“In a world where people are increasingly uncertain about what the future holds for them and their families, it’s easy for politicians to sow fear and division.

“To choose the path of hope and opportunity takes immense courage, and that courage lives within Anthony Albanese.“

Being prime minister of Australia does not guarantee a place on the list. None of Albanese’s three Coalition predecessors made the top 100 and nor did Julia Gillard. Kevin Rudd made the list in 2008.

Oscar award-winning actress Cate Blanchett paid testament to Syrian sisters and competitive swimmers Sara Mardini and Yusra Mardini who fled the war and sought refuge in Europe on a boat crossing between Turkey and Syria. Both are human rights campaigners, having sought asylum in Greece and Germany respectively and were named under Time’s Icons category.

Under Labor, the Australian government has continued the Coalition’s hardline border policies aimed at stopping boat journeys to Australia and one of the Albanese government’s first actions after being elected last May was to turn around an asylum seeker boat.

Blanchett said the sisters’ story, which was documented in the 2022 film The Swimmers showed why their advocacy for the right to seek safety mattered.

“That story continues as both Yusra and Sara fiercely advocate for everyone’s right to seek safety. Whoever. Wherever. Whenever,” she said.

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Another Australian Oscar-winning actress, Nicole Kidman, praised her 2017 The Beguiled co-star Colin Farrell who was also named in the list.

She said he had a very “Irish sensibility” and “seems to look younger every year”.

“He was very emotionally open with me, and I’m very protective of him,” Kidman wrote.

“I admire his tenacity, his resilience, and his great sense of humour.”

Elvis director Baz Luhrmann wrote a piece for Doja Cat, praising the singer who was hailed by Time as a pioneer.

“When she started to work on Vegas for Elvis, Elvis was relegated to a Halloween costume—he wasn’t influential to the younger generation,” Luhrmann wrote.

But Doja and her producer Yeti Beats understood the importance of translating Hound Dog for a new audience.