Notes from the Rep Biz - 10-09-20

At WME:
 
Niv Sultan, star of the Apple TV+ series Tehran, has signed with WME.
 
Sticking with the international stars theme, Brazilian actor and Narcos star Wagner Moura has also signed with the agency.
 
After many years of repping athletes for off-field activities, WME will now handle player contracts as well, at least in pro football. The agency has brought on NFL player agents Brian Ayrault and Ben Renzin, both of whom recently departed CAA. Between them, they've worked on deals for the likes of Joey and Nick Bosa, as well as last year's number one draft pick, Joe Burrow.
 
At ICM Partners:
 
WME is not the only agency taking the plunge into sports contracts. ICM Partners has acquired one of the leading agencies in the other football (that's soccer), Stellar Sports Group, which handles contracts for European stars like Gareth Bale, Mason Mount and Jack Grealish. It's worth mentioning that CAA has been in the player contract business for some time, absorbing agents and agencies over the past decade across all sports, including European soccer.
 
At UTA:
 
New signs for UTA include novelist and screenwriter Gemma Burgess, TV writer/producer Cheryl Guerriero, Iranian-American visual artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat and Indian comedian and actor Vir Das.
 
At APA:
 
Veteran TV writer/producer David McKenna and director Mary Lambert (who helmed the original adaptation of Stephen King's Pet Sematary) are now both with APA.
 
Elsewhere Around Town:
 
Range Media Partners has added another big name client by signing Vince Vaughn. The company has also brought manager Gregory Johnson on board, along with his roster of clients, many of whom are active in the social justice movement and related causes.
 
Management company M88 has added Bob Hearts Abishola star Folake Olowofoyeku to its impressive roster.
 
Veteran youth agent Wendi Green, who has handled the early careers of some of today's biggest stars, has left her longtime home at Paradigm to become a manager at Atlas Artists.
 
Former UTA agent Trent Hubbard has also traded agenting for management, joining Echo Lake, while agent Viviane Telio has moved from ICM to Verve.
 
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety