behind some of the most defining shows of this generation. With her husband Salim Akil, Mara has created and executive produced nearly a dozen hit shows and movies. The couple's most recent success is the BET hit drama Being Mary Jane, starring Gabrielle Union.(Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards)

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Mara Brock Akil - From The Jamie Foxx Show to The Game, Akil is the voice behind some of the most defining shows of this generation. With her husband Salim Akil, Mara has created and executive produced nearly a dozen hit shows and movies. The couple's most recent success is the BET hit drama Being Mary Jane, starring Gabrielle Union.(Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards)

Shonda Rhimes - With three hit broadcast network shows under her belt (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal) and no signs of slowing down, Rhimes is one of the most powerful woman in television these days. The 44-year-old was destined to be a power player from her days at USC film school, where she graduated at the top of her class in screenwriting. Rhimes is currently working on a handful of new series and a memoir about her life as a single mom and her career. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

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Shonda Rhimes - With three hit broadcast network shows under her belt (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal) and no signs of slowing down, Rhimes is one of the most powerful woman in television these days. The 44-year-old was destined to be a power player from her days at USC film school, where she graduated at the top of her class in screenwriting. Rhimes is currently working on a handful of new series and a memoir about her life as a single mom and her career. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Cheryl Boone Isaacs - This veteran studio executive made history this year by becoming the first Black woman — indeed, only the third woman overall — to be elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. This puts Isaacs, who previously worked in marketing and publicity for New Line Cinema, in charge of a group that has been dominated by white males for all of its 86 years. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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Cheryl Boone Isaacs - This veteran studio executive made history this year by becoming the first Black woman — indeed, only the third woman overall — to be elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. This puts Isaacs, who previously worked in marketing and publicity for New Line Cinema, in charge of a group that has been dominated by white males for all of its 86 years. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Look of Determination - (Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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Queen Latifah - Queen Latifah's career has had nine lives, from rapper to actress to CoverGirl and now, all-around media mogul. With partner Shakim Compere, Latifah founded Flavor Unit Entertainment in 1999 and the company has grown to produce over one dozen hit movies and TV shows since. The company's most successful brand, however, is Latifah's own talk show, The Queen Latifah Show.  (Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET)

Photo By Photo: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET

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Jada Pinkett Smith - Behind every A-list box office star is a strong, smart woman, but Jada Pinkett Smith has never been content with just standing by her man. An accomplished actress in her own right, Smith is also a producer and partners with her husband in their company Overbrook Entertainment. Behind the scenes, Jada has produced both big-budget blockbusters like The Karate Kid and powerful independent films like The Secret Life of Bees and Free Angela and All Political Prisoners.(Photo: Splash News)

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Jada Pinkett Smith - Behind every A-list box office star is a strong, smart woman, but Jada Pinkett Smith has never been content with just standing by her man. An accomplished actress in her own right, Smith is also a producer and partners with her husband in their company Overbrook Entertainment. Behind the scenes, Jada has produced both big-budget blockbusters like The Karate Kid and powerful independent films like The Secret Life of Bees and Free Angela and All Political Prisoners.(Photo: Splash News)

Oprah Winfrey - They must not get television in Zurich. That's the only way we could explain why a shopkeeper in the Swiss city would deny one of the richest women in the world, Winfrey, the opportunity to buy a pricey Hèrmes handbag, telling her, "it's too expensive." We think this is one of those situations that warrants the phrase, "Don't you know who I am?" (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Oprah Winfrey - Quite possibly the most influential woman in the world, Winfrey has built a staunchly loyal following of women — and a multi-billion dollar empire! — over the past three decades. In 2010, Winfrey took the biggest risk of her career by launching her own network.  After a rocky start, Winfrey turned things around as only she can, proving that the "Oprah effect" is still in effect. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Gina Prince-Bythewood - After an illustrious career as a television writer on shows like A Different World and Felicity, Prince-Bythewood became one of the leading voices in Black independent cinema with her seminal film Love & Basketball. The classic film earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.(Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images for AFM)

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Gina Prince-Bythewood - After an illustrious career as a television writer on shows like A Different World and Felicity, Prince-Bythewood became one of the leading voices in Black independent cinema with her seminal film Love & Basketball. The classic film earned her an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.(Photo: Thos Robinson/Getty Images for AFM)

Kasi Lemmons - After nearly twenty years as an actress appearing in films like School Daze and Silence of the Lambs, Lemmons turned her talents to directing, and never looked back. Her debut feature film Eve's Bayou (1997) is a classic. For years, Lemmons was one of the few women of color on the independent film scene, and has influenced the careers of many of today's leading filmmakers.  (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)

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Kasi Lemmons - After nearly twenty years as an actress appearing in films like School Daze and Silence of the Lambs, Lemmons turned her talents to directing, and never looked back. Her debut feature film Eve's Bayou (1997) is a classic. For years, Lemmons was one of the few women of color on the independent film scene, and has influenced the careers of many of today's leading filmmakers.  (Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)

Ava DuVernay - The Middle of Nowhere filmmaker made the difficult transition from Hollywood publicist to darling of independent cinema, refusing to give up on her dream of telling Black stories that had been routinely ignored by filmmakers. In 2013, her tenacity paid off. Ava DuVernay was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Sundance Institute, putting her squarely in the seat of power when it comes to art house films. We have no doubt she'll use her position to open doors for even more diverse filmmakers with something to say. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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Ava DuVernay - The Middle of Nowhere filmmaker made the difficult transition from Hollywood publicist to darling of independent cinema, refusing to give up on her dream of telling Black stories that had been routinely ignored by filmmakers. In 2013, her tenacity paid off. Ava DuVernay was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Sundance Institute, putting her squarely in the seat of power when it comes to art house films. We have no doubt she'll use her position to open doors for even more diverse filmmakers with something to say. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Debra Lee - No list of Hollywood power players would be complete without recognizing BET chairman and chief executive officer Debra Lee. An inductee of the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, Lee has been with BET for over two decades and has ushered the network to new heights. Under her leadership, BET has broken ratings records and pushed the envelope with original programming in recent years. Somehow, the Harvard Law School graduate has managed to balance her career with marriage and motherhood, inspiring women across the globe. (Photo: Larry French/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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Debra Lee - No list of Hollywood power players would be complete without recognizing BET chairman and chief executive officer Debra Lee. An inductee of the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, Lee has been with BET for over two decades and has ushered the network to new heights. Under her leadership, BET has broken ratings records and pushed the envelope with original programming in recent years. Somehow, the Harvard Law School graduate has managed to balance her career with marriage and motherhood, inspiring women across the globe. (Photo: Larry French/BET/Getty Images for BET)