John Villacorta Promoted To SVP Talent & Casting At ABC Entertainment

Erik Pedersen

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Company veteran John Villacorta has been upped to SVP Talent & Casting at ABC Entertainment. In the new gig, he will manage the casting process for ABC and provide casting strategy and services to the Direct-to-Consumer and International segment, working with the Disney+ team across all scripted and unscripted content.

Villacorta has overseen numerous shows including American Crime from John Ridley; miniseries When We Rise from Dustin Lance Black and Gus Van Sant; along with series Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Once Upon a Time, Pushing Daisies and How to Get Away with Murder.

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“For 15 years, John has been an integral part of our casting team, investing in the process and the people in order to attract and maintain strong relationships with key talent throughout the industry,” said Ayo Davis, EVP Talent & Casting at ABC Entertainment and Disney+, to whom he will report. “I’m proud to promote John to a position for which he has worked tirelessly and so richly deserves. His professionalism and dedication will continue to attract exemplary talent as we cast for exciting and compelling titles across the ABC brand and Disney+.”

Villacorta joined ABC Entertainment in 2004 as a casting assistant and was promoted to manager of talent and casting within a year. He was instrumental in creating ABC Discovers and also was part of the team that spearheaded the creation of a screen-test facility for ABC Studios, now utilized to cast an average of more than 100 roles per year.

He also serves as the executive mentor for the Casting pod in the newly created Walt Disney Television Executive Incubator Program.

Villacorta began his career in casting working alongside renowned casting director Mary Jo Slater on such TV series as Undressed, Line of Fire, Threat Matrix, Frankenstein and The Last Ride.

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