Entertainment · Film · 1 hr ago
Searchlight Marketing Executive Michelle Hooper Is Leaving the Studio
Michelle Hooper is leaving Searchlight Pictures after about two decades as the studio’s executive vice-president of marketing.
She led publicity, awards and creative marketing for the film label, which is part of Disney.
Searchlight films earned 183 Oscar nominations and 49 wins during her tenure, including five Best Picture winners: Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, The Shape of Water and Nomadland.
Those figures cover the studio’s films during her time there; they do not mean she personally made the films.
Her departure is reportedly part of Disney studio cuts that took place earlier this month.
Hooper previously worked in publicity at Fox Broadcasting and CBS Entertainment, where she helped with campaigns for shows including American Idol and Survivor.
She was working on awards campaigns for Wild Horse Nine and Behemoth!
this season, but no details about her next role or who will replace her were given.
Searchlight Pictures Executive Vice President of Marketing Michelle Hooper is leaving the studio after about 20 years.
She led publicity, awards and marketing campaigns that earned Searchlight 21 Best Picture Oscar nominations, including five winners.
The five winners were Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, The Shape of Water and Nomadland.
Her final Searchlight films include Wild Horse Nine and Behemoth!
Deadline reported that her departure was part of cuts at the Disney studio earlier in October; TheWrap did not state a reason.
- Who
- Michelle Hooper, Searchlight Pictures’ Executive Vice President of Marketing.
- What
- She is leaving the studio after about 20 years.
- When
- Reported on October 27, 2026; the exact departure date is not stated.
- Where
- Searchlight Pictures, a specialty studio.
- Why
- Deadline reported that her departure was part of cuts at the Disney studio earlier in October. TheWrap did not state a reason.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hooper was part of the team that launched the publicity campaign for Survivor at CBS.
Hooper joined Searchlight Pictures after working at Fox Broadcasting.
Deadline reported that cuts occurred at the Disney studio and said Hooper’s departure was part of them.
TheWrap and Deadline reported that Hooper was leaving Searchlight.
- Tenure
- About 20 years at Searchlight
- Best Picture Oscar nominees
- 21 films
- Best Picture Oscar winners
- 5 films
- Final Searchlight films
- Wild Horse Nine and Behemoth!
- Prior Fox role
- VP of Entertainment Publicity for four years
3 sources
What people are saying
She’s a stellar leader for her creative insights and keen ability to read a film for where it fits in the zeitgeist, in turn setting her team up for wide-reaching success
But she’s also an equally formidable collaborator, one who can close a campaign with all the insights gained from keeping her ear to the ground and hearing feedback in real time.