Hollywood legend Kathleen Kennedy picks up reins for 2028 LA Olympics opening and closing

Four major ceremonies will be led by Kathleen Kennedy starting in 2028. The former head of Lucasfilm has been named head of ceremonies and content for the Los Angeles Olympics.

Kennedy takes over the role from Peter Rice. Rice was hired as Netflix’s chief content officer earlier this week. He will remain with the LA28 Games as an executive producer. His hiring by Netflix followed the departure of Bela Bajaria.

Kennedy’s responsibilities cover all four events. These include the Olympic opening ceremony on July 14, 2028, and the closing on July 30. She will also oversee the Paralympic opening on August 15 and the closing on August 27 of that year.

Casey Wasserman, the chairperson and president of LA28, praised the selection. He called Kennedy a legend and one of Hollywood’s all-time greats. Wasserman stated that when the world focuses on Los Angeles for the 2028 Games, Kennedy is the best person to conjure the magic of Hollywood.

Kennedy expressed enthusiasm for the role in a statement. She described the Olympics as a touchstone in her life. She noted that her husband Frank Marshall and she have attended virtually every Games since Los Angeles 1984. She called sport one of the great unifying experiences we share.

Kennedy left Lucasfilm at the end of 2025 after serving as president for 14 years. She maintains a relationship with the studio behind Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Her recent credits include The Mandalorian and Grogu and the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter led by Ryan Gosling.

Her career includes close work with Steven Spielberg on films such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and Lincoln. She helped select J.J. Abrams to direct 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That film earned more than $2 billion globally. Her tenure also included projects like Solo: A Star Wars Story and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.