01of 10Oprah WinfreyGetty ImagesWinfrey’s influence on American culture cannot be disputed. From hosting one of thehighest rated talk showsfor over 20 seasons toreceiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the history-making entrepreneur andphilanthropisthas inspired countless lives, including some of Hollywood’s most successful stars.In a speechfor Winfrey’s 50th birthday,John Travoltatold the star, “You represent the best of our country and what’s possible in our country. But, more importantly, you are a citizen of the world, and you are a hero to mankind. So we are better for knowing you, Oprah.“Julia Robertsspoke toExtrain 2011 about Winfrey, saying, “I’ve made a lifelong friend in that woman. I think she’s one of the highlights of humankind. I’m lucky that she’s my pal.”
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Oprah Winfrey
Getty Images
Winfrey’s influence on American culture cannot be disputed. From hosting one of thehighest rated talk showsfor over 20 seasons toreceiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the history-making entrepreneur andphilanthropisthas inspired countless lives, including some of Hollywood’s most successful stars.
In a speechfor Winfrey’s 50th birthday,John Travoltatold the star, “You represent the best of our country and what’s possible in our country. But, more importantly, you are a citizen of the world, and you are a hero to mankind. So we are better for knowing you, Oprah.“Julia Robertsspoke toExtrain 2011 about Winfrey, saying, “I’ve made a lifelong friend in that woman. I think she’s one of the highlights of humankind. I’m lucky that she’s my pal.”
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Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton in 2016.Getty
GoddaughterMiley Cyrus said it best in her tributeto Parton in honor of her making theTIME100 Most Influential People of 2021 list.
“Have you ever met anyone who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? I never have,” Cyrus wrote. “Dolly is not only my idol because of her incomparable career — she’s also my role model because of her steadfast morals and values. At her core, she is the definition of a humanitarian.”
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Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle.Chris Jackson/Getty
From an acting career toroyal lifetomotherhood, Markle has shot into a realm of fame known to very few. This unique journeyhas earned her the admiration of manyas she’s moved forward into a career ofphilanthropy.
04of 10Ruth Bader GinsburgRuth Bader Ginsburg.Collection of the Supreme Court of the United StatesThe late Supreme Court Justice, who fought tirelessly her entire career for equal rights, was an inspiration to all. Upon her death, her fellowSupreme Court Justices shared their tributesto the liberal icon, whodied at 87 due to complications of metastatic cancerin September 2020.Thousands of mournersgathered at the U.S. Supreme Court to pay their respects, as kind words poured in from celebrities, presidents and people from all over the world.“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the kind of scholar and patriot you get excited about explaining to your kids. The kind of person who you say ‘who knows, one day you could be HER.’ I hope you rest well, RBG, you must have been tired from changing the world,” Mindy Kaling shared onTwitter.“For so many of us, Justice Ginsburg was a real-life superhero: a beacon of hope, a warrior for justice, a robed crusader who saved the day time and again,“Saturday Night Livestar Kate McKinnon toldPEOPLE.“Playing her onSNLwas a profound joy because I could always feel the overwhelming love and gratitude that the audience had for her. It was one of the great honors of my life to meet Justice Ginsburg, to shake her hand, and to thank her for her lifetime of service to this country,” she added.
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg.Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States
The late Supreme Court Justice, who fought tirelessly her entire career for equal rights, was an inspiration to all. Upon her death, her fellowSupreme Court Justices shared their tributesto the liberal icon, whodied at 87 due to complications of metastatic cancerin September 2020.Thousands of mournersgathered at the U.S. Supreme Court to pay their respects, as kind words poured in from celebrities, presidents and people from all over the world.
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the kind of scholar and patriot you get excited about explaining to your kids. The kind of person who you say ‘who knows, one day you could be HER.’ I hope you rest well, RBG, you must have been tired from changing the world,” Mindy Kaling shared onTwitter.
“For so many of us, Justice Ginsburg was a real-life superhero: a beacon of hope, a warrior for justice, a robed crusader who saved the day time and again,“Saturday Night Livestar Kate McKinnon toldPEOPLE.
“Playing her onSNLwas a profound joy because I could always feel the overwhelming love and gratitude that the audience had for her. It was one of the great honors of my life to meet Justice Ginsburg, to shake her hand, and to thank her for her lifetime of service to this country,” she added.
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Sandra Oh
Noam Galai/Getty
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Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling.Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Beverly Center
In conversation withAccess Hollywoodin April 2020, the three stars of Kaling’s latest Netflix series, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Lee Rodriguez and Ramona Young, sat down to discuss what it was like to work with Kaling.
Ramakrishnan explained that Kaling’s ability to guide actors on-and-off camera was one big acting lesson, adding that “she created this world that we could really grow in and learn from.”
“She definitely made me feel more comfortable in my own skin,” Young shared. “Having this idea of someone that does all these things — you image them to be someone so different than you. And then when you meet them they’re like, ‘Oh.’ She makes you believe that you could possibly do this, too.”
“And that’s a good feeling,” Rodriguez added.
