‘Emilia Pérez’ Star Karla Sofía Gascón Signs With UTA (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Karla Sofía Gascón, who delivered a breakthrough performance as a ruthless narco gangster transitioning in Jacques Audiard’s crime musical “Emilia Pérez,” has revealed how she fought to get the part. “At the beginning, (Audiard) did not consider me for the role (of Juan “Manitas” Del Monte), he only wanted me to play the female role after the transition,” the Spanish actress said during a masterclass at the Biarritz’ Nouvelles Vagues Festival, speaking in a packed theater.

Katcy Stephan TV and film actor Brian Tee has signed with Verve for representation. Tee recently starred alongside Nicole Kidman in the limited series “Expats,” directed by Lulu Wang for Prime Video. Up next, he will appear in Season 3 of Prime Video’s action series “Reacher” alongside star Alan Ritchson.

Katcy Stephan Dr. Mark Hyman has signed with WME in all areas. Hyman is the co-founder and chief medical officer of medical intelligence company Function Health, which offers a membership that includes over 100 lab tests and doctor insights on the results.

EXCLUSIVE: UTA has signed director and producer Dean Israelite for representation in all areas.

Ben Croll Matt Dillon, Alice Diop and Karla Sofia Gascon will bring their springtime spirit to this month’s Nouvelles Vagues Film Festival, now running from June 18 – 23 in Biarritz. Launched last year, the nascent festival invites both established and emerging talents to share an expansive vision of youth, hosting a competition dedicated to young adult stories overseen by a jury all under the age of 35.

Katcy Stephan Orbital Studios, a film and television production studio specializing in end-to-end virtual production services, has signed with CAA. Orbital Studios leverages cutting-edge technology to create dynamic virtual environments that blend with real-world performance.

Alex Ritman CAA has signed Cash Carraway, the Irish-English writer, director and exec producer best known for creating the HBO series “Rain Dogs.” Carraway’s first TV production, “Rain Dogs” — a bleak British dramedy about an unconventional relationship between a working-class single mother, her young daughter and a privileged gay man — was met with critical acclaim when it aired in March 2023. The eight-part series starred Daisy May Cooper, Jack Farthing, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo and Fleur Tashjian, and later earned a Gotham Award nomination for best breakthrough series, while Carraway was named a BAFTA Breakthrough.

Katcy Stephan UTA has signed rising global star India Amarteifio for representation. In 2023, Amarteifio starred in the eight-part Netflix series “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” written and produced by Shonda Rhimes.

Katcy Stephan Sheryl Lee Ralph has signed with CAA for representation. An Emmy, Critics Choice and Independent Spirit Award winner, Ralph is currently seen starring in ABC’s hit comedy series “Abbott Elementary” opposite Quinta Brunson.

Katcy Stephan Thirteen-time Emmy winner David Javerbaum has signed with Paradigm for representation. Javerbaum spent 11 years at “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” as a writer (1999-2002), head writer (2003-2006) and executive producer (2007-2010).

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Adi Shankar and his Bootleg Universe Media Productions have signed with WME for representation, Variety has learned exclusively. He continues to be repped by Chris S. Lee at B&C Content and Scott Sims at Ziffren Brittenham.

Katcy Stephan UTA has signed award-winning author and screenwriter Dolly Alderton. She will continue to be represented by the Curtis Brown Group in the U.K. for screenwriting and media rights and C&W for U.K.

Afternoon, Cannes is over but the world of film and TV rumbles on. Here’s your weekly dose of Insider news ‘n’ goss from Max Goldbart. Make us happy and sign up here.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Emilia Pérez” breakout star Karla Sofía Gascón, who won the best actress prize at Cannes Film Festival alongside Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz, has filed a complaint against French far-right politician Marion Marechal alleging “sexist insult due to one’s gender identity.” The charges stem from a post on X in which Marechal, who is currently campaigning in European elections for the far-right Reconquête party, wrote upon Gascón’s win at Cannes that “it is therefore a man who receives in Cannes the prize for… best actress. The progress for the left wing is the erasing of women and mothers.” The vitriolic social post sparked outrage within the LGBTQ community and beyond.

Karla Sofia Gascón has filed a complaint with the Paris Public Prosecutor against French far-right leader Marion Maréchal-Le Pen for transphobic comments the politician posted on social media following her Best Actress win at the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend.

Katcy Stephan Rudy Reyes and New War Productions have signed with CAA for representation. Reyes is a former Force Reconnaissance Marine, American conservationist, writer, actor and motivational speaker.

French LGBT+ groups have filed a complaint with the Paris Public Prosecutor against far-right politician Marion Maréchal-Le Pen accusing her of “transphobic insult” for comments she made about Karla Sofía Gascón’s Best Actress win at the Cannes Film Festival over the weekend.

Selena Gomez won the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival last night (May 25) for her role in the Spanish film Emilia Pérez.The popstar shares the award with three of her co-stars in the film, Karla Sofia Gascón, Adriana Paz and Zoe Saldaña.Emilia Pérez is a musical crime comedy directed by Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust and Bone), and it tells the story of a woman who is tasked with assisting an escaped Mexican cartel leader to undergo sex reassignment surgery.The film received one of the festival’s longest standing ovations after its premiere on May 18, and also won the Jury Prize. It has now been acquired by Netflix.The prestigious win cements Gomez’s gradual move away from music and toward embracing acting full-time.

“We really led with our hearts for everything we watched,” said 77th Cannes Film Festival Jury President Greta Gerwig on what was a fiercely competitive year.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic CANNES — Hosted by “Call My Agent” star Camille Cottin, the awards show for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival competition is underway. Presenters started making political statements right away, as short film jury president and Belgian actor Lubna Azabal called for the release of all hostages in Gaza.