SUMMIT 2022 - STARZ

STAY INFORMED ON UPCOMING TRANSPARENCY TALKS

The INAUGURAL STARZ #TakeTheLead Summit

CONTINUING THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION

STARZ brings together thought leaders, entertainers, and advocates for a series of conversations on the pathways to inclusion and empowerment in the
entertainment industry and beyond.

STARZ brings together thought leaders, entertainers, and advocates for a series of conversations on the pathways to inclusion and empowerment in the entertainment industry and beyond.

Joshua
Jackson

Lauren
Ridloff

Kathryn
Busby

PANELISTS

MODERATOR

Spotlight

Simone
Biles

Tanika
Ray

PANELIST

MODERATOR

Fireside Chat

Nicco
Annan

Brickson
Diamond

Frances
Fisher

Tanya
Saracho

Richie
Siegel

Giselle
Fernandez

PANELISTS

MODERATOR

The Power of Allyship: Fighting for Representation for Individual Communities and the Power in Joining Together

Dami
Akinmeji

Dr. Raven
Baxter

Nicola
Grant

Lizette
Salas

Cliff "Method Man" Smith

Jess
Ju

PANELISTS

MODERATOR

Advancing Equity Across Industries: Finding Strategies for Better Representation

Privacy Policy | Accessibility

Power Book II: Ghost © MMXX Lions Gate Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Blindspotting © MMXXI Lions Gate Television, Inc. All rights reserved. Hightown © 2020 Starz Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved. Power Book III: Raising Kanan MMXXI Lions Gate Television Inc. All rights reserved. P-Valley 2020 Starz Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved. Outlander © 2022 Sony Pictures Television Inc. All rights reserved. Shining Vale © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. & Lions Gate Television Inc. All rights reserved.

Joshua Jackson

Lead Actor
Dr. Death

Joshua Jackson is currently starring in Peacock’s “Dr. Death,” based on the popular Wondery podcast of the same name. The series chronicles the true story of neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Duntsch, who was building a flourishing practice until his patients died or were permanently maimed following their complex but routine surgeries. His powerful performance exploring the twisted mind of Dr. Duntsch and the failures of a system designed to protect the defenseless earned Jackson a 2022 Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television.

Jackson will soon begin production on a series adaptation of “Fatal Attraction” for Paramount Plus starring opposite Lizzie Caplan.

Most recently, Jackson starred opposite Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in the Hulu limited series “Little Fires Everywhere,” the award-winning Netflix mini-series “When They See Us” for Ava Duvernay, Showtime’s “The Affair,” the National Geographic Channel’s Emmy award-winning documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously,” and FOX’s “Fringe” created by J.J. Abrams.

In 2018, Jackson made his Broadway debut in Children of a Lesser God alongside Lauren Ridloff, telling the story of an unconventional teacher at a school for the Deaf and the remarkable woman he meets there. It received rave reviews (The New York Times called Jackson a revelation in his role). Jackson’s additional stage credits include a successful run on London’s West End starring in A Life in the Theatre alongside Patrick Stewart. The acclaimed comedy was written by the Pulitzer Prize and Olivier Award winning, and Oscar nominated David Mamet. He also starred in the Off-Broadway play Smart People at New York’s Second Stage Theatre, about four Harvard intellectuals finding themselves entangled in a complex web of social politics.

Well known as “Dawson’s Creek’s” fast-talking, self-deprecating Pacey Witter, Jackson has been working in front of the camera for over twenty years. His feature film debut was in Michael Bortman’s “Crooked Hearts”, which he followed up with “The Mighty Ducks” trilogy, “Digger”, and “Andre the Seal.” Jackson starred in Universal Pictures’ “The Skulls”, Rose Troche’s acclaimed drama “The Safety of Objects”, the HBO Films version of Moises Kaufman’s groundbreaking play “The Laramie Project”, and in Regent Films’ “Aurora Borealis”, opposite Donald Sutherland.

