Sony Pictures Entertainment has officially promoted Nicole Brown to president of TriStar Pictures, one-year after Brown was tapped to head the film division for the specialty label following the departure of long-time exec Hannah Minghella. Brown, who last year was appointed to head TriStar Pictures as executive vice president, will continue to oversee all the film development and production slate and report to Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group.

“Nicole was the very first person I hired when I came to the company seven years ago, and that was a lucky day for me and for Sony Pictures,” said Rothman. “She is a first-rate executive whose energy, drive, taste and relationships are a boon to us, and this promotion is richly deserved. TriStar is a historic brand and I know she will continue to add mightily to its great legacy.”

She’s been instrumental in securing several major studio projects, often in a heated competition situation, including the Whitney Houston musical biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, The Woman King, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring Viola Davis, the first LGBTQ+ holiday rom-com from a major studio, Happiest Season, The Nightingale with Dakota and Elle Fanning.

During her time at TriStar, Brown also worked on movies like Marielle Heller’s highly acclaimed A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood starring Tom Hanks, Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, Jodie Foster’s Money Monster starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, and Meryl Streep-starrer Ricki and The Flash.

“I am honored to lead the next chapter in TriStar’s storied history. When Tom and I set out to relaunch the label in 2013, we were armed with just our ideas and our contacts, and a mission to empower dynamic storytellers,” said Brown. “It is such an honor to be here seven years later furthering TriStar’s impact with our new slate of bold, culturally relevant and filmmaker-driven content.”

Previously, Brown served as executive VP at Good Universe where she worked on films like Neighbors, This is the End, Evil Dead, Seeking A Friend For The End of World, the Harold & Kumar franchise, and the Independent Spirit Award-winning film, 50/50.

Brown is the second Black woman this year to be named head of a big studio label as Alana Mayo was also recently tapped as President of the MGM’s newly relaunched Orion Pictures.

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