Picture yourself stepping into your demanding, high-stakes position on Wall Street—a place defined by precision, speed, and financial intensity—only to be greeted not with spreadsheets or market updates, but with an entirely different kind of request: to impersonate the eccentric 1980s digital personality Max Headroom or to perform the legendary lift from the film “Dirty Dancing.” That is precisely the situation a handful of Blackstone executives recently found themselves in as part of the investment firm’s annual holiday video, a project that has evolved from a small internal celebration into an elaborate, firmwide production steeped in nostalgic references and unrestrained humor.
This year’s video, released on a Thursday to commemorate Blackstone’s 40th anniversary, continues the Wall Street tradition of end-of-year showcases that blend self-parody, pop-culture homage, and genuine team spirit. Although sometimes referred to as “cringeworthy,” these productions have become a beloved ritual within the financial industry—a lighthearted counterpoint to an environment more often associated with stoicism and performance metrics. Business Insider interviewed three senior Blackstone professionals featured in the latest installment, who reflected candidly on their experiences, the process behind the scenes, and the broader cultural resonance of participating in something so joyfully unorthodox.
As Business Insider has previously outlined, the creation of this festive spectacle begins months before cameras start rolling. Preparations typically launch during the summer, when Blackstone President Jon Gray joins forces with Christine Anderson, the head of external affairs, and Jay Gillespie, who oversees the internal video division. Their initial brainstorming sessions yield concepts that deftly merge corporate storytelling with entertainment, ensuring each annual video both amuses employees and subtly reinforces the firm’s identity. What began as a small-scale initiative featuring only twenty employees in 2018 has expanded exponentially to include approximately 400 participants worldwide this year. Among them are Gray himself—who appears each year in his recurring role as the mischievous on-screen instigator—and entire cohorts of Blackstone’s global partners, who this time contribute to a spirited parody of the 1980s humanitarian anthem “We Are the World.”
For those chosen to appear, the invitation carries both excitement and apprehension. Zaneta Koplewicz, co-president, BREIT director, and head of shareholder relations, was selected for one of the production’s most memorable moments: re-creating the climactic lift from “Dirty Dancing.” A seasoned dancer who once pursued ballet seriously during her undergraduate years at Princeton, she shared that although two decades had passed since her last formal performance, her colleagues deemed her the natural choice for such a demanding number. “After the shoot,” she recalled, “I asked who else could have done it if I hadn’t—and they told me frankly that without me, the scene wouldn’t have happened.” Yet, when first approached, Koplewicz admitted to feeling hesitant, reminding the team that her days of rigorous training were long behind her.
Meanwhile, Dan Leiter—head of international operations for Blackstone’s credit and insurance arm as well as global head of liquid credit—had a markedly different perspective. Having only recently joined from Morgan Stanley in 2024, he recognized at once that being included in the holiday video was a privilege, a gesture that symbolized welcome and belonging. For Mike Forman, head of digital infrastructure within Blackstone Real Estate, the news came in the most modern of ways: through an unanticipated calendar invite that suddenly appeared one morning. His amused reaction summed up the internal spirit of the project: “I wonder how I’ll be embarrassing myself this year?”
The filming itself is a logistical marathon compressed into just a few weeks, typically spanning late November through early December, strategically slotted between the executives’ full schedules. Forman’s scene involved a tongue-in-cheek exchange with President Jon Gray, in which he was hilariously instructed to dismiss acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns, who had been commissioned to produce an overly earnest slow-paced film for the firm. “Sorry, Ken,” Forman quipped on camera, in a perfectly timed punch line that encapsulated the self-deprecating humor of the production. The shooting process was fast—Forman arrived, filmed his part, and before long, Gray had moved on to his next meeting. “We were doing our absolute best to act,” Forman reflected with a laugh, “which is definitely not our day job.”
Because of the condensed shooting schedule, multiple scenes are often filmed back-to-back, resulting in a surreal on-set environment where employees roam the office in flamboyant costumes while others perform nearby. Leiter, playing the pixelated figure of Max Headroom—the glitchy, computer-generated television host from the 1980s—recalled moments of uncontrollable laughter on set. During one scene, the levity grew so contagious that takes had to be repeated twice, and eventually, the production team asked participants to step out so filming could proceed uninterrupted. These spontaneous instances of humor reveal something essential about the spirit behind the project: within a culture often defined by composure and professionalism, moments of genuine amusement become opportunities for bonding and authenticity.
For her part, Koplewicz approached her physically demanding scene with diligence and grace. After watching online tutorials and practicing only once with a professional dancer, she executed the lift flawlessly in front of an audience of colleagues, receiving an eruption of applause. The performance epitomized not just dedication but also the firm-wide willingness to embrace levity in the name of shared celebration.
While Blackstone declined to disclose the budget for the production, Business Insider’s reporting from the previous year revealed that the firm’s fully staffed video department—comprising over twenty professionals—produces in excess of 2,200 videos annually. This includes curated social media content, internal communications, and polished advertisements designed to amplify the firm’s growing presence in the public eye.
The impact of the holiday video extends far beyond its internal audience. Leiter shared that after his school-aged children saw his appearance in the 2024 edition, they became enthralled, insisting on watching every preceding video and eventually singing the accompanying songs around the house. Furthermore, clients from around the globe now anticipate each release with genuine enthusiasm; during a trip to the Middle East, Leiter reported multiple inquiries from clients who were marking their calendars for the video’s premiere date.
For Koplewicz, participation has yielded its own unexpected ripple effects. The previous year, she portrayed an “investor” in a parody of the dating show “The Bachelor,” titled “The Inve$tor.” Shortly after its debut, her new acquaintances from her son’s elementary school discovered the video and circulated it in their parent group chat—a moment that underscored how the lighthearted internal project had reached audiences well beyond corporate boardrooms.
Ultimately, the tradition has come to symbolize more than just festive entertainment; it reflects a corporate culture willing to laugh at itself while reinforcing unity and humanity within one of the world’s largest private investment firms. For employees and executives alike, the annual holiday video has become a creative outlet, a communal ritual, and a reminder that even in the most demanding professional environments, there remains room for humor, spontaneity, and collective joy.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/blackstones-executives-holiday-video-experience-koplewicz-forman-leiter-2025-12
