Kyle Laursen Tapped As President Of Film And TV At Justin Simien’s Production Company Culture Machine

EXCLUSIVE: Kyle Laursen is joining Justin Simien’s production company Culture Machine as President of Film and Television, where he will oversee all scripted and unscripted projects. Laursen will work alongside the award-winning Simien, and Creative Executive, Aaliyah Jihad. Culture Machine currently has an overall deal with Paramount Television Studios.

“Justin is a versatile artist with a singular voice that I’ve admired for many years. From the moment we met, I became further inspired by his ambition, integrity & desire to support creatives like himself who do not see their story reflected in our culture,” said Laursen. “I’m thrilled to help build Culture Machine alongside Justin, to provide a bridge for underrepresented voices to find their audience and to amplify thematically distinct creatives demanding of a big stage with the incredible support of our home studio.”

More from Deadline

• 'Haunted Mansion': Director Justin Simien Teases Cameos From Winona Ryder, Hasan Minhaj, Dan Levy; Unveils First Trailer for Live-Action Disney Film

• Starz Developing Asian American Comedy Series 'Plan A' From 'Dear White People' Trio Steven J. Kung, Justin Simien & Leann Bowen

• 'Flashdance': Justin Simien To Adapt & Direct Series Reboot For Paramount+

Laursen began his career at Plan B, where he became a Creative Executive on shows including The OA, Resurerection and Sweetbitter. He then served as VP of Television at Big Beach, where he oversaw the development slate and executive produced the filmed version of Heidi Schreck’s Pulitzer-finalist Broadway play, What The Constitution Means To Me for Amazon Prime Video, which was nominated for a Producers Guild Award and a Critics Choice Award. Laursen’s most recent project is AMC’ Invitation To A Bonfire, for which he will serve as executive producer

“What impressed me immediately about Kyle was his depth of industry experience, combined with an authentic passion for elevating marginalized voices in TV & Film. What has inspired me beyond expectation is seeing his commitment to building relationships with artists and executives alike,” said Simien. “He puts people first, which will prove vital as our industry continues its rapid evolution to meet a market that demands content be more inclusive, personal and novel. With Kyle joining the team, Culture Machine is uniquely poised to meet the moment.”

Best of Deadline

• NFL 2022 Schedule: Primetime TV Games, Thanksgiving Menu, Christmas Tripleheader & More

• The Queen Onscreen: 15 Actresses (And Actors) Who've Played Elizabeth II In Film And On TV

• 'Blonde' Premiere Photo Gallery: Ana de Armas Channels Marilyn Monroe At Venice Film Festival

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.