Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers FoundationThe complete Pioneer of the Year Tribute Journal will be available for download on our website, www.wrpioneers.org/2025dinner. Thank you to all our sponsors.The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation proudly bestows its highest honor on In recognition of her distinguished leadership of humanitarian causes and philanthropic endeavors, and in recognition of the eminence she achieved in the entertainment industry and community at large. Heather Morgan Chairman of the Board Lisa Bunnell President 2025 Pioneer of the Year2025 Pioneer of the Year Kate Hudson is a Golden Globe Award winner and Academy Award-nominated actress, singer/songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and bestselling author. She is best known for her roles in “Almost Famous,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” and “Bride Wars,” which she also produced. She co-starred with Mark Wahlberg in “Deepwater Horizon,” “Marshall,” opposite Chadwick Boseman and Sterling K. Brown and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in “Music.” She co-starred opposite Octavia Spencer in the Apple TV+ series, “Truth Be Told,” and starred in Ana Lily Amirpour’s mystery thriller “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon.” She was part of the all-star ensemble of the global smash hit, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” streaming on Netflix. She currently stars in and executive produces the hit Netflix series, “Running Point”, which premiered in February and has been picked up for a second season. Her performance in Max Minghella’s “Shell,” which had its World Premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, garnered rave reviews and she stars opposite Hugh Jackman in Craig Brewer’s upcoming musical drama, “Song Sung Blue,” for Focus Features. In 2013, Kate co-founded Fabletics, a global lifestyle brand centered on inclusivity and community. She continued to expand her wellness empire with her new line of all-natural holistic nutritional supplements, INBLOOM, introduced in 2020. Kate became a New York Times bestselling author in 2013, with her first book Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body, which was published by HarperCollins/ Dey Street Books and her second book Pretty Fun: Creating & Celebrating a Lifetime of Tradition in 2017. She and her brother, Oliver Hudson, host the podcast, “Sibling Revelry,” which is available on iHeart Podcasts. Her many charitable and humanitarian affiliations include The Hawn Foundation’s MindUP program, the United Nations World Food Programme, Baby2Baby, Operation Smile, and numerous other organizations. Visit KateHudson.com for more information.2025 Pioneer of the Year Cameron Crowe became Rolling Stone’s youngest ever contributor as a fifteen-year-old high school graduate, going on to profile the likes of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Elton John, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and The Who. Crowe is also an acclaimed filmmaker who has written and directed films including “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Say Anything,” “Singles,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Vanilla Sky,” and “Almost Famous” (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay). He also wrote the definitive book on the work of writer-director Billy Wilder, “Conversations with Wilder.” Crowe is currently at work on a film based on Joni Mitchell’s life and music. He has three children and lives in Southern California.2025 Pioneer of the Year Ike Barinholtz has established himself as one of the more sought-after comedic writers and actors in the comedy world. Barinholtz can most recently be seen in Apple TV+’s The Studio, where he stars alongside Seth Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, and Chase Sui Wonders. He was nominated for a 2025 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role. The series has been picked up for a second season. Additionally, Barinholtz co-wrote and executive produced Netflix’s Running Point, released in February 2025, a comedy series he created with Mindy Kaling and David Stassen, and stars Kate Hudson. Next, Barinholtz will portray Elon Musk in the upcoming sci-fi satire Artificial, directed by Luca Guadagnino. Barinholtz also co-wrote and starred in Hulu’s comedy series History of the World Part II, which he wrote alongside Mel Brooks, Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, and David Stassen. Additionally, Barinholtz wrote and co-starred in Momentum Pictures’ Maximum Truth, released in June 2023. Barinholtz’s recent credits include Apple TV+’s hit series The Afterparty, Lionsgate’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, FOX’s Bless The Harts, Universal’s The Hunt, and Netflix’s Moxie. Barinholtz made his directorial debut in The Oath, where he starred alongside Tiffany Haddish. He also starred in Universal’s Blockers alongside John Cena and Leslie Mann in April 2018. Additionally, he was a writer, producer, and star of the beloved Fox/Hulu series The Mindy Project. Barinholtz starred in Amazon’s Late Night and Fox’s Snatched alongside Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn, starred opposite Seth Rogen in Universal’s hit comedies Neighbors and Neighbors 2, appeared in Warner Bros.’ Suicide Squad, and starred alongside Amy Poehler and Tina Fey in Universal’s Sisters. Additionally, he wrote the hit action comedy Central Intelligence with his writing partner David Stassen. In February 2023, Barinholtz won the inaugural primetime season of Celebrity Jeopardy!, winning $1,000,000 for Pacific Clinics charity. Following his win, he placed as a semifinalist in the 2024 Jeopardy Tournament of Champions. In August 2024, he and his father and fellow actor, Alan Barinholtz, competed on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and won $1,000,000 for their charity, the ASL Program at Los Encinos School.Next >