Nicole Clemens is expanding her purview at ViacomCBS.
The Paramount TV Studios president is in final negotiations to add head of originals at streamer Paramount+ to her duties. Reps for Clemens and Paramount+ declined to comment as a deal is not done.
Sources say Clemens is expected to take on some of Julie McNamara’s responsibilities at Paramount+, though the role is said to be different than her predecessor’s. McNamara on Thursday stepped down at Paramount+ after crafting the former CBS All Access’ first slate of originals with fare including The Good Fight and Star Trek: Discovery.
Clemens, the former ICM agent, FX exec and Anonymous Content manager, has been steering Paramount TV Studios since taking over for the ousted Amy Powell in September 2018. In her current role at PTVS, Clemens oversees development, production and programming at the studio. She has overseen a roster of originals that includes 13 Reasons Why, Defending Jacob, Home Before Dark and Looking for Alaska, among others. Most recently, Clemens mined Paramount’s IP vault for TV updates of Love Story, Fatal Attraction, Flashdance, Parallax View and The Italian Job as part of a development slate for Paramount+.
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The slate comes after Paramount+ was rebranded from CBS All Access last year in a bid for the platform to better incorporate all of ViacomCBS’ brands.
McNamara, whose recent buys include a Kiefer Sutherland drama and update of The Game, stepped down from her role as head of originals following a years-long run with CBS Studios. Her departure came after Pluto’s Tom Ryan was tapped last year to oversee ViacomCBS’ streaming venture, replacing Marc DeBevoise in the role as the conglomerate, like everyone else, restructured to prioritize streaming.
Clemens overseeing both PTVS and Paramount+ would better integrate the streamer with the studio at a time when other media companies are making similar moves as part of an effort to lean harder into the company’s IP.
Variety, THR‘s sibling publication, first reported the news.
