Bryan Freedman, the lawyer representing UTA in a clash over Michael Kassan’s departure from the agency, has prevailed in a lawsuit accusing him of defaming the MediaLink founder.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy, in an order issued on Tuesday, dismissed the case under a statute allowing for the early dismissal of lawsuits intended to chill free speech. He found that a comment from Freedman aimed at Kassan can only be construed as opinion, which can’t make up the basis of a defamation claim.
Sanford Michelman, a lawyer for Kassan, said in a statement, “Freedman’s defense was that everyone knows he blusters and is not truthful, therefore proving our point.” He added, “He is unable to stop Mr. Kassan from competing and now he’s unable to tarnish” his client’s reputation.
The lawsuit was an offshoot of a legal dispute that erupted in March when...
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy, in an order issued on Tuesday, dismissed the case under a statute allowing for the early dismissal of lawsuits intended to chill free speech. He found that a comment from Freedman aimed at Kassan can only be construed as opinion, which can’t make up the basis of a defamation claim.
Sanford Michelman, a lawyer for Kassan, said in a statement, “Freedman’s defense was that everyone knows he blusters and is not truthful, therefore proving our point.” He added, “He is unable to stop Mr. Kassan from competing and now he’s unable to tarnish” his client’s reputation.
The lawsuit was an offshoot of a legal dispute that erupted in March when...
- 5/22/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ahead of an expected appearance at Cannes Lions next month, Michael Kassan has prevailed in his bid to move to arbitration a lawsuit from UTA looking to block him from setting up a new venture after his messy exit from the agency.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kerry Bensinger, in an order issued on Thursday, found that Kassan and UTA “did not exempt from arbitration” a claim that the company filed asserting that he’s barred from competing with MediaLink or from soliciting its employees and clients.
In a statement, UTA said its focus is “on supporting the great work MediaLink has always done and continues to do on behalf of its clients, and we look forward to unlocking new opportunities together.” It added, “We will continue to pursue this matter through legal channels and are confident that the facts will prevail.”
On the ruling keeping the case out of open court,...
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kerry Bensinger, in an order issued on Thursday, found that Kassan and UTA “did not exempt from arbitration” a claim that the company filed asserting that he’s barred from competing with MediaLink or from soliciting its employees and clients.
In a statement, UTA said its focus is “on supporting the great work MediaLink has always done and continues to do on behalf of its clients, and we look forward to unlocking new opportunities together.” It added, “We will continue to pursue this matter through legal channels and are confident that the facts will prevail.”
On the ruling keeping the case out of open court,...
- 5/20/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
United Talent Agency is expanding its partnership class by 24 today.
As Judd Apatow parts ways with the Jeremy Zimmer-led UTA after 30 years (as Deadline exclusively reported today), the agency announced the promotion of the two dozen from a wide range of divisions. Thursday’s promotions top the 19 new partners that UTA unveiled in October 2020, a 30-year high.
It’s worth noting there are five of the new partners today coming out of the agency’s unsettled MediaLink division, which saw its founder and ex-uta partner Michael Kassan in a messy and ongoing employment and legal melee with UTA the past few months. UTA’s Music division also spawns five new partners, and a trio of new partners out of the Publishing unit, among others.
“Each of these new partners embodies UTA’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration, which translates into impeccable service for our clients,” UTA President David Kramer said Thursday.
As Judd Apatow parts ways with the Jeremy Zimmer-led UTA after 30 years (as Deadline exclusively reported today), the agency announced the promotion of the two dozen from a wide range of divisions. Thursday’s promotions top the 19 new partners that UTA unveiled in October 2020, a 30-year high.
It’s worth noting there are five of the new partners today coming out of the agency’s unsettled MediaLink division, which saw its founder and ex-uta partner Michael Kassan in a messy and ongoing employment and legal melee with UTA the past few months. UTA’s Music division also spawns five new partners, and a trio of new partners out of the Publishing unit, among others.
“Each of these new partners embodies UTA’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration, which translates into impeccable service for our clients,” UTA President David Kramer said Thursday.
- 5/16/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Doctor Who, Baby Reindeer and the Met Gala.
Baby Reindeer FYC event
Writer, creator and star Richard Gadd joined co-stars Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau, director Weronika Tofilska and editor Peter Oliver for a For Your Consideration panel in L.A. on Tuesday.
Jessica Gunning, Richard Gadd and Nava Mau
Doctor Who premiere
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson walked the red carpet at the L.A. premiere of their Disney+ series, alongside showrunner Russell T. Davies, on Wednesday.
Russell T. Davies, Craig Erwich (president, Disney Television Group), Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Ayo Davis (president, Disney Branded Television) and Charlie Andrews (executive vp, live action and unscripted series at Disney Branded Television)
Loot FYC event
Apple TV+ kicked off its “Think Apple TV+ Emmy House” on May 3 with an FYC event for Loot,...
Baby Reindeer FYC event
Writer, creator and star Richard Gadd joined co-stars Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau, director Weronika Tofilska and editor Peter Oliver for a For Your Consideration panel in L.A. on Tuesday.
Jessica Gunning, Richard Gadd and Nava Mau
Doctor Who premiere
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson walked the red carpet at the L.A. premiere of their Disney+ series, alongside showrunner Russell T. Davies, on Wednesday.
Russell T. Davies, Craig Erwich (president, Disney Television Group), Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Ayo Davis (president, Disney Branded Television) and Charlie Andrews (executive vp, live action and unscripted series at Disney Branded Television)
Loot FYC event
Apple TV+ kicked off its “Think Apple TV+ Emmy House” on May 3 with an FYC event for Loot,...
- 5/10/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In 2006, UTA presciently launched a group dedicated to the field of then-emerging digital creators, at a time when other major agencies’ online efforts were primarily focused on finding supplemental opportunities for existing film and TV clients. Now, as its portfolio of creator clients has ballooned to include heavyweights like Emma Chamberlain, the D’Amelio family and Call Her Daddy‘s Alex Cooper, the 33-year-old company is debuting an umbrella division that is “tailor-made for their needs and success across the creator economy,” in the words of agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer.
Called UTA Creators, the just-launched division brings together four previously separate agency groups — digital talent, gaming and esports, audio, and the influencer management company Dba — under one shingle, with the goal of super-serving a pool of talent that is increasingly firing on all cylinders and working on multiple platforms. (Dba continues to operate as a separate management company that has...
Called UTA Creators, the just-launched division brings together four previously separate agency groups — digital talent, gaming and esports, audio, and the influencer management company Dba — under one shingle, with the goal of super-serving a pool of talent that is increasingly firing on all cylinders and working on multiple platforms. (Dba continues to operate as a separate management company that has...
- 5/9/2024
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
UTA has set its executive team for MediaLink’s core advisory business, a key move following the exit of MediaLink founder Michael Kassan in March.
The Beverly Hills-based agency revealed the leadership in a memo to staff Tuesday morning.
The marketing consulting business will be led by Donna Sharp, along with Andrea Kerr Redniss and Lena Petersen; and the media & tech strategy consulting business will be led by Christopher Vollmer, Devrie DeMarco and Mark Wagman.
The six executives are expected to run the day-to-day operations of MediaLink going forward, and will report to UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer.
“This group has been leading the work and delivering results for clients for many years now,” UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer said in a statement. “Diving in with them over the last few weeks has given us tremendous confidence in their ability to lead MediaLink and drive the business forward.”
MediaLink has become a...
The Beverly Hills-based agency revealed the leadership in a memo to staff Tuesday morning.
The marketing consulting business will be led by Donna Sharp, along with Andrea Kerr Redniss and Lena Petersen; and the media & tech strategy consulting business will be led by Christopher Vollmer, Devrie DeMarco and Mark Wagman.
The six executives are expected to run the day-to-day operations of MediaLink going forward, and will report to UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer.
“This group has been leading the work and delivering results for clients for many years now,” UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer said in a statement. “Diving in with them over the last few weeks has given us tremendous confidence in their ability to lead MediaLink and drive the business forward.”
MediaLink has become a...
- 4/16/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
UTA has set the leadership team at MediaLink as the company’s legal brawl with Michael Kassan continues.
The Marketing Consulting unit at MediaLink will be led by Donna Sharp, along with Andrea Kerr Redniss and Lena Petersen. Media & Tech Strategy Consulting will be headed up by Christopher Vollmer, Devrie DeMarco and Mark Wagman. All had already been working at MediaLink, and the new move is not quite a round of promotions, but their leadership roles are being officially highlighted in Kassan’s absence. They will report directly to UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer.
