Notes from the Rep Biz - 08-14-2020

By: [email protected] on

 
 
At CAA:
 
In the aftermath of letting over 350 employees go, it's hard to say that it's business as usual at CAA, but there are new signings to report.
 
Models Kate Upton, Jillian Mercado (one of the few in that industry to use a wheelchair) and Loemie Anderson are all now clients.
 
Artist and activist Janaya Future Khan and CBS News corrspondent Jericka Duncan have signed with the agency, as have actress Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country) and actor/director/writer Brady Corbet (Vox Lux).
 
We can also report on the futures of some former CAA agents who've moved on, post-bloodbath: sports broadcasting agent Nick Khan is taking an executive role with the WWE; lit agent Scott Greenberg is now a manager at LBI Entertainment; and talent agent Josh Rahm has found a new home at ICM Partners.
 
At ICM Partners:
 
Rahm is not the only new agent to join ICM in recent weeks; veteran EDM touring agent Simon Clarkson, who handles Skrillex, is now with ICM, coming over from WME.
 
ICM Partners has taken a stake in Swedish lit agency Albatros, going so far as to send TV agent Pete Stone to Stockholm to oversee Scandinavian operations.
 
ICM also joins UTA in having negotiated a deal with the WGA surrounding packaging fees moving forward, allowing them to once again represent union members.
 
At UTA:
 
Repping WGA writers is great, but UTA is really after TIkTokers. New signs include HypeHouse collaborator Kelianne Stankus and rapper Tyga, whose numbers on the social media app are pretty impressive.
 
UTA has also added two veteran TV writer/producers in Krista Vernoff (Grey's Anatomy) and Dana Stevens (Reckless).
 
At WME:
 
Global music icon Shakira is now with WME, coming over from CAA.
 
Other WME signings include painter Hebru Brantley and podcaster/speaker Jay Shetty.
 
At A3 Agency:
 
The agency formerly known as Abrams Artists recently imported four literary agents from Paradigm to re-ignite that division, and there's reason to be optimistic the strategy will work. Former Paradigm clients to join A3 in recent weeks include Depserate Housewives creator Marc Cherry and director Kenny Ortega, a Disney musical mainstay.
 
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety