Mere days after being inaugurated as mayor as “the people’s candidate,” Zohran Mamdani took time away from his schedule to have a private meeting with billionaire filmmaker Steven Spielberg.
The politician met with the Oscar winner, a major Democratic donor, in the latter’s Central Park West apartment on Monday. While specifics regarding the visit were not shared, Terry Press, a spokesperson for Spielberg, and City Hall confirmed that the in-person conversation took place — despite the meeting not appearing on Mamdani’s public schedule.
The visit between Mamdani and Spielberg was first reported by The New York Times, who labeled the hour-long sit down as “a friendly get-to-know-you conversation between a mayor and one of his most famous constituents.”
Mamdani’s decision to meet with Spielberg is particularly noteworthy given the new mayor ran on a Democratic Socialist platform, in which he advocated for progressive social programs, including universal free childcare, and condemned the 1%.
In fact, back in June, Mamdani said point-blank on “Meet the Press” that he doesn’t think billionaires should exist.
“I don’t think that we should have billionaires because, frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality,” he said at the time. “And ultimately, what we need more of is equality across our city and across our state and across our country.”
Yet, Spielberg, one of Hollywood’s most prolific directors and producers, is among the wealthiest entertainers in the world. In fact, Spielberg is one of only five directors — the others being James Cameron, George Lucas, Tyler Perry and Peter Jackson — to grace Forbes’ billionaires list.
However, this is not the first time Mamdani has mingled with members of Hollywood’s elite, as Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Marisa Tomei and Lupita Nyong’o co-hosted one of the young mayor’s sold-out fundraisers in December. He was also seen attending the NYC premiere party for the Timothée Chalamet-led “Marty Supreme” film.
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