Eddie LeVian
CEO, Le Vian Jewelry Group
As someone driven by my passion for jewels and precious stones and always on a quest for new discoveries, I admire Indiana Jones, who scours the world for a magical jewel. He lives a life of adventure and excitement, traveling across the globe — something I have loved doing over the decades to source new materials, meet clients and attend events. His success is also attributed to working with his costars, who share his daring journeys, and I similarly am indebted to my family and team, who support me in our quest to save the world’s most beautiful gems for eternity in original jewelry. He is also a man of integrity, loyalty and compassion, which make him an even more alluring and enduring movie hero.
Ben Smithee
CEO, The Smithee Group
Well, my first instinct was to go with Iron Man and Tony Stark, because I just feel like Robert Downey Jr. had to have had an amazing time shooting that film, and all of the Marvel movies are pretty epic. But I think I am actually going to go more iconic with James Bond. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be James Bond? The whole series, both classic and modern, is always entertaining and well-produced. Save the world, drive great cars, have cool tech, rock a Tom Ford tux and a martini shaken — not stirred…. Count me in!
Pat Henneberry
Chief marketing officer, Ellansa Fine Jewelry;
founder, The Jewelry Coach
I would be Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. He is one-of-a-kind, seeks adventure and always lands on his feet. I love him because he says there is more to life than riches: “Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.” He lives for the moment. Jack doesn’t obsess over what you can’t do or are afraid to do. He encourages us to become sociable: He would steal someone’s rum and still shake hands with them. I won’t steal your rum, but I might grab your wine. He reminds us to change our attitudes: “The problem
is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.” He shows us to set our destination: “Wherever we want to go, we’ll go.... What a ship is…is freedom.” Sparrow takes chances and does not allow enemies or the stormy sea to stop him. He teaches: “Why fight when you can negotiate?” The first thing people do is go on the attack rather than going to the negotiation table.
Peggy Jo Donahue
Jewelry industry writer
I would be Marty McFly in the 1985 film Back to the Future. Marty is the teenager who time travels back to 1955 and bumps into his parents, interfering with the moment they’re supposed to fall in love — which means he could cease to exist! I’m a history nerd, and it’s always been my fantasy to travel into the past. What happens when you go back? How do you adapt, wear clothes, behave? And what happens if you interfere with history? Back to the Future enthralled me. I was born in 1955, so the first time I saw it at the movies, I was fascinated by how life looked when my parents were young. Now, rewatching it, I’m amused by 1985, too! The film’s lesson is timeless: Even our parents were young once, and they’re not telling us the whole story.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - August 2021. To subscribe click here.