MRC Promotes Emily Spence to Chief Communications Officer, Former Shondaland Exec Kristin Robinson Joins Company

EXCLUSIVE: Plimsoll Productions, the company behind series such as Apple’s Tiny World and Fox’s Malika the Lion Queen, has promoted its U.S. chief Saul Goldberg.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Interview With the Vampire” series at AMC has cast Bailey Bass in the key role of Claudia, Variety has learned.Bass joins previously announced series leads Jacob Anderson, who will play Louis, and Sam Reid, who will play Lestat.

Mark Ciardi is joining sports content studio, game1, as the company’s President & Chief Content Officer. His mandate is to aggressively expand both the scripted and unscripted division of game1, as well as focusing on the company’s growing list of athlete and team partnerships, podcasts, branded content, and the burgeoning NIL space.

Movie theater advertising network National CineMedia has named former Allen Media Group executive Ronnie Ng as chief financial officer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMara Brock Akil has launched the new production company story27 under her previously announced overall deal at Netflix. In addition, Akil has hired Susie Fitzgerald as president of development and production.“At story27, thoughtful and entertaining projects centering the humanity of the marginalized is the priority and that starts with identifying the best and most unique storytellers,” Akil said.

The independent film model, a business that relies on box office revenues, international presales and television licensing, has arguably never been more challenged. French producer Philippe Rousselet is one exec who has been at the sharp end of this change, as his heart-warming, coming-of-age drama CODA kicked off the year with a bidding battle at the virtual Sundance Film Festival, resulting in Apple’s record-breaking $25M worldwide acquisition of the title.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHulu has added nine actors in recurring roles to the upcoming series “The Girl From Plainville,” Variety has learned exclusively.Chinasa Ogbuagu (“Mare of Easttown,” “Nurse Jackie”), Kelly AuCoin (“Billions,” “The Americans”), Scott William Winters (“Oz,” “City on a Hill”), Kristin Griffith (“Succession,” “The Devil All the Time”), Ella Rubin (“The Chair,” “Gossip Girl”), Megan Lawless (“The Hate U Give,” “Play by Play”), John Henry Ward (“Yes, God, Yes,” “Murder Chose

investigations by the Security and Exchange Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for the past four months. CEO Bobby Kotick (pictured above) in his statement said they are cooperating with all investigations and “there is no place anywhere” in the company for discrimination, harassment, or unequal treatment of any kind.Earlier this week the SEC launched in investigation into the company that included allegations of sexual misconduct and workplace discrimination.

EXCLUSIVE: Johnny Gould, who was previously chief creative officer at Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Media Group, has set up his own unscripted production company, backed by 3BMG.

Disney Branded Television President and Chief Creative Officer Gary Marsh is stepping down after 33 years with the company.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBetty Gilpin has joined the upcoming Showtime drama series “Three Women.”Gilpin joins previously announced cast members Shailene Woodley and DeWanda Wise. The series is based on the book of the same name by Lisa Taddeo.The series is described as a portrayal of American female desire, in which three women are on a crash course to radically overturn their lives.

MRC has named former Shondaland VP of Brand Marketing and Communications Kristin Robinson the media company’s new SVP of Communications, while elevating Emily Spence to Chief Communications Officer.

Krysten Ritter is taking on an exciting new role!

Krysten Ritter is set as a lead alongside Elizabeth Olsen, Jesse Plemons, Patrick Fugit and Lily Rabe in HBO Max’s Love and Death, a limited series about the true story of Texas housewife Candy Montgomery’s murder of Betty Gore in 1980.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEmily Deschanel is set to star in a new Netflix limited series based on the book “Devil in Ohio,” Variety has learned.Deschanel will lead the series, which is based on the book of the same name by Daria Polatin and is inspired by a true story.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKrysten Ritter has signed on to the cast of the upcoming HBO Max series “Love and Death.”The series is based on the true story of Texas housewife Candy Montgomery, who murdered her friend from church, Betty Gore, with an axe in 1980.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJoshua Sasse has been cast in the Fox country music drama “Monarch.”Sasse joins previously announced cast members Susan Sarandon, Trace Adkins, Anna Friel, and Beth Ditto.In the series. Reigning King of Country Music Albie Roman (Adkins), along with his insanely talented, but tough as nails wife, Queen of Country Music Dottie Cantrell Roman (Sarandon), have created a country music dynasty.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterElisabeth Shue has joined the cast of the upcoming Showtime anthology series “Super Pumped,” Variety has learned.Each season of the series will focus on a different story from the business world, with Season 1 set to focus on the rise of the ride sharing app Uber.

found that 60% of “Hannity” guests since President Joe Biden’s inauguration have been from the Trump administration. Further, 30% of guests have been from the Trump family (some of whom were also aides and advisers in the administration and failed re-election campaign).Before, during and after Trump’s presidency, the Republican regularly appeared on Hannity’s 9 p.m.

EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Kenward, who spent eight years as an agent at WME, has joined digital brand Friday Beers as President and Chief Operating Officer.