Amazon MGM Studios has named Carina Walker, who had already been working in the arena, as its new Head of YA, filling the last senior scripted role on the team. Walker, who has been at Amazon for almost a decade, will report to Head of Global Television Peter Friedlander and was promoted internally in a memo. She joins Andrew Weil as Head of Comedy, Kara Smith as Head of Drama and Ya- etc., forming the leadership team Friedlander says will define the next chapter of Amazon super storytelling.
π The Backstory
Walker's appointment caps a restructuring in which Friedlander split the earlier Head of Drama and Comedy position into three roles: Comedy, Drama and YA, with YA expert Smith named to the drama post. She joined Amanga's almost a decade ago and had been deep in the young-adult space during a period of growth for book-inspired YA. Filling this role out completes the last major scripted leadership seat as the company positions itself to lean on YA residences.
π― Why It Matters
Walker's promotion signals that Amazon MGM is doubling down on its book-to-screen YA wave, with the designer of its romance output now central to its scripted leadership strategy.
Amazon MGM Studios has named Carina Walker, who had already been working in the arena, as its new Head of YA, filling the last senior scripted role on the team. Walker, who has been at Amazon for almost a decade, will report to Head of Global Television Peter Friedlander and was promoted internally in a memo. She joins Andrew Weil as Head of Comedy, Kara Smith as Head of Drama and Ya- etc., forming the leadership team Friedlander says will define the next chapter of Amazon super storytelling.
Walker's appointment caps a restructuring in which Friedlander split the earlier Head of Drama and Comedy position into three roles: Comedy, Drama and YA, with YA expert Smith named to the drama post. She joined Amanga's almost a decade ago and had been deep in the young-adult space during a period of growth for book-inspired YA. Filling this role out completes the last major scripted leadership seat as the company positions itself to lean on YA residences.
Walker's promotion signals that Amazon MGM is doubling down on its book-to-screen YA wave, with the designer of its romance output now central to its scripted leadership strategy.