The news was conveyed to employees Tuesday morning in a staff email.
“This group has been leading the work and delivering results for clients for many years now,” Zimmer said. “Diving in with them over the last few weeks has given us tremendous confidence in their ability to lead MediaLink and drive the business forward.”
UTA acquired MediaLink in 2021 for $125 million.
The Marketing Consulting unit at MediaLink will be led by Donna Sharp, along with Andrea Kerr Redniss and Lena Petersen. Media & Tech Strategy Consulting will be headed up by Christopher Vollmer, Devrie DeMarco and Mark Wagman. All had already been working at MediaLink, and the new move is not quite a round of promotions, but their leadership roles are being officially highlighted in Kassan’s absence. They will report directly to UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer.
The news was conveyed to employees Tuesday morning in a staff email.
“This group has been leading the work and delivering results for clients for many years now,” Zimmer said. “Diving in with them over the last few weeks has given us tremendous confidence in their ability to lead MediaLink and drive the business forward.”
UTA acquired MediaLink in 2021 for $125 million.
- 4/16/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
The feud between Michael Kassan and UTA over the MediaLink founder’s departure is intensifying, with Kassan suing the agency’s lawyer for defamation.
Kassan, in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, accuses attorney Bryan Freedman of trying to tarnish his reputation at the direction of UTA in a bid to prevent employees and clients from following him to his next venture.
“UTA has done everything in its power to attempt to destroy Kassan with the hope that while UTA does not have a contractual non-compete, it could create a non-compete by defamation,” states the complaint, which seeks at least $125 million.
In a statement, Freedman said “facts are not defamation” and that Kassan’s “continuous baseless filings and statements are nothing more than an attempt to create a false media narrative and divert attention from his fraudulent activities.” He added, “Today we filed our response rejecting...
Kassan, in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, accuses attorney Bryan Freedman of trying to tarnish his reputation at the direction of UTA in a bid to prevent employees and clients from following him to his next venture.
“UTA has done everything in its power to attempt to destroy Kassan with the hope that while UTA does not have a contractual non-compete, it could create a non-compete by defamation,” states the complaint, which seeks at least $125 million.
In a statement, Freedman said “facts are not defamation” and that Kassan’s “continuous baseless filings and statements are nothing more than an attempt to create a false media narrative and divert attention from his fraudulent activities.” He added, “Today we filed our response rejecting...
- 3/29/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Update, 7:40 Pm: The dogfight between UTA and Michael Kassan has gone today from did the ex-MediaLink CEO resign or was he fired to was he asked to stay on at the agency and for how much dough?
With more filings today and the whole thing looking to end up in arbitration, Kassan’s lawyer Sanford Michelman seemed to blow the wigs off everyone at the 11th hour. After a morning of competing missives, the LA-based attorney this afternoon suddenly announced in a press conference that the Jeremy Zimmer-run UTA had tried to strike a deal to keep the controversial exec on board after he resigned on March 6 or ( depending on who you ask) was fired on March 7.
To back up this latest turn in the topsy turvy affair, Michelman released part of a March 10 potential term sheet between the parties, that read:
Subject to Mk’s execution...
With more filings today and the whole thing looking to end up in arbitration, Kassan’s lawyer Sanford Michelman seemed to blow the wigs off everyone at the 11th hour. After a morning of competing missives, the LA-based attorney this afternoon suddenly announced in a press conference that the Jeremy Zimmer-run UTA had tried to strike a deal to keep the controversial exec on board after he resigned on March 6 or ( depending on who you ask) was fired on March 7.
To back up this latest turn in the topsy turvy affair, Michelman released part of a March 10 potential term sheet between the parties, that read:
Subject to Mk’s execution...
- 3/26/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: (Updated with UTA statement) If you thought the multi-million-dollar war of words and legal filings between UTA and former Medialink CEO Michael Kassan had been bare knuckles before, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.
As the LA Superior Court docket sags under the weight of documents being filed in the fallout of Kassan leaving UTA earlier this month, the man himself is accusing CEO Jeremey Zimmer and the agency of “low-rent tactics” by dredging up past indiscretions and bad business dealings – and Kassan’s coming out of the corner swinging.
“With UTA having no legal leg to stand on in its quest to prevent me from competing, they are now resorting to trying to tarnish my reputation,” Kassan told Deadline today. UTA on March 21 suddenly dropped its fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims of a week before against the ex-agency partner. Hoping to push the whole thing to arbitration,...
As the LA Superior Court docket sags under the weight of documents being filed in the fallout of Kassan leaving UTA earlier this month, the man himself is accusing CEO Jeremey Zimmer and the agency of “low-rent tactics” by dredging up past indiscretions and bad business dealings – and Kassan’s coming out of the corner swinging.
“With UTA having no legal leg to stand on in its quest to prevent me from competing, they are now resorting to trying to tarnish my reputation,” Kassan told Deadline today. UTA on March 21 suddenly dropped its fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims of a week before against the ex-agency partner. Hoping to push the whole thing to arbitration,...
- 3/23/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
United Talent Agency has amended its lawsuit against former MediaLink chief Michael Kassan — striking its initial claims against its former partner to move those grievances to arbitration. The amended complaint offers new details of allegations of financial mismanagement against the advertising industry’s famous matchmaker and fixer, who blasts the litigation in a statement to Variety as a “smear” effort.
UTA maintains that Kassan “erased any line between his personal and business expenses” during his two plus years with the company following UTA’s acquisition of MediaLink for $125 million in December 2021. UTA’s amended complaint drops multiple claims against him but accuses Kassan of threatening to breach the noncompete clause in his contract. The complaint asserts that Kassan’s “foolish boasts” to media outlets that he planned to launch new business ventures amounted to threats to violate his agreement. News of the explosive split between Kassan and UTA erupted on...
UTA maintains that Kassan “erased any line between his personal and business expenses” during his two plus years with the company following UTA’s acquisition of MediaLink for $125 million in December 2021. UTA’s amended complaint drops multiple claims against him but accuses Kassan of threatening to breach the noncompete clause in his contract. The complaint asserts that Kassan’s “foolish boasts” to media outlets that he planned to launch new business ventures amounted to threats to violate his agreement. News of the explosive split between Kassan and UTA erupted on...
- 3/23/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
A legal showdown has erupted between Michael Kassan and United Talent Agency over the MediaLink founder’s departure, with Kassan claiming that he resigned after being lied to about his responsibilities and privileges at the firm and the agency saying it fired him for misusing company funds.
In an arbitration action initiated by Kassan on March 12 against UTA that names chief executive Jeremy Zimmer, he claims that UTA fraudulently induced him to agree to a sale of MediaLink “only to then walk back the very promises made” regarding what he would oversee at the agency and allowances for his special expenses budget. He resigned on March 6, preempting the agency terminating him the next day. UTA, in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, accuses Kassan of treating company money as a “personal slush fund.”
In a statement, Sanford Michelman, a lawyer for Kassan, denied allegations that his...
In an arbitration action initiated by Kassan on March 12 against UTA that names chief executive Jeremy Zimmer, he claims that UTA fraudulently induced him to agree to a sale of MediaLink “only to then walk back the very promises made” regarding what he would oversee at the agency and allowances for his special expenses budget. He resigned on March 6, preempting the agency terminating him the next day. UTA, in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, accuses Kassan of treating company money as a “personal slush fund.”
In a statement, Sanford Michelman, a lawyer for Kassan, denied allegations that his...
- 3/13/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To know Michael Kassan is to know the people in his Rolodex. At least, that’s the promise.
The Madison Avenue impresario, who once ran a media-buying operation and parlayed his experience there into a role as the ultimate go-between among ad agencies, big-spending clients and the media outlets that crave them, finds himself — at least for now — without a base of operations.
In an explosive arbitration filing that surfaced Tuesday, Kassan alleged UTA, which snatched up his marketing consultancy, MediaLink, for $125 million in late 2021, had undermined the business since his arrival. Executives including UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer and the newly-christened New York chief Julian Jacobs “secretly concocted a scheme,” Kassan’s attorneys alleged, that siloed off MediaLink from the rest of UTA’s business with advertisers and marketers, then pressured Kassan to cut costs and raise fees on existing clients. “After two long years of Kassan battling Zimmer’s repeated broken promises,...
