Small Screen: Ego Nwodim Leaves ‘Saturday Night Live’,CBS Anounces Premiere Dates
Joel Kuwahara - Tommaso Boddi/Stringer
Broadcast:Joel Kuwahara, co-founder and president of production at Bento Box Entertainment, has resigned from his position. Kuwahara and Fox have decided not to renew their contracts with him. His last day with the company was yesterday, Sept. 12, 2025.
‘While Joel Kuwahara steps away from his role, his vision as one of the founders of Bento Box and his dedication greatly contributed to its success. We wish him well in his future pursuits,” Fernando Szew, president of Fox Entertainment Studios
Kuwahara, one of Bento Box’s original co-founders alongside Scott Greenberg and Mark McJimsey, has left the company, leaving it without any of its original members. McJimsey left in 2016, while Greenberg exited in 2023. Over the past20 years, Kuwahara and Bento Box have been leaders in the animation industry. Bento Box has produced several popular series, including Bob's Burgers (2011), where Kuwahara served as executive producer. He has also worked as a producer on The Simpsons (1989) and The Simpsons Movie (2007). In addition to Bob's Burgers, Bento Box animates many of Fox series, such as Krapopolis (2023), Universal Basic Guys (2024), Grimsburg (2024) and The Great North (2021). In addition to becoming Bento Box’s president of production, Kuwahara has also worked with Warner Bros. Animation, Sony Animation and Icebox.com.
Ego Nwodim is leavingSaturday Night Live (1975) after seven seasons. This news comes shortly after the announcement of Devon Walker’s departure.
“But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL. I am immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always,” Ego Nwodim said.
Nwodim joined Saturday Night Live (SNL) as a featured cast member before Season 44 in 2018 and became a permanent member two years later, in 2020. During her time on SNL, she starred in Peacock's Mr. Throwback (2024), Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) and Good Burger 2 (2023). She also has an upcoming role in Netflix's Little Brother. Prior to her tenure on Saturday Night Live, Nwodim appeared in three episodes of NBC's Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (2017). If no new cast members are added, Season 51 will be the first to have no Black women since Sasheer Zamata was cast in 2014. Zamata was the first Black female cast member on the show since Maya Rudolph left in 2007. Leslie Jones joined the cast in 2016 but departed in 2019, making Nwodim the seventh Black female cast member in SNL history.
CBS has announced the premiere dates for its fall daytime programming, including its longest-running series, The Young and the Restless (1973), The Bold and the Beautiful (1987) and its newest and quickly ascending addition, Beyond the Gates (2025).
The Young and the Restless will kick off its 53rd season on Oct. 7, 2025, where viewers can expect unexpected romances and shocking revelations. The Bold and the Beautiful will begin its 39th season on Sept.15, 2025, focusing on rekindled romances and family reunions. Additionally, CBS's new drama series, Beyond the Gates, will continue with new episodes, including a crossover event with The Bold and the Beautiful this fall.
ABC is developing the new comedy, All's Day, starring Chrissy Teigen. Set at a food truck park in Austin, Texas, All's Day is a workplace comedy that follows a group of struggling chefs and two very different sisters who share a similar dream: to open their own restaurant.
Fox will write and executive produce the project alongside Teigen, who is working on behalf of Huntley Productions. The co-executive producers include Shelby Leshine and Tracy Stevens. Teigen has previously co-hosted and executive produced Chrissy & Dave Dine Out (2024) and was also an executive producer for the HBO Max documentary series The Way Down (2021). She is represented by WME, 3 Arts, and Del Shaw Moonves.
Rudi Dharmalingam is set to join the cast of Channel 4’s psychological drama Hunting Alice Bell as Nick. The story follows Alice Bell, a former nurse and accomplice of a notorious serial killer. Produced by Clapperboard Studios in association with Sphere Abacus, the series features writers Baddiel, Bradshaw, Buckle, and Verghese, with Paul Walker as director. Exec producers include Mike Benson and Rachel Gesua. The project originally began as a feature before evolving into a six-part drama.
“Technology has created a whole new spin on the idea of mistaken identity. We are told that in the present culture anyone can be who they want to be, but that also means that anyone can have who they are taken away from them: the hive mind can decide who you are. This happens to the five women in Hunting Alice Bell: in a world where identity is very fluid, they have lost control of theirs.” — David Baddiel
Aimee Garcia - JC Olivera / Stringer
Cable: Aimee Garcia, (Lucifer), has been cast as a series regular in AMC’s The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023) for its third season. Garcia will play Renata, a charming and natural leader. The Walking Dead: Dead City follows Maggie and Negan as they navigate post-apocalyptic Manhattan. A city that has been isolated from the mainland for far too long.
