James Babiarz has joined 11 Dollar Bill as executive producer at its home studio in Chicago. A 12-year industry veteran with deep ties to the Chicago advertising community, Babiarz will oversee current projects, direct sales, recruit talent and pursue opportunities for growth. He spent the previous six years at The Mill, Chicago, where he recently produced work for the NHL, U.S Army, Jeep and Frito-Lay.
11 Dollar Bill managing director Del Feltz said that it was apparent from their first meeting that Babiarz was the ideal choice. “It wasn’t just a professional fit, he shared our work philosophy on a personal level,” Feltz explained. “He has a passion for the Chicago advertising industry and his take on postproduction resonated perfectly with what we all believe at 11 Dollar Bill.”
As a new member of 11 Dollar Bill’s leadership team, Babiarz will help formulate a strategy for growing the company through diversifying services, exploring new markets and adding new talent and resources. “I love 11 Dollar Bill’s focus on the local market,” Babiarz said. “I’ve been part of the Chicago advertising industry for 12 years and I’m very passionate about it. I’m looking forward to bringing great projects to 11 Dollar Bill, helping the company grow and being here for a long, long time.”
Babiarz is a Chicago native and a graduate of Columbia College with a degree in film production. He began his career with Method Studios and spent four years at the design studio Sarofsky. He joined The Mill as a producer in 2018 and was later promoted to head of production, then executive producer. His memorable projects include “Barbie’s Dream House” for Rocket Mortgage, which ran during the Super Bowl in 2022, and “Groundhog Day” (featuring Bill Murray) for Jeep, a Super Bowl spot in 2020, as well as the music video “Potion” featuring Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa. Babiarz’s experience as a producer spans production, editorial, post, design and visual effects.
“Overnight Success” Has Been More Than A Decade In The Making For Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson
Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson, two of the stars of Netflix's whodunit "The Perfect Couple," have news for you if you want to call them breakouts: They've been working in this business for more than a decade.
Fahy made her TV debut in 2009 in an episode of "Gossip Girl." Hewson's first big film role was in 2011's "This Must Be the Place." They do concede, however, that it's recent TV roles — "The White Lotus" for Fahy and "Bad Sisters" for Hewson — that have led to new frontiers of opportunity.
Susanne Bier, who directed "The Perfect Couple," says both Fahy and Hewson are "going to be big stars."
"They certainly have proper, profound star quality, Both of them in very different ways," Bier says. "Both are incredibly creative, incredibly smart, and also have a impressive insight as to who they are. You can be a great actor or actress and not necessarily really know who you are yourself. And they do."
Hewson, 33, whose dad is U2 front man Bono, may have grown up in a famous family but she's now in demand in her own right. She will next be seen in a second season of "Bad Sisters, " out in November. She's in Noah Baumbach's next film, alongside Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Riley Keough. She's also been cast in Steven Spielberg's next production and is set to star opposite Murray Bartlett in a racing series for Hulu.
Fahy, 34, is in production on a limited series with Julianne Moore and Milly Alcock called "Sirens," written by Molly Smith Metzler ("Maid") for Netflix. She also has two films in the can with Josh O'Connor ("The Crown," "Challengers") and Brandon Sklenar ("It Ends With Us").
The two actors spoke candidly about this phase of their careers. This interview has been condensed for clarity and... Read More