Hello Sunshine Hires Disney Exec Lauren Kisilevsky To Run Live-Action Family Programming
EXCLUSIVE: Lauren Kisilevsky is reuniting with Reese Witherspoon after being hired to oversee live-action family programming at Hello Sunshine.
Kisilevsky, who becomes EVP, Live Action Family, Kids and Young Adult at the Candle Media-backed company, joins from Disney, where she has been SVP, Original Movies, Disney Branded Television.
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She previously worked with the Your Place Or Mine star at Type A Films, which was one of Witherspoon’s production precursors to Hello Sunshine.
Reporting to Hello Sunshine CEO Sarah Harden, Kisilevsky will be in charge of building out the division and developing and producing family, kids and young adult live-action movies and series.
The push into live-action family and kids programming comes after the company decided to shut down its animated division last month.
She has spent 13 years at Disney in various roles and has overseen dozens of movies for Disney+ and Disney Branded Television including Disney Channel Original Movies such as Upside-Down Magic, Descendants 3, Zombies 2 and Spin, as well as Disney+’s Secret Society of Second Born Royals and Sneakerella.
Other projects including the upcoming adaptation Out of My Mind, Prom Pact, Naughty Nine and The Slumber Party.
Prior to joining Disney, Kisilevsky also held positions at Ashton Kutcher’s Katalyst Films, Overture Films, Beacon Pictures and Blue Star Pictures and has worked on films including Sam Raimi’s The Messengers, Brittany Murphy’s Little Black Book, Penelope, starring Witherspoon and Peter Dinklage, Paper Heart and Robin Williams’ Angriest Man In Brooklyn.
“Lauren is an expert developer who has consistently identified quality brand building material and IP for young audiences,” said Sarah Harden. “An incredible collaborator and team player, Lauren has a fantastic track record of developing and executing creatively distinctive projects with strong leadership. As we build out our family and young adult content offerings, we know Lauren will make an incredible addition to Hello Sunshine.”
“After watching and admiring this innovative company for years, I’m thrilled to join the wonderful team at Hello Sunshine.” added Kisilevsky. “I look forward to helping them create meaningful and popular projects centering younger women’s stories.”
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