In addition to her role in Lucifer, Garcia has played Jamie Batista in Dexter (2006) and has appeared in numerous other projects, including Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (2021), Woke (2020), and ABC’s The George Lopez Show (2002), which she received an Impact and ALMA Award. Garcia is represented by Paradigm and Atlas Artists. The executive producers for the series include Seth Hoffman, Scott Gimple, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, Brian Bockrath, Colin Walsh, Lauren Cohan, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Sony recently announced the main cast for S.W.A.T.: Exiles just ahead of the start of production later this month in Los Angeles. Joining the series are Lucy Barrett (Charmed), Adain Bradley (Tarot), and Freddy Miyares (When They See Us). They will be joining Shemar Moore, who is set to reprise his original role from CBS's S.W.A.T. (2017).
The series will follow the missions of Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Moore) as he is forced retirement to lead an experimental SWAT unit made up of fresh young recruits. Jason Ning is the showrunner and executive producer, with additional executive producers including Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty of Original Film, Moore, James Scura, and Jon Cowan.
Eunice Kim - Netflix
Streaming: Hulu’s new comedy, Don’t Get High, has cast Erin Morton (Heathers: The Musical Off-Broadway), Daniel Rosales, Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest), and Chloe Hakola (Portrait of an American Family). Don’t Get High follows a group of friends who start an anti-drug group at their high school in an attempt to be a positive influence and make new friends. However, they quickly discover that achieving their goal is easier said than done, and things don't go as planned.
In the series, Daniel Rosales and Erin Morton play Trevor and Lane, the two best friends of Penny. Michelle Buteau plays Principal Fishbach, and Chloe Hakola takes on the role of Vicki, the infamous party girl. Megan Ganz serves as the writer, executive producer, and showrunner for the pilot. Adam Fishbach and Mara Herron will also serve as executive producers. Erin Morton is represented by Nicolosi & Co., while Daniel Rosales is represented by Buchwald. Michelle Buteau is represented by Mosaic, CAA, and Hansen Jacobson, and Chloe Hakola is represented by 3 Arts Entertainment and Amsel, Eisenstadt, Frazier & Hinojosa.
Fans are going to have to wait a little bit longer for Amazon Prime's Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Season 2 was initially set to begin production this fall and had been allocated $22.4 million in tax credits to relocate to Los Angeles for shooting, but has since been postponed indefinitely. Based on the 2005 film of the same name, Mr. and Mrs. Smith offers a new take on the story. The series follows two strangers who land jobs at a top-secret spy agency, providing them with the lives and dreams they've always wanted. However, there’s a catch: to solidify their roles, they must assume new identities and get married, becoming Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith.
The series has been well received, earning 16 Emmy nominations for its first season, including Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama for Donald Glover, and Best Actress in a Drama for Maya Erskine. It also won two Emmys: one for Best Stunt Coordination for a Drama and another for Best Guest Actress in a Drama, awarded to Michaela Coel. Mr. and Mrs. Smith was co-created by Glover and Francesca Sloane. Both Glover and Sloane will return as executive producers and showrunners for Season 2.
Eunice Kim is leaving Netflix after five years as the chief product officer. The reasoning behind her departure is still unclear; however, Elizabeth Stone, the chief technology officer, will temporarily replace Kim until the position is permanently filled.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such a talented team at Netflix. Over the past five years, we grew the business together from 200 million to over 300 million members by successfully launching and scaling many major growth initiatives, including the ads plan. We also redesigned the product experience, expanding beyond VOD to support a much broader entertainment offering — including live events, ads, and games. I’m proud of what we built, and I’m excited to see what’s next for the company.” — Eunice Kim
During her time at Netflix, Kim was responsible for the redesign of Netflix's connected-TV interface, which launched in May 2025. She also led the Consumer Product Innovation team in 2021 and was promoted to chief product officer in October 2023. Kim holds a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. In addition to her professional work, she serves on the board of directors for Cure CMD, a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching treatments for congenital muscular dystrophies.
Power: Origins, the upcoming addition to the Power franchise on Starz, has cast Spence Moore II as the younger version of “Ghost.” This character was originally portrayed by Omari Hardwick in the main series. The prequel, which has received an order for 18 episodes, will explore a different time period within the Power universe and will also feature Mekai Curtis reprising his role as Kanan Stark.
