J. J. Abrams

Almost nobody, regardless of Hollywood clout or popularity, can help a movie gain considerable buzz solely as a producer, but that’s exactly what Jeffrey Jacob “J.J.” Abrams did with 2008’s massively successful monster movie, Cloverfield, reaffirming his status as a major pop-culture player. While Abrams began his career in the early 1990s scripting snoozy cinematic fare such as Regarding Henry, he hit his stride in television with the collegiate dramedy Felicity and the spy serial Alias. What truly garnered the bookish Abrams undying fan adoration, however, was Lost. The co-creator, writer, and executive producer on the series along with Damon Lindelof, Abrams directed the stunning two-part pilot, enthusiastically channeling his geeky sci-fi/supernatural/adventure sensibilities into the show’s enigmatic narrative, resulting in a runaway TV hit. Though Abrams’s feature directorial debut, Mission: Impossible III wasn’t showered with love, it was another success (and surprisingly good for Tom Cruise fare), paving the way for his universally adored big-screen reboot of Star Trek. Somewhere in along the way, Abrams also found time to co-create the well-received X-Files-like show Fringe, hitting home his status as one serious multi-tasker.