Trivia

Ranked #72 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List with Spyglass Entertainment partner Roger Birnbaum.

Accounting Origins: Before becoming a Hollywood mogul, Barber was a Chartered Accountant in South Africa and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the U.S., working for Price Waterhouse. One of his first auditing clients in Los Angeles was Columbia Pictures, which sparked his entry into the entertainment industry.

The Million-Dollar Settlement: After being abruptly ousted as CEO of MGM in 2018-reportedly due to internal strategy disputes-Barber received a massive $260 million settlement. This payout included cash, stock, and options in exchange for a three-year non-compete agreement.

A "Supernatural" Athlete: Long before he was an executive, Barber was a standout athlete in Johannesburg. He attended the University of the Witwatersrand on a soccer scholarship and was locally renowned for his skills in cricket, tennis, and golf.

Horse Racing Royalty: Barber isn't just a casual owner; he is a titan of the turf. He has won over 1,000 career races and achieved a "Triple Crown" milestone in 2019 when his horse, War of Will, won the Preakness Stakes. He has also been named the National Owner of the Year multiple times in both the U.S. and Canada.

Life Before Television: Growing up in Johannesburg, Barber's early fascination with cinema was fueled by necessity-television was not introduced in South Africa until 1976. As a result, his early exposure to entertainment came almost exclusively through 16mm and 35mm film shorts.

The "Arlington Million" Connection: His passion for horse racing has a cinematic origin story: in 1982, he won a trip to the Arlington Million horse race in Illinois. That same year, he moved to the United States to join his brother, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen in the mid-1980s.