Sascha Penn, known for his work on Power Book III: Raising Kanan, will serve as the showrunner, writer, and executive producer for Power: Origins. Courtney A. Kemp, the creator and original showrunner of the Power series, will co-write the pilot and executive produce alongside other executive producers, including Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mark Canton, Chris Selak, and Pete Chatmon.
Two of the biggest rivals in the streaming market,Amazon and Netflix, have made the decision to work together. Amazon's demand-side technology will enable advertisers to buy Netflix's programmatic advertising inventory. The primary goal of this collaboration, according to Paul Kotas, senior vice president of Amazon Ads, is to make it easier for marketers to handle their television planning and purchasing through Amazon Ads. Under this arrangement, advertisers have direct access to Netflix's premium ad inventory through the Amazon Demand Side Platform. The following countries will carry this offering: the US, UK, France, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Germany, and Australia.
“By integrating Amazon DSP and enabling even more advanced capabilities together over time, we’re making it easier than ever to connect with Netflix’s global engaged audience.” — Amy Reinhard, president of advertising, Netflix
Miku Martineau (Star Trek: Section 31) has landed the lead role in Netflix's new young adult series, Crew Girl. Production of the series is presently underway in Victoria, British Columbia. It centers on Teagan (Martineau), a 16-year-old rower who joins an elite East Coast prep school as the coxswain of a problematic all-boys rowing team.
Vivian Lin serves as the writer, executive producer, and showrunner for the series. Other executive producers include Jeff Norton, Lindsay Macadam, Hillary Zwick Turner, Tony Chung, and Lori Massini. Martineau’s previous credits include the 2021 Netflix film Kate.
In Unaccustomed Earth, Siddharth will play Amit Amukherjee, a kind Bengali-American man who was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Amit is the friend that everyone turns to in a crisis; he is dependable in moments of need but struggles with finding love. Joining Siddharth in the cast are Sarayu Blue, Indraneil Sengupta, Adi Roy, and Iyla Sundarsingh Mckaig.
Madhuri Shekar serves as the writer, showrunner, and executive producer, alongside John Wells (Shameless), Jhumpa Lahiri, Nisha Ganatra, Erica Saleh, Erin Jontow, and Celia Costas. Siddharth is represented by UTA and Anjula Acharia from A-Series Investments & Management.
Disney Branded Television has officially greenlit Eerie Prep, a new series based on the Eerie Elementary children’s books by Jack Chabert. The story follows Sam Graves, played by Madalen Mills. When her sister mysteriously disappears from Eerie Prep, Sam creates a team of skilled students to uncover the truth behind the series of strange and spooky occurrences and to confront whatever is responsible for her sister's disappearance.
The main cast of the pilot also features Madison Rojas, who will play Paxton, and Hanna Huffman in a guest-starring role as Quinn. Madalen Mills is represented by Paradigm and Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka.
Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror (2011), is currently creating a new project for Netflix. This untitled detective series will consist of four parts and stars Georgina Campbell, known for her role in Game of Thrones (2011). Details about the plot are still limited at this time, however Brooker is collaborating with several writers on this series, including Ben Caudell, Jason Hazeley, Emer Kenny, Daniel Maier, and Joel Morris, with additional material contributed by Victoria Asare Archer. He will also serve as an executive producer for the series, alongside with Black Mirror's executive producers Annabel Jones and Jessica Rhoades.
Nikko Angelo Hinayo (Davey & Jonesies’ Locker) and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open) are set to join the cast of Prime Video's upcoming young adult series Sterling Point in recurring roles. This drama focuses on themes of sisterhood, complex family dynamics, and grief. The series is created by Megan Park, who will also direct and executive produce.
Hinayo will play Sully, while Tailfeathers will play Kate. Megan Park serves as an executive producer and co-showrunner alongside Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. LuckyChap is also an executive producer through its first-look television deal with Amazon MGM Studios.
Hinayo is an up and coming actor, recognized for his performance in the Amazon series Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (2024). He is represented by Play Management. Tailfeathers is a writer, director, producer, and actor, and she is a member of the Kainai First Nation (Blackfoot Confederacy) as well as Sámi from Norway. She is represented by The Characters Talent Agency.
SStephen Curry - XNY/Star Max
Industry: HarbourView Equity Partners has invested $30 million in Lion Forge Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based production company associated with HBO Max and Cartoon Network. Lion Forge is led by David Steward II, who, along with his investment firm Polarity, is one of the last two remaining majority owners of the company. This investment supports HarbourView’s goal of funding high-quality productions that target audiences often underrepresented in the media landscape.
