Disney+ Canada staffs up with CBC’s Mélanie Lê Phan joining content team

Disney+ is growing its originals team in Canada by hiring former CBC exec Mélanie Lê Phan, C21 has learned.

Mélanie Lê Phan

Lê Phan, who was most recently the executive in charge of comedy production at Canadian pubcaster CBC, has been named senior manager, international content at Disney+ Canada.

Lê Phan, who starts her Toronto-based role today, will work with director of development Paige Murray to grow Disney+ Canada’s slate of scripted and unscripted originals. This will involve sourcing projects and helping to shape the broader Canadian strategy.

During her time at CBC, she oversaw a slate that included titles such as Son of a Critch, Small Achievable Goals and North of North.

Lê Phan’s appointment comes around 10 months after Murray moved from the CBC, where she served as executive in charge of drama development, to join Disney+ Canada.

Since then, the Canadian arm of Disney+ has commissioned its first two local originals.

Among them is Knighted, an eight-part scripted comedy series executive produced by Bruce McCulloch. Produced by Heavy Lifting Productions in association with 3 Arts Entertainment, the project is described as following a missing person’s case that “spirals into a gloriously absurd documentary-style exploration of the sinister secrets lurking beneath the enchanting pageantry of a local medieval dinner theatre.”

Disney+ Canada also greenlit I’m Not Coming Back (Tuck Shop Media and Hodgee Films), a three-part crime docuseries about the large-scale manhunt that took place after two armed fugitives went on a killing spree in British Columbia in the summer of 2019.

In addition to Lê Phan, Disney+ Canada also hired Samantha Clarizio, formerly of Forté Entertainment, as its coordinator, international content.

The Disney+ Canada operation is part of the broader international team, with Murray reporting to Jon Wax, executive VP, international content, strategy and operations.