Kevin Tsujihara, chairman and CEO of Warner Brothers Entertainment, is stepping down from his role at the company.
In a statement Monday, WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey said that it was in the best interest of WarnerMedia, Warner Brothers, and its employees and partners for Tsujihara to step down.
Earlier this month text messages were revealed by The Hollywood Reporter between Tsujihara and actress Charlotte Kirk in which Tsujihara said he would push for auditions for the actress with whom he was currently involved in a sexual relationship.
“Kevin acknowledges that his mistakes are inconsistent with the Company’s leadership expectations and could impact the Company’s ability to execute going forward,” Stankey said.
Kirk has recently appeared in two Warner Brothers Films, How to be Single in 2016 and Ocean’s 8 in 2018, although Tsujihara was not directly involved in her hiring in either case.
Tsujihara was the first executive if Asian descent to head a major Hollywood studio. He has held that position since 2013 and played a role in the studio’s acquisition of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series as well as DC Comics films Wonder Woman and Aquaman. WarnerMedia did not immediately announce a replacement for Tsujihara.