LA and London-based management and production company 42 (The Silent Twins, The Girl Before, The Flatshare) has appointed Universal International Studios’ former London-based Head of Studio, David O’Donoghue, to the position of Chief Operating Officer.
O’Donoghue will run the Group’s operations and business development globally, in addition to having oversight of business affairs and production across the portfolio. O’Donoghue will be based in 42’s London office.
O’Donoghue was most recently Head of Studio, Universal International Studios, where he was responsible for the division’s business operations and instrumental in its growth strategy, bolstering the studio’s producing roster and expanding its co-production business into European markets. Prior to this, he was COO and Joint MD of Carnival Films. He has also served as EVP, Business Affairs for Universal International Studios.
42’s CEO Josh Varney said: “David is a best-in-class business operator and strategic thinker, and his vast experience of running talent and storytelling focused global entertainment businesses makes him the perfect candidate to lead 42 with us as we build for the future. We are thrilled he has joined 42.”
David O’Donoghue said: “I couldn’t be more excited to be joining 42, a truly dynamic business that I’ve long admired for its visionary spirit and commitment to best-in-class representation and production. I look forward to working with the team in London and LA as we continue to grow the slate and attract outstanding talent on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.”
42’s management division represents high profile and emerging actors, writers, directors, producers, and casting directors.
42 recently wrapped production on The Penguin Lessons from director Peter Cattaneo, starring Steve Coogan and Jonathan Pryce. They also produced Focus Features’ The Silent Twins, directed by Agnieszka Smoczyńska and starring Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrance, which premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and won the British Independent Film Award for Best Joint Lead Performance. 42’s productions for Netflix through its multi-year first-look development, financing and production deal include End of the Road, starring Queen Latifah and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges; The Weekend Away starring Leighton Meester; Night Teeth starring Jorge Lendeborg Jr. and Debby Ryan; and Netflix’s #1 hit Outside the Wire, starring Anthony Mackie, for which a sequel is in development. 42 also produced the Cold War spy drama The Courier, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel Brosnahan for Lionsgate, and Military Wives starring Kristin Scott Thomas for Lionsgate and Bleecker Street.
In television, 42 recently produced the crime docuseries “Who Killed Jill Dando?” for Netflix. They are currently in production on “The Road Trip” for Paramount+, starring Emma Appleton, and “Charlie Bone” for Amazon MGM Studios, starring Joseph Fiennes. Previous productions include six-part comedy drama “The Flatshare” for Paramount+; “The Girl Before” for BBC and HBO Max, starring Gugu Mbatha Raw and David Oyelowo; “The English Game,” a six-part television series by Julian Fellowes for Netflix; the Emmy award-winning “WatershipDown,” for BBC and Netflix featuring the voices of James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, John Boyega, Sir Ben Kingsley, Daniel Kaluuya, Gemma Arterton and Olivia Colman; “Traitors,” a six-part spy thriller for Channel 4 and Netflix starring Michael Stuhlbarg; and “Wild Bill,” a six-part drama series starring Rob Lowe for ITV.
photo credit: Ivan Weiss.
Jon Creamer
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