Julianna Medina Politsky, ’02, harnesses Midwest grit to make a name for herself - and space for other women - in Hollywood.
Despite being a lifelong cinephile, when Julianna Medina Politsky graduated with degrees in marketing and psychology, Hollywood was the furthest thing from her mind. After several years in the fashion and real estate industries, however, she decided to move to Los Angeles. She started her entertainment career at a Hollywood Talent agency, then beat out hundreds of candidates for a position with Legendary Entertainment, staying 10 years with the company and helping to build their first production department. She worked on 25+ films in production, finance and VFX with budgets ranging from $5-$200 million like Dune, Fresh, Enola Holmes, Carne y Arena, Godzilla, Warcraft, Kong, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, 42, Crimson Peak and Pacific Rim. In 2016, she began hosting events in LA, NYC and London for Women in Entertainment to combat a lack of representation on both sides of the camera and in the writer’s room. These events were to encourage women to make connections and business deals, propelling themselves on to greater success in a male-dominated industry. Julianna is a great example of that. She has now executive produced Sundance premiered, Independent Spirit Award nominated La Leyenda Negra and co-produced Gotham winning, Independent Spirit and NAACP Image Award nominated The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain that both aired on HBO. She now independently produces and is co-owner of Redbird Entertainment, she continues to champion content that supports women, Latine, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ stories and creators.
KSU: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
JMP: Doing what I love with continued progress – passing on what I’ve learned to help others on their journey.
KSU: What is your favorite trait in others?
JMP: Loyalty and candor while not taking yourself too seriously.
KSU: What trait about yourself do you like least?
JMP: I’m hard on myself and think I need to know everything - I do have two degrees. In my industry like many others, women know more and are stronger than they think. Speak up, ask for the meeting, apply for the job!
KSU: Who has had the greatest influence on your life?
JMP: My family, including my close friends and my dog. My mom leads the pack. She got me through school and instilled a strong work ethic, moral compass and compassion for others in me. In Hollywood, it’s vital to hold on to these traits and not lose sight of them.
KSU: What is your favorite Kent State memory?
JMP: So many! My consumer behavior class tied all my degrees together - Thank you, Dr. Albanese! It helped build my mindset for how I create and produce content today. But mostly, it was the connections I made, enjoying Water Street that extra hour on Halloween and Townhomes with some of the most fabulous females - Jill, Joelle and Regan - who are still in my life today.
KSU: What is your favorite journey?
JMP: I’m on it! I have to remind myself to enjoy it, the ups and the downs. The downs are learning experiences so long as you use them to make educated choices, they can fuel your fire to keep going.
KSU: What is your guilty pleasure?
JMP: I am usually doing research for a project – YouTube rabbit holes.
KSU: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
JMP: I’m proud to have been part of more than 24 films from Godzilla to Dune. But even more so, in 2016 before the #METOO movement gained momentum, I founded a Women in Entertainment event. There was a need for women to connect and learn from each other. Today the roster is 800+ with private events held in LA, NY and London. Deals, collaborations and connections have been made all by inviting a handful of talented women to come together.
KSU: If you could come back as one person, who would it be and why?
JMP: Myself but with all the knowledge I have at this point. I’d move a lot faster with less concerns of the future.
KSU: What part of your college experience most formed who you are today?
JMP: There is an ease to the town of Kent with the people and cost of living there that allows you to breathe a bit and just “be.” Be yourself, be creative, absorb and engage without a lot of the worries of a big city. The experiences and friendships I made in that setting were better. I believe that coupled with my Midwest upbringing differentiates me from others in my industry.