See all the stunning photos from EW's 2019 Entertainers of the Year cover shoot (original) (raw)

Drama Queen

James Macari for EW

Awkwafina is our first Entertainer of the Year.

Awkwafina

James Macari for EW

The rapper and comic actress got serious in 2019, which culminated in a career-making turn in The Farewell.

Awkwafina

James Macari for EW

“As a girl, as a woman, we’re constantly negotiating our identities,” Awkwafina says. “How we’re seen by the world, and how we want to be seen, and how we want to see ourselves."

Good as Gold

James Macari for EW

Renée Zellweger is our second Entertainer of the Year.

Renée Zellweger

James Macari for EW

The Oscar winner may get a matching golden bookend after taking fans over the rainbow in Judy.

Renée Zellweger

James Macari for EW

"I’ve never been ashamed of my age," she tells EW. "Not everybody gets 50 years. Aging is a privilege. There’s just a certain kind of liberation — there’s freedom from a certain level of self-doubt."

Bow Down

James Macari for EW

Regina King is our third Entertainer of the Year.

Regina King

James Macari for EW

She started 2019 by winning an Oscar. She ended it kicking whitesupremacist ass on HBO’s Watchmen. All hail the King.

Regina King

James Macari for EW

“It is so much fun,” she tells EW of working on Watchmen. “I’m waiting until I’m damn near 50 to be a superhero. What?”

Seriously Funny

James Macari for EW

Taika Waititi is our fourth Entertainer of the Year.

Taika Waititi

James Macari for EW

The multihyphenate has lampooned vampires and superheroes. Now he leaps to stardom in Jojo Rabbit, a lauded satire he both headlines and helms.

Taika Waititi

James Macari for EW

“I want to be seen. I’m like, me me me me!" he tells EW. "But when I’m alone, I’m so exhausted by that that I basically just shut my mouth and stare into space.”

Taika Waititi

James Macari for EW

“I love ridiculous comedy,” he shares. “I want to see comedy that’s so dumb — but also comedy where you’re forced to think.”

Cuz we love her

James Macari for EW

Lizzo is our fifth Entertainer of the Year.

Lizzo

James Macari for EW

The rapper-singer-flautist just took a DNA test. Turns out she’s the most significant artist of 2019.

Lizzo

James Macari for EW

"I had a very, very vivid imagination," she tells EW of her childhood. "And I think that is the thing that helped bring out the performer in me."

Jeremy Strong

James Macari for EW

"We’re all our characters,” Strong says to EW with a smile.

Kieran Culkin

James Macari for EW

"People just shout at me on the street," notes Culkin. "They did that a little after season 1, like, 'Oh, you’re on that show.' Now they know the name of the show, and they yell it at me."

Sarah Snook

James Macari for EW

"If people have come to [_Succession_] before their friends, there’s a personal ownership there," explains Snook. "My favorite is when [fans say], 'Nobody watches, but I’m telling my friends to watch it.' Like, 'Thanks?'"