Hollywood
Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group ups Patricia Laucella as president
MUMBAI: Reflecting the continued growth and evolution of the company’s motion picture operations, Lionsgate has promoted Patricia Laucella to president, business and legal affairs for its Motion Picture Group.
Laucella will continue to report to Lionsgate general counsel and chief strategic officer Wayne Levin.
In her expanded role, Laucella will oversee a business and legal affairs division responsible for negotiating the production and talent deals of a broad portfolio of films that have propelled Lionsgate into a major force at the global box office, generating approximately $2 billion worldwide each of the past three years.
Laucella has handled production and talent deals for the last two Hunger Games films, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the 10th highest-grossing domestic box office release of all time, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 as well as the upcoming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. She has also structured and negotiated talent deals for director Francis Lawrence and Academy Award-winning superstar Jennifer Lawrence as well as many of the other principal Hunger Games cast members.
In addition, Laucella has structured and negotiated production and talent deals for the first two installments of Lionsgate’s newest franchise, Divergentand Insurgent, the upcoming Allegiant and other upcoming event films such as Gods of Egypt, the epic re-imagining of ancient Egypt, the live actionPower Rangers series, Peter Berg’s action thriller Deepwater Horizon, starring Mark Wahlberg, the supernatural thriller The Last Witch Hunter, starring Vin Diesel, Damien Chazelle’s La La Land and Wonder, based on the long-running New York Times best-seller.
“Patricia is a skilled financial strategist, superb negotiator and a great team leader. She and her team are providing critical legal support to an expanding portfolio of high profile event pictures, and her multidisciplinary business and legal skills combined with her leadership abilities have earned the respect of her colleagues throughout the Lionsgate family,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-chairs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger and Levin.
“I’m fortunate to work within the dynamic, innovative and entrepreneurial studio environment created by our amazingly talented senior management team, and it’s a thrill to play a role in assembling such an exciting pipeline of films. I’m also very lucky to work with such a skilled business and legal affairs team, and I’d like to extend particular thanks to my colleague and counterpart Robert Melnik, who is a pillar of Lionsgate’s business affairs activities and an incredibly adept talent negotiator,” added Laucella.
Hollywood
Disney chair confident CEO Josh D’Amaro will ‘rise to the occasion’ in Trump–Kimmel row
Board backs new chief as ABC controversy tests leadership early on
NEW YORK: The Walt Disney Company has placed the responsibility of handling the escalating dispute between Donald Trump and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel squarely on its new chief executive, Josh D’Amaro.
Speaking at a business conference in Oslo, Disney chair James Gorman said it would be up to the CEO and his team to determine the company’s response to the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He noted that such challenges are not uncommon for large corporations and require careful handling at the leadership level.
The row intensified after both Donald Trump and Melania Trump publicly called for Kimmel’s dismissal following remarks made on his show. The comments, which referenced the First Lady, sparked backlash in the days leading up to a security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Kimmel addressed the issue on-air, clarifying that his joke was intended as a reference to the couple’s age difference and not an incitement to violence. He also expressed sympathy for those affected by the incident and reiterated his stance against violent rhetoric.
Despite mounting pressure, Gorman refrained from offering specific guidance on the future of the show or the host. Instead, he voiced confidence in D’Amaro’s leadership, describing him as “world class” and capable of navigating the situation effectively.
The episode presents an early and high-profile test for D’Amaro, who stepped into the top role just last month. How Disney balances editorial independence, public sentiment and political pressure will likely shape not just the outcome of this controversy, but also the tone of its leadership in the months ahead.