The Madison Avenue impresario, who once ran a media-buying operation and parlayed his experience there into a role as the ultimate go-between among ad agencies, big-spending clients and the media outlets that crave them, finds himself — at least for now — without a base of operations.
In an explosive arbitration filing that surfaced Tuesday, Kassan alleged UTA, which snatched up his marketing consultancy, MediaLink, for $125 million in late 2021, had undermined the business since his arrival. Executives including UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer and the newly-christened New York chief Julian Jacobs “secretly concocted a scheme,” Kassan’s attorneys alleged, that siloed off MediaLink from the rest of UTA’s business with advertisers and marketers, then pressured Kassan to cut costs and raise fees on existing clients. “After two long years of Kassan battling Zimmer’s repeated broken promises,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Amid allegations of financial impropriety and corporate skullduggery, the collapse of the relationship between UTA and MediaLink founder Michael Kassan now sees the parties battling it out with competing legal actions and lots of finger pointing – even by Hollywood standards.
Having resigned on March 6 from the agency that bought his strategic company just over two years ago, Kassan took UTA to court first at the start of business Tuesday with a $25 million action demanding arbitration. The filing in LA Superior Court this morning from NYC-based attorney Sanford Michelman on Kassan’s behalf not only names UTA as a defendant, but also points the finger of responsibility directly at UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer, who is named as a defendant too.
“This case is a result of Kassan resigning from MediaLink due to Zimmer’s breach of contract and repeated broken promises, and Kassan electing to waive his nearly $10,000,000 severance payment...
Having resigned on March 6 from the agency that bought his strategic company just over two years ago, Kassan took UTA to court first at the start of business Tuesday with a $25 million action demanding arbitration. The filing in LA Superior Court this morning from NYC-based attorney Sanford Michelman on Kassan’s behalf not only names UTA as a defendant, but also points the finger of responsibility directly at UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer, who is named as a defendant too.
“This case is a result of Kassan resigning from MediaLink due to Zimmer’s breach of contract and repeated broken promises, and Kassan electing to waive his nearly $10,000,000 severance payment...
- 3/13/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
United Talent Agency has been accused of breach of contract and fraud in relation to its 2021 acquisition of the consultancy firm MediaLink.
MediaLink founder and UTA partner Michael Kassan, whose exit from the company nearly a week ago has not yet been reported, claims that UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer and two other top executives engaged in bad faith in the absorption and management of his company, according to documents filed with mediation service Jams which Variety reviewed. This led Kassan to resign last week, the filing says. Through a spokesperson, UTA said it had fired Kassan for cause following an “an exhaustive third-party investigation into misappropriation of company funds.” The agency filed a lawsuit against Kassan, accusing him of misappropriating company funds as well as other claims.
MediaLink is a prominent but not easily defined agency that sits at the intersection of tech, entertainment and media. They’re known for...
MediaLink founder and UTA partner Michael Kassan, whose exit from the company nearly a week ago has not yet been reported, claims that UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer and two other top executives engaged in bad faith in the absorption and management of his company, according to documents filed with mediation service Jams which Variety reviewed. This led Kassan to resign last week, the filing says. Through a spokesperson, UTA said it had fired Kassan for cause following an “an exhaustive third-party investigation into misappropriation of company funds.” The agency filed a lawsuit against Kassan, accusing him of misappropriating company funds as well as other claims.
MediaLink is a prominent but not easily defined agency that sits at the intersection of tech, entertainment and media. They’re known for...
- 3/13/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
(Updated with more details) Michael Kassan, CEO of MediaLink, the strategic advisory firm acquired by UTA in 2021, is out.
While both sides say that money is at the heart of the dispute, they differ on almost every other aspect of the situation – including how it ended. Kassan resigned on March 6 with good reason, under the dictates of his agreement with the agency. However, UTA insist that they fired Kassan the next day after an stringent investigation.
“Michael Kassan was terminated for cause by UTA on March 7th 2024, following a thorough and exhaustive third-party investigation into misappropriation of company funds,” an UTA spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday night. “We filed a lawsuit against him today and look forward to presenting the facts in court.”
Kassan first filed today a $25 million action seeking to take the matter behind closed doors into arbitration. Later Tuesday, UTA sued Kassan for fraud in a...
While both sides say that money is at the heart of the dispute, they differ on almost every other aspect of the situation – including how it ended. Kassan resigned on March 6 with good reason, under the dictates of his agreement with the agency. However, UTA insist that they fired Kassan the next day after an stringent investigation.
“Michael Kassan was terminated for cause by UTA on March 7th 2024, following a thorough and exhaustive third-party investigation into misappropriation of company funds,” an UTA spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday night. “We filed a lawsuit against him today and look forward to presenting the facts in court.”
Kassan first filed today a $25 million action seeking to take the matter behind closed doors into arbitration. Later Tuesday, UTA sued Kassan for fraud in a...
- 3/13/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva and Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
In a dueling war of words, the talent agency UTA and the influential founder of the strategic advisory firm MediaLink are locked in a dispute that involves Michael Kassan’s exit from the company, with Kassan saying he resigned March 6, and the agency contesting that it terminated him for cause March 7.
UTA says that it axed Kassan, the founder of the firm, which the talent agency acquired in 2021 for $125 million.
“Michael Kassan was terminated for cause by UTA on March 7th, 2024, following a thorough and exhaustive third-party investigation into misappropriation of company funds,” a UTA spokesperson tells The Hollywood Reporter. “We filed a lawsuit against him today and look forward to presenting the facts in court.”
An attorney for Kassan, Sanford Michelman, contended that the executive resigned and was taking legal action against the agency over how MediaLink was run. (Michelman’s full statement is below.) Since the sale of MediaLink to UTA,...
UTA says that it axed Kassan, the founder of the firm, which the talent agency acquired in 2021 for $125 million.
“Michael Kassan was terminated for cause by UTA on March 7th, 2024, following a thorough and exhaustive third-party investigation into misappropriation of company funds,” a UTA spokesperson tells The Hollywood Reporter. “We filed a lawsuit against him today and look forward to presenting the facts in court.”
An attorney for Kassan, Sanford Michelman, contended that the executive resigned and was taking legal action against the agency over how MediaLink was run. (Michelman’s full statement is below.) Since the sale of MediaLink to UTA,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ozzy Osbourne is speaking out after Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, allegedly used a sample of his music without his approval.
In a social media post shared Friday, the rocker called out West in all caps, writing, “@kanyewest Asked Permission To Sample A Section Of A 1983 Live Performance Of ‘War Pig’ From The US Festival Without Vocals.”
Osbourne went on to say that West was “Refused Permission Because He Is An Antisemite And Has Caused Untold Heartache To Many.”
“He Went Ahead And Used The Sample Anyway At His Album Listening Party Last Night. I Want No Association With This Man,” Osbourne wrote.
. @kanyewest Asked Permission To Sample A Section Of A 1983 Live Performance Of “War Pig” From The US Festival Without Vocals & Was Refused Permission Because He Is An Antisemite And Has Caused Untold Heartache To Many. He Went Ahead And Used The Sample Anyway At His Album…...
In a social media post shared Friday, the rocker called out West in all caps, writing, “@kanyewest Asked Permission To Sample A Section Of A 1983 Live Performance Of ‘War Pig’ From The US Festival Without Vocals.”
Osbourne went on to say that West was “Refused Permission Because He Is An Antisemite And Has Caused Untold Heartache To Many.”
“He Went Ahead And Used The Sample Anyway At His Album Listening Party Last Night. I Want No Association With This Man,” Osbourne wrote.
. @kanyewest Asked Permission To Sample A Section Of A 1983 Live Performance Of “War Pig” From The US Festival Without Vocals & Was Refused Permission Because He Is An Antisemite And Has Caused Untold Heartache To Many. He Went Ahead And Used The Sample Anyway At His Album…...
- 2/9/2024
- by Lexy Perez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A24 has struck a deal with UTA to produce scripted and unscripted television via the latter’s Civic Center Media banner.
The deal will see Civic Center Media given resources for development and production via A24, which is behind series such as Netflix’s Beef and HBO’s Euphoria.
UTA launched Civic Center Media in 2018 and is behind series such as Amazon’s The Terminal List, starring Chris Pratt, which is in pre-production on its second season along with a prequel series starring Taylor Kitsch, as well as Hulu’s The Great and Apple’s The Shrink Next Door.
