Notes from the Rep Biz - 3-16-2018

A genius to WME, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to CAA, new promotions at ICM, new reps for indie and European filmmakers – all this and more in today’s edition of Notes from the Rep Biz!

At WME:
 
Hip hop artist Lizzo has signed with Matthew Morgan. The singer and political activist’s single Good as Hell has had over 20 million streams on Spotify.
 
Documentarian Stanley Nelson has signed with Maggie Pisacane. Nelson latest doc, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities, premiered at last year’s Sundance festival, and was then shown on PBS. He is also the recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant and a National Humanities Medal from former president Barack Obama.
 
At CAA:
 
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel herself, Rachel Brosnahan, has signed with Kevin Huvane. Brosnahan, who won both a Golden Globe and Critics Choice award for her work in the show, is currently working on season 2, and was last seen on the big screen opposite Mark Wahlberg in Patriots Day. She is managed by Ken Lee at Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
 
Benjamin Bratt has signed with Dana Harris and Peter Levine. Bratt was last heard on the big screen in Pixar’s Coco and is currently a series regular on Lee Daniels’ Star, which will return with its second season on March 28. Bratt’s manager is Frank Frattaroli at Circle of Confusion.
 
At ICM:
 
Five coordinators have been promoted to agents at ICM. Toni Domenech will be in Global Branded Entertainment, Lily Fettis is in motion picture production, Jess Frohman and Julia Senerth in concerts, and Greg Jules in International Television and Media.
 
Music agent Joel Roman has left Paradigm and joined ICM, where he will work to create crossover opportunities for artists in the areas of film, tv, gaming, and branded platforms.
 
At UTA:
 
This Close creators Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman have signed with Alison Hahn, Amanda Burnett, and Tim Phillips. The show This Close was the first straight to series order for the Sundance Now streaming network and premiered last month. The pair continue to be repped by managers Mike Griffin and Paul Young at MAKE GOOD Content.
 
Other notes around town:
 
Writer Scott Lobdell has signed with Ryan Levee at Abrams Artists Agency. Lobdell is best known for his comic book work, where he was instrumental in the “Age of Apocalypse” X-Men event. Most recently he wrote the sleeper horror hit Happy Death Day. Lobdell has also signed with manager Marc Manus at Zero Gravity Management.
 
European filmmaker Wolfgang Fischer has signed with Abram Nalibotsky and Greg Pedicin at Gersh. Fischer co-wrote and directed the German refugee drama Styx, which won the European Cinema Label Prize for best European film in the Panorama section at the Berlin International Film Festival. He also signed with manager Dave Brown at Echo Lake Management.
 
Writer/director Nijla Mu’min has signed with Christina Campagnola at APA. Mu’min’s debut film, the coming of age drama Jinn, won SXSW’s Special Jury prize for writing.
 
Management Notes:
 
Manager Ilene Feldman has left LBI Entertainment to start her own independent talent company IF Management. It is unclear at this time which of her clients will be following her to her new digs, but her list includes; Colin Farrell, Dave Matthews, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and filmmakers Terrence Malick, Yorgos Lanthimos, Amat Escalante, and Cristian Mungiu.
 
Novelist turned filmmaker Jeremie Guez, whose directorial debut A Bluebird in my Heart (which he also wrote and produced) premiered at this year’s SXSW, has signed with Adam Simpson Marshall at Management 360.
 
Sources: Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Billboard, Deadline