WBD SVP of Creative Development Sheila Walcott has worked on everything from King Richard to Judas and the Black Messiah, but it was her journey on The Color Purple that brought her right back where she started from (in the very best of ways). Take a deep dive into that full-circle moment, plus more from Sheila on her career, her advice for Black creatives and much more below.

Q: What excites you most about your role and what do you think more people should know about the work that you do?

A: The most exciting element of being a creative executive for me is breaking story - essentially turning an idea into a script and then a movie. We work with some of the most talented filmmakers, actors and producers in the business, which just makes the process that much more invigorating.

Q: What was your role in bringing the 2023 adaptation of The Color Purple to life?

A: Working on The Color Purple has been a full-circle moment for me because I started on the project as a junior executive. I supported the senior executive on the project and worked with the filmmakers to help identify our writer, Marcus Gardley. I still remember his pitch, in which he introduced magical realism into the world through the musical numbers. It was so vivid and rife with emotionality; we were in tears by the end of the pitch. Then I left the company and when I came back, I became the senior executive on the project. From that point, I worked with my colleague Diamond McNeil and the filmmakers from production to the premiere.

Q: What advice would you give to the next generation of Black creatives and storytellers who are looking to be inspired and empowered in their own journeys?

A: One of my favorite quotes about art is, “Art is a completed pass.” I love this quote because it posits that material isn’t art until it connects or reaches someone. With this in mind, my advice for Black creatives and storytellers is to keep your audience top of mind as you are developing your ideas. Who do you want your story to reach? And once you reach them, what do you want to say? Your experience and unique perspective will only enhance the filter through which you answer these questions, so embrace it.

Q: This year’s Black History Month theme is African Americans and the Arts. What does that mean to you?

A: I am so grateful for influential African Americans in Hollywood because I am a benefactor of their indelible legacy. Gordon Parks comes to mind as one to highlight. He was the first African American director of a major motion picture. He directed The Learning Tree here at Warner Bros in 1969. He created a blueprint. Now in 2024, I am privileged to be at this studio looking for the next Gordon Parks.