EXCLUSIVE: Independent Artist Group has signed Terrence Howard, the Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor known for roles in Hustle & Flow, Crash and Empire, for representation.
01.11.2023 - 22:03 / deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Nick Vallelonga, the writer, producer, and actor, whose work on Universal’s Green Book brought him a pair of Oscars and Golden Globes for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture, has signed with Independent Artist Group for representation.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, the film co-written by Vallelonga was inspired by the true story of his father, Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a tough-nosed night club bouncer who took a job as the driver and bodyguard for pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) during the 1960s, cultivating an unexpected bond with the eccentric musical genius while on tour with him through the racially charged deep south.
Released in November 2018 after world premiering at TIFF, where it won the People’s Choice Award, the DreamWorks title grossed over $321M worldwide.
Vallelonga is fresh off success with international sales at AFM for his new film That’s Amore, a rom-com that he wrote and will direct that follows Nick Venere (Travolta), a modern-day ‘Marty,’ who’s never been married, and whose best dating years are well behind him. Patty Amore (Katherine Heigl) has her share of problems, as well. Shy and introverted, she’s beset with various tics and nervous habits. A secret from her past, combined with her overprotective father (Christopher Walken), have caused her to withdraw from the dating game. But when Nick and Patty meet, literally bumping into one another, they share an immediate connection. When these two emotionally damaged people attempt to date one another, their families get involved, and the results are hilarious. Vallelonga will also produce through his Vallelonga Productions.
Additional projects Vallelonga has in development include the mob movie Gambino, as well as The Big House,
EXCLUSIVE: Independent Artist Group has signed Terrence Howard, the Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor known for roles in Hustle & Flow, Crash and Empire, for representation.
EXCLUSIVE: Comedic multi-hyphenate Paul Scheer has signed with Sugar23 for management.
EXCLUSIVE: Nick Tarabay, who was recently set to star in the Starz series, Spartacus: House of Ashur, has signed with Verve for representation.
Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter, one of the biggest female streamers and gaming creators in the world, has signed with WME for representation. She most recently was repped by UTA. Valkyrae is known for streaming games “Among Us,” “Fortnite” and “Valorant,” among others.
Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic In the most shockingly funny moment of Alexander Payne’s “Sideways,” Miles Raymond, the desperate English teacher and wine aficionado (that is, alcoholic with good taste) played by Paul Giamatti, has just learned that his book was turned down by the publisher he had his hopes pinned on. It’s more than a rejection; it’s the death of his dream. Miles is in the middle a chi-chi Napa Valley wine tasting, and suddenly he’s in dire need of a drink.
EXCLUSIVE: Pete Davidson has signed with WME. Davidson has been with WME agent Mike Berkowitz for years on the touring front and will now be repped in all areas by the agency.
EXCLUSIVE: Emmy nominee Camila Morrone has signed with Brillstein Entertainment Partners for representation.
EXCLUSIVE: Writer, director and comedian Rochée Jeffrey has signed with Independent Artist Group for representation.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Molly Manning Walker, the English cinematographer-turned-filmmaker whose debut feature “How to Have Sex” won a prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, has signed with CAA for representation. Penned and directed by Manning Walker, “How to Have Sex” world premiered at Cannes in Un Certain Regard where it won best prize and earned unanimous praise. The film follows three British teenage girls who go on a rites-of-passage holiday in sun-drenched Crete and find themselves navigating the complexities of sex, consent and self-discovery.
Kiana Madeira, best known for her role in Netflix’s hit trilogy Fear Street, has signed with Luber Roklin Entertainment for management.
Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Apparently, totaling a super-expensive luxury car can get you noticed in Hollywood. Cody Detwiler, the YouTube creator behind automotive DIY, stunts and vlog channel WhistlinDiesel, has signed with CAA. Detwiler, alongside partner Matt McGuire, will next focus on expanding Nashville, Tenn.-based WhistlinDiesel into new genres, premium content, consumer products and other areas, according to CAA.
EXCLUSIVE: Lisa McGee has signed with CAA for U.S. representation.
EXCLUSIVE: UTA partner Jim Meenaghan has decided to step down from his dual roles as the Head of Motion Picture Business Affairs and Co-Head of the Independent Film Group at the end of the year. The details of his departure were revealed in a memo that was recently sent out to staff and obtained by Deadline. Sources add that it was Meenaghan’s decision to leave the agency and a very amicable one as he is very well liked at UTA.
EXCLUSIVE: Brillstein Entertainment Partners has signed Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jennifer Yuh Nelson.
Nick Clement In the upcoming musical romantic comedy “That’s Amore!,” audiences will have their chance to see John Travolta doing what so many of his fans love to see him doing — singing and dancing with a smile on his face. The star’s enduring popularity certainly isn’t lost on writer-director Nick Vallelonga, who won two Oscars for writing and producing the 2018 hit “Green Book,” and is thrilled to be finally getting the film off the ground.
EXCLUSIVE: The Bear star Liza Colón-Zayas has signed with Liebman Entertainment for management.
Jennifer Esposito, who accumulated around 70 credits as an actress in movies and series before making her debut as writer and director of Fresh Kills, has signed with Echo Lake Entertainment. The management company is tasked with helping her forge a new career path. When you have mortgaged your house to make her first film as Esposito did, it stands to reason you would not be happy thinking you got that out of your system, and go back to waiting for the phone to ring with acting jobs.
Warner Bros Discovery has signed a multi-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taiwan Mobile and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) to create and distribute Taiwanese original content locally and across international markets.
EXCLUSIVE: Actress Arielle Kebbel, known for roles in The Vampire Diaries and John Tucker Must Die, has signed with Independent Artist Group.
EXCLUSIVE: Emelia Hartford, actor and well-known figure in the automotive industry, has signed with CAA for representation.