Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, accusing the technology and entertainment company of deliberately recruiting executives who remain bound by fixed-term employment agreements.
The complaint, filed July 21 in California state court, focuses on Amazon MGM Studios’ hiring of Pia Barlow as its new Vice President and Head of Series Marketing. Barlow previously served as Executive Vice President of Originals Marketing for HBO Max, the streaming platform owned by WBD; Amazon announced Barlow’s appointment three days after the lawsuit was filed.
WBD alleges Barlow’s employment agreement was not scheduled to expire until October 31, 2027. The company claims Amazon knew about the contract but persuaded her to leave more than 16 months before its expiration. The lawsuit includes claims of intentional interference with contractual relations, breach of contract and unfair competition.
“In blatant disregard of established California law, Amazon has gone rogue by attempting to induce Plaintiffs’ employees with term employment agreements to breach those agreements with impunity, backed up with the ready assurance that Amazon will defend and indemnify them should they be held to account for their blatantly unlawful acts,” WBD said in its complaint.
WBD said it notified Amazon in writing about Barlow’s agreement and its relevant terms before she accepted the new position. The company alleges Amazon proceeded with the hire despite receiving that notice.
The filing also describes a separate attempt by Amazon to recruit another WBD executive whose employment agreement was scheduled to continue through December 2027. That effort was unsuccessful, according to the complaint. That executive was not identified in the lawsuit, but the account is believed to refer to Francesca Orsi, a senior HBO programming executive who was reportedly considered for a leadership role overseeing scripted programming at Amazon MGM Studios.
WBD accused Amazon of relying on talent developed by established entertainment companies rather than building its operation independently.
“And rather than build its entertainment-production workforce from the ground up, Amazon has chosen to ride on the coattails of other well-established Hollywood mainstays such as Plaintiffs by inducing contracted employees to breach their employment agreements,” the filing said.
The case is the latest involving a major Hollywood studio suing a tech company on allegations of poaching an executive: Last year, the Walt Disney Company sued Google and its streaming platform YouTube after the latter company hired Justin Connolly to serve as its head of global media and sports. YouTube and Disney were in the middle of renegotiating the distribution of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels on streaming service YouTube TV when the hiring was announced. The lawsuit was settled shortly after Disney and YouTube reached an agreement to continue offering the networks on YouTube TV.
Netflix lost a similar legal battle against 20th Century Fox in 2021 after the studio accused the streaming company of inducing two executives to violate their contracts. The company initially appealed the unfavorable decision, only to lost the appeal as well. Fox accepted a symbolic payment of $1 in damages, according to reports.
