Lucasfilm’s Force: Kathleen Kennedy Reveals an Executive Team More Than 50 Percent Female

How did Hollywood’s most storied franchise also become its most prominent champion of female empowerment? For the second year in a row, Lucasfilm is releasing a Star Wars movie with a woman as the lead — Felicity Jones’ reformed thief Jyn Erso in Rogue One, following 2015’s Rey (Daisy Ridley) in The Force Awakens. Kennedy credits Lucasfilm founder George Lucas with establishing an inclusive culture, which lieutenants say was amplified when she took the helm in 2012. Among her moves: hiring senior vp development Kiri Hart to oversee story across the Star Wars universe and elevating Lynwen Brennan to executive vp and general manager. Read More…