Netflix Cuts Handful Of Executives In Drama & Overall Deals Division

Peter White
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has laid off a handful of executives in its drama and overall deals divisions.

Deadline understands that the streamer has made a small number of cuts including Alex Sapot and Pete Corona.

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Sapot has been with the company for over seven years and was director, original series. She was behind overall deals including with Kalinda Vazquez, who was on Star Trek: Discovery and Fear The Walking Dead and DMZ creator Roberto Patino. She previously worked out of London and was one of those responsible for commissioning Sex Education and The End Of The F***ing World.

Pete Corona was Director of Drama Series and was with the company for over five years. He also helped champion Afro Latino and Indigenous Latino filmmakers at the streamer and previously worked at Marvel. He was behind series including FUBAR, Resident Evil and Haunting of Bly Manor.

Laura Delahaye, who was Director, Overall Deals, is also leaving. She championed Queen’s Gambit and Mike Flanagan series including The Haunting of Hill House as well as signing The Midnight Club co-creator Leah Fong to an overall deal. She has been with Netflix since 2016.

It marks the latest round of cuts at the streamer, which is still in the midst of an actors strike that has crippled its 2024 plans, particularly for returning shows like Stranger Things.

Last May, the company laid off around 150 execs, across film and TV. It followed this up last June with an additional 300 layoffs, which were mostly in the U.S. but also included international employees.

In September 2022, Netflix also laid off around 30 employees in its animation division following a restructure of that team.

More recently, last month, the company also restructured its business affairs and legal team with a handful of senior lawyers including Bryony Gagan leaving their positions.

Netflix is far from alone in making layoffs this year, the dual strikes and tough media marketplace have seen companies including Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, ESPN, Paramount, Conde Nast, Spotify, Fifth Season, Vice, Lionsgate and Roku all make cuts.

However, the timing for Netflix is somewhat of a surprise; in its last financial quarter, it beat Wall Street expectations and adding nearly 9M subscribers with plans for a new round of price hikes coming down the line.

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