This is a validating moment for our young company. The synergy between the shrewd investment strategy of HarbourView and the franchise-building blueprint at Lion Forge will enable us collectively to optimize opportunities at the nexus of entertainment, culture and content and grow into a category defining leader from a position of strength. - David Steward II
HarbourView recently finalized a few major deals, including an $85 million investment with Bpifrance in Animaj, a French AI media company, and a partnership with Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios to produce hip-hop biopics, starting with one on Queen Latifah.
Television has traditionally served as an escape for many individuals, and this trend has intensified over time. This shift has provided producers with greater opportunities to take risks and deliver diverse and inventive storytelling. Below is a list of producers of English-language scripted TV programs that have debuted between May 31, 2024, and June 1, 2025.
Mara Brock Akil: Mara Brock Akil, the creator, showrunner, executive producer, writer, and director of Netflix’s series Forever (2025), quickly climbed the Top 10 chart, attracting over six million views within its second week. The series was quickly renewed just six days after its debut.
Sterling K. Brown: Sterling K. Brown has earned recognition for his role in Hulu's sci-fi mystery series Paradise (2025), which received four Emmy nominations in 2025. He and his co-executive producer worked hard to have the entire show filmed in Los Angeles during a significant period for the city.
Nkechi Okoro Carroll: Okoro Carroll's contract with WBTV has been extended, ensuring her continuous involvement with the network. She played a key part in shaping the plot of All American (2018) as it moves into its seventh season. As a result, the series has been renewed for a final season.
Mickey Down: Industry (2020) is a competitive drama on HBO, co-created and showrun by Mickey Down. He wrote seven of the eight episodes in the third season and made his directorial debut with the final two episodes, which premiered last fall. After the season's release, Down secured a three-year deal with HBO, with the third season averaging 1.6 million views per episode.
Selena Gomez: Selena Gomez stars in Hulu's mystery drama, Only Murders in the Building (2021). Obsessed with true crimes, Gomez plays Mabel Mora, one of the three sleuths entangled in the mystery in their apartment building. Continuing to gain momentum, the series has garnered 49 Emmy nominations with Season 5 recently premiering.
Mindy Kaling: Running Point (2025), co-created by Mindy Kaling, has quickly risen to the top of Netflix charts in over 33 countries. The series centers around an ex-party girl who suddenly has to prove herself as a businesswoman when she is thrown in the midst of her family's professional basketball team. Kaling has worked closely with Jeanie Buss, the real-life owner of the L.A. Lakers, to create a comedic portrayal of the challenges involved.
Ben Watkins: Cross (2024) is a TV series developed by Watkins, drawing inspiration from the various characters throughout James Patterson's novels. The series quickly gained popularity, gaining 40 million views in its first 20 days of airing. Due to its positive reception from both audiences and critics, the series was promptly renewed for a second season.
Unanimous Media, led by Stephen Curry in production, has signed a representation agreement with CAA. Unanimous Media creates family, faith, and sports-based content across multiple media platforms, including films, books, and podcasts. The company produced the Peacock comedy series Mr. Throwback (2024), which marks Curry’s first acting debut.
Unanimous Media has also developed the Apple TV+ sports documentary Stephen Curry: Underrated (2023), the Netflix animation Good Times (2024), The Queen of Basketball (2021), HBO Max’s game show About Last Night (2022), and NBC’s Black Pop: The Power of Black Culture (2023). In addition to CAA, Unanimous Media is represented by the law firm Yorn Levine and the publicity agency Midnight Dawn.
Will Yun Lee has signed with Buchwald for representation. He is known for playing Dr. Alex Park in The Good Doctor (2017) and has had roles in Altered Carbon (2018), True Blood (2008), The Wolverine (2013), and San Andreas (2015). Lee is also a voice actor for characters in Mortal Kombat X and Sega’s Yakuza series. He continues to be represented by Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP.
Angelica Ross (Pose, American Horror Story) has signed with Amplified for management. She is best recognized for her role as Candy Ferocity in Pose (2018), a ballroom performer whose story shows the risks associated with DIY body modification and sex work. Additionally, Ross had a recurring role as Relevance in TNT's Claws (2022).
Ross has also graced Broadway as the first trans woman to play Roxie Hart in Chicago. In addition to her acting career, she is an accomplished writer, producer, and trans activist. Ross is the founder of the nonprofit organization Trans Tech Social Enterprises. She has received the Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign and will receive this year's Icon Award from the Out on Film organization.
