Searchlight Pictures Marketing EVP Michelle Hooper Departs Studio

Michelle Hooper, the Marketing EVP at Searchlight Pictures, has announced her departure from the studio after a 20-year career. During her tenure, she managed the marketing and awards campaigns for 21 Best Picture Oscar-nominated films, five of which went on to win the prestigious award. Her first Oscar win came with Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2008, followed by victories for Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave,” Alejandro Inarritu’s “Birdman,” Guillermo Del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” and Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland.”

Other notable films that Hooper worked on include “Little Miss Sunshine,” “127 Hours,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Favourite,” “Poor Things,” and “A Complete Unknown.” Known within the studio as "The Closer" for her influence on Academy voters in the final stretch of campaigns, Hooper's expertise and strategic insight played a significant role in securing Oscar wins for several of Searchlight’s films.

Prior to her 20-year stint at Searchlight, Hooper held key positions in television, including a four-year run as VP of Entertainment Publicity at Fox, where she managed high-profile shows like “The Simpsons,” “American Idol,” “24,” “Family Guy,” and “Arrested Development.” She also served as Director of Entertainment Communications at CBS, where she contributed to the publicity push for the inaugural season of “Survivor” in 2000, a reality show that went on to become a massive success.

Her upcoming projects at Searchlight include the Martin McDonagh dark comedy “Wild Horse Nine” and the Tony Gilroy music drama “Behemoth!” Hooper’s colleagues praised her for her creative insights and her ability to adapt to real-time feedback, making her an invaluable asset to any campaign. Her team described her as a "stellar leader" and a "formidable collaborator" whose strategic vision helped set the stage for wide-reaching success.

Searchlight Pictures expressed disappointment at her departure but also recognized the next studio that will benefit from her vast experience. The news of her departure was first reported by Deadline.