Searchlight Hires Lucasfilm Vet Rayne Roberts as SVP, Production and Development (EXCLUSIVE)

Rayne Roberts, a veteran executive at Lucasfilm, has been tapped to serve as senior vice president, production and development at Searchlight Pictures. In her new position at the specialty label, Roberts will report to co-head of production and development DanTram Nguyen.

Roberts spent 12 years at Lucasfilm, most recently serving as vice president of development, where she was instrumental in the development and production of several entries in the “Star Wars” franchise including “The Force Awakens,” “Rogue One,” “The Last Jedi” and “Solo.” She also worked on the Disney+ series “The Acolyte.”

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Prior to going to Lucasfilm, Roberts’ background also includes several years as a development executive at Gold Circle Films. She also worked as an associate producer on the award-winning documentary “The Fair Trade,” and had stints as a story analyst for Alcon Entertainment and The Kennedy/Marshall Company.

“We are beyond excited to have Rayne join the Searchlight team,” said Nguyen. “Her remarkable track record, along with her exceptional storytelling instincts, make her an invaluable addition. We’re eager to continue to push boundaries together and bring fresh, bold projects to the screen.”

Before working in film, Roberts produced and art-directed fashion, portrait, and documentary photography as a photo editor at Vibe Magazine and Teen People. Roberts received her BFA in Photography & Imaging from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and holds a certificate in producing from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television.

Searchlight Pictures recently released James Mangold’s ”A Complete Unknown” starring Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best picture, as well as Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain,” starring Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin, which was nominated for two Oscars.

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