Viola Davis, John Legend, Riz Ahmed and More Stars Land Covers for Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2017

President Donald Trump, Pope Francis and RuPaul also were given spots on this year's roundup

By Samantha Schnurr Apr 20, 2017 1:15 PMTags
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The list is out!

As is tradition, Time released its annual list of the 100 most influential people for 2017, featuring power players from all walks of life. Among the familiar faces on the list are acclaimed Hollywood stars like Oscar winners Viola Davis and Emma Stone, comedians like Leslie Jones and Jordan Peele, musicians like Alicia Keys and Demi Lovato, TV personalities like James Corden and RuPaul, athletes like Colin Kaepernick and Simone Biles, tech titans like Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and world leaders like President Donald Trump and Pope Francis

In addition to Davis and Bezos, John Legend, Melinda Gates and Riz Ahmed were also chosen for five of this year's covers. As Lin-Manuel Miranda excitedly wrote about the Star Wars actor, "Look! We're alive at the same time as Riz Ahmed! Look!"

Xi Jinping, president of the People's Republic of China, appears on the list for his eighth time, the most of anyone featured this year. Activist for LGBT rights, Gavin Grimm is the youngest person on the list at 17 years old while Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice, is the eldest at 87. 

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TIME 100 Gala 2016

Notable figures like Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey and Buzz Aldrin also worked behind the scenes to pen tributes to this year's featured influential people.

Supermodel and entrepreneur Tyra Banks honored model and body activist Ashley Graham for her ongoing contributions to the fashion industry. "Every Graham of her body embraces anyone who ever doubted themselves," Banks wrote. "It is time for everyone to bow down to the fashion industry's—no, make that beauty's—new queen."

"He's like a fighter who pops back up on his feet before you even noticed he'd been knocked down," Taylor Swift said of her friend, Ed Sheeran

"Like no one else—that's what Margot Robbie's like," Wolf of Wall Street director Martin Scorsese described his leading lady. 

"My daughters have long looked up to her," Wendi Murdoch said of entrepreneur Ivanka Trump, President Trump's assistant and daughter. "Now women and girls around the globe can look up to her too."

"Anyone—friends and fans alike—can tell you that James doesn't take himself, or others, too seriously," Elton John described Corden. "And that's why he's able to make us laugh, cry and sing—sometimes all at once."

This year's issue will hit newsstands April 21.