Leak Reveals Inner Workings of Peter Thiel’s Secretive Dialog Society

A Swiss independent researcher, identified as Maia Arson Crimew, accessed code on Dialog’s website and supplied The Hollywood Reporter with a membership directory and retreat agenda. The documents list roughly 200 participants spanning Hollywood, technology, finance, and politics, and confirm that the 2024 retreat will take place in August at a sprawling estate in Dublin, Ireland. Applicants disclose a political leaning and receive a letter grade reflecting influence; writer-producer Teresa Hsiao earned an A, while actor Josh Brolin received a C.

Hollywood Reporter

Founded in 2006, Dialog bills itself as an off-record forum for “highly accomplished” leaders to discuss controversial topics without public scrutiny. The organization maintains a low public profile, never publishing a member list, and operates through annual retreats and a planned permanent campus in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, signaling an intent to increase engagement with lawmakers.

Hollywood Reporter

The leaked roster includes actors Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sophia Bush, and composer Benj Pasek; media executives Scooter Braun, Scott Belsky, and Nick Thompson; and journalist Ezra Klein. Tech and political figures such as Elon Musk, OpenAI president Greg Brockman, Anthropic’s Michael Sellitto, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Senator Ted Cruz, and former White House adviser Jared Kushner also appear. Brolin’s nomination came from former Uber CEO Ryan Graves.

Hollywood Reporter

Session titles reveal a blend of geopolitical and personal subjects: “Bring Back Nuclear,” “Disinformation & Deepfakes,” “Battlefield Technologies,” “Democracy Under Surveillance,” “Taiwan and the AI Race,” “Three Predictions in Iran,” as well as “Build-a-Party,” “Money (Does?) Buy Happiness,” “How’s Your Sex Life,” “It’s Fun to be in Charge,” “Research-Based Longevity Hacks,” “Build-a-Cult,” and “Navigating WWIII.” A participation guide urges concise contributions, dissenting views, and avoidance of status signaling.

Hollywood Reporter

A spokesperson for Brolin told The Hollywood Reporter the actor “would like to know what the fuck he got himself into.” Dialog’s internal participation guide states, “Everyone at Dialog is highly accomplished,” and advises members to share only bio details relevant to the conversation. The guide also emphasizes that discussions are intended to be “candid across ideological lines” and to surface ideas members would not feel comfortable expressing publicly.

Hollywood Reporter

Observers note that the retreat’s secrecy “sidesteps public scrutiny” and enables discussion of “controversial and concerning ideas” without accountability. The inclusion of topics such as “Build-a-Cult” and “Navigating WWIII” has raised concerns about the potential influence of an untransparent network on policy and public discourse.

Hollywood Reporter

By convening leaders from entertainment, technology, and government, Dialog creates a venue where cross-industry ideas can shape narratives, investment decisions, and legislative priorities. The planned D.C. campus suggests a deliberate effort to embed the group within the political decision-making ecosystem, amplifying its capacity to affect future policy debates.

Hollywood Reporter

The August Dublin retreat will be the first publicized gathering since the leak. Dialog also intends to establish a permanent campus near Washington, D.C., to host ongoing off-record meetings, indicating a long-term strategy to institutionalize its influence.

Hollywood Reporter

• “He wrote: “I grew up on a horse farm, climbed parts of Everest, given academy awards, been nominated, written a book, had former Poet laureates reach out, been friends with the greatest artists of our time and smoked crack under a car at 3 am in San Francisco.” — Josh Brolin, application excerpt

AV Club

• “Everyone at Dialog is highly accomplished,” — Dialog participation guide

Hollywood Reporter

• “Only share those aspects of your bio that are most relevant to the conversation or to people getting to know you.” — Dialog participation guide

Hollywood Reporter

• “like to know what the fuck he got himself into.” — Spokesperson for Josh Brolin

Hollywood Reporter