Last year’s Disney Entertainment Television layoffs were accompanied by a consolidation of the production operations across multiple divisions under Carol Turner. Alongside the staff reductions across the company last week, DET’s Head of Casting Sharon Klein has streamlined her oversight with fewer direct reports and increased/new responsibilities for several of her lieutenants.
For a couple of years, Disney TV Studios’ 20th Television and ABC Signature have been attracting industry attention with the will-they-won’t-they intrigue surrounding a potential merger. There are still no current plans to combine the units into one studio though by now, only their programming teams have remained independent, with the rest of the operations, including BA and production, getting consolidated.
Casting is the latest, with 20th TV Head of Casting Stephanie Levinson continuing in her role and now also adding ABC Signature to her purview. The latter’s Head of Casting Dylann Gunning will report to her.
Similarly, ABC Entertainment’s Head of Casting Felicia Joseph is adding casting oversight of Hulu and Onyx.
Hulu’s Head of Casting Barbara Fiorentino is moving into a new, International casting role, which will have her focused on bringing international talent to domestic DET shows. Those duties had been previously handled by consultants.
Lindsey Kasabian, Head of Casting for Onyx (and formerly Freeform which is no longer in the original scripted business), is taking over Fiorentino’s responsibilities at Hulu, reporting to Joseph.
Brenda Kelly-Grant will continue to head casting for Disney Branded Television.