Peter Rice (executive)

Peter Rice (born 1966) is a British businessman and the Chairman of Walt Disney Television as well as the co-chairman of Disney Media Networks.

Peter Rice
Born1966 (age 53–54)
United Kingdom
Alma materUniversity of Nottingham
OccupationEntertainment executive
EmployerWalt Disney Television (2019–present)
TitleChairman of Walt Disney Television and Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks

Early life

Rice was born in the United Kingdom in 1966 and raised in Britain.[1] He earned a degree from the University of Nottingham in 1989.[1]

Career

21st Century Fox

Fox Filmed Entertainment

Prior to his roles in Fox's television business, Rice was President for Fox Searchlight Pictures.[2] He began his tenure there in 2000, during which time he released some of the most critically acclaimed films of the decade and some of the highest-grossing films in Fox Searchlight’s history, including Juno, The Last King of Scotland, Bend it Like Beckham, Little Miss Sunshine, Sideways and Napoleon Dynamite.[3] With Rice at the helm, Fox Searchlight received 51 Academy Award and 42 Golden Globe Award nominations, including a record of 12 nominations[4] and eight wins[5] for Slumdog Millionaire at the 81st Annual Academy Awards.

From 2007 - 2008, Rice also oversaw Fox Atomic, which created comedy and genre films, including Turistas and 28 Weeks Later. Fox Atomic was closed in 2009.[6]

Rice began his career at Twentieth Century Fox in 1989, working for Tom Sherak, then head of US distribution and marketing for Fox Filmed Entertainment.[7] His roles included Director of Acquisitions, Vice President of Production and Senior Vice President, and in 1998, Rice was named Executive Vice President of Production for Twentieth Century Fox.[3]

Rice cultivated relationships with some of the most talented young filmmakers of the time, including Danny Boyle, Bryan Singer, Baz Luhrmann, Alex Proyas and the Hughes Brothers. Rice worked as a creative executive on director Danny Boyle's A Life Less Ordinary and oversaw the director's The Beach. Rice worked with director Baz Luhrmann in the development and production of his films, Oscar Best Picture nominee Moulin Rouge[8] and modern-day adaptation William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Rice was the supervising creative executive on X-Men, which started a successful movie franchise that would go on to gross more than $4.3 billion at the global box office.[9] He also worked on blockbuster films Independence Day and Alien: Resurrection.[10]

Fox Television

Rice was appointed President of 21st Century Fox in 2017.[11] In addition to working on strategic initiatives at 21st Century Fox, Rice continues to serve as Chairman and CEO of Fox Networks Group.[3] He is also the Chairman of the Board of National Geographic Partners and a member of the Board of Directors for Hulu.[12][13]

Rice became Chairman and CEO of Fox Networks Group in 2012, supervising Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, FX Networks, Fox Sports (encompassing Fox’s national sports channels, FS1 and FS2 and its 22 regional sports networks) and National Geographic Partners (which includes the National Geographic channels and brands).[14][15]

In 2016, Fox Networks Group received 144 Primetime and Sports Emmy nominations. Fox Sports won 10 Sports Emmy Awards, the most of any network group and FS1 earned eight awards, the most of any network.[16][17] Fox received 103 Primetime Emmy nominations spanning FX, FOX, National Geographic Channel and shows from 20th Century Fox Television & Fox 21 Television Studios, and won 27 Primetime Emmy Awards. FX earned 56 nominations, setting a new record for nominations by a basic cable network, surpassing its own previous record of 45 set in 2014.[18] The People v. O.J. Simpson earned 22 nominations and Fargo received 18, the second and third highest total number of nominations of any show that year.[19][20] In 2017, under Rice’s leadership, Fox Networks Group received 153 Primetime and Sports Emmy nominations, and won a collective 26 Emmys.[21]

Before assuming his current role, Rice served as Chairman of Entertainment of Fox Networks Group. During that time, Rice helped propel Fox to three seasons as the number one network, extending its run on top to eight consecutive years.[22] Earlier, Rice served as Chairman of Entertainment of Fox Broadcasting Company. He replaced Peter Ligouri and reported to then Fox Networks Group Chairman Tony Vinciquerra.[23]

Head of Disney Television

Rice joined The Walt Disney Company following its purchase of many of 21st Century Fox’s assets.[24][25] Upon joining, Rice became the Chairman of Walt Disney Television (all of Disney's non-sports television business), succeeding Ben Sherwood.[26][24][25]

Personal life

Rice lives in Los Angeles with his family. He serves on the Board of Directors of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Southern California Public Radio and the Walter Kaitz Foundation.[27][28][29] Rice also sits on the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s Board of Governors.[30]

References
  1. "Inside Hollywood with Peter Rice".
  2. Ricj, Joshua (March 12, 2009). "Fox Broadcasting executive shakeup: Peter Ligouri out, Peter Rice in". Entertainment Weekly.
  3. "Peter Rice Elevated to Head of Fox Networks Group". The Hollywood Reporter.
  4. "Complete List of Nominations for 81st Academy Awards". E News.
  5. "A 'Slumdog' Kind of Night at the Oscar Ceremony". The New York Times.
  6. "Fox shutting down youth-focused film unit". Reuters.
  7. "Fox's Peter Rice Recalls How He Learned the Biz From Tom Sherak". Yahoo Movies.
  8. "Oscar Vault Monday – Moulin Rouge!, 2001 (dir. Baz Luhrmann)". 31 December 2012.
  9. "X-Men Franchise Box Office History - The Numbers".
  10. "Fox shakes up executive roles". Variety.
  11. Ng, David (6 September 2017). "21st Century Fox promotes Peter Rice to president". Los Angeles Times.
  12. Hipes, Patrick (6 September 2017). "Peter Rice Promoted to President Of 21st Century Fox". Deadline Hollywood.
  13. Maglio, Tony (6 September 2017). "Peter Rice Promoted to 21st Century Fox President". TheWrap.
  14. Szalai, George (March 26, 2014). "Fox Networks Group CEO Peter Rice Gets Contract Extension". The Hollywood Reporter.
  15. Crupi, Anthony (July 23, 2012). "Peter Rice Named Head of Fox Networks Group". Adweek.
  16. "Fox trumps ESPN, NBC: Winners & Losers at the Sports Emmys". 11 May 2016.
  17. "FOX Sports Earns Ten Sports Emmy Awards".
  18. "FX Broke Own Record for Most Emmy Nominations".
  19. "Emmy Awards 2016 nominations by the numbers". CBS News.
  20. "'The People v. O.J. Simpson' Scores Big in Emmy Nominations, Just Shy of 'Game of Thrones'". Variety.
  21. Chow, Andrew R. (September 17, 2017). "Emmys 2017 Winners List". The New York Times.
  22. "2011-12 Season Network Rankings: Fox Still On Top But Down, NBC In Third, CW Falls". Deadline Hollywood.
  23. "Fox Overhauls the Leadership of Its Entertainment Divisions". The New York Times.
  24. https://www.thewrap.com/members/2019/03/19/disney-finally-closes-its-71-3-billion-acquisition-of-21st-century-fox/
  25. https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/disney-completes-its-71-3-billion-purchase-of-fox-massively-transforming-the-industry/
  26. "The Walt Disney Company Announces New Organizational Structure for its Media Networks Business, Conditional Upon Closing of 21st Century Fox Acquisition". The Walt Disney Company. October 8, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  27. "About NCTA". National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  28. "Board of Trustees". Southern California Public Radio. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  29. "Board". Walter Kaitz Foundation. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  30. "MPTF Foundation Board of Governors". Motion Picture & Television Fund. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
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