Jackson’s additional feature film credits include “Sky”, “Cursed”, “Gossip”, Bryan Singer’s “Apt Pupil”, and “Cruel Intentions”. He also starred opposite Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis, and Catherine Zeta Jones in “Lay the Favorite” for director Stephen Frears and “Inescapable” opposite Marisa Tomei. He was seen as part of the ensemble cast of the critically acclaimed film “Bobby” for director Emilio Estevez and starred in the psychological thriller “Shutter” for 20th Century Fox/New Regency which was shot on location in Tokyo. Additionally, he had noted cameos in Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s 11”, “Scream 2”, “Urban Legend”, and “I Love Your Work.” In 2010, he received the Best Actor Genie Award for his starring role in the Canadian Independent feature film “One Week”.

A Vancouver native, Jackson divides his time between his hometown and Los Angeles.

Kathryn Busby

President of Originals Programming
STARZ

Kathryn Busby is President of Original Programming for STARZ.

Based in the company’s Santa Monica office, Busby is responsible for leading the programming and development team for the global premium streaming platform and delivering on its programming mandate committed to narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.

Prior to joining STARZ, Busby was Executive Vice President of Sony’s TriStar Television where she developed and oversaw premium projects that featured diverse, authentic characters and that championed underrepresented voices. Some of her noteworthy projects include “The After Party”, starring Tiffany Haddish and Sam Richardson from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, a Malcolm X series based on the novels X: A Novel and The Awakening of Malcolm X from his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz and a series based on Kirstin Chen’s crime novel Counterfeit.

Busby previously served as Senior Vice President, Development for Sony Pictures Networks where she developed and produced numerous projects including “Absentia” – the critically acclaimed series that aired on Amazon for three seasons.

Before her role at Sony Pictures Networks, Busby served as Vice President, Original Programming for TBS where she shepherded original content. There, she partnered with Franklin Leonard, creator of “The Blacklist,” to create a joint initiative to identify diverse new writing talent for blind script deals and staffing consideration.

Busby was Senior Vice President, Production for New Line Cinema where she was an executive producer on the film “Sex and the City”. Prior to that, she held the role of Senior Vice President and Head of Development for The Carsey-Werner Company where she oversaw the development of “Grounded for Life” and “The Tracy Morgan Show.” She also worked on “3rd Rock from The Sun” and “That 70’s Show.”

She started her television career as Director, Comedy Development for Universal Television.

With over 25 years of television experience, Busby is also an award-winning screenwriter, director and producer. She directed the short film “Max and Josh” which premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. In 2005, her debut film “My Purple Fur Coat” won Best Children’s Short at the Houston Black Film Festival.

She is Chair of BAFTA’s North American board that strengthens the British arts charity’s global mission to inspire, support and celebrate across film, games and television. Busby created a special BAFTA Masterclass for underprivileged students featuring industry leaders, and serves on the BAFTA Steering Group, whose initiatives resulted in the most diverse BAFTA nominations and wins in its history.

She also sits on the Board of Directors of PACE (Philanthropy and Community Engagement) and the Sony Pictures Action Council, which implements the studio’s racial equity and inclusion initiatives. In 2021, she was honored with an I Have Dream award.

Busby is a graduate of Harvard University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in visual and entertainment studies.

