Women We Love: Megan Ellison

To those she’s helped, she’s a “godsend”, “an angel sent from heaven” and the woman single-handedly saving Hollywood from mediocrity. To her enemies, she’s a naive rich kid throwing sacks full of cash at risky indie films so she can hang with the cool kids on set. Whatever they call her, there’s no doubt Megan Ellison is turning the film business on its backside.

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Megan, the 27-year-old daughter of software tycoon Larry Ellison—he’s the third richest man in America — produced Zero Dark Thirty and The Master, both of which are nominated for Oscars this year. Receiving a reported $2 billion from Dad when she turned 25, Megan didn’t have to schmooze potential investors to stump up the combined total of $80 million the films apparently cost. She financed both of them herself.

“As a film lover, I think she’s a godsend,” veteran indie producer Ted Hope told The Guardian newspaper. “She’s the only one out there putting reasonable budgets behind adventurous movies for adults that are 100 per cent their directors’ visions.”

More at home on a movie set than a 5th Avenue boutique, the motorcycle-riding, cigarette-smoking, grungy film lover has been accused – presumably by those not on the receiving end of her generosity – of treading on established Hollywood toes and throwing too much money at risky films. “I don’t think she’s spending money wisely,” Hollywood journalist Sharon Waxman told The Guardian. “I don’t think it’s healthy for the quality movie business to make movies that won’t make their money back.”

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However, they’re getting made, thanks to Ellison we’re getting to watch some quality movies. “I’m happy just to have this person here,” said Hope, “pushing culture forward.”