10 Actresses Who Have Their Own Production Company & Its Best Project

While actresses may seem to have it all, like anyone they must diversify their portfolios in order to have a successful career both on and off-screen. In addition to acting, many go into producing not only as another revenue stream but to influence what projects are being made in Hollywood as well. And in many cases, what roles they themselves get to play.

Therefore, many big-name actresses decide to start their own production studios. These include award-winning actresses like Charlize Theron, icons like Queen Latifah and Salma Hayek, and even the “Queen of All Media” herself, Oprah Winfrey. These smaller more intimate studios have helped many actresses earn their prestigious awards and get to tell the stories that inspire them.

10 Charlize Theron – Denver And Delilah Productions (Bombshell)

Named after her two dogs, actress Charlize Theron founded Denver & Delilah Productions in 2003. The studio’s first film was Monster (2003) directed by Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman) and starred Theron herself who played the famed serial killer, Aileen Wuornos. The studio has been involved in over 15 films, many of which center on strong female characters like A Private War (2018) that stars Rosamund Pike as journalist Marie Colvin.

In 2019 Charlize Theron along with Margot Robbie and Nicole Kidman starred in the hyper-relevant film Bombshell which was based on the accounts of women at Fox News who exposed CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. The film was nominated for many awards including the Academy Award for Best Actress (Theron) and Best Supporting Actress (Robbie).

9 Drew Barrymore – Flower Films (Charlie’s Angels)

Child-actress Drew Barrymore got her start in Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982) and since then has over 75 acting credits to her name. In 1995 she founded her own production studio called Flower Films and produced the romantic comedy Never Been Kissed (1999) in which she starred. In 2000, Flower Films produced its second film Charlie’s Angels, which was the studio’s first and only attempt at a franchise.

Barrymore starred in the film and its sequel alongside Cameron Diaz (There’s Something About Mary, My Best Friend’s Wedding) and Lucy Liu (Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Elementary). Flower Films continued to be involved in the Charlie’s Angels franchise including the short-lived series in 2011 and the most recent film adaptation in 2019 which was directed by Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect 2).

8 Elizabeth Banks – Brownstone Productions (Pitch Perfect)

Actress Elizabeth Banks and her sportswriter husband, Max Handelman, founded Brownstone Productions in 2002. The studio is behind several projects like Hulu’s Shrill which stars Aidy Bryant and the most recent Charlie’s Angels reboot where Banks herself plays one of the Bosleys.

However, the studio’s biggest success to date is the Pitch Perfect trilogy which not only features cameos by Banks but Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) was her directorial debut. Brownstone Productions has a ton of projects in development including Tink, the live-action retelling of Peter Pan starring Reese Witherspoon as the title character.

7 Margot Robbie – LuckyChap Entertainment (I, Tonya)

In 2014, Australian actress, Margot Robbie founded her production company LuckyChap Entertainment. Robbie’s first project that she both produced and starred in was I, Tonya (2017) where she played famed figure skater, Tonya Harding. Allison Janney who played Harding’s mom won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the movie scooped up three other Oscar nominations including Best Actress (Robbie).

LuckyChap Entertainment has a first-look deal with Warner Bros., where Robbie herself plays the DC Comics character, Harley Quinn. Her studio is currently working on the long-awaited Barbie film which originally was supposed to star Amy Schumer but is now slated to star Robbie instead along with the Oscar-nominated director, Greta Gerwig.

6 Natalie Portman – Handsomecharlie Films (No Strings Attached)

Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman founded her production company Handsomecharlie Films in 2007 and named it after her late dog, Charlie. The production company hasn’t had the best track record of movies only producing four films including the Jane Austen fan-fiction film, Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies (2016) which only made $16 million worldwide.

The most successful film to come out of the studio was No Strings Attached (2011) with only a measly $150 million Worldwide. The studio hasn’t made a feature since 2016 and with its track record that might be for the better.

5 Queen Latifah – Flavor Unit Entertainment (Bessie)

Dana Owens better known as Queen Latifah is known for her career as a singer, rapper, actress, and producer. She founded her production company Flavor Unit Entertainment in 1995 with its first project being The Queen Latifah Show. In 2014, Flavor Unit Entertainment entered into an exclusive partnership with Centric, rebranding it as BET, the first network specifically aimed at black women.

While the studio was behind several Queen Latifah films like Beauty Shop (2005) and Just Wright (2010) but in 2015 Latifah produced and starred in the HBO TV film, Bessie, where she played blues singer Bessie Smith. The TV movie received four Primetime Emmy awards including Outstanding Television Movie.

4 Reese Witherspoon – Hello Sunshine (Big Little Lies)

Hello Sunshine is a media company founded by actress, Reese Witherspoon. This is actually the third incarnation of Witherspoon’s original production company, Type A Films, which she founded in 2000 and later became Pacific Standard in 2012. The studio’s first show was HBO’s Big Little Lies which was impressively nominated for 16 Emmy awards, winning 8.

The studio has gone on to be a juggernaut in the television space producing two of AppleTV+’s flagship series including The Morning Show and 6 shows currently in development for the major streaming services. Hello Sunshine is focused on telling female-driven stories and has become an industry leader.

3 Salma Hayek – Ventanarosa (Frida)

Actress Salma Hayek founded her production studio, Ventanarosa in 1999 which translated from Spanish means “pink window”. Their first feature was El Coronel No Tiene Quien le Escriba (1999), Mexico’s submission to the 72nd Academy Awards Best Foreign Film category. Another major film for the studio was Frida (2002) a biopic of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo which starred Hayek in the titular role and the film went on to win two Oscars.

In June 2020, Ventanarosa signed a first-look deal with HBO Max with Hayek saying, “We are thrilled to be joining HBO Max and Warner Media. Their team of passionate, talented, and open-minded executives are a great support in our mission to make high-quality global television that explores and celebrates diversity and inclusivity.”

2 Tina Fey – Little Stranger, Inc. (30 Rock)

Saturday Night Live comedian and actress Tina Fey founded her own production company Little Stranger, Inc. in 2001. To date, the company has produced 2 movies including Sisters (2015) and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) which both starred Fey. By far the biggest project the studio worked on was the long-running NBC comedy, 30 Rock.

The show was a giant amongst awards voters and in 2009 was nominated for 22 Primetime Emmy Awards, setting a record for the most nominations in a single year for a comedy series. Little Stranger, Inc. is currently producing the Ted Danson sitcom, Mr. Mayor on NBC.

1 Oprah Winfrey – Harpo Films/Productions (Selma)

Known as the “Queen of All Media” and the first black multi-billionaire in North America, Oprah has gone on to do much more than just hosting her successful talk show. She started her production company Harpo Studios in 1986 under her larger brand Harpo, Inc. The company is involved in all forms of media including TV, movies, radio, publishing, and philanthropy.

The name Harpo is not only Oprah’s name spelled backward but also happens to be the name of her on-screen husband in The Color Purple (1985). The studio has produced a total of 6 feature films including the historical drama, Selma (2014) which centered around the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery led by Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, and John Lewis. Oprah played civil rights activist Annie Lee Cooper in the film. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Original Song.

About The Author