The series were produced with MRC.
The deal will see the UTA and Civic Center produce scripted television as well as unscripted and documentary series.
UTA stressed that Civic Center Media will work with talent from all agencies and UTA will continue to work with all studios, with A24 similarly continuing to work with all agencies.
The deal will see Civic Center Media given resources for development and production via A24, which is behind series such as Netflix’s Beef and HBO’s Euphoria.
UTA launched Civic Center Media in 2018 and is behind series such as Amazon’s The Terminal List, starring Chris Pratt, which is in pre-production on its second season along with a prequel series starring Taylor Kitsch, as well as Hulu’s The Great and Apple’s The Shrink Next Door.
The series were produced with MRC.
The deal will see the UTA and Civic Center produce scripted television as well as unscripted and documentary series.
UTA stressed that Civic Center Media will work with talent from all agencies and UTA will continue to work with all studios, with A24 similarly continuing to work with all agencies.
- 1/29/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
A24 and UTA’s Civic Center Media have announced a partnership to produce premium television.
The nonexclusive pact will see the agency-housed shingle, which has backed series like The Great and Shrink Next Door, and the New York-based studio behind series like Beef and Euphoria partner for premium scripted, unscripted and documentary series. “The goal will be to give Civic Center Media resources for development and production via A24,” read today’s announcement.
Civic Center Media, launched in 2018, has a long-standing partnership with MRC and was the studio partner on previous Civic Center productions. That partnership, which has produced series like Amazon’s The Terminal List, will continue.
UTA will continue to work with all studios, while A24 will continue to develop and acquire projects from the other agencies. A24 won’t share in the profits of already existing Civic Center shows.
“We are excited to partner with A24,” commented Jeremy Zimmer,...
The nonexclusive pact will see the agency-housed shingle, which has backed series like The Great and Shrink Next Door, and the New York-based studio behind series like Beef and Euphoria partner for premium scripted, unscripted and documentary series. “The goal will be to give Civic Center Media resources for development and production via A24,” read today’s announcement.
Civic Center Media, launched in 2018, has a long-standing partnership with MRC and was the studio partner on previous Civic Center productions. That partnership, which has produced series like Amazon’s The Terminal List, will continue.
UTA will continue to work with all studios, while A24 will continue to develop and acquire projects from the other agencies. A24 won’t share in the profits of already existing Civic Center shows.
“We are excited to partner with A24,” commented Jeremy Zimmer,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, has issued a statement in Hebrew on his Instagram expressing regret over his antisemitic comments over the past year.
That includes recent statements allegedly made in Las Vegas earlier this month, and caught by live streamers in attendance, invoking Hitler and Jesus Christ alongside himself, and addressing his loss of brand sponsorships and partnerships during a Vultures album event, as reported by Rolling Stone.
Set to release on Jan. 12, the album’s title track, which features Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Durk and Bump J, seemingly addresses previous criticism of Ye, with the rapper stating, “How I’m antisemitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch.”
Ye, who deleted all his previous Instagram posts leaving only his recent apology, wrote on Tuesday that he regretted his “unplanned outburst,” seemingly alluding to the Vegas event, as translated by The Jerusalem Post.
“I sincerely apologize to...
That includes recent statements allegedly made in Las Vegas earlier this month, and caught by live streamers in attendance, invoking Hitler and Jesus Christ alongside himself, and addressing his loss of brand sponsorships and partnerships during a Vultures album event, as reported by Rolling Stone.
Set to release on Jan. 12, the album’s title track, which features Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Durk and Bump J, seemingly addresses previous criticism of Ye, with the rapper stating, “How I’m antisemitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch.”
Ye, who deleted all his previous Instagram posts leaving only his recent apology, wrote on Tuesday that he regretted his “unplanned outburst,” seemingly alluding to the Vegas event, as translated by The Jerusalem Post.
“I sincerely apologize to...
- 12/26/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Tracey Jacobs will end a 25-year run at UTA next year.
One of the most accomplished Hollywood talent agents of her era, Jacobs will stay on for the next several months to help with the transition of her clients and serve as an adviser to the company. She hasn’t set her next move yet, and her exit is an amicable one.
Jacobs left ICM to join United Talent Agency as a partner in 1998. She has blazed a trail for agents in Hollywood and in particular female agents, who had little voice in the hierarchy of a male-dominated industry when she came to UTA. She became the first woman to serve on an agency board when she took that post 15 years ago, and she served as the longtime head of UTA’s talent department.
Her clients – past and current – have included Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lopez, Jay Roach, Mike White,...
One of the most accomplished Hollywood talent agents of her era, Jacobs will stay on for the next several months to help with the transition of her clients and serve as an adviser to the company. She hasn’t set her next move yet, and her exit is an amicable one.
Jacobs left ICM to join United Talent Agency as a partner in 1998. She has blazed a trail for agents in Hollywood and in particular female agents, who had little voice in the hierarchy of a male-dominated industry when she came to UTA. She became the first woman to serve on an agency board when she took that post 15 years ago, and she served as the longtime head of UTA’s talent department.
Her clients – past and current – have included Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lopez, Jay Roach, Mike White,...
- 11/30/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
A Silver Lining for An Industry in Desperate Need Of a Reboot Hollywood skirts disaster with short-term strike savings, steep cuts and austerity measures
By Cynthia Littleton
Hollywood’s season of strikes came at enormous cost to the entertainment industry. It came in projects that weren’t greenlighted, sleeper hits not realized, breakthrough gigs not booked and paychecks not earned.
But by the simple math of Hollywood’s true bottom line, there’s no other way to say it: The strikes waged by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA were a short-term financial gift to studio conglomerates that had already been listing because of streaming losses. The dual strikes gave the studios cover to hit the reset button on business plans that had already been scaled back.
“In a weird way the strikes have been a mask for the deeper issues we’re struggling with — the costs of content,...
By Cynthia Littleton
Hollywood’s season of strikes came at enormous cost to the entertainment industry. It came in projects that weren’t greenlighted, sleeper hits not realized, breakthrough gigs not booked and paychecks not earned.
But by the simple math of Hollywood’s true bottom line, there’s no other way to say it: The strikes waged by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA were a short-term financial gift to studio conglomerates that had already been listing because of streaming losses. The dual strikes gave the studios cover to hit the reset button on business plans that had already been scaled back.
“In a weird way the strikes have been a mask for the deeper issues we’re struggling with — the costs of content,...
- 11/21/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton, Jennifer Maas, Joe Otterson, Rebecca Rubin, Mike Royce and Yvette Nicole Brown
- Variety Film + TV
Jay Sures is not just UTA’s Vice Chairman, he is also a Regent of the University of California. It was in the latter capacity that Sures sent a letter to the Uc system’s Board of Regents, its chancellors and its president protesting what he termed a “appalling and repugnant” letter from the Uc Ethnic Studies Faculty Council to the regents.
Specifically, Sures asserted, that letter “is rife with falsehoods about Israel and seeks to legitimize and defend the horrific savagery of the Hamas massacre of October 7.”
The Ethnic Studies Faculty Council describes itself as “a diverse statewide body that represents over 300 faculty systemwide.” On October 16, that council issued its own statement regarding a communication from University of California Board of Regents Chair Richard Leib and Uc President Michael V. Drake, M.D.
In their communication, Leib and Drake expressed sympathy for the victims of the October 7 massacre and said unequivocally,...
Specifically, Sures asserted, that letter “is rife with falsehoods about Israel and seeks to legitimize and defend the horrific savagery of the Hamas massacre of October 7.”
The Ethnic Studies Faculty Council describes itself as “a diverse statewide body that represents over 300 faculty systemwide.” On October 16, that council issued its own statement regarding a communication from University of California Board of Regents Chair Richard Leib and Uc President Michael V. Drake, M.D.
In their communication, Leib and Drake expressed sympathy for the victims of the October 7 massacre and said unequivocally,...
- 10/31/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
United Talent Agency is undergoing another round of layoffs, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Although it is unclear how many staffers have been let go, the latest cuts should impact less than one percent of UTA’s agents and employees, a source tells THR.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to part ways with a small number of colleagues as part of ensuring our organizational structure reflects the evolution of our business,” a UTA spokesperson said. “We are grateful to each of them and wish them the best.”
