CAA Signs ‘Marketplace’ Podcast Host Kai Ryssdal

At first glance, actor-writer-director Cooper Raiff’s “Cha Cha Real Smooth” might look like your typical cutesy and whimsical Sundance dramedy, about a twenty-something college graduate learning a valuable life lesson and experiencing a bit of a delayed coming of age. While that’s not an inaccurate description of Raiff’s disarmingly lovely film (programmed in this year’s US Dramatic Competition), what feels miraculous about “Cha Cha” is: it doesn’t come with even an ounce of that cringe-inducing Sundance fancifulness, a brand that many love to hate.

EXCLUSIVE: LAist Studios, the podcast division of Southern California Public Radio, is launching a slew of new audio series.

As you know, the in person festival was canceled due to rising concerns of the omicron variant of Covid-19 and it has moved to an online screening format for press and attendees.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterTrailblazing host and producer B. Scott has signed with WME in all areas, Variety has learned exclusively.Last March, the longtime media personality became the first out, trans non-binary personality in the history of BET. They anchor and executive produce an after-show companion to the network original “Twenties,” created by Lena Waithe.B.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorFashion designer, creative director and activist Aurora James has signed with UTA.The CFDA award-winning James is the founder and creative director of the luxury accessory brand Brother Vellies, which has been worn by Pres. Barack Obama, Beyoncé, Meghan Markle, Rihanna, Zendaya, Serena Williams, Lady Gaga and Rep.

William Earl Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz has been selected as the 2022 recipient of the Variety International Achievement in Television Award, to be presented at global content market MipTV in Cannes in April. Frot-Coutaz was the Head of EMEA at YouTube and CEO of Fremantle before joining Sky Studios last year.The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated leadership and innovation in the international television marketplace.

APA has signed Jana Morrison, the Canadian actress  who stars in the new Syfy comedy series, Astrid and Lilly Save the World, in a competitive situation.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film CriticHe’s a cha cha real smooth talker. He’s 22, tall and handsome with a beard, but not a scruffy hipster beard — more like a post-millennial, post-ironic traditional beard, which sets off features that are finely chiseled in a Middle American corporate way. (When he grins, he looks like Donny Osmond.) He’s just out of college but has no idea what he wants to do.

A supermarket security guard was left with a painful bite wound and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when a customer's dog clung to his leg and sunk its teeth into his skin.

The AFL-CIO’s Department for Professional Employees is urging Congress to increase federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to $565 million in fiscal year 2022 and the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities to $201 million each – funding levels that were passed by the House of Representatives in July.

EXCLUSIVE: Samuel Arnold, the French actor who stars opposite Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu and Ashley Park in Emily in Paris, has signed with APA for representation.

Manori Ravindran International EditorCAA has hired former Plimsoll Productions executive Saul Goldberg as an agent with its Alternative Television division, based out of the U.K.Most recently, Goldberg oversaw the U.S. operations for Bristol-headquartered unscripted production company Plimsoll, which has expanded rapidly in recent years following the sale of a minority stake to British private equity firm LDC in 2019.

EXCLUSIVE: Derek Nguyen, the award-winning writer, director and producer behind horror-romance The Housemaid (Cô Hầu Gái), has signed with Cinetic Media for management.

Ahead of the release of Paper Route Empire Presents: Long Live Dolph on Friday, a second single from the Young Dolph-honoring compilation has been shared, along with a video. Key Glock flies solo on "Proud," reflecting on the loss of his mentor and close collaborator.

EXCLUSIVE: La Coctelera, the multilingual podcast studio, has signed with ICM.

Fremantle U.S. has signed up FilmRise VP, Digital Content Programming Trey Durst as Director of Distribution.

Belle is set to top $2 million Thurs.-Mon. on 1,326 screens, according to distributor GKIDS. With Saturday’s actuals, it said, the gross surpassed $1.2M, making it director Mamoru Hosoda’s highest grossing film in the U.S. That was previously 2018’s Mirai with $812K.