07of 10Malala YousafzaiMalala Yousafzai.Marla Aufmuth/GettyThe Nobel Peace Prize winner and lifelong advocate for girls' rights and education has inspired all of Hollywood to want to hear her story and contribute to her efforts. In 2013,Angelina Joliedonated $200,000 to theMalala Fundto help send girls as young as 5 years old to school,ABCreported. David Beckham called Yousafzai a “true role modelto so many people” in 2015, alongside apicture of the twohe posted to Instagram, andJustin Biebertook a screenshot of his FaceTime with Yousafzai in 2015 to share how her story had inspired him to want to get involved.“Just got to FaceTime with Malala Yousafzai,” Biebercaptioned his post. “She has such an incredible story. I can’t wait to meet her in person and talk about how I can support her and the@malalafund. #love”
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Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai.Marla Aufmuth/Getty
The Nobel Peace Prize winner and lifelong advocate for girls' rights and education has inspired all of Hollywood to want to hear her story and contribute to her efforts. In 2013,Angelina Joliedonated $200,000 to theMalala Fundto help send girls as young as 5 years old to school,ABCreported. David Beckham called Yousafzai a “true role modelto so many people” in 2015, alongside apicture of the twohe posted to Instagram, andJustin Biebertook a screenshot of his FaceTime with Yousafzai in 2015 to share how her story had inspired him to want to get involved.
“Just got to FaceTime with Malala Yousafzai,” Biebercaptioned his post. “She has such an incredible story. I can’t wait to meet her in person and talk about how I can support her and the@malalafund. #love”
08of 10Queen LatifahQueen Latifah.Michael Kovac/Getty ImagesThere isn’t a creative genre Latifah hasn’t conquered, which is why she is truly the Queen. Her incomparable career spans music, acting, comedy and Broadway, and in June, she was presented with theLifetime Achievement Awardat the 2021 BET Awards.MC Lyte described the star as “a woman who has been creating magic for decades — an undeniable, unstoppable force of nature.” Taraji P. Henson, who hosted the ceremony, toldPEOPLE, “I’m grateful that we’re giving Queen Latifah her flowers while she’s still alive. This is an award that is long overdue for her. She taught me that it’s more to acting than just being in front of the camera.”
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Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah.Michael Kovac/Getty Images
There isn’t a creative genre Latifah hasn’t conquered, which is why she is truly the Queen. Her incomparable career spans music, acting, comedy and Broadway, and in June, she was presented with theLifetime Achievement Awardat the 2021 BET Awards.
MC Lyte described the star as “a woman who has been creating magic for decades — an undeniable, unstoppable force of nature.” Taraji P. Henson, who hosted the ceremony, toldPEOPLE, “I’m grateful that we’re giving Queen Latifah her flowers while she’s still alive. This is an award that is long overdue for her. She taught me that it’s more to acting than just being in front of the camera.”
09of 10Serena WilliamsJoe Scarnici/Getty ImagesShe’s not just one of the greatest athletes of all time, bringing a new level of excellence to tennis. She’s also fought for women’s rights, given back to the communities that helped raise her, all while building her ownmediaandfashion empireand being mom to daughterOlympia. She’s a modern-day hero to so many, including a whole host of A-list celebrities.Fellow Compton, California native Kendrick Lamar toldSports Illustrated, “Being a youngin' in middle school and hearing about Serena and Venus; it was crazy for us. That inspired me, to know that she comes from where I come from and now she’s in front of television cameras everywhere doing what she’s doing. Not only doing it, but doing it at the highest level possible.“Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh toldCNBC, “My interest in fashion isn’t sort of about clothing, it’s about people. And I think [Serena’s] beyond, you know, an amazing athlete. She’s a muse of a generation.”
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Serena Williams
Joe Scarnici/Getty Images
She’s not just one of the greatest athletes of all time, bringing a new level of excellence to tennis. She’s also fought for women’s rights, given back to the communities that helped raise her, all while building her ownmediaandfashion empireand being mom to daughterOlympia. She’s a modern-day hero to so many, including a whole host of A-list celebrities.
Fellow Compton, California native Kendrick Lamar toldSports Illustrated, “Being a youngin' in middle school and hearing about Serena and Venus; it was crazy for us. That inspired me, to know that she comes from where I come from and now she’s in front of television cameras everywhere doing what she’s doing. Not only doing it, but doing it at the highest level possible.”
Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh toldCNBC, “My interest in fashion isn’t sort of about clothing, it’s about people. And I think [Serena’s] beyond, you know, an amazing athlete. She’s a muse of a generation.”
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Beyoncé Knowles
Beyonce Knowles-Carter.Dave Benett/WireImage
Knowles' celebrity fan basecould not be more passionate about the star and everything she’s contributed to music and pop culture.
“It’s like, normal for everyone to love Beyoncé, but I love her more than that amount, like more than the normal amount,“Taylor Swiftrevealed to Kiss FMUK in 2015.
“Oh my gosh, I just want Beyoncé to be the mother of my children,” Blake Lively toldE!about the star’s 2013 Super Bowl performance. “She was amazing. I can’t, I can’t even. I don’t even have words for her.”
source: people.com
