Amazon Unscripted Exec Chris Castallo Moves To Scripted Team

EXCLUSIVE: There’s more movement in Amazon’s programming team with unscripted exec Chris Castallo moving to the streamer’s scripted division.

Castallo joined the company in 2018 as Head of Unscripted Television for Amazon Studios, focused on non-scripted series for Amazon Prime Video. However, a restructure last year, saw him oversee alternative programming across both Prime Video and its free streaming service Freevee, reporting to Lauren Anderson, Head of AVOD Originals, Unscripted, and Targeted Programming for Amazon Studios.

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He will now move into the scripted team. No immediate word on whether he will be directly replaced in the unscripted team.

Anderson, whose team has had a breakout hit with James Marsden prank improv comedy Jury Duty, will continue to oversee unscripted. Her team also includes senior unscripted creative executive Jenny Falkoff.

Castallo was responsible for series such as Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Competition Program and is currently casting for its second season, and Making The Cut with Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn.

Before joining Amazon, he was Head of Development for Verizon’s go90, and spent 10 years at CBS, rising to EVP Alternative Programming and head of the network’s’ alternative department, where he oversaw Survivor, The Amazing Race, Big Brother and Undercover Boss.

Castallo does have some scripted experience. Before joining CBS, he was SVP, Drama Development at NBC, where he oversaw development and production of such series as Heroes, Studio 60 and Kidnapped and was SVP at Tollin/Robbins Prods, where he was involved in the development and production of Smallville, One Tree Hill and What I Like About You.

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