The layoffs come amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike and the recently concluded Writers Guild of America strike, but, the source adds, are not directly because of the strikes. The departures are said to reflect the Jeremy Zimmer-led company’s recent growth and expansion and review of organizational needs.
In February, UTA instituted a single-digit percentage cut of its workforce that then totaled 2,000 employees.
Although it is unclear how many staffers have been let go, the latest cuts should impact less than one percent of UTA’s agents and employees, a source tells THR.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to part ways with a small number of colleagues as part of ensuring our organizational structure reflects the evolution of our business,” a UTA spokesperson said. “We are grateful to each of them and wish them the best.”
The layoffs come amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike and the recently concluded Writers Guild of America strike, but, the source adds, are not directly because of the strikes. The departures are said to reflect the Jeremy Zimmer-led company’s recent growth and expansion and review of organizational needs.
In February, UTA instituted a single-digit percentage cut of its workforce that then totaled 2,000 employees.
- 10/12/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chrysalis held its annual Butterfly Ball gala in Los Angeles on Saturday night, honoring both Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Joe Drake and president Nathan Kahane, as well as UTA co-head of talent Chris Hart. Just days after the writers strike ceased, and with SAG-AFTRA still on strike, Ike Barinholtz was quick to make jokes about the current atmosphere when presenting Drake and Kahane with their honor.
“This is one of the first events in town where we are celebrating post the end of the writers strike,” Barinholtz told the crowd at Los Angeles’ Petersen Museum, to big applause. “As a proud WGA member, I just want to say I see a lot of folks in this room who work at studios and streamers, and I just would like to take this opportunity to apologize to you guys for picketing. It was a joke, just a big goof, and in...
“This is one of the first events in town where we are celebrating post the end of the writers strike,” Barinholtz told the crowd at Los Angeles’ Petersen Museum, to big applause. “As a proud WGA member, I just want to say I see a lot of folks in this room who work at studios and streamers, and I just would like to take this opportunity to apologize to you guys for picketing. It was a joke, just a big goof, and in...
- 10/1/2023
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bjørn Gulden, chief executive of Adidas, has given his first in-depth public comment on the fallout of his company’s relationship with Kanye West following the rapper-designer’s repeated antisemitic outbursts last year.
“I think Kanye West is one of the most creative people in the world. Both in music and what I call street culture,” Gulden said after being questioned about West on the Norwegian podcast In Good Company.
“He’s extremely creative and has together with Adi, created a Yeezy line that was very successful. And then, as a creative person, he made some statements which wasn’t that good. And that caused Adi to break the contract and withdraw the product. Very unfortunate because I don’t think he meant what he said, and I don’t think he’s a bad person – it just came across that way.”
Gulden continued to say that Adidas lost “one...
“I think Kanye West is one of the most creative people in the world. Both in music and what I call street culture,” Gulden said after being questioned about West on the Norwegian podcast In Good Company.
“He’s extremely creative and has together with Adi, created a Yeezy line that was very successful. And then, as a creative person, he made some statements which wasn’t that good. And that caused Adi to break the contract and withdraw the product. Very unfortunate because I don’t think he meant what he said, and I don’t think he’s a bad person – it just came across that way.”
Gulden continued to say that Adidas lost “one...
- 9/20/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Update, 9:00 P.M. Et: SAG-AFTRA has agreed to a federal mediator in negotiations with the AMPTP, but the deadline for negotiations remains until Wednesday, July 12 at midnight Pt / 3 a.m. Et.
“We will not be distracted from negotiating in good faith to secure a fair and just deal by the expiration of our agreement,” the guild said in a statement. “We are committed to the negotiating process and will explore and exhaust every possible opportunity to make a deal, however we are not confident that the employers have any intention of bargaining toward an agreement.”
Original story follows:
We’re a little under 36 hours away from SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the film and TV studios expiring and the guild having the power to call for a work stoppage. With the writers now in the third month of their own strike, the possibility of the first dual-union strike in...
“We will not be distracted from negotiating in good faith to secure a fair and just deal by the expiration of our agreement,” the guild said in a statement. “We are committed to the negotiating process and will explore and exhaust every possible opportunity to make a deal, however we are not confident that the employers have any intention of bargaining toward an agreement.”
Original story follows:
We’re a little under 36 hours away from SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the film and TV studios expiring and the guild having the power to call for a work stoppage. With the writers now in the third month of their own strike, the possibility of the first dual-union strike in...
- 7/11/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Top Hollywood players are working on a plan to call in federal mediators to help avert a SAG-AFTRA strike, with just a day to go before the contract deadline.
A group of CEOs and senior executives, including Disney TV chief Dana Walden and film chief Alan Bergman, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, gathered by conference call Monday evening to discuss the urgent situation with SAG-AFTRA poised to go on strike as soon as Thursday. In addition to the executives discussing efforts to bring in a federal mediator, talent agency chieftains including Ari Emanuel of WME, Bryan Lourd of CAA and UTA’s Jeremy Zimmer have reached out to SAG-AFTRA leaders in recent days to offer assistance that could stave off a second Hollywood work stoppage this summer.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the major studios, has requested...
A group of CEOs and senior executives, including Disney TV chief Dana Walden and film chief Alan Bergman, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, gathered by conference call Monday evening to discuss the urgent situation with SAG-AFTRA poised to go on strike as soon as Thursday. In addition to the executives discussing efforts to bring in a federal mediator, talent agency chieftains including Ari Emanuel of WME, Bryan Lourd of CAA and UTA’s Jeremy Zimmer have reached out to SAG-AFTRA leaders in recent days to offer assistance that could stave off a second Hollywood work stoppage this summer.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the major studios, has requested...
- 7/11/2023
- by Gene Maddaus and Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Sometimes you can just feel it when a celebrity is entering a flop era. I vividly remember watching Katy Perry using drag queens as props on Saturday Night Live in 2017, accompanied by a rapper who had recently used a homophobic slur, dressed in a hideous Beetlejuice-style striped jacket, and just knowing that her album rollout for Witness was going to be a complete disaster. Similarly, when Dakota Johnson awkwardly accused Ellen DeGeneres of lying during a toe-curlingly iconic interview on her eponymous talk show, it prompted a slow drip-feed of...
- 7/1/2023
- by Louis Staples
- Rollingstone.com
It looks like Taylor Swift and Meghan Markle won’t be best friends any time soon — or, perhaps Swift was just too busy planning her “The Eras” tour (more likely that it’s the second one) to hang out with the Duchess of Sussex.
Meghan Markle, who launched her now-defunct podcast “Archetypes” last year, supposedly asked Swift to stop in and be a guest on the show. However, a new report suggests that Swift declined; the report rolled out not long after Spotify announced that it had chosen to part ways with Meghan, who is supposedly taking the show to another platform. But maybe it’s not so much about why Swift declined but rather how she declined.
Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images Meghan Markle reached out personally to Taylor Swift to appear on ‘Archetypes’
After Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, left the royal family for greener pastures in the United States,...
Meghan Markle, who launched her now-defunct podcast “Archetypes” last year, supposedly asked Swift to stop in and be a guest on the show. However, a new report suggests that Swift declined; the report rolled out not long after Spotify announced that it had chosen to part ways with Meghan, who is supposedly taking the show to another platform. But maybe it’s not so much about why Swift declined but rather how she declined.
Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images Meghan Markle reached out personally to Taylor Swift to appear on ‘Archetypes’
After Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, left the royal family for greener pastures in the United States,...
- 6/29/2023
- by Julia Mullaney
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Pearls were clutched all over Hollywood on Monday in the wake of an unlikely press beef – United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.
On a media spree at the Cannes Lions for the past week, Zimmer was asked about the recent meltdown of a $20 million multi-year deal Meghan and husband Prince Harry signed with Spotify in 2020. The pact produced a single series, “Archetypes,” which was not renewed. The termination of the deal was announced June 15.
“Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,” Zimmer told Semafor at the marketing festival in the South of France. “And, you know, just because you’re famous doesn’t make you great at something.”
His comments were “mind-blowing,” according to one A-list talent manager who asked to remain anonymous. “As an agent, you never publicly discuss your own talent or anyone else’s.
On a media spree at the Cannes Lions for the past week, Zimmer was asked about the recent meltdown of a $20 million multi-year deal Meghan and husband Prince Harry signed with Spotify in 2020. The pact produced a single series, “Archetypes,” which was not renewed. The termination of the deal was announced June 15.
“Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,” Zimmer told Semafor at the marketing festival in the South of France. “And, you know, just because you’re famous doesn’t make you great at something.”
His comments were “mind-blowing,” according to one A-list talent manager who asked to remain anonymous. “As an agent, you never publicly discuss your own talent or anyone else’s.
- 6/27/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The podcast game may not be Meghan Markle strong suit.
Speaking to Semafor last week at the 2023 Cannes Lions advertising festival, Unite Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer shared his thoughts about her foray into podcasts.
Read More: Taylor Swift Turned Down Meghan Markle’s Podcast Invite: Report
“Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,” he said. “And, you know, just because you’re famous doesn’t make you great at something.”
The comments came after it was reported by the New York Post that Spotify had opted not to renewed the their $20 million podcast deal with Markle and Prince Harry.
In 2020, the couple signed the deal with Spotify to produce original audio content for the streaming service.
Read More: Netflix Says It’ll Work With Prince Harry And Meghan Markle ‘On A Number Of Projects’ Amid Deal Review Reports
Through their Archewell media company,...
Speaking to Semafor last week at the 2023 Cannes Lions advertising festival, Unite Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer shared his thoughts about her foray into podcasts.
Read More: Taylor Swift Turned Down Meghan Markle’s Podcast Invite: Report
“Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent,” he said. “And, you know, just because you’re famous doesn’t make you great at something.”
The comments came after it was reported by the New York Post that Spotify had opted not to renewed the their $20 million podcast deal with Markle and Prince Harry.
In 2020, the couple signed the deal with Spotify to produce original audio content for the streaming service.
Read More: Netflix Says It’ll Work With Prince Harry And Meghan Markle ‘On A Number Of Projects’ Amid Deal Review Reports
Through their Archewell media company,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
UTA is expanding its presence in the executive search and consulting space, acquiring James & Co., which operates in the sports, media, entertainment, digital and consumer sectors. James & Co. founders Michele James and Roysi Erbes will continue to lead the business as a new division within UTA.
UTA, led by CEO Jeremy Zimmer, is already in the executive search and consulting field through Medialink, which it acquired for $125 million in late 2021. Terms of the deal for James & Co. were not disclosed, though the executive search team at Medialink will become part of the new division at UTA.
Executive search is a logical expansion play for a company like UTA, which already talks with many of the major players in entertainment and sports on a regular basis, and which has a robust consulting business in Medialink.
UTA has been on an acquisition spree over the last couple of years, leaning into...
UTA, led by CEO Jeremy Zimmer, is already in the executive search and consulting field through Medialink, which it acquired for $125 million in late 2021. Terms of the deal for James & Co. were not disclosed, though the executive search team at Medialink will become part of the new division at UTA.
Executive search is a logical expansion play for a company like UTA, which already talks with many of the major players in entertainment and sports on a regular basis, and which has a robust consulting business in Medialink.
UTA has been on an acquisition spree over the last couple of years, leaning into...
- 6/20/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When husband and wife business partners Leor and Laura Klein started Klein Kitchen, a full-service, bespoke private chef matchmaking service, in 2020, they didn’t realize it was opening the door to their next food venture. Through a private dinner they catered, the couple ended up meeting UTA’s CEO Jeremy Zimmer, which led to the creation of Leora, a café at UTA’s Beverly Hills headquarters serving up free daily lunches to the agency’s employees.
The café and marketplace, which Laura Klein describes as “California fresh with a Mediterranean twist,” opened in fall 2022, offers a daily rotating menu of items like Greek salad with chicken, falafel wraps, Italian sandwiches and more.
“It was really important for us to have as much variety as possible because, obviously, if you eat at the same place every day, it gets tired and old,” Laura Klein says. “So we have three daily specials...
The café and marketplace, which Laura Klein describes as “California fresh with a Mediterranean twist,” opened in fall 2022, offers a daily rotating menu of items like Greek salad with chicken, falafel wraps, Italian sandwiches and more.
“It was really important for us to have as much variety as possible because, obviously, if you eat at the same place every day, it gets tired and old,” Laura Klein says. “So we have three daily specials...
- 4/8/2023
- by Evan Nicole Brown
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Most Moviegoers Will Still Go To Theaters Even If What They’re Seeing Will Soon Be Streaming – Study
Two-thirds of moviegoers are not concerned about the length of a film’s release window when they visit a theater, and theatrical titles still enjoy a vast advantage in terms of awareness over original movies made for streaming.
Those are two of the many findings in The Symbiotic Future of Theatrical & Streaming, a new report from UTA Iq, the agency’s research and analytics group. The 55-page report offers extensive validation for the traditional theatrical release model, using data collected January 3 to 11 from 2,000 U.S. consumers between the ages of 15 and 69.
Two-thirds of Americans say the length of time from a movie’s release in theaters to its availability at home has little or no impact on their decision to see a movie in theaters.
Maybe the most interesting section of the report has to do with the overlap of theatrical and streaming. Only 8 of the top 24 titles of 2022, the survey found,...
Those are two of the many findings in The Symbiotic Future of Theatrical & Streaming, a new report from UTA Iq, the agency’s research and analytics group. The 55-page report offers extensive validation for the traditional theatrical release model, using data collected January 3 to 11 from 2,000 U.S. consumers between the ages of 15 and 69.
Two-thirds of Americans say the length of time from a movie’s release in theaters to its availability at home has little or no impact on their decision to see a movie in theaters.
Maybe the most interesting section of the report has to do with the overlap of theatrical and streaming. Only 8 of the top 24 titles of 2022, the survey found,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
UTA and partner company Klutch Sports Group announced the opening of their Atlanta office today, setting up a full-service base of operations in the city for artists, athletes, musicians and brands with strong ties to the region. It’s located at 1401 Peachtree Street in the Midtown arts and business district, with a gallery on the lower floor.
“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. “We are excited to bring our full range of services to the community of talented artists, athletes, musicians and creators who call the Southeast their home.”
UTA Atlanta co-heads Steve Cohen and Rob Gibbs called the city “an entertainment and cultural hub.”
“Planting our flag here gives us the ability to support clients with investments and opportunities across the city’s growing creative ecosystem,...
“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. “We are excited to bring our full range of services to the community of talented artists, athletes, musicians and creators who call the Southeast their home.”
UTA Atlanta co-heads Steve Cohen and Rob Gibbs called the city “an entertainment and cultural hub.”
“Planting our flag here gives us the ability to support clients with investments and opportunities across the city’s growing creative ecosystem,...
- 3/22/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
UTA is setting up shop in the Peach State.
The talent agency and its partner company Klutch Sports Group officially opened their Atlanta offices on Wednesday. The companies say its the first among the industry’s biggest talent, sports, entertainment and marketing agencies to establish a full-service base of operations in Georgia’s biggest city, which has become an important hub of movie and television production and a locus of other artistic endeavors.
“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. “We are excited to bring our full range of services to the community of talented artists, athletes, musicians and creators who call the Southeast their home.”
UTA Atlanta co-heads Steve Cohen and Rob Gibbs jointly added, “Atlanta is an entertainment and cultural hub, and planting our...
The talent agency and its partner company Klutch Sports Group officially opened their Atlanta offices on Wednesday. The companies say its the first among the industry’s biggest talent, sports, entertainment and marketing agencies to establish a full-service base of operations in Georgia’s biggest city, which has become an important hub of movie and television production and a locus of other artistic endeavors.
“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. “We are excited to bring our full range of services to the community of talented artists, athletes, musicians and creators who call the Southeast their home.”
UTA Atlanta co-heads Steve Cohen and Rob Gibbs jointly added, “Atlanta is an entertainment and cultural hub, and planting our...
- 3/22/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
UTA and sister company Klutch Sports Group have officially opened a new office in Atlanta, marking the Hollywood talent agency’s expansion to launch a full-service shop in that key U.S. production center.
The new address, which includes the UTA Artist Space Gallery open to the public, follows UTA locations in Beverly Hills, Nashville, New York, Chicago and London. The new satellite office in mid-town Atlanta aims to identify for UTA new artists, athletes, musicians and brands with strong ties to Georgia and the U.S. southeast.
“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer said in a statement on Wednesday. Hollywood film and TV production in Georgia, which includes series like Stranger Things, Ozark and Atlanta, continues in strength thanks to the U.S. state’s generous tax incentive program.
