Gal Gadot held back tears while honoring Skydance co-CEO Ynon Kreiz at the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Humanitarian Award Dinner. The former “Wonder Woman” actor cited Kreiz as a leader she trusts amid the rise of antisemitism around the world.
“I’m frightened by how quickly hatred of Jews is spreading — and how openly it is expressed and accepted,” Gadot told the audience at the Nov. 11 event held at the Beverly Wilshire. “Since the Oct. 7 massacre and the war that followed, I have found myself asking how far this can go. If people get used to hearing and seeing hatred and looking the other way, then where does it end?”
“What gives me hope is that people like Ynon aren’t wavering,” she continued. “He’s doing what he’s always done. He’s standing firm. He feels what our what our community is going through. He’s sticking up against antisemitism. He’s bringing his intense conviction and heart to this fight. He’s leading. That leadership is like a beacon of light and in a dark hour nothing matters more than a ray of light to give all of us courage.”
Kreiz, who was previously the CEO of Mattel for eight years, was named co-CEO of Skydance (the merged Warner Bros. and Paramount) in late September by fellow company boss David Ellison. As chairman and CEO, Ellison is leading all strategy, creative and technology functions. Kreiz, as co-CEO, is overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations and integration of the combined businesses.
When making his remarks later in the evening, Kreiz echoed Gadot’s stance on antisemitism by telling the crowd: “Disagreement with the policies of the Israeli government cannot become an excuse for the hatred of Jews.” The Skydance co-CEO also thanked Ellison for his “bold stand for Israel and the Jewish people” and called on the relationship between the U.S. and Israel to “remain unshakable.”
Ellison spoke at the event before Gadot and called it a “privilege” to have Kreiz alongside him as they steer the new Skydance ship. Ellison called his co-CEO a leader who “rolls up his sleeves” to get things done rather than sit back and let others do the hard work.
“He does not just talk about what he believes in; he lives by those beliefs,” Ellison told the audience about Kreiz. “He is a leader in the truest sense of the word, someone who gives generously of himself, puts his values into practice and is deeply committed to his community and the causes that matter most to him. When something needs to be done, he acts.”
Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks, also heaped praise on Kreiz during his own introductory remarks. He acknowledged that Kreiz, after leading the toy giant Mattel, will now take on the “biggest job of his career” overseeing Skydance with Ellison. Katzenberg then shared overwhelming confidence that Skydance will deliver on its promise to breathe life back into the movie business.
“This is a huge responsibility and one which can actually determine the very future and the vibrancy of Hollywood,” Katzenberg said. “In my opinion, David Ellison chose well when he selected Ynon and it reflects his belief in leaders who have both the expertise and the character to lead at such an important time.”
As the night’s honoree, Kriez was the last person to speak and he thanked Ellison during the latter half of his remarks for putting a “twist” on his story and bringing him on to lead a “next-generation media and entertainment company powered by creativity and technology.” He then spelled out some guiding principles he plans to instill in Skydance.
“We recognize that business leadership comes with a moral obligation,” Kreiz said. “We believe in prioritizing the people we serve, respecting different perspectives and letting truth and facts lead the way. We intend to use talents and influence for good, and we expect to be held to that standard. If we can touch hearts and minds, and entertain, inform and inspire the world through exceptional storytelling, we will have people imagine a better future.”
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a human rights organization that combats antisemitism and all forms of hate, promotes tolerance and advances justice through education and advocacy. The annual Humanitarian Award is the organization’s highest honor. Other honorees at Wednesday’s gala included Elica Le Bon, who received the Medal of Valor, and Bianna Golodryga, who received the Jewish Heritage Award.
