Nancy Utley

Utley started working at 20th Century Fox in 1986.[4][7] Her first role was head of media planning, where she worked on the marketing budget.[7] Roles she held during her time at 20th Century Fox include Vice President of Media, Senior Vice President of Media and Research, and Executive Vice President of Marketing, Media, and Research, working on, organizing, and supervising advertising efforts.[4] At 20th Century Fox Films, Utley held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Marketing, overseeing general business operations as well as overseeing marketing efforts for films.[4]  

Utley cites Bob Harper, former vice chairman of 20th Century Fox, as a key mentor from her days at the company.[7]

Utley joined Fox’s Searchlight branch in 1999, and she served in leadership capacities for over 20 years, from 1999 until her retirement from the company in 2021.[2][7]

She became co-president of the branch in 2009.[7] In 2018, Utley and co-president Steve Gilula were promoted from presidents to co-chairmen.[8] When The Walt Disney Company acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, Fox Searchlight became an asset of Disney and was renamed Searchlight Pictures in 2020.[2] Utley and Gilula stayed on through the transition and remained co-chairmen of the newly renamed studio.[2]

Under her leadership with Gilula, Searchlight received 122 Golden Globe nominations,[1] 159 Oscar nominations,[1] and 40 Oscars, including four Best Picture Awards.[2] Notable films released under Utley’s tenure at Searchlight include Jojo Rabbit, The Favourite, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; The Grand Budapest Hotel, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Juno, Little Miss Sunshine, Napoleon Dynamite, Boys Don’t Cry, Black Swan, Sideways, The Tree of Life, Nightmare Alley, Slumdog Millionaire, The Shape of Water, 12 Years a Slave, and Nomadland.[1][9] As of 2018, Searchlight had grossed over $5 billion in worldwide box office sales.[8]

Utley was elected to the Academy’s Board of Governors on the Public Relations Branch in 2013.[10] She continued serving the Academy board in the Marketing and Public Relations Branch from 2013 through 2022.[11][12][13][10] Apart from her board position, Utley also briefly served as one of the board’s vice presidents Vice Presidents in 2016, under the title of Education and Outreach Committee chair.[14] She was elected to this position in 2016.[14]

Six months after retiring from Searchlight, in October 2021, Utley launched a production company called Lake Ellyn Entertainment.[1] This company seeks to produce film and television content through a deal with Chernin Entertainment.[1] Chernin Entertainment’s release deal with streaming service Netflix extends to Lake Ellyn Entertainment.[1]  

Utley is a producer on Rez Ball, an upcoming Netflix original movie about a Native American high school basketball team set in New Mexico.[15] Rez Ball is set to film in summer 2023 and release in 2024.[16]

As chair of the Academy’s Education and Outreach Committee, Utley oversaw the launch of the Academy Gold Talent Development and Inclusion Initiative.[17] The Gold Initiative is a summer internship and mentorship program that works to serve film industry career hopefuls from underrepresented communities.[17]

Within the entertainment industry, Utley has served and continues to be active in mentorship roles.[7] She has worked with organizations such as Fox’s high potential employee program, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, The Film Foundation, Step Up Women’s Network (a national mentorship organization for young women), and Film Independent’s Project Involve (a film industry mentorship program for up-and-coming filmmakers).[18][7]

Outside of the entertainment industry, Utley has worked with the International Rescue Committee and the health research and patient support organization Lupus L.A.[18][19]

In 2018, Utley was presented the David J. Wallace Founder’s Award by Lupus L.A. at the organization's annual Orange Ball.[19] As of April 2023, Utley serves on Lupus L.A.’s Board of Directors.[19]

• The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment 2011: Power 100[22]
• 2014 Variety Women’s Impact Honors[18]
• 2017 Variety500 Honoree[18]
• 2018 Variety500 Honoree[18]
• 2019 Variety500 Honoree[18]
• 2020 Variety500 Honoree[18]
• 2018 Directors Guild of America Honoree[24]

• Chi Omega Malinda Jolley Morton Woman of Achievement 2012[4]
• Northwestern Medill Hall of Achievement 2015 Inductee[9]

• Lupus L.A. Daniel J. Wallace Founder’s Award[19]

• Slumdog Millionaire
• 12 Years a Slave
• Birdman
• The Shape of Water
• Nomadland