The new address, which includes the UTA Artist Space Gallery open to the public, follows UTA locations in Beverly Hills, Nashville, New York, Chicago and London. The new satellite office in mid-town Atlanta aims to identify for UTA new artists, athletes, musicians and brands with strong ties to Georgia and the U.S. southeast.
“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer said in a statement on Wednesday. Hollywood film and TV production in Georgia, which includes series like Stranger Things, Ozark and Atlanta, continues in strength thanks to the U.S. state’s generous tax incentive program.
- 3/22/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
UTA is formally getting into the fashion business.
The agency has launched UTA Fashion, a new division that will be focused on expanding client interests in the fashion and beauty industries, and is headed by New York-based Anne Nelson.
She joins from CAA, where she served as an agent in the CAA Fashion division for a little over a year. Prior to that, Nelson had a stint as vp global business development at Ultimate Fighting Championship. She joined the Endeavor-owned fighting league after two decades at Endeavor-owned Img Fashion, during which time she served as a director of business development and as an agent who repped fashion designers and models.
Her career in fashion dates back to the mid-1980s when she started her career in Paris working as a model manager at the Marilyn Agency Paris. She segued to Elite Model Management with a role as a business development manager.
The agency has launched UTA Fashion, a new division that will be focused on expanding client interests in the fashion and beauty industries, and is headed by New York-based Anne Nelson.
She joins from CAA, where she served as an agent in the CAA Fashion division for a little over a year. Prior to that, Nelson had a stint as vp global business development at Ultimate Fighting Championship. She joined the Endeavor-owned fighting league after two decades at Endeavor-owned Img Fashion, during which time she served as a director of business development and as an agent who repped fashion designers and models.
Her career in fashion dates back to the mid-1980s when she started her career in Paris working as a model manager at the Marilyn Agency Paris. She segued to Elite Model Management with a role as a business development manager.
- 2/28/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
United Talent Agency, which had been on an acquisition spree nabbing multiple boutique firms, is undergoing a round of layoffs, the company said Wednesday. The cuts at the Jeremy Zimmer-led agency are said to be impacting a single digit percentage of a workforce that totals 2,000 employees.
“We’ve grown a great deal over the last several years, and as a result decided to make some adjustments,” a UTA spokesperson said. “We’re unfortunately parting ways with a small number of colleagues and are grateful for everything they’ve contributed.”
The agency had underwent layoffs in 2020, which saw a reduction in dozens of staffers, but has since embarked on an expansion. Last year marked a period of growth for the Beverly Hills-based agency, which closed a 125 million deal for strategic advisory firm MediaLink, bought U.K. literary and talent Agency Curtis Brown Group, snapped up data firm Mediahound and secured...
“We’ve grown a great deal over the last several years, and as a result decided to make some adjustments,” a UTA spokesperson said. “We’re unfortunately parting ways with a small number of colleagues and are grateful for everything they’ve contributed.”
The agency had underwent layoffs in 2020, which saw a reduction in dozens of staffers, but has since embarked on an expansion. Last year marked a period of growth for the Beverly Hills-based agency, which closed a 125 million deal for strategic advisory firm MediaLink, bought U.K. literary and talent Agency Curtis Brown Group, snapped up data firm Mediahound and secured...
- 2/8/2023
- by Erik Hayden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
UTA has expanded its board of directors, adding Main Street Advisors CEO Paul Wachter and Nexus Management Group founder Ceci Kurzman as independent members.
Wachter is becoming board chairman, replacing Jim Berkus, who stepped down a couple of months ago. Even though Berkus is no longer chairing the board, he is expected to continue having an active role at the company he co-founded in 1991.
Wachter and Kurzman are joining 10 other board members, seven from within the company’s ranks and three representing its investors.
Via Main Street, Wachter has played a key role in the business dealings of LeBron James (off the basketball court) as well as Fenway Sports Group and Beats by Dre with Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. Kurzman, a former music label executive, started Nexus as an artist management company, but it has since become a platform for private investments in the consumer, media and technology sectors.
Wachter is becoming board chairman, replacing Jim Berkus, who stepped down a couple of months ago. Even though Berkus is no longer chairing the board, he is expected to continue having an active role at the company he co-founded in 1991.
Wachter and Kurzman are joining 10 other board members, seven from within the company’s ranks and three representing its investors.
Via Main Street, Wachter has played a key role in the business dealings of LeBron James (off the basketball court) as well as Fenway Sports Group and Beats by Dre with Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. Kurzman, a former music label executive, started Nexus as an artist management company, but it has since become a platform for private investments in the consumer, media and technology sectors.
- 2/2/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
UTA has added Main Street Advisors CEO Paul Wachter and Nexus Management Group founder Ceci Kurzman to its board of directors, naming Wachter the board’s chairman.
Independent directors Wachter and Kurzman join a board lineup that includes CEO Jeremy Zimmer, president David Kramer, vice chairman Jay Sures and COO Andrew Thau, and UTA’s Rich Paul, Blair Kohan and Matt Rice, as well as investors Philippe Bouchard (PSP), Kasper Knokgaard (Eqt) and Sydney Pardey (Eqt). Most recently, UTA co-founder Jim Berkus served as chairman, a position he’s held for 25 years.
Their additions come on the heels of UTA’s acquisitions of U.K. talent and literary agency Curtis Brown Group and entertainment and marketing advisory firm MediaLink, as well as the private equity investment from firm Eqt in July 2022.
“The addition of Paul and Ceci, with their web of expertise in entertainment and technology, finance and corporate governance,...
Independent directors Wachter and Kurzman join a board lineup that includes CEO Jeremy Zimmer, president David Kramer, vice chairman Jay Sures and COO Andrew Thau, and UTA’s Rich Paul, Blair Kohan and Matt Rice, as well as investors Philippe Bouchard (PSP), Kasper Knokgaard (Eqt) and Sydney Pardey (Eqt). Most recently, UTA co-founder Jim Berkus served as chairman, a position he’s held for 25 years.
Their additions come on the heels of UTA’s acquisitions of U.K. talent and literary agency Curtis Brown Group and entertainment and marketing advisory firm MediaLink, as well as the private equity investment from firm Eqt in July 2022.
“The addition of Paul and Ceci, with their web of expertise in entertainment and technology, finance and corporate governance,...
- 2/2/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
United Talent Agency is making significant changes to its board of directors.
The company, led by CEO Jeremy Zimmer, is adding two new independent directors, expanding the board beyond its own executives and investors for the first time.
The new directors are Paul Wachter, the founder and CEO of investment firm Main Street Advisors, and Ceci Kurzman, the founder of Nexus Management Group. Wachter will also become chairman of the board for UTA.
With Wachter becoming chairman, UTA co-founder Jim Berkus will step aside from that role, which he has held for the last 25 years, a source close to the company confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. The source added that while Berkus will no longer be on UTA’s board, he remains “very active” at UTA. Berkus co-founded UTA in 1991 with Zimmer and Peter Benedek, and became sole chairman of the firm in 1997, THR reported that year.
The changes to...
The company, led by CEO Jeremy Zimmer, is adding two new independent directors, expanding the board beyond its own executives and investors for the first time.
The new directors are Paul Wachter, the founder and CEO of investment firm Main Street Advisors, and Ceci Kurzman, the founder of Nexus Management Group. Wachter will also become chairman of the board for UTA.
With Wachter becoming chairman, UTA co-founder Jim Berkus will step aside from that role, which he has held for the last 25 years, a source close to the company confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. The source added that while Berkus will no longer be on UTA’s board, he remains “very active” at UTA. Berkus co-founded UTA in 1991 with Zimmer and Peter Benedek, and became sole chairman of the firm in 1997, THR reported that year.
The changes to...
- 2/2/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
San Francisco, Jan 3 (Ians) Series creators on Netflix are demanding more money from the streaming giant after it launched an ad-supported subscription service in November last year.
According to Jeremy Zimmer, head of the United Talent Agency, this strategy “changes the game” in terms of how the streamer should compensate creative talent, reports Financial Times.
“A show that does really well will get more advertisers and more revenue will flow to Netflix. Therefore, our clients who created that show should be compensated for that additional revenue,” Zimmer was quoted as saying.
Netflix launched the “Basic with Ads” plan on November 3, 2022, at 6.99 per month, compared to between 9.99 and 19.99 per month for an ad-free subscription.
