EXCLUSIVE: Netflix is realigning its comedy series operation, bringing adult animation under Tracey Pakosta, the streamer’s VP, Comedy Original Series.
The move reverts to the original setup when Pakosta joined Netflix in 2020 as Head of Comedy, with adult animation part of her purview. Billy Wee, Director of Adult Animation, as well as two Managers in the department, including Lauren Castro, will now report to Pakosta.
For the past few years, Netflix’s adult animation slate had been overseen by John Derderian, Netflix’s VP Animation Series + Kids & Family TV, whose division has been expanding its preschool and creator-driven kids content.
With comedy talent often moving seamlessly between live-action, adult animated series and standup — another area Pakosta oversees — the new structure will keep creators under one umbrella.
For instance, Mike Schur is working with Pakosta’s team on his Ted Danson comedy series A Man On The Inside. He now also has an adult animated series at the streamer, Dang!. Nick Kroll also has a live-action (A Hundred Percent) and adult animated (Mating Season) series at the streamer. Ali Wong and Ricky Gervais have done both standup specials and animated series there.
In addition to Mating Season, Dang! and Gervais’ Alley Cats, Netflix’s slate of current and upcoming adult animated series include Long Story Short and Dealies. The streamer’s roster of live-action comedy series includes Big Mistakes, The Hawk, The Four Seasons, Running Point, A Man on the Inside, Emily in Paris, Nobody Wants This, Leanne and Survival of the Thickest.
The animation realignment on the TV side was done a couple of weeks ago, ahead of the larger animation restructuring in features announced earlier this week, with Hannah Minghella named Head of Netflix Animation Studio.
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