Participant Media said on Monday that Jonathan King will step down from his role as president of narrative film and TV in order to segue into independent production.
King has been with Participant Media for 12 years, during which he has helped build and grow the vision of Jeff Skoll’s company alongside Diane Weyermann, who runs documentary film and TV for Participant.
“Words can’t express how grateful I am to Jeff for his extraordinary trust and support,” King said in a statement. “Jeff leads by example, and his natural generosity and optimism have forever influenced my thinking about what is possible, not just in entertainment, but in the world at large. The experience of working alongside Diane, David and so many other talented and dedicated colleagues over the years will be difficult to beat.”
He continued, “It’s impossible not to have mixed feelings, but the strongest of them is pride in what we built together, and I look forward to remaining part of the Participant family in another capacity for years to come.”
During his time with Participant, King has helped assemble an impressive slate of films that include the 2019 Academy Award-winning best picture “Green Book” and best foreign language film “Roma,” as well as 2018’s foreign language Oscar winner “A Fantastic Woman” and 2016’s best picture winner “Spotlight.” King has also helped on films including “Wonder,” “Lincoln,” “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “Beasts of No Nation,” “On the Basis of Sex” and “The Help,” to name a few.
“I would not be at Participant if not for the years of friendship I have had with Jonathan,” Participant CEO David Linde said in a statement. “His professional track record speaks for itself – but his humanity is what is most important to all of us at Participant, and what we treasure above everything. We are very supportive of his next chapter; he’s going to hit it out of the park.”
Participant and King plan to collaborate in the future, including on multiple projects King has shepherded while at the company.
King will move into his new role in approximately five weeks and will work with CEO David Linde and the Participant leadership team on designing the next phase for Participant’s narrative film and television group. Upcoming projects from Participant include Ava DuVernay’s limited Netflix series “When They See Us,” Alejandro Landes’ “Monos” with Neon, Todd Haynes’ untitled feature with Focus Features, and “Just Mercy” with Warner Brothers.
“Jonathan has been a pillar for good in my life for the last 12 years. He was an early and fervent believer that Participant could make an impact on global society through entertainment, specifically by telling excellent stories about the world’s most pressing issues,” Participant founder Jeff Skoll said in a statement. “He’s been a steady force behind some of our greatest successes. Jonathan’s relationships with the creative community, his complete professionalism, and his sheer goodness as a human helped shape Participant to be what it is today. I am so grateful Jonathan brought his many talents to Participant years ago. We will miss him as a colleague but look forward to collaborating with him on future projects.”
Diane Weyermann echoed similar sentiments: “Having worked with Jonathan for the last 12 years, I can’t fully express the joy and gratitude I have for his continued support, camaraderie and most of all friendship. There has been no greater partner and creative collaborator. I will miss him dearly, but am truly happy for him as he embarks on his new journey.”