TALENT MOVES:
- Original Productions, the FremantleMedia-owned company of reality producer Thom Beers has signed with the agency. Some of Beers’ passed producing credits include “The Deadliest Catch,” “Ice Road Truckers,” “Ax Men” and “Storage Wars.”
Gersh
- Actress Fiona Gubelmann, who plays the lead opposite Elijah Woods in the FX series “Wilfred” is now part of the agency’s family. Her other television roles include “Criminal Minds,” “How to be a Gentlemen” and “Parenthood.
UTA
- Actress and Most Senior “Daily Show” Correspondent Samantha Bee has come on board. She recently had a recurring role on the HBO comedy series “Bored To Death,” and was also heard in the Fox animated comedy “Bob’s Bergers.” She is currently working on her feature writing debut opposite her husband Jason Jones, THE MAN HUNTERS.
WME
- Director David Lowery, who wrote and directed “Pioneers,” a short film that won the Grand Jury Award at SXSW. He will shoot AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS this summer, starring Rooney Mara, Ben Foster and Casey Affleck.
- Director Jonas Carpignano, whose short films have been viewed at numerous festivals also joins the agency. Jonas’s feature length version of A CHJANA was recently accepted to the Sundance Screenwriters Lab and the Berlinale Talent Campus. Jonas, an MFA candidate at the Tisch School of Arts, will shoot the feature later this year.
- Director Ryan Coogler is set to shoot his feature debut FRUITVALE, which chronicles the last day in Oscar Grant’s life, before he was detained and killed by police in Oakland. The pic will star Michael B. Jordan as Grant opposite Octavia Spencer.
- Actress and singer Katherine McPhee has signed with the agency for acting in film and television. She was previously with Gersh for acting.
STUDIO DEALS:
After ending a 25 year run win Warner Bros., producer Joel Silver has taken his brand elsewhere and signed a 12 picture deal with Universal. The deal calls for Silver’s new division, Silver Pictures to produce 12 features across all generes, with Universal distributing 2-3 per year. The first project under the new deal will be NON-STOP, from director Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Liam Neeson.
Lionsgate has extended its slate deal with Grindstone Entertainment Group and Emmett/Furla Films for another 10 features, the studio announced. The deal was negotiated by Steve Beeks for the studio, Barry Brooker and Stan Wertlieb for Grindstone and Emmett for Emmett/Furla.
