.png)
3 hours ago
1 ARTICLE AD
EXCLUSIVE: Suzanna Makkos is leaving her post as head of Original Comedy & Animation at Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max and Adult Swim to join Disney as head of comedy for ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals.
In her new role, she will oversee comedy development and current series programming across Disney Entertainment Television’s ABC and Hulu, including live-action comedy, adult animation and stand-up specials.
Makkos joins counterpart Jordan Helman, Head of Drama, ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals, both reporting to Simran Sethi, president, Scripted Programming, Hulu Originals, ABC Entertainment and Freeform.
The dual ABC/Hulu head of drama and comedy roles were created in early October when the ABC and Hulu Originals scripted teams were combined under Sethi.
Makkos had been rumored about going to Disney since August, initially as a potential replacement for Billy Rosenberg, who stepped down as Hulu head of comedy in May.
The speculation intensified after the October 1 restructuring which saw Erin Wehrenberg departing as ABC Head Of Comedy and a combined Hulu/ABC head of comedy role becoming available. Having served as head of comedy at both a streamer, Max, and a broadcast network, Fox, Makkos emerged as the frontrunner by the final stages of the executive search process in December.
With the top comedy post at Hulu being vacant for eight months and the one at ABC for three and a half, Makkos has her work cut out for her when she starts next week. First order of business likely will be sifting though ABC’s comedy development to order a couple of pilots for 2025-26 consideration.
“There are few executives with the breadth and depth of experience that Suzanna brings to the table,” Sethi said. “She is a skilled creative partner with a tremendous track record of developing successful, brand-defining and culturally impactful comedies across both broadcast and streaming. We are elated to be welcoming her to our creative team.”
Makkos was one of the first programming executives hired at Max in 2019, ahead of the platform’s launch the following year as HBO Max. She added Adult Swim oversight in 2021 when the Adult Swim and Max‘s adult animation development teams were combined.
Her role changed in the 2022 restructuring, which consolidated HBO and Max operations, including comedy programming under HBO’s longtime head of comedy, Amy Gravitt. The realignment was accompanied by significant layoffs but Makkos, who is well liked internally — and externally — was kept in the fold, reporting to Gravitt on the Max side. Still, the new leadership structure has been somewhat disjointed, leading to Makkos’ amicable departure for a bigger job at Disney.
Gravitt’s team will take over oversight of Makkos’ Max slate. The adult animation programing and development team will report to Michael Ouweleen, President, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network and TCM.
During her tenure, Makkos originated the Max comedy roster, developing such series as Emmy winner Hacks, Mindy Kaling’s The Sex Lives of College Girls as well as the Sex and the City revival And Just Like That… Additionally, she introduced stand-up specials with Chelsea Handler: Evolution and Marlon Wayans: You Know What It Is and established Max’s adult animation brand with The Prince and DC’s recent entry Creature Commandos as well as Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends and the upcoming Common Side Effects.
Prior to joining Max, Makkos spent 13 years at Fox Broadcasting, rising through the ranks to EVP of Comedy Programming and Development. She developed Bob’s Burgers and shepherded the relaunch of Family Guy, in addition to New Girl, The Mindy Project and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, among others.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be given the opportunity to join Disney Entertainment Television, where Craig Erwich, Simran and their teams are drivers of excellence in television,” Makkos said. “I can’t wait to collaborate with this talented group of leaders and the dynamic slate of creative voices behind these beloved brands.”
