Hello Sunshine Cuts Half Its Staff After Witherspoon Buyback

Hello Sunshine is reducing its workforce by about 30 employees, or roughly half its staff, following its recent change in ownership. The company is narrowing its focus to film and television projects and Reese’s Book Club, with remaining staff also handling related social and digital marketing and partnerships.

Witherspoon, a co-founder of the production company, bought it back earlier this month with French media company Mediawan. Candle Media, backed by Blackstone, had acquired a controlling stake in 2021 in a deal that valued Hello Sunshine at $900 million. The price of the new transaction was not disclosed.

The company has faced several rounds of staff cuts in recent years under Candle Media. Those reductions affected its unscripted division and Sunnie, a lifestyle brand aimed at Gen Z, and its children’s and animation unit was shut down in 2023. Its live-action division was consolidated into Candle Studios in 2024.

Hello Sunshine launched in 2016 and has produced projects including Big Little Lies, The Morning Show and Where the Crawdads Sing. Witherspoon said when announcing the buyback that she was investing alongside Mediawan and described the acquisition as a homecoming. The production company’s co-founder, Seth Rodsky, now serves on its board with Witherspoon and Mediawan representatives.