Alumna's Dynamite Netflix Career
By Pam Wigley
Coral Wright Searches for the Next Big Hit
Young Hollywood is alive and well, and there’s a Carnegie Mellon University connection among the West Coast’s most recognized talent. Coral Wright, a Master of Entertainment Industry Management (MEIM) alumna, is making her mark in the entertainment industry.
MEIM, a collaboration of Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts and the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, has helped Wright pursue and land a fulfilling role at Netflix. She is one of next generation of leaders as she puts her knowledge and gut instincts to the test within the film and thriving cable programming industries.
For Wright, the old adage “Mom knows best” rings true. Coming from a family of bankers, lawyers and teachers, Wright was studying law at Emory University when her mother came to help her study for the LSAT exam. Before they even started, her mother took the opportunity to ask her daughter a simple question: “If you could get paid to do anything, what would it be?”
It was a question no one had ever asked her mother, a former UCLA cheerleader and huge champion of her daughter. Wright knew the answer right away. “I’d watch movies and TV.” She said she thought her mother would be surprised, given Wright’s journey at Emory to become a lawyer. Instead, she encouraged Wright to follow her heart — even though entertainment wasn’t always her first choice for her daughter.
“When I was younger, I wanted to act,” Wright said. “My mother said ‘no’ right away. That’s funny, because now that she’s retired, she’s actually trying out for roles as a film extra. So, you just never know how things will turn out.”
For Wright, things are turning out very well. After leaving law school behind, she focused on a Hollywood career — not as an actor but, instead, with a focus on the business management side. She enrolled in the MEIM program because it was perfectly suited to her.
“Within MEIM, there’s a value principle that’s understood and allows people to grow within their interests,” Wright said.
The adjunct professors were real-world professionals who taught us how to gain an edge in the marketplace. That, combined with textbook learning, was what I wanted and needed.Coral Wright
With interests lying in “monsters and explosions,” Wright absorbed all she could in roles at Mandate, Summit and Spyglass Media Group. Now, she’s landed in a happy place: Director of Drama Series for Netflix, focusing on cinematic television. She was part of the launch team for Netflix’s “Wednesday,” as well as the live action series adaptation of “One Piece.”
Wright’s role at Netflix allows her to use her skills and instincts to find the next big hit. She’s involved in the process of a production from concept to launch.
I connect with storytellers to bring their stories to life.Coral Wright
To get those stories, Wright actively solicits and accepts ideas. Then, she guides the stories into production, overseeing what she calls “the most successful version of the project.”
Her hard work has paid off. She was recently recognized as part of The Hollywood Reporter’s “Next Gen 35 Under 35!” It’s an honor bestowed after kudos from industry peers led to her inclusion.
Her advice to up-and-comers in the industry, especially current Carnegie Mellon students, is to take advantage of resources that are readily available.
“Carnegie Mellon is set up to foster a community,” Wright said. “The resources and the tools you need to get where you’re going are the people who are around you. Make connections, keep them, and leverage them for where you want to go one day.”
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image of Wright by Pam Wigley