Netflix film executive Niija Kuykendall is departing the company after three years.
The vp film joined the streaming service in October 2021 and managed faith-based, young adult and holiday features. She will exit at the end of the year following a transitional period.
Her forthcoming slate includes Tyler Perry’s The Six Triple Eight, starring Kerry Washington in the story of the only Women’s Army Corps unit of color during World War II, and first-time director Malcolm Washington’s The Piano Lesson, an August Wilson play adaptation.
“Niija’s creative relationships with established and upcoming filmmakers, like Tyler Perry, Denzel and Malcolm Washington, and David Yates, have had a great impact on our film slate,” Netflix vp of film Doug Belgrad said in a statement. “I want to thank her for her many contributions, including films such as The Piano Lesson, The Deliverance, The Six Triple Eight, Pain Hustlers and Mea Culpa.”
Kuykendall’s move follows the departure of her former boss Scott Stuber, who exited as Netflix’s head of film earlier this year and was replaced by Dan Lin.
She joined Netflix after a run at Warner Bros. that began in 2008. She rose to become executive vp production at that studio and oversaw such projects as the Oscar-winning drama Judas and the Black Messiah, Bradley Cooper’s acclaimed 2018 remake of A Star Is Born and the horror flicks It and its sequel.
Kuykendall is known for being an active voice in diversity and representation initiatives. She is on the board of directors of Women in Film, Brown University’s Women Leadership Council and the Emma Bowen Foundation.
Borys Kit contributed to this report.
