Aspiring state attorney general Kamala Harris finds friends in L.A.

There could be support for these candidates in other parts of the state, but from La Brea to Malibu, Harris already has signed up an A-list roster of supporters, including Steven and Dayna Bochco (who hosted one of the earliest fundraisers), James Brooks, Laurie David, Antoine and Lela Fuqua (who've already hosted a fundraiser), Ron and Shelly Gillyard, Hill Harper (another early fundraiser), Norman Lear, Chuck Lorre (another early fundraiser host) Michael Lynton, J.J. Abrams and wife Katie (also money-raisers), Ron and Kelley Meyer, Holly Robinson Peete, Charles Rivkin, Andy Spahn, Dana M. Walden, Laura Wasserman (who hosted a fundraiser of her own this week), Sean Penn, Clarence Avant, Reggie Hudlin and Lisa Ling.

Harris' appeal is similar in many ways to Obama's; she has a compelling life story and trails innovative ideas the way some women do perfume -- two qualities over which the industry swoons. Both her parents are immigrants -- her mother an Indo-American oncologist specializing in breast cancer and her father a Jamaican native who went on to teach economics at Stanford. Kamala (pronounced comma-la) grew up in the Bay Area's intellectual and social ferment, then went on to do her undergraduate work at the elite, historically black Howard University and to study law at Hastings.

A prosecutor since 1990, she first was elected district attorney of San Francisco by winning 56% of the vote in a runoff, despite her promise never to seek the death penalty, which she opposes on moral and philosophical grounds. Two years ago, she won reelection without opposition.

Recently, one of her signature crime prevention efforts became the subject of controversy after The Times reported that an undocumented immigrant enrolled in a rehabilitation program for nonviolent drug offenders had committed a felony while his participation allowed him to avoid deportation.

Her critics have labeled the program "catch and release," but Harris has replied that it was a mistake to let illegal immigrants into the project. She called it a "flaw in the design" that since has been corrected.

That sort of forthrightness in the face of criticism -- also reminiscent of Obama to many -- has made Harris particularly attractive to many of Hollywood's leading Democratic strategists and activists.

"She's smart, charismatic and an experienced prosecutor who has successfully balanced prosecution with prevention," said Spahn, who said he'll be doing significant fundraising on her behalf.

Producer Lawrence Bender enthused that "I think she has a great shot. She has a great following here."

Longtime Dem strategist Noah Mamet, who's seen more candidates than an Iowa caucus, was unequivocal: "She's great. I'm a big fan. The traditional Westside Democratic donors are taken by her. She's also personal friends with Obama, which doesn't hurt. He'll help her with the general election, I assume."

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tina.daunt@latimes.com