15:49 PST 3/10/2021
in
Kim Masters
The couple hired FilmNation’s president of film and television production to conduct their rich business on Netflix, sources told The Hollywood Reporter.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle found a leader for their production company Archewell in Ben Browning, president of film and television production for FilmNation Entertainment, sources say The Hollywood Reporter.
A veteran of film financing and the international market, Browning joined FilmNation in 2014. His production credits include the current drama Emerald Fennell Promising Young Woman.
The royal couple signed a valuable deal with Netflix in September 2020, covering scripted and unscripted TV series, documentaries, films and children’s programming. In December, Harry and Meghan signed an exclusive multi-year contract with Spotify with plans to host and produce podcasts that elevate and entertain audiences. The partnership started with a vacation special presented by the couple with inspiring stories. It is not yet clear whether Browning will also lead his audio efforts. A spokesman for the couple declined to comment.
The discreet Browning, whose parents are British (he grew up all over the world), has had a rapid rise in the world of international film financing. He helped to package and produce a series of high-level independent titles, including Passengers and Bedroom, before joining Glen Basner’s prolific foreign and sales company, FilmNation.
Harry and Meghan, who stepped away from royal duties in January 2020, said at the time that they would “work to” be financially independent (although Harry and his brother William inherited millions from their mother). In announcing their deal with Netflix, the couple said: “Our focus will be on creating content that informs, but also gives hope”. This deal is believed to be worth more than $ 100 million, while the subsequent deal with Spotify was estimated at around $ 25 million.
In a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey that aired in the United States on March 7, Harry said that the royal family “literally cut me off financially”. The couple also discussed allegations of racism among the royal family, and Meghan revealed that she sometimes felt suicidal.
During the interview with Oprah, Harry also said that closing rich deals with Netflix and Spotify “was never part of the plan”, but that a friend suggested that he and Markle find work in streaming to help cover the cost of their new life in California. , including paying “for security to keep my family safe.”