Barry Diller (born 1942)

Visionary executive Barry Diller has lived an influential life with a quiet honesty that has allowed for a full expression of who he is. Diller, who openly acknowledges his attraction to men has defied conventional labels, having shared a decades-long marriage to designer Diane von Furstenberg, who kept his secret. In his recent moving memoir, Who Knew, he discusses his sexuality for the first time at age 82 and describes living with a deep fear of exposure – a common feeling, especially today for many in the LGBTQIA+ community.  Diller’s accomplishments are many. As CEO of Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, QVC, USA Networks, IAC and Expedia, Diller changed the media landscape. He pioneered the made-for-TV movie on ABC-TV; launched the Fox Broadcasting Network; and oversaw classics like Saturday Night Fever, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Grease and Cheers and The Simpsons.  He also built an internet network that created Match.com, Vimeo, Ask.com and The Daily Beast.  His philanthropy through the Diller-von Furstenberg Foundation has included funding NYC’s High Line and Little Island and numerous LGBTQIA+ causes. ​