The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has elected new presidents Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line. The pair ran unopposed to assume the roles from Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, who have served as the presidents of the organization since 2018, and their appointment was announced during the Guild’s annual memberships meeting.
Allain and De Line reacted to the news via a press statement, saying “As proud members of the PGA for over twenty years, it’s a great privilege to serve as Presidents. Gail and Lucy’s excellent leadership has grown and strengthened the Guild, and we will build on their progress.”
They added, “Along with [National Executive Director] Susan Sprung and her team, we will continue to educate the industry on the role of the producer, support producers’ efforts for fair and commensurate compensation and benefits, welcome and encourage a more diverse membership, and endeavor to attain broader healthcare coverage while educating members on the current benefits and opportunities available to them.”
Allain is now the first woman of color to serve as PGA President. She began her entertainment career as a Story Analyst at 20th Century Fox, and then a Creative Executive at Columbia Pictures, supervising projects like the Oscar-nominated “Boyz N The Hood” from writer/director John Singleton. Allain rose to Senior VP of Production at Columbia Pictures before exiting to start her own production company Homegrown Pictures, which made films like “Hustle & Flow,” “Something New,” and “Beyond the Lights.”
Fellow PGA President De Line started his career at the Walt Disney Company, ultimately becoming President of Touchstone Pictures. What followed was a tenure as Vice Chairman and President of Paramount Pictures. His first movie as a studio executive was “Pretty Woman,” and now through his De Line Pictures banner within Warner Bros., he has produced films like “Ready Player One.”
Both Allain and De Line have television experience as well, with the former executive producing the hit Netflix series “Dear White People,” and the latter working on M. Night Shyamalan’s first foray into television, the Fox/FX series “Wayward Pines.” The duo has ties to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well, with Allain becoming the first Black woman to produce the Oscars in 2020 (an experience that netted her an Emmy nomination), and De Line currently serving on its Producers Branch Executive Committee.
“Stephanie and Donald are legendary industry leaders, respected former studio executives, and bold, talented producers,” outgoing Producers Guild Presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher said in a joint statement. “They’re responsible for driving the industry forward, expanding the scope of projects that get made, advocating for diversity, and discovering new talent. As long-time PGA leaders, they’ve dedicated themselves to protecting the rights of producers and advancing the mission of the Guild. We are very excited to see how their gifted vision and direction will now lead the Producers Guild forward.”
Allain and De Line reacted to the news via a press statement, saying “As proud members of the PGA for over twenty years, it’s a great privilege to serve as Presidents. Gail and Lucy’s excellent leadership has grown and strengthened the Guild, and we will build on their progress.”
They added, “Along with [National Executive Director] Susan Sprung and her team, we will continue to educate the industry on the role of the producer, support producers’ efforts for fair and commensurate compensation and benefits, welcome and encourage a more diverse membership, and endeavor to attain broader healthcare coverage while educating members on the current benefits and opportunities available to them.”
Allain is now the first woman of color to serve as PGA President. She began her entertainment career as a Story Analyst at 20th Century Fox, and then a Creative Executive at Columbia Pictures, supervising projects like the Oscar-nominated “Boyz N The Hood” from writer/director John Singleton. Allain rose to Senior VP of Production at Columbia Pictures before exiting to start her own production company Homegrown Pictures, which made films like “Hustle & Flow,” “Something New,” and “Beyond the Lights.”
Fellow PGA President De Line started his career at the Walt Disney Company, ultimately becoming President of Touchstone Pictures. What followed was a tenure as Vice Chairman and President of Paramount Pictures. His first movie as a studio executive was “Pretty Woman,” and now through his De Line Pictures banner within Warner Bros., he has produced films like “Ready Player One.”
Both Allain and De Line have television experience as well, with the former executive producing the hit Netflix series “Dear White People,” and the latter working on M. Night Shyamalan’s first foray into television, the Fox/FX series “Wayward Pines.” The duo has ties to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well, with Allain becoming the first Black woman to produce the Oscars in 2020 (an experience that netted her an Emmy nomination), and De Line currently serving on its Producers Branch Executive Committee.
“Stephanie and Donald are legendary industry leaders, respected former studio executives, and bold, talented producers,” outgoing Producers Guild Presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher said in a joint statement. “They’re responsible for driving the industry forward, expanding the scope of projects that get made, advocating for diversity, and discovering new talent. As long-time PGA leaders, they’ve dedicated themselves to protecting the rights of producers and advancing the mission of the Guild. We are very excited to see how their gifted vision and direction will now lead the Producers Guild forward.”