EXCLUSIVE: Two Disney EVPs are departing the studio early next year, Deadline has learned.
Randi Hiller, EVP of Casting for Walt Disney Studios, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures, will exit the lot after a 14-year run in early 2026, in addition to Sam Dickerman, EVP Production for Walt Disney Pictures, who has been with the studio for the last 12 years.
During Hiller’s tenure she’s casted on close to 100 films including the live action Lilo & Stitch (the year’s biggest MPA title at $1 billion worldwide), Alien: Romulus, Cruella, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as well as the upcoming The Devil Wears Prada 2, and live-action Moana. She also served as casting director on projects such as the Emmy-winning Rescue Rangers, recently released Freakier Friday, upcoming Whalefall and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Before joining Disney, Hiller was an independent casting director whose credits include Crash which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Warrior, Iron Man and In the Bedroom. Over her career, she has earned three Artios Awards, 16 additional Artios nominations, and two Emmy nominations.
Said Hiller, “Working at Disney felt like winning the lottery. I had the opportunity to work with incredible people on truly magical projects. I’m thankful for all I have learned and experienced and am especially grateful to Alan Bergman, Alan Horn, Sean Bailey, David Greenbaum, Steve Asbell, Vanessa Morrison, Daria Cercek and Matthew Greenfield for their unwavering support and guidance over the years. I look forward to returning to my roots as a casting director, carrying with me the knowledge and growth I have gained during my time at the company.”
Throughout his career at Disney, Dickerman worked on a large number of successful original films and live-action reimaginings, including Mufasa: The Lion King, Young Woman and the Sea, Jungle Cruise, The One and Only Ivan, The Lion King, Timmy Failure, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, The Jungle Book and The Finest Hours. His forthcoming projects include Tron: Ares, opening on Oct. 10. Prior to Disney, he held senior production posts at Sony Pictures where he worked on such films as American Hustle, Battle: Los Angeles, Salt and many Adam Sandler films. With director Wolfgang Petersen, he worked on Troy and The Perfect Storm.
Said Dickerman, “My time at Disney has been an extraordinary chapter in my career. Over the past decade, I’ve been honored to collaborate with visionary filmmakers, amazing talent, and dedicated colleagues to bring timeless stories to life. I am deeply grateful to Alan Bergman, David Greenbaum, Daria Cercek as well as Alan Horn and Sean Bailey for their guidance and leadership. I am especially proud of the exceptional physical production and VFX teams at Disney for their work on so many technically ambitious films. Thanks to the entire Disney family for their support and trust, and I look forward to what’s to come.”