Frances Fisher

Actress

Frances Fisher started her career as an apprentice at the Barter Theatre in Virginia, learning by working every job it takes to put on a show. Ms. Fisher has starred in over 30 theatrical productions (experimental, touring, Regional, off- off Broadway, off-Broadway,) including Elia Kazan’s The Chain; Hay Fever; Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, Summer And Smoke; Orpheus Descending; 1984; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Fool For Love; Arthur Miller’s last play Finishing The Picture; Three More Sleepless Nights (Drama League Award); The Taper’s The Cherry Orchard; and Barbecue at the Geffen Playhouse, which won three NAACP 2018 Theatre Awards, including Best Ensemble. Ms. Fisher had a ball being funny in Native Gardens at the Pasadena Playhouse and trod theboards most recently at Laguna Playhouse playing Eleanor in The Lion in Winter. Ms. Fisher is a member of the Actors Studio, and her first acting teacher was Stella Adler. On film, she is perhaps best known for her performance as Kate Winslet’s mother in Titanic, which garnered Fisher a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Best Ensemble Cast. The film went on to receive 11 Academy Awards. Her numerous film credits include the Oscar-winning Unforgiven; In The Valley of Elah; True Crime; The Big Tease; Tough Guys Don’t Dance; Laws of Attraction; Blue Car; The Rising Place; The Kingdom; House of Sand & Fog; Wild America; Jolene; The Perfect Game; The Lincoln Lawyer; The Host; The Stars Fell On Henrietta; Woman in Gold; Outlaws And Angels; Titanic: Sinking of the Myths; A Beautiful Day, Run The Race, Holidate, This Is Not A War Story and Grace And Grit. She can be next seen in the upcoming Netflix feature Reptile directed by Grant Singer. On television: Ms. Fisher played Lucille Ball in Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter and has arc’d or guest-starred on The Shield; Eureka; Torchwood; Touch; The Killing; Masters of Sex; Law & Order; Roseanne; The Mentalist; Two and a Half Men; Sons of Anarchy; ER; Grey’s Anatomy; Children’s Hospital; Private Practice; CSI; Castle; The Expanse; Criminal Minds; Swedish Dicks, Fargo and TheRookie. She starred in ABC’s critically acclaimed series, Resurrection, as well as HBO’s Watchmen, and plays Meg Muldoon opposite Bill Pullman in the USA anthology series The Sinner (S4) on Netflix October 2022.

Lizette Salas

Tour Champion
LGPA

Many of today’s golf stars grew up at private country clubs surrounded by privilege and wealth. Lizette Salas grew up in a working-class suburb of LA, amidst the survival struggles of tight-knit immigrant families.

Lizette’s father, a mechanic at a public golf course near Los Angeles, would often provide handyman services for the club pro, but rather than being paid, he opted for golf lessons for his daughter. That was the beginning of Lizette’s improbable journey to the highest rung of the women’s golf ladder. Through golf, she became the 1st in her family to go to university, earning a scholarship to the prestigious University of Southern California – the number 1 women’s golf program in the country – where she graduated 4 years later as the 1st four-time All-American in the golf program’s illustrious history.

As a pro, her road was no easier. In her 1st year, on the LPGA’s developmental Symetra Tour, with no sponsors to underwrite her journey, her father would drive her to tournaments thousands of miles away, sometimes sleeping at highway rest stops in their pick-up truck to save money. Then, at her 1st LPGA Qualifying tournament, Lizette ended up in a playoff with 8 other players to determine who would be the last person to earn their full LPGA Tour status. She birdied 3 holes in-a-row to win that last spot!

Those were some of the enormous obstacles that Lizette has overcome on her way to becoming one of the top golfers in the world. It is this grit and hard work that has now enabled Lizette to win on the LPGA Tour and become one of the game’s top 20 players! She has also represented the US in 5 Solheim Cup Teams! But, Lizette has also stayed close to her roots and gives back to her community through her foundation, which provides golf and life instruction to underprivileged children, primarily Hispanic, on the outskirts of LA. And she does all of this while continuing to struggle with and overcome mental health issues associated with her pursuit of success, in an individualistic sport, as the youngest member of an incredible working-class immigrant family.

Lizette’s improbable road to success, her talent & her heart, are the reasons why she is an inspiration to the largest minority population in the US and is why she is becoming one of the most important athletes of her generation.

Cliff "method man" Smith

Actor, Producer, and Musician
Power Book II: Ghost

Award winning actor, producer and musician Cliff “Method Man” Smith, has been forging an extraordinary and unparalleled path across all mediums since he first entered the scene 30 years ago.

