Talking the business of show business with Bad Bunny, Kendall Jenner, Pharrell and more A-listers.
In a year in which Taylor Swift became a billionaire and Barbie dominated the box office, some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry spoke to Forbes reporters about what it takes to be successful and the skills that keep them thriving.
The Rock talked about the XFL and how he hopes to score big with the revived football league while Machine Gun Kelly gave a keynote address at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Cleveland this fall about building a business empire. And actors Jamie Lee Cutis and Catherine O’Hara shared insight into their decades in the entertainment industry.
Influencers and creators also revealed the secrets to their success. Dylan Mulvaney, who was the center of controversy earlier this year over a campaign she did with Bud Light, told Forbes about how the incident changed her business mindset. And Khaby Lame, the most followed person on TikTok, shared what it’s like to get more views on a video than a Super Bowl broadcast.
Many celebrity ventures also give back to others. For instance, Ben Cohen, of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, started the cannabis nonprofit Ben’s Best Blnz, which donates 100% of its sales profits. And Bad Bunny took the stage at the Under 30 summit to give a $300,000 prize to the winner of a Latinx pitch competition.
Here are the celebrity interviews that had Forbes reader seeing stars in 2023.
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TIM TADDER FOR FORBES
Bad Bunny Gives An Exclusive Tour Of His Budding Sports, Fashion And Entertainment Empire
By María Gracia Santillana Linares
There’s no better way to understand the force of nature that is Bad Bunny than by seeing him perform in his native Puerto Rico. That’s exactly what Forbes reporter Maria Gracia Santillana Linares did this fall when she profiled the 29-year-old superstar. Bad Bunny is more than an entertainer—he’s also a budding mogul, expanding his influence from music to shoe design and supporting local sports. “It’s not about the money all the time,” he told Forbes about choosing collaborators. ““It’s about how much I love the brand and how much they’re going to respect my creativity.”
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TIM TADDER FOR FORBES
From Cover Shots To Tequila Shots: How Supermodel Kendall Jenner Plans To Build A Spirits Empire
Kendall Jenner followed her sisters Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian in gracing the cover of Forbes earlier this year. In launching her tequila brand 818, the 28-year-old model told the magazine how it helped her find herself. “With modelling, I was a part of someone else’s vision,” she told Forbes’ Kristin Stoller. “The shift into being a founder and owning my own business was a really cool way of getting to know myself again.” And she isn’t fazed by the crowded celebrity tequila market. “It just makes us want to be better.”
Inside Pharrell Williams’ $1 Billion Plan For Black And Hispanic Entrepreneurs
By Jabari Young
In November, senior writer Jabari Young visited musician Pharrell Williams at his foundation Black Ambition’s third annual Demo Day. The organization gave out more than $3 million to 30-plus companies involving the Black and Hispanic communities. “We need real change,” Williams said. “We can’t keep waiting. Our parents and their parents—for them, equality was No. 1. And for us, equality is absolutely on the list, but equity is more powerful than equality.”
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Fraser & Thompson
Drinking Whiskey with Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé was inspired to get into the spirits business by his Italian grandfather, who used to make homemade wine in his basement. The singer’s whiskey brand, Fraser & Thompson, takes its name from two rivers in his native British Columbia—Bublé spent time in his childhood camping at their meeting point. Come to hear his stories about craft whiskey, stay to learn about the time Bublé almost got eaten by a polar bear.
Dylan Mulvaney Wants To Reinvent What It Means To Be A Celebrity
By Forbes Video
Creator Dylan Mulvaney first gained popularity on TikTok for her “Days Of Girlhood” series, in which she documents her gender transition. The 26-year-old soon endured the highs and lows that come with fame when she was caught in the middle of a marketing controversy. Mulvaney credits her agent for giving her the business advice she lives by: “Don’t react. Respond.”
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about-face
How Halsey Went From Music Star To Makeup Mogul
By Alex York
Singer Halsey opened up about their makeup line, about-face, for Forbes reporter Alex York. She was approached to start the Gen Z-geared brand in 2019, after spending years being frustrated at the lackluster products on the market when doing her own makeup for her concerts. As the brand’s chief creative officer, the 29-year-old Halsey spends as much time on the line as she does on her music. The commitments paid off: The company did $50 million in revenue in 2022.
Insights into ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Success: The Significance of Second City for Catherine O’Hara
In a May conversation with Moira Forbes, actor and comedian Catherine O’Hara discussed her decades of success in the entertainment industry. “Comparing yourself to anyone is just killer,” she explained. O’Hara remembered a time at the start of her career when she was jealous of fellow Second City cast member Andrea Martin, and what she learned about herself in getting over it. She also shared her opinion on parents who put filters on pictures of their babies: “What is that about? It’s so creepy.”
This article was first published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
