5 Questions for a Brunonian: Film Exec Nina Jacobson ’87, P’23

A lifelong commitment to creative storytelling—and a desire for equal representation in the film industry—has shaped the successful Hollywood career of this former semiotics concentrator.

Nina Jacobson headshotWhen Nina Jacobson ’87, P’23 studied semiotics—the study of signs and systems of communication—as a Brown undergraduate, it laid the groundwork for her career in filmmaking. Later, as a Disney film executive, Jacobson oversaw the production of fan-favorite films like “Pirates of the Caribbean'' and now is the founder of Color Force, a production company, which has quickly emerged as a major player in the Hollywood film industry, producing blockbusters such as “Crazy Rich Asians” and “The Hunger Games” franchise. 

As a lesbian woman and a well-known female producer working in a male-dominated industry, Jacobson has fought to tell stories with strong female protagonists—something that wasn’t always easy, especially in the earlier years of her career. Despite these challenges, Jacobson’s persistence and entrepreneurial spirit have aided her in becoming one of Hollywood’s most influential producers. 

 

“ I have always been in awe of gifted storytellers, people who can hold an audience in their hands and not let go until the story has been told. ”


Why do you do what you do?

I am always looking for a book that I can’t put down, a movie I can’t stop thinking about, a show I can look forward to, a podcast that makes me want to take the dogs on an extra long walk, or even just a good long article. It makes sense for me to have a job that requires me to do those things all the time. I think that storytelling is actually one of the few ways that humans have to recognize ourselves and each other, to feel someone else’s joy or pain, to imagine ourselves in the shoes of another. We have a primal desire to see ourselves represented on cave walls, pages, and screens. I have always been in awe of gifted storytellers, people who can hold an audience in their hands and not let go until the story has been told. As a producer, I am on a relentless quest for storytellers who can grab me by the collar (figuratively) and make me care about what happens to the characters they’ve created and help me to see the world differently than I did before.  

Why Brown?

I went to college anticipating some kind of metamorphosis, but lacking any self awareness of what it would be. I was intellectually curious and wanted the freedom of the Open Curriculum. That freedom allowed me to take an introductory semiotics class that changed the way I saw the world and set me on the course I’m on now. I chose Brown because it felt like the person I was and the one I would become would both feel at home there.  

“ Studying semiotics and working in the Theater Program at Brown transformed my love of consuming stories into a desire to tell them. ”

How has your Brown education and experience influenced and informed your career?

Studying Semiotics and working in the Theater Program at Brown transformed my love of consuming stories into a desire to tell them. I came to appreciate the power that media has to shape how we feel about ourselves and each other and to interrogate the systems of power that determine which stories are told and by whom.  

What is one piece of advice you would give your younger self?

The way you imagine your future and your actual future have very little in common.  Be prepared to be surprised. Also, Converse high tops are not good winter shoes.  

As you know, this year, the Brown Women’s Network is celebrating and honoring 130 years of women at Brown with programming ranging from a women’s leadership series to industry nights to an author series. What are you most excited about?

Authors, of course :) 

Nina R. Jacobson ’87, P’23 is a senior film executive and producer. As an executive, she shepherded “The Sixth Sense,” “Remember the Titans,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Jacobson’s feature credits include “The Hunger Games” franchise, “Crazy Rich Asians,” and the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series. She has also produced television shows ranging from the groundbreaking “Pose” to “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story” and “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” which received two Emmys and two Golden Globes.

 

Nina R. Jacobson '87, P'23, Soledad O'Brien P'24, and Angela Robinson '92

See Jacobson live!

Wednesday, April 6
6 – 7 p.m. ET

Register
Changing an Industry: Women in Television, Film, and Media

Nina R. Jacobson ’87, P’23, Soledad O’Brien P’24, and Angela Robinson ’92 lead a behind-the-scenes discussion on their careers, diversifying the entertainment industry, and the importance of female mentorship. Moderated by Resa E. Lewiss ’92.

Part of the 130 Years of Women at Brown celebration.