In a surprising turn of events, Werner Myers, the driving force behind Netflix’s diversity and inclusion efforts for the past five years, has announced his resignation amid controversy surrounding a significant financial loss, potentially in the millions.
Myers will be stepping down from his role at the streaming giant in September, with VP of inclusion strategy Wade Davis set to take the reins.
During his tenure at Netflix, Myers made waves by spearheading the company’s first inclusion report in 2021.
This groundbreaking report shed light on the representation statistics within Netflix’s workforce, as well as the initiatives undertaken to foster a more inclusive workplace culture and programming landscape.
Notably, Netflix unveiled a $100 million fund for creative equity, aimed at creating more opportunities for talent from underrepresented communities over a five-year period.
The latest annual inclusion report, released in April, revealed that $29 million had already been allocated to various programs as part of this initiative.
Myers highlighted in the report that in 2022 alone, Netflix had spent a staggering $700 million with underrepresented suppliers, marking a significant 9% year-over-year increase.
However, amidst these strides towards inclusion, Netflix faced a setback in the UK market.
According to research firm Ampere Analysis, the number of Netflix subscribers in the UK dropped from 14.2 million to 13.7 million this year.
Surprisingly, Netflix emerged as the only major streaming service to experience a decline in subscribers in 2022, following a meager gain of 800,000 subscribers in 2021, its lowest since launching in the UK a decade ago.
One of the contributing factors to Netflix’s decline in the UK was attributed to Megan and Harry’s documentary show, which failed to resonate with audiences.
Interestingly, the underrepresented suppliers mentioned by Myers also had ties to the Sussex duo.
A source within the company hinted at a strategic shift towards producing more fictional scripted content, particularly focusing on rom-coms and feel-good programming.
With Myers’ departure, the future of Megan’s upcoming projects on Netflix hangs in the balance.
Megan Markle, once hailed as Hollywood royalty, is now facing the harsh reality that popularity and likeability are the true currencies in the entertainment industry.
While real royalty may be inherited, Hollywood royalty must be earned, a lesson Megan is learning firsthand.
Notably, both Harry and Megan have expressed their affinity for romantic comedies in the past, with Megan being a self-proclaimed fan of classics like “When Harry Met Sally” and Julia Roberts films.
The potential shift towards producing Julia Roberts-style romantic comedies under Megan’s leadership sparks curiosity about the creative direction she may take, with titles like “When Harry Met Megan” and “The Oppressed Actress” swirling in the realm of possibilities.
Megan’s journey from Hollywood hopeful to Duchess of Sussex has been nothing short of a modern-day fairytale.
However, as the curtains close on one chapter of her life, the uncertainty surrounding her future endeavors in the entertainment industry looms large.
Whether Megan can reclaim her Hollywood throne or if her story will take a different turn remains to be seen.