Disney taps WME, G-Unit & Made Up Stories execs for Onyx Collective scripted push

Summer Of Soul (…Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Disney has appointed three new scripted series execs to its Onyx Collective brand, which curates a content slate for creators of colour and underrepresented voices.

Ashley Holland has been hired as SVP of scripted series, while producers Anil Kurian and Janice Park will both serve as VPs of scripted series.

All three will report to Tara Duncan, president of Freeform and Onyx Collective, which was launched last year and forms part of Disney General Entertainment’s commitment to inclusive storytelling. The brand is behind the documentary Summer Of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), while its first scripted drama, Reasonable Doubt, from Kerry Washington’s Simpson Street, ABC Signature and Wilmore Films, will launch later this year,

Holland, Kurian and Park will spearhead the development and production of Onyx’s scripted series and specials across all programming categories and formats. The three executives round out Duncan’s existing leadership team, which includes nonfiction programming executives Jacqueline Glover, head of Documentary and Jihan Robinson, vice president of Alternative.

Holland joins Onyx from WME, where she was a partner representing talent including Prentice Penny and Ryan Coogler, both of whom have overall deals with Onyx Collective, Boots Riley and Riz Ahmed.

Kurian arrives from Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s G-Unit Film and Television, where he was head of development, overseeing the company’s slate of current series and development, including the company’s overall deal with Starz. Prior to his role at G-Unit, Kurian was VP of original programming for Crackle, where he spearheaded the production and development of scripted drama.

Prior to Onyx, Park was SVP of development and production at Made Up Stories, Bruna Papandrea’s production banner behind HBO’s The Undoing, Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers and Netflix’s Pieces Of Her.

“Building an entertainment brand from the ground up requires a special skill set and innate love of storytelling,” stated Duncan. “Ashley, Janice and Anil are the perfect fit for Onyx – they’re respected, passionate, creative executives with discerning taste and a reputation for having great relationships with creators.”