Lisa Takeuchi Cullen: WGA East's Historic First as President
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is set to replace Michael Winship as the President of the Writers Guild of America East (WGA East). Winship, who did not seek re-election, announced his stepping down after serving for two years since 2021, in addition to his previous five terms from 2007 to 2017.
Cullen, who is running unopposed for the post, will make history as the third woman and the first person of color to hold this prestigious position from next month. Currently, she holds the position of Vice President in the guild’s Film/TV/Streaming sector.
Michael Winship stated that his decision not to run again had been made clear two years ago. Despite having served five terms as president, he agreed to run again in 2021 to address certain issues within the guild, including constitutional revisions and other membership concerns, but stated that this tenure would be limited to two years.
Before the ongoing writers strike, Takeuchi Cullen was developing multiple drama series as part of an overall deal with Universal TV. Her previous work boasts pilot writings for big names such as Netflix, ABC, NBC, CBS, A&E, Apple, and Warner Bros. One of her significant previous positions was as a co-executive producer on NBC’s The Endgame and as a writer and consulting producer on Law & Order: SVU.
Chris Kyle is up for re-election as secretary-treasurer and Erica Saleh, a council member of the guild, will take over Cullen’s current role as Vice President of Film/TV/Streaming.
The rest of the guild council will be decided in an upcoming election with 12 candidates vying for six seats representing the Film/TV/Streaming sector and five candidates competing for three seats from the Online Media sector. Voting starts on September 6 and ends on September 21.
Now onto the fun side...
Cue the dramatic music, folks - we have a historical first in the hallowed halls of the WGA East. I’m talking about the upcoming reign of Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, the first person of color and only the third woman ever to fill these presidential shoes. If that doesn’t inspire a Netflix biopic down the line, I don’t know what does.
What excites me about Cullen - apart from her obvious determination, notable by her ‘run unopposed or run-not-at-all’ election (We see you, boss lady) - is her prolific backstory. She has more hats than a costume department, being a seasoned writer, an author, and a former journalist. Not to mention her proud soldiering as an advocate for marginalized writers. A one-woman-army, she really is.
And how about some applause for Michael Winship, clearly a gentleman of his word. With an impressive five terms notched onto his belt, he returns for a sixth run, solely to address some internal knots within the guild. He steps down leaving the guild not just with a sense of closure, but a promise of continued involvement. Now, that's some serious dedication to one's craft.
Also on the horizon, the secretary-treasurer post-playing, deja-vu as Chris Kyle runs unopposed. Meanwhile, VP of Film/TV/Streaming segment gets a new face with Erica Saleh stepping in. That gives us some more promising shifts in this microcosm of Hollywood. Let's hope that the magic in the air stays through the voting season.
To sum it up, the WGA East’s future is looking more inclusive, more equitable, and brimming with promise. With talents like Lisa Takeuchi Cullen leading the charge, there are undoubtedly exciting times ahead. Hollywood, bring on the popcorn and soda - it seems many more exciting stories will be hitting our screens soon.
