Fifth Season co-CEO Rice to step down after Emmy record

Chris Rice announced his departure as co-CEO of Fifth Season, ending a 15-year partnership that transformed a small talent agency division into one of television’s most celebrated independent studios. Rice will step down at year’s end when his contract expires, leaving Graham Taylor to lead the company as sole chief executive.deadline

The announcement comes at the pinnacle of Fifth Season’s success, following a record-breaking Emmy season. The company’s flagship series “Severance” garnered 27 nominations—the second-highest total in Emmy history—and claimed eight awards at this month’s ceremony. Across its entire slate, Fifth Season earned 36 Emmy nominations, cementing its position as a powerhouse in premium television production.usatoday

From Agency Division to Emmy Dominance

Rice and Taylor’s journey began in 2010 when Rice joined WME’s Global TV division after co-founding Cinnamon Entertainment. Together, they developed innovative deal structures that gave creatives greater ownership of their projects, beginning with international successes like BBC and AMC’s “The Night Manager”. Their operation evolved into Endeavor Content in 2017, then rebranded as Fifth Season following CJ ENM’s $775 million acquisition in 2022.deadline

“Fifteen years ago, after managing my own production company, I embarked on a journey at WME alongside Graham,” Rice wrote in his internal memo to staff. “We recognized early on several concepts that might seem obvious now: the potential for creatives to gain more control over their rights; that storytelling could emerge from a more diverse array of voices globally.”hollywoodreporter

Transition and Future Leadership

Rice will remain connected to Fifth Season as an advisor and through a first-look producing agreement, marking his return to production roots. The transition leaves Taylor, who has a film background, to potentially recruit a senior television executive to complement his leadership, particularly given the vacancy left by former TV President Joe Hipps’s departure in September 2024.deadline

Under their joint leadership, Fifth Season has produced acclaimed series including “Killing Eve,” “Nine Perfect Strangers,” and Apple TV+’s “Chief of War” starring Jason Momoa. The company continues expanding with upcoming projects “East of Eden” and “His & Hers” for Netflix, “The Good Daughter” for Peacock, and “American Classic” for MGM+.variety