The Profile: The dealmaker who thrives in market chaos & Hollywood’s kingmaker

This edition of The Profile features Orlando Bravo, Chris McCarthy, Sheryl Crow, and others.

Good morning, friends!

“Why do you like profiles?”

I get this question a lot. And beyond the obvious answer — I love exploring how complicated we are as humans — I think profiles force us to slow down in a world that never stops moving.

We live in a time of speed: 30-second videos, skimmable headlines, optimized everything. But a great profile invites you to pause. It rewards close attention and rewards curiosity.

It’s a bit of a contrarian act — to write long, detailed, deeply human stories in an era of hot takes and scroll fatigue. But that’s exactly why I created The Profile.

Profiles help us learn, not just about a person, but about what drives them. And what drives us.

You only get those insights by noticing what most people miss. The key to writing a great profile is the art of observation: the way someone fills a silence, what’s on their bookshelf, how they behave when the cameras are off.

While working on my last profile of Anthony Scaramucci, we were discussing vindication. I pressed him on whether he still craved respect or redemption after years of public mockery. He said no — but as he answered, I noticed a figurine on his shelf: him, in a suit, with a Bitcoin pin and an orange superhero cape. At the base, it read: “We won! Fuck off.”

While reporting my latest profile (which I will publish very soon!), I found myself jotting down little moments: the titles on his shelf, the way he shifted his energy between video takes, how he handled tough questions.

Despite my subject’s polished public image, he allowed himself to be vulnerable. He asked aloud: What is all this for? Why do I care so much about what people think? Why can’t I just be happy being instead of doing?

Those are the moments that make a profile come alive — when the mask slips and a more complicated, contradictory version of a person emerges.

The best profiles aren’t built from interviews alone. They’re built by shadowing someone — watching how they move, what they say when they’re not thinking too hard, and whether their actions match their words.

Take GQ’s Zach Baron, for example. He’s interviewed people in all sorts of places — conference rooms, hotel restaurants, suites, and cars. It only takes a few minutes for a person to become themselves, he says. It’s not just about how they look or whether they cross their arms —it’s about how they move through a space, the things they do. And nothing, he says, can surprise you quite like another human being.

Baron writes:

“One time, I was in the middle of a long conversation with someone when they abruptly stood up and walked out of the room, only to return with a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to their back... The weird thing is, it doesn’t really matter what they’re doing, I’ve found. It’s just that they’re doing it. In motion, in the world, how you move through it, what you do and how you do it: that’s you.”

And New York Times reporter Caity Weaver captured it perfectly:

“I read a while ago that the reason we, as humans, enjoy slow motion so much is because it gives your brain enough time to take in all the detail of what’s happening. And that’s soothing and rewarding to us. I think profiles do the same thing—you can dive deep into a person, look at them from a bunch of different angles, and form an opinion about them.”

When I profiled Scaramucci, I was acutely aware that he has both admirers and critics. He’s a polarizing figure, and my job wasn’t to take a side — it was to humanize him from my perspective. The reader could decide the rest.

I’m incredibly proud of what we’re building at The Profile. And I’m so grateful to have you here, sharing this journey with me. If you know someone who’d love deep, thoughtful stories about fascinating people, I hope you’ll send them this newsletter.

Thanks for reading, and see you next week.

— Polina

PROFILES.

— The dealmaker who thrives in market chaos [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— Hollywood’s kingmaker
— The women of F1 Academy
— The singer embracing the quiet life
— The pop superstar topping the charts

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The dealmaker who thrives in market chaos: Orlando Bravo just pulled off one of his biggest deals yet — a $10.6 billion acquisition of Boeing’s Jeppesen unit — all sparked by a cold outreach letter. In a market paralyzed by tariffs, antitrust scrutiny, and rising interest rates, Bravo’s strategy is simple: move first, research relentlessly, and strike when others stall. With $22 billion in fresh funds and a wolfpack-style investment team, Thoma Bravo now controls a staggering slice of the software buyout market. (Bloomberg; alternate link)

“If you cannot predict it, you cannot buy it.”

Hollywood’s kingmaker: Chris McCarthy, Paramount’s low-key co-CEO, has quietly become one of Hollywood’s most powerful kingmakers. He revived The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, turned Yellowstone into a $2.9 billion franchise, and transformed Paramount+ into a serious streaming competitor. But his future is uncertain as Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance hangs in regulatory limbo, complicated by Donald Trump’s lawsuit against CBS. (Bloomberg; alternate link)

“Weirdly, I’m the most comfortable with uncertainty.”

The women of F1 Academy: Courtney Crone, Chloe Chambers, and Lia Block are part of a new generation of female drivers shaking up the male-dominated world of motorsports through F1 Academy — a Netflix-ready series aimed at creating the next Formula 1 stars. Raised on speed and social media, these young women know that in today’s world, on-track talent isn’t enough. You also have to win the race for attention. Backed by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, the F1 Academy is betting that its drivers’ stories, rivalries, and grit can capture audiences the same way Drive to Survive did.

“You’re having to push those limits that usually aren’t pushed.”

The singer embracing the quiet life: In this profile, Sheryl Crow reflects on finding peace in Nashville, decades after leaving L.A. fame behind. Now a grounded mother of two, she’s focused on purpose over popularity — writing music that feels true, advocating for the environment, and calling her Congress reps daily to fight for change. While she’s grateful for her legacy, she’s candid about how today’s ego-driven music industry would’ve crushed her spirit. (Variety)

“I can’t imagine what it would be like to go into it knowing I’ve got to build this picture of a famous, secure person but also try to be vulnerable and be an artist.”

The pop superstar topping the charts: Chappell Roan has gone from small-town Missouri to pop superstardom, winning Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys. Behind the glitter and costumes is Kayleigh Amstutz, a once-struggling artist who clawed her way back after being dropped by her label and now owns the stage with a drag queen-inspired persona. Roan blends bold theatricality with deeply personal songwriting, creating a cartoonish yet powerful icon who challenges societal norms. (W Magazine)

“The Challenger’s life purpose is to seek justice. And I feel like that’s for me.”

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