Nicole Brown is President of TriStar Pictures. Her oversight of Sony Pictures’ specialty label includes all film development and production. In 2019, Brown was appointed Head of TriStar Pictures, making her the first Black woman to run a live-action label at a major studio. Brown has been instrumental in securing several major deals and overseeing projects for the studio, including Gina Prince-Bythewood’s critically acclaimed The Woman King, starring Viola Davis, which grossed nearly $100 million worldwide and won AAFCA Awards for Best Director and Best Picture, and was nominated for four Critics Choice Awards, 10 NAACP Image Awards, and more.
Under Brown’s leadership, TriStar Pictures proudly championed the development and release of One of Them Days, a groundbreaking original film that marked the first Black female-led theatrical comedy since Girls Trip in 2017. From acclaimed producer Issa Rae, directed by first-time feature filmmaker Lawrence Lamont and stars Keke Palmer and SZA, who made her acting debut, the film has been a massive success at the box office, grossing over $50 million globally on a $14 million budget. The film is also loved by both audiences and critics, having a 95% critic score and 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has appeared on multiple best film lists this year. One of Them Days reignited the theatrical comedy genre with a sequel overseen by Brown in early development.
Releasing next is Zach Cregger’s fresh take on Resident Evil, Cregger’s next film following his critically acclaimed and box office hit Weapons, and The Nightingale, adapted from Kristin Hannah’s blockbuster novel that has sold over 11 million copies worldwide with Elle and Dakota Fanning making their first on-screen collaboration as sisters. Also in development: a re-imagining of Hasbro’s Clue; a film adaptation of the best-selling novel, The Wedding People; and a reboot of Troop Beverly Hills starring Cameron Diaz.
During her TriStar tenure, Brown has overseen movies such as Edgar Wright’s breakout hit Baby Driver; Marielle Heller’s Oscar-nominated A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood starring Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers; the Whitney Houston musical biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, directed by Kasi Lemmons; and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, a Netflix film from Sony/TriStar, Working Title, and the Roald Dahl Story Company, which was the film adaptation of the multi-award-winning stage musical that received five BAFTA Awards nominations; Happiest Season, which was licensed by Hulu in the U.S. and earned the number one spot on the streamer, as the LGBTQ+ romantic comedy was the most-watched film across all acquired and Hulu Original films during its opening weekend; Danny Boyle’s sequel to Trainspotting; Jodie Foster’s Money Monster starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts; and Jonathan Demme’s Ricki and The Flash starring Meryl Streep.
Before TriStar, Brown was Executive Vice President at Good Universe (originally formed as Mandate Pictures) where she oversaw the development of the company’s slate of films. Some of the films that she shepherded and produced were Neighbors, This is the End, Last Vegas, Evil Dead, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, The Possession, Whip It, Seeking A Friend For The End of World, the Harold & Kumar franchise and the Independent Spirit Award-winning film, 50/50.
The Los Angeles native got her start as an intern at Miramax while attending Columbia University. After graduating from Columbia in two and a half years and Phi Beta Kappa, she was accepted into The Peter Stark Producing Program at USC. She instead took a position at Marc Platt Productions and worked on the Legally Blonde franchise and Honey. For each of the last five years she has been selected as one of THR’s Power 100 Women in Entertainment and was also honored in 2022 with the Entertainment Trailblazer Award by The Blackhouse Foundation. Brown serves on the boards of Women in Film and American Cinematheque and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
‘Third Act’ sounds like the end! I'd like to think I'm still in the middle – still curious, still learning, still excited, still so much on the "to do" and the "bucket list" – but whatever chapter or act this is, my focus is on championing distinct voices and filmmakers and providing the theatrical landscape with impactful, enduring, entertaining stories that renew our wonder in the world, each other, and cinema.
Talent follows material. Continue to grab material that rocks you to your core and find a way to make it – in other words, find stories that ignite passion. Stay passionate amidst disruption versus trying to copy every trend.
First, I look for filmmakers who are confident enough to build a collaborative environment. Then I’m simply honest. And you said it best - you champion and support the artist first and foremost, then, if you have shown up as that person, truly loyal to their vision and work, you often earn their respect to give feedback. At that point they trust that it’s not about ego, it’s about supporting the vision.
Stay excited and work on things you love.
I would say Michelle Obama. She exemplifies a combination of authenticity, intellect, grace, and empathy that I think makes for the most inspiring leaders. She consistently uses her platform to expand opportunity, amplify underrepresented voices, and inspire people to believe in what's possible for themselves and their communities. Her accomplishments are extraordinary and still at her core she has remained profoundly human.
My family. They keep me grounded and help me maintain perspective no matter how busy life gets.
A trend I’m loving is seeing fresh talent from places we don’t traditionally expect find their way into the theatrical ecosystem and thrive. Audiences are always hungry for new voices and new perspectives and right now we are seeing the next generation of storytellers step forward with bold ideas and aesthetics. It’s exciting to watch those stories resonate with a vibrant audience on the big screen. It’s a trend we’ve seen before in our industry in different ways and eras, so I’m excited to see what other stories they create.
