WME Hires Fidel Barajas As Agent In Comedy Division

Cameron Diaz is officially back in action in “Back In Action.” After retiring from Hollywood in 2013, the actress returns to star in a new Netflix action-comedy with Jamie Foxx. The duo also worked together on 1999’s “Any Given Sunday” and the 2014 “Annie” remake.

Channel 4 Hires Charlie Perkins As Head Of Comedy

Jordan Moblo has moved from Netflix to Universal Studio Group to oversee its IP charge.

As it boosts the number of film and TV adaptations of its properties, Mattel has hired Disney and Marvel veteran Josh Silverman as global head of consumer products and chief franchise officer.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify is reducing its hiring forecast by 25% amid broader economic uncertainty, according to a companywide memo sent by chief exec Daniel Ek on Wednesday.Spotify will “reduce hiring growth by 25%,” according to Ek’s memo. The email also said that the company will “continue to still hire and grow” but that “we are just going to slow that pace and be a bit more prudent with the absolute level of new hires over the next few quarters.”As of the end of March, Spotify said it had 8,230 full-time employees globally.At the streamer’s 2022 investor day event last week, Spotify CFO Paul Vogel said that, amid macroeconomic headwinds like inflation, the company was evaluating its headcount growth in the “near term.” “We are clearly aware of the increasing uncertainty regarding the global economy,” Vogel said.

2ND UPDATE, 9:45 AM: Mo’Nique and Netflix have settled the lawsuit she filed against the streaming company in 2019 claiming racial and gender bias, Deadline has confirmed. Details of the deal weren’t disclosed. Read about the case below.

Jerry Seinfeld has assembled a stellar cast for his Netflix comedy Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, with Melissa McCarthy (God’s Favorite Idiot), Jim Gaffigan (Linoleum), Amy Schumer (Life & Beth), Hugh Grant (The Undoing) and James Marsden (Sonic the Hedgehog 2) signing on for roles, along with Jack McBrayer (Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show), Tom Lennon (Reno 911!), Adrian Martinez (iGilbert), Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live), Max Greenfield (The Neighborhood), Christian Slater (Dr. Death) and Sarah Cooper (Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine). In addition to co-writing and directing the film, in his feature debut, Seinfeld is set to star, as we told you first.

I May Destroy You and Sally4Ever producer Various Artists Limited (VAL) has hired Channel 4 Commissioning Editor Jack Bayles as its first Head of Comedy.

Austin Butler is speaking out in response to people who have accused him of changing his speaking voice to sound more like Elvis Presley.

could now arrive on Netflix by the end of this year. Last month, the streamer also announced layoffs of 150 U.S. based employees across its content and executive ranks.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorNetflix has tapped longtime finance executive Ken Barker in a new role as principal accounting officer, assuming the duties from CFO Spencer Neumann.Netflix revealed the hiring of Barker in an SEC filing Monday. Barker starts at Netflix on June 27, reporting to Neumann, who continues to serve as the company’s chief financial officer and principal financial officer.Barker, 55, comes from games company Electronic Arts, most recently as senior VP finance since August 2021, and as SVP and chief accounting officer from June 2003 to August 2021.

Angelique Jackson Comedian David A. Arnold is back on Netflix with a new special, “It Ain’t for the Weak!”Produced by Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, the comedy special will launch globally on July 19 and follows his 2019 Netflix debut, “Fat Ballerina.”“It Ain’t For The Weak!” taped earlier this year at The Hanna Theater in Arnold’s hometown of Cleveland, OH.

The BFI has named its first Disability Equality Lead. Clare Baines will take the post to further promotion of disability equality within the screen industries and internally at the organization. 

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotter, a startup that pays YouTube creators cash up front for monetization rights to their video libraries, has hired digital media veteran Damon Berger as executive VP of business development and operations.Berger most recently was chief marketing officer at kids and family entertainment company WildBrain. Prior to that, he served as VP, head of digital engagement for toy giant Mattel, and worked at now-defunct YouTube creator network Fullscreen (then owned by AT&T/WarnerMedia) as VP of global strategic partnerships.In 2010, Berger and Shira Lazar co-founded What’s Trending, a news network hosted by Lazar covering YouTube trends and personalities.

The Byron Allen-led media company AMG has hired Christopher Malone to the position of executive vice president and head of corporate development. Malone will help lead AMG senior management in merger and acquisition efforts, along with additional corporate strategic initiatives. Malone was an integral role in financing recent notable AMG transactions, including the AMG acquisition of The Weather Channel in 2018 and the AMG acquisition of several ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX broadcast network-affiliated television stations nationwide. “Chris will play a vital role in helping Allen Media Group continue its trajectory of growth and execute on the large number of acquisition opportunities in front of us,” Allen said in a statement.Malone moves to AMG from Stellex Capital Management. Prior to that, Malone was a director at Brightwood Capital and previously held positions at RLJ Equity Partners, William Blair, and Credit Suisse.

Sky Studios has hired CBS Studios international co-pros chief Meghan Lyvers as it seeks to significantly scale up its original UK drama output.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterParadigm Talent Agency has hired industry veteran Ian Kleinert as a book publishing agent, Variety has learned exclusively. In his new role, Kleinert will be based out of Paradigm’s New York office.“Joining Paradigm during this unique and exciting time at the company opens up a world of exciting new avenues across all media for the wonderful clients joining me at the agency, and provides me the chance to foster dynamic publishing opportunities for the stellar talents of Paradigm’s roster,” said Kleinert.Kleinert was most recently the CEO and founding partner of Projector Media, which focused on literary management and investor-backed digital platforms for groups like SALT Events, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Propagate Content, and sports legends Joe Namath and Cal Ripken Jr. “Ian’s extensive experience, unparalleled knowledge of the publishing industry and wide-ranging client relationships make him an incredible addition to our team,” said Paradigm managing partner Andrew Ruf.

U.S. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has hired a far right wing agitator and activist who appeared to support sexual relationships between boys as young as 13 and older men.In 2016 Milo Yiannopoulos said, “I think in the gay world some of the most important, enriching and incredibly life-affirming, important shaping relationships very often between younger boys and older men.”Those remarks were part of a video in which “Yiannopoulos discussed romantic relationships between teenage boys and adult men while being interviewed for the Drunken Peasants podcast in early 2016,” NBC News had reported in 2017.