About 9 per cent of Netflix subscribers in the US have opted into the streaming service’s new “Basic with ads” streaming plan, according to reports.
Netflix launched its ad-supported service to offset slowing subscriber growth.
The company,...
According to Jeremy Zimmer, head of the United Talent Agency, this strategy “changes the game” in terms of how the streamer should compensate creative talent, reports Financial Times.
“A show that does really well will get more advertisers and more revenue will flow to Netflix. Therefore, our clients who created that show should be compensated for that additional revenue,” Zimmer was quoted as saying.
Netflix launched the “Basic with Ads” plan on November 3, 2022, at 6.99 per month, compared to between 9.99 and 19.99 per month for an ad-free subscription.
About 9 per cent of Netflix subscribers in the US have opted into the streaming service’s new “Basic with ads” streaming plan, according to reports.
Netflix launched its ad-supported service to offset slowing subscriber growth.
The company,...
- 1/3/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Click here to read the full article.
As Netflix emerged, we all applauded the innovation it brought. For creators and talent, it was new and refreshing. No advertising to interrupt the flow of the programs. Full-season orders to allow you to tell a complete story. No ratings or opening box office to torment. But all of this came with a significant trade-off: premium up-front fees for creators in place of true ownership and participation in the long-term upside of success.
The rest of the streamers followed suit. They, too, insisted on owning 100 percent, and it seemed a fair bargain. Create content for an ad-free, exclusive global platform like Amazon and Apple, in perpetuity. Receive more up front to replace the upside that historically came from multiple revenue streams and windows, like syndication.
But now the game is changing again. Streamers like Netflix and Disney+ are rolling out ad-supported tiers this...
As Netflix emerged, we all applauded the innovation it brought. For creators and talent, it was new and refreshing. No advertising to interrupt the flow of the programs. Full-season orders to allow you to tell a complete story. No ratings or opening box office to torment. But all of this came with a significant trade-off: premium up-front fees for creators in place of true ownership and participation in the long-term upside of success.
The rest of the streamers followed suit. They, too, insisted on owning 100 percent, and it seemed a fair bargain. Create content for an ad-free, exclusive global platform like Amazon and Apple, in perpetuity. Receive more up front to replace the upside that historically came from multiple revenue streams and windows, like syndication.
But now the game is changing again. Streamers like Netflix and Disney+ are rolling out ad-supported tiers this...
- 11/21/2022
- by Jeremy Zimmer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
UTA has announced a sizable class of promotions, with 67 employees of the agency being elevated across 27 divisions. The move speaks to the company’s momentum and growth across numerous departments and business verticals that support its clients across entertainment, sports, culture and business, with the agency having announced over 120 promotions across multiple offices in the last year alone.
UTA’s most recent set of promotions, recognizing the contributions of colleagues at various levels of the company, come from departments including Motion Picture Literary, Music, News & Broadcasting, Production, Publishing, Talent, Theatre, Television Literary, Television Talent, Asian Business Development, Audio, Brand Studio, Comedy Touring, Communications, Digital Talent, Endorsements & Voiceover, Finance & Accounting, Fine Arts, Gaming & Esports, Human Resources, Information Technology, Iq, Media Rights, MediaLink, UTA Foundation, Ventures and Web 3.0.
Related Story UTA Hires Fremantle's Samantha Glynne To Oversee New Emea Brand Clients Division Related Story UTA's Jeremy Zimmer Joins Calls For Boycott Of Kanye West,...
UTA’s most recent set of promotions, recognizing the contributions of colleagues at various levels of the company, come from departments including Motion Picture Literary, Music, News & Broadcasting, Production, Publishing, Talent, Theatre, Television Literary, Television Talent, Asian Business Development, Audio, Brand Studio, Comedy Touring, Communications, Digital Talent, Endorsements & Voiceover, Finance & Accounting, Fine Arts, Gaming & Esports, Human Resources, Information Technology, Iq, Media Rights, MediaLink, UTA Foundation, Ventures and Web 3.0.
Related Story UTA Hires Fremantle's Samantha Glynne To Oversee New Emea Brand Clients Division Related Story UTA's Jeremy Zimmer Joins Calls For Boycott Of Kanye West,...
- 11/7/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: UTA is setting up an Emea branch of its Entertainment and Culture Marketing group and has hired Fremantle Global Branded Entertainment boss Samantha Glynne to oversee the new department.
The E&cm branch, which launched five years ago, handles brand clients, and Glynne will take the lead on building UTA’s international strategy in the space. The branch already has a presence in Los Angeles, New York and London, with clients including Coca-Cola, Google and LinkedIn.
Related Story Fremantle Global Entertainment Boss Rob Clark To Retire Related Story YouTube Advertising Revenue Slips, Helping Drag Alphabet Q3 Results Below Wall Street Expectations Related Story UTA's Jeremy Zimmer Joins Calls For Boycott Of Kanye West, Citing Rise Of Anti-Semitism
Glynne has already started and reports to E&cm co-heads Julian Jacobs and David Anderson.
“The borders of global entertainment are vanishing, the UK and Emea creative markets are incredibly dynamic, and...
The E&cm branch, which launched five years ago, handles brand clients, and Glynne will take the lead on building UTA’s international strategy in the space. The branch already has a presence in Los Angeles, New York and London, with clients including Coca-Cola, Google and LinkedIn.
Related Story Fremantle Global Entertainment Boss Rob Clark To Retire Related Story YouTube Advertising Revenue Slips, Helping Drag Alphabet Q3 Results Below Wall Street Expectations Related Story UTA's Jeremy Zimmer Joins Calls For Boycott Of Kanye West, Citing Rise Of Anti-Semitism
Glynne has already started and reports to E&cm co-heads Julian Jacobs and David Anderson.
“The borders of global entertainment are vanishing, the UK and Emea creative markets are incredibly dynamic, and...
- 10/31/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Kanye West returned to Instagram after allegedly being restricted by the social media platform, and wrote that he lost 2 billion in one day amid a swirling controversy centered on anti-Semitic comments made by the rapper-entrepreneur.
The post includes a reference to Ari Emanuel, the Endeavor Content boss who was among the business leaders who spoke out urging businesses cease doing business with West, known as Ye.
“Ari Emanuel, I lost 2 billion dollars in one day and I’m still alive,” West wrote overnight. “This is love speech. I still love you. God still loves you. The money is not who I am. The people is who I am.”
The list is growing of companies and projects that have severed ties with West, most recently Adidas; yesterday, West was escorted from the Los Angeles offices of Sketchers trying to meet with executives there about his Yeezy shoe brand.
Other companies who...
The post includes a reference to Ari Emanuel, the Endeavor Content boss who was among the business leaders who spoke out urging businesses cease doing business with West, known as Ye.
“Ari Emanuel, I lost 2 billion dollars in one day and I’m still alive,” West wrote overnight. “This is love speech. I still love you. God still loves you. The money is not who I am. The people is who I am.”
The list is growing of companies and projects that have severed ties with West, most recently Adidas; yesterday, West was escorted from the Los Angeles offices of Sketchers trying to meet with executives there about his Yeezy shoe brand.
Other companies who...
- 10/27/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
As the fallout from Kanye West’s anti-Semitic rants continues, the rapper made an “unannounced” visit to a Skechers corporate office in LA on Wednesday and was escorted from the building.
In a statement, the footwear brand said West — also known as Ye — arrived “unannounced and without invitation” and was “engaged in unauthorized filming.” Two Skechers executives “escorted him and his party” out “after a brief conversation.”
The company further said it “is not considering and has no intention of working with West. We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech. The company would like to again stress that West showed up unannounced and uninvited to Skechers corporate offices.”
Adidas on Tuesday ended its business relationship with the star after he made repeated anti-Semitic comments and espoused disproven conspiracy theories last week. Forbes then announced that West is no longer...
In a statement, the footwear brand said West — also known as Ye — arrived “unannounced and without invitation” and was “engaged in unauthorized filming.” Two Skechers executives “escorted him and his party” out “after a brief conversation.”
The company further said it “is not considering and has no intention of working with West. We condemn his recent divisive remarks and do not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate speech. The company would like to again stress that West showed up unannounced and uninvited to Skechers corporate offices.”
Adidas on Tuesday ended its business relationship with the star after he made repeated anti-Semitic comments and espoused disproven conspiracy theories last week. Forbes then announced that West is no longer...
- 10/27/2022
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
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