David Madden | Hollywood Executive Behind Fatal Attraction, The Americans, & The Walking Dead
David Madden is a veteran entertainment executive whose career has shaped the movies and shows we all know and love, and whose insight and guidance have also shaped my own journey.
As the studio executive behind acclaimed and Oscar-winning films like Children of a Lesser God, Fatal Attraction, and The Accused, and as a producer of box-office hits like Runaway Bride, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and Save the Last Dance, David has built a career championing stories that define generations.
He went on to lead as President at Fox and AMC, overseeing groundbreaking series like The Americans, Better Call Saul, Empire, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Walking Dead. Along the way, he earned a Primetime Emmy Award for HBO’s Something the Lord Made.
Now, as President of Webtoon Productions, he’s bringing some of the world’s most popular digital stories to screens everywhere. Wattpad and Webtoon titles/franchises, like The Kissing Booth, After, and Through My Window, have already proven the global power of these platforms — and under David’s leadership, upcoming Webtoon adaptations are expanding that momentum across Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and beyond.
We dive into what makes a story resonate, where entertainment is heading, and what he’s learned from decades of shaping culture.
* This episode was edited by Jacob Mammen.