Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes built one of television's most recognizable production houses by mastering the long-form drama. Born January 13, 1970, in the US, she is an American television producer and screenwriter. As the showrunner, creator, and executive producer of Grey's Anatomy (which premiered in 2005 and remains ongoing), she set the template for her career: prestige ensemble narratives anchored by character depth. She followed with Private Practice (2007–2013) and Scandal (2012–2018), becoming the first African American woman to create three television dramas that each reached 100 episodes—a milestone that marked her entry into the halls of broadcast power. Her production company, Shondaland, extended that reach through executive producer roles on How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020), Bridgerton (2020–present), Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023), and the limited series Inventing Anna (2022). Rhimes has been nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award, won a Golden Globe and a Daytime Emmy, and received honors from the British Academy Television Awards and International Emmy Awards. A Capricorn [birth fact], she channeled discipline and ambition into institutional roles: in 2017, she became a Chair's Appointee to the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' executive committee, and she serves on the USC Film Council and the Writers Guild Inclusion Committee. Time magazine placed her on their 100 most influential people list in 2007, 2013, and 2021. By 2023, her net worth reached $250 million, making her one of America's wealthiest women entertainers. Beyond television, she published a memoir, Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun, and Be Your Own Person (2015), and founded The Rhimes Family Foundation in 2016 to support arts, education, and activism.