Inspired Execution
A leadership podcast With Chet Kapoor
Alana Mayo
President at Orion Pictures
Bio
As Orion’s President, the veteran industry executive and producer Alana Mayo oversees the label’s day-to-day operations, including development, acquisitions, physical and post production. Orion Pictures, a division of MGM, is dedicated to underrepresented voices and authentic storytelling in film with a focus on developing, producing and acquiring feature films that amplify underserved voices, both in front of and behind the camera.
Mayo most recently served as Head of Production and Development for Outlier Society, a multi-platform production and media company led by actor Michael B. Jordan, where she oversaw the company’s slate of films (in partnership with Warner Bros Studios) and television series (in partnership with Amazon Studios). While at Outlier Society, Mayo led the charge with Jordan to create opportunities for more equitable hiring in Hollywood, with the launch of a first-of-its-kind company-wide inclusion policy, in partnership Warner Media, with JUST MERCY, based on the memoir of attorney, social justice activist and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson, becoming the first film made under the new initiative.
In addition to JUST MERCY, the slate of Outlier Society films projects overseen by Mayo include Paramount Pictures’ WITHOUT REMORSE; a film adaptation of the fantasy novel BLACK LEOPARD; RED WOLF by acclaimed author Marlon James; an untitled original monster movie from KONG: SKULL ISLAND filmmaker Jordan Vogt-Roberts; and a WWII action drama THE LIBERATORS.
During Mayo’s tenure, Outlier Society has co-produced the Emmy-nominated HBO Films adaptation of FAHRENHEIT 451, which netted Jordan a Producers Guild Award; 61 STREET for AMC; the OWN drama series DAVID MAKES MAN from Oscar-winning MOONLIGHT co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney; RAISING DION, which was one of Netflix’s most-streamed shows of 2019; the comedy feature FASHIONABLY BLACK written by Emmy nominated writer Robin Thede and Christa Gatewood at HBO Max; and the series FRIDAY BLACK, created by critically-acclaimed writer Nana Adjei-Brenyah.
Previously, Mayo served as Vice President of Production at Paramount Pictures, where she worked on films including A QUIET PLACE, directed by and starring John Krasinski, ANNIHILATION, written and directed by Alex Garland and starring Natalie Portman as well the critically acclaimed FENCES, directed by and starring Denzel Washington. In her previous role as Production Executive for the studio, she worked on the Academy Award® winning THE BIG SHORT, directed by Adam McKay and starring Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell and Brad Pitt, 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI, directed by Michael Bay and starring John Krasinski and James Badge Dale, and the Academy Award® Best Picture nominee SELMA.
Following her time at Paramount, Mayo worked with Vimeo as the company’s VP and head of original development. In her role, Mayo helped strategize the creation of the video-streaming service’s SVOD platform with scripted, original television content. Born in New York and raised in Chicago, IL, Mayo graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Bachelor’s Degree in Film Studies. After interning with independent New York filmmakers such as Lee Daniels, Tribeca Films and Warrington Hudlin, she moved to Los Angeles to further her career in feature film production and development.
As Orion’s President, the veteran industry executive and producer Alana Mayo oversees the label’s day-to-day operations, including development, acquisitions, physical and post production. Orion Pictures, a division of MGM, is dedicated to underrepresented voices and authentic storytelling in film with a focus on developing, producing and acquiring feature films that amplify underserved voices, both in front of and behind the camera.
Mayo most recently served as Head of Production and Development for Outlier Society, a multi-platform production and media company led by actor Michael B. Jordan, where she oversaw the company’s slate of films (in partnership with Warner Bros Studios) and television series (in partnership with Amazon Studios). While at Outlier Society, Mayo led the charge with Jordan to create opportunities for more equitable hiring in Hollywood, with the launch of a first-of-its-kind company-wide inclusion policy, in partnership Warner Media, with JUST MERCY, based on the memoir of attorney, social justice activist and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson, becoming the first film made under the new initiative.
In addition to JUST MERCY, the slate of Outlier Society films projects overseen by Mayo include Paramount Pictures’ WITHOUT REMORSE; a film adaptation of the fantasy novel BLACK LEOPARD; RED WOLF by acclaimed author Marlon James; an untitled original monster movie from KONG: SKULL ISLAND filmmaker Jordan Vogt-Roberts; and a WWII action drama THE LIBERATORS.
During Mayo’s tenure, Outlier Society has co-produced the Emmy-nominated HBO Films adaptation of FAHRENHEIT 451, which netted Jordan a Producers Guild Award; 61 STREET for AMC; the OWN drama series DAVID MAKES MAN from Oscar-winning MOONLIGHT co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney; RAISING DION, which was one of Netflix’s most-streamed shows of 2019; the comedy feature FASHIONABLY BLACK written by Emmy nominated writer Robin Thede and Christa Gatewood at HBO Max; and the series FRIDAY BLACK, created by critically-acclaimed writer Nana Adjei-Brenyah.
Previously, Mayo served as Vice President of Production at Paramount Pictures, where she worked on films including A QUIET PLACE, directed by and starring John Krasinski, ANNIHILATION, written and directed by Alex Garland and starring Natalie Portman as well the critically acclaimed FENCES, directed by and starring Denzel Washington. In her previous role as Production Executive for the studio, she worked on the Academy Award® winning THE BIG SHORT, directed by Adam McKay and starring Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell and Brad Pitt, 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI, directed by Michael Bay and starring John Krasinski and James Badge Dale, and the Academy Award® Best Picture nominee SELMA.
Following her time at Paramount, Mayo worked with Vimeo as the company’s VP and head of original development. In her role, Mayo helped strategize the creation of the video-streaming service’s SVOD platform with scripted, original television content. Born in New York and raised in Chicago, IL, Mayo graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Bachelor’s Degree in Film Studies. After interning with independent New York filmmakers such as Lee Daniels, Tribeca Films and Warrington Hudlin, she moved to Los Angeles to further her career in feature film production and development.
