Berlanti Productions’ Karyn Smith-Forge to Serve as President of Don Cheadle’s This Radicle Act (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson
·2 min read
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Karyn Smith-Forge, senior vice president of production for Berlanti Productions, is exiting the company to serve as president for Don Cheadle’s This Radicle Act production banner, Variety has learned exclusively.

Smith-Forge takes over her new role from Mika Pryce, who was recently hired as senior vice president of production for Paramount Pictures’ motion picture group. In her new role, Smith-Forge will work closely with Eli Holzman, CEO of Industrial Media, on the company’s television productions and development.

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Cheadle formed This Radicle Act in 2019, at which time the company inked a first-look deal with Industrial Media to produce television and digital programming. This Radicle Act’s currently slate includes the dark comedy “Max” from writer Camilla Blackett at HBO Max, a TV adaptation of the A. Lee Martinez novel “Monster” with Akela Cooper attached as showrunner, and the TV series “War,” which will explore the origins of the Bloods and Crips and the role the LAPD played in instigating the feud between the gangs. Eric Amadio and Malcolm Mays will serve as showrunners on that series.

Smith-Forge’s exit comes at the same time as fellow Berlanti Productions senior vice president Erika Kennair, who is leaving to head up Malala Yousafazi’s Extracurricular production banner.

“We are excited for Karyn Smith-Forge as she embarks on this exciting new chapter,” said Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter in a joint statement. “Karyn joined us three and a half years ago and built our current department. She offered an immense amount of support, guidance and leadership across so many shows. Her enthusiasm, kindness, intelligence and sense of humor will be deeply missed by us, our showrunners, our casts and WBTV. We are proud to be a part of her career and will remain her friends and fans. Don Cheadle is a lucky man.”

Smith-Forge was a TV agent at Verve prior to joining Berlanti Productions in 2018. She was previously the senior vice president of cable programming at CBS Television Studios, a position she held for five years. She began her career as an agent with Endeavor before transitioning to an executive role at Fox TV Studios. During her time at Fox, she helped develop shows such as USA Network’s “White Collar” and TNT’s “Saving Grace.”

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