Smith currently stars as ‘Attorney Davis MacLean’ opposite Mary J. Blige in the worldwide hit STARZ series “Power Book II: Ghost.” The show, which is in production on its third season, follows the on-going journey of some of “Power’s” most controversial characters, in addition to introducing new fan favorites.

Smith also stars in Paramount Pictures’ On The Come Up directed by Saana Lathan, and plays a pivotal role in the independent film How I Learned to Fly produced by Jewerl Keats Ross, starring Marcus Scribner, Lonnie Chavis and Cedric the Entertainer.

On the small screen, Smith co-hosted the 2017-2019 TBS celebrity battle rap show “Drop the Mike” with Hailey Bieber, and had had several recurring roles including as ‘Tug Daniels’ on the acclaimed HBO prison series “OZ”, “Godfather of Harlem” season 2, “The Last O.G.,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Wire,” “The Deuce,” “Master of the Universe: Revelation” as ‘Clamp Champ’ and many more.

He narrated NFL Film’s “Champion Chase” series since 2019. Smith made his film debut in One Eight Seven and Belly, and has also been featured in several films including “Concrete Cowboy” Peppermint, Last Looks, Keanu, Trainwreck, Red Tails, The Wackness, The Sitter, The Cobbler, the award-winning drama Garden State amongst many others.

In addition to films and TV, Smith has conquered the world of podcasts, starring as ‘Ben Urich’ in Marvel and Stitchers’ 2019 scripted podcast series Marvels, a 10-episode series based on Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross’ landmark 1994 comic. And “Marvel Method” the comic book talk produced with Marvel Media.

Smith and his producing partner Shauna Garr launched their company Six AM to produce “street but geek” content with diverse talent and untold points of view. The company has produced for Fox, Marvel, HBO Max, Universal, Lionsgate Home Ent, Hulu, MTV and more.

Smith has also been part of several notable industry events including presenting at the 49th International Emmy Awards, presenting at Critic’s Choice Association’s Celebration of Black Cinema & Television in 2021 and gracing Essence Magazine’s February 2022 cover. Smith has won two consecutive NAACP Image Awards for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” for his role in “Power Book II: Ghost.”

TRANSPARENCY TALKS

PARTNERSHIPS

DIVERSITY DATA

SERIES & MOVIES

STAY INFORMED ON UPCOMING TRANSPARENCY TALKS

STAY INFORMED ON UPCOMING TRANSPARENCY TALKS

The INAUGURAL STARZ #TakeTheLead Summit

CONTINUING THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Joshua Jackson

Lauren Ridloff

Kathryn Busby

PANELISTS

MODERATOR

Spotlight

Simone Biles

Tanika Ray

PANELIST

MODERATOR

Fireside Chat

Nicco Annan

Brickson Diamond

Frances Fisher

Tanya Saracho

Richie Siegel

Giselle Fernandez

PANELISTS

MODERATOR

The Power of Allyship: Fighting for Representation for Individual Communities and the Power in Joining Together

Dami Akinmeji

Dr. Raven Baxter

Nicola Grant

Lizette Salas

Cliff "Method Man" Smith

Jess Ju

PANELISTS

MODERATOR

Advancing Equity Across Industries: Finding Strategies for Better Representation

Joshua Jackson

Lauren Ridloff

Kathryn Busby

Simone Biles

Tanika Ray

Nicco annan

Brickson Diamond

Frances Fisher

Tanya Saracho

Richie Siegel

Giselle Fernandez

Dami Akinmeji

Dr. Raven Baxter

Nicola Grant

Lizette Salas

Cliff "method man" Smith

Jess Ju

Joshua
Jackson

Lauren
Ridloff

Kathryn
Busby

Simone
Biles

Tanika
Ray

Nicco
Annan

Brickson
Diamond

Frances
Fisher

Tanya
Saracho

Richie
Siegel

Giselle
Fernandez

Dami
Akinmeji

Dr. Raven
Baxter

Nicola
Grant

Lizette
Salas

Jess
Ju