EXCLUSIVE: Tessa Thompson is adding to her Viva Maude.

Kishori Rajan, exec producer of HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness, has joined Thompson’s production company. She joins as Vice President of Development and Production.

This comes after the Westworld star launched the business earlier this year with a two-year first-look deal at HBO and HBO Max and two book adaptations – Who Fears Death and The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.

Rajan’s other credits include The Short History of the Long Road starring Sabrina Carpenter and Danny Trejo, The Price, American Fable, Four and Gimme the Loot as well as unscripted series including Hulu’s travel food show Eater’s Guide to the World hosted by Maya Rudolph and Topic Studios’ dance competition series Best Walk.

“Since our first meeting, it became immediately clear that Tessa and I were inspired by similar types of writers, artists and thinkers,” said Rajan. “This alignment galvanizes an exciting slate Tessa has already started that has the potential to shift some industry paradigms – both in terms of process and in final form.”

“Viva Maude’s slate will centralize visionary artists that can make great creative and ethical experiences that have the potential to enter our culture in a propulsive and entertaining ways,” she added. “As an independent producer, I have dedicated my career to working with artists that redefine and decentralize stale narratives. I feel extremely fortunate to have Tessa’s trust to continue that work in this capacity, and to be working with the support of HBO and HBO Max behind us.”

Thompson said, “I am thrilled and honored to have Kishori join me in the fundamental building of what I hope becomes a soft place to land for creators and makers; in Viva Maude, we aim to cultivate a home where we challenge old forms and create new comps in Hollywood. Kishori is an incredibly thoughtful producer, curious mind, and talented storyteller who I believe is primed to be an agent of change in this industry and beyond – I was elated when I met her after a long and considered search.”

Rajan is repped by André Des Rochers of Granderson Des Rochers and Thompson is repped by WME, Mosaic and lawyer Jeffrey Bernstein at Jackoway, Austen, Tyerman.

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