Skip to main content

Notes from the Rep Biz - 2-16-2018

WME signs a pair of Sundance breakouts, CAA signs a This is Us Star, an agent leaves Verve for ICM… Welcome to Friday and another edition of Notes From the Rep Biz!
 

At WME:
 
Boots Riley, writer/director and composer of Sundance hit Sorry to Bother You, has signed with Mark Ankner. Sorry to Bother You is a dark comedy set in Oakland and stars Armie Hammer and Tessa Thompson, and was picked up by Annapurna Pictures. Riley is also the lead vocalist of the hip hop group The Coup.
 
Newcomer Helena Howard, star of Josephine Decker’s Sundance drama Madeline’s Madeline, has signed with James Farrell, Jared Sheer, and T.J. Bernardy. Howard’s performance was hailed by critics. She is managed by Marnie Briskin at Circle of Confusion.
 
At CAA:
 
This is Us Star Justin Hartley has signed with Donovan Tatum. Hartley got his start in soaps with The Young and Restless, and has had recurring roles on Smallville, Revenge, and Mistresses. He was last seen on the big screen in A Bad Moms Christmas.
 
Model and actress Corinne Foxx, daughter of Jamie Foxx, has signed with Jim Toth. Fox will be the new DJ of the musical game show Beat Shazam (hosted by her father).  She had a recurring role on MTV’s now cancelled show Sweet/Vicious, and will next be seen in Jamie Fox’s directorial debut, the basketball comedy All Star Weekend, which will be released later this year. She is managed by James Barnett at LBI Entertainment.
 
Handmaid’s Tale director and co-executive producer Mike Barker has signed with Jon Cassir, Mina Ross, Nancy Etz, and Praveen Pandian. Barker has also directed episodes of Fargo, Versailles, and Outlander among others. He is also repped by Jack Thomas at Independent Talent Group in the U.K.
 
Screenwriter and playwright Michael Lesslie has signed with Jon Cassir and Praveen Pandian. Lesslie adapted the video game Assassin’s Creed for Justin Kurzel in 2016; his feature screenwriting debut was an adaptation of Macbeth also for Kurzel. Next up, Lesslie is adapting Hamlet for Netflix, and will be the showrunner and executive producer on BBC and AMC’s The Little Drummer Girl.
 
Actress, director, and producer Jennifer Morrison has signed with Jamie Feld.  Morrison, whose directorial debut, Sun Dogs, was acquired by Netflix in December and will premiere in April was also the star of ABC’s Once Upon a Time. Morrison ALSO has a new manager in Kim Hodgert at Anonymous Content.
 
At ICM:
 
Lit agent Zach Carlisle has left Verve and joined ICM where he will be in the TV lit department. Most of Carlisle’s clients are expected to follow him to his new digs including Supernatural’s Steve Yockey, Matt Wheeler (Hawaii Five-O), and Jonathan Igla (Shut Eye).
 
Screenwriter Eskil Vogt has signed with Daniel Cohan, Cullen Conly, and Doug MacLaren. Vogt has written all of Joachim Trier’s films including Norway’s foreign language Oscar entry Thelma. He is also agented by Elinor Burns at Casarotto Ramsay in the U.K.  
 
At UTA:
 
Actor Shemar Moore has signed with Josh Katz, Michael Jelline, and Peter Benedek. Moore is best known for playing Derek Morgan for twelve years on CBS’ Criminal Minds. Currently he can be seen in CBS’ S.W.A.T. He continues to be managed by Ray Brown.
 
Music agent Dan Saunderson has joined UTA in its London office. Sanderson will continue to rep Artful Dodger, DJ S.K.T. and Pink Panda, among others.
 
Other Notes Around Town:
 
Comedian and director David Steinberg has signed with Shan Ray at Gersh and manger Jason Weinberg at Untitled. Steinberg has directed episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and is also the executive producer on Discovery’s Cash Cab and Showtime’s Inside Comedy.
 
Management Notes:
 
Documentary-hybrid filmmaker Eugene Jarecki has signed with David Kanter at Anonymous Content. Jarecki’s latest film is the Elvis roadtrip doc, The King, which debuted at Sundance this year. Jareki’s agent is Nick Shumaker at UTA.

Sources: Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline