EXCLUSIVE: I'm told the star of that billion dollar Disney franchise Hannah Montana is trading in Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty (which helps transform mostly child actors, singers and models into A-list stars) for United Talent to follow her long-term agent Mitchell Gossett. According to my sources, Gossett, until now the VP of CESD's theatrical division, will become a senior agent in UTA's talent department. 
He is also bringing with him Miley's father, singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus, as well as AnnaSophia Robb (the young actress from Because Of Winn-Dixie, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Bridge To Terabithia, The Reaping) and High School Musical's Monique Coleman. In addition to Cyrus, Gossett has repped many of the big names in the tween/teen talent pool, like Jesse McCartney, Kristen Bell, and Hayden Panitierre. As for 15-year-old Cyrus, the actress/recording artist/touring singer with her own show on the Disney Channel is already a major profit center what with Hannah Montana the most-watched TV series among kids aged 6 to 14, and her two soundtracks from the show selling 2+ million albums in 2007. It was Gossett who set up the meeting for both Cyrus and her father to demonstrate their father-daughter chemistry to the Disney's Gary Marsh. Gossett soon negotiated for Miley to have deals with four areas at the Walt Disney Co: TV, film, consumer products and recording. For Disney, she also has a movie in the works for 2009 and a seven-figure book deal. It's unclear how Miley's career will be hurt or helped by that suggestive photo spread in Vanity Fair that also featured her father, or what role (active or laissez faire) Gossett played behind the scenes.
A 15-year-old girl paid seven figures to write her “memoirs”…
For the love of God, stop the world, I wanna get off.
Comment by Michael Dobrofsky — May 4, 2008 @ 2:28 am
Achy breaky representation
Comment by stupidmove — May 4, 2008 @ 9:13 am
She won’t be a teen forever, so I imagine it’ll help.
Plus all those 15 year old boys are hooked for life now.
Comment by gc — May 4, 2008 @ 1:12 pm
Phase II of operation UTA talent department overhaul has begun.
Comment by Tom — May 4, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Get your facts straight, the first artist to have a deal across those four divisions at Disney was Tim Allen and his Boxing Cat productions. The result was his having the #1 book (Don’t Stand Next To A Naked Man), #1 tv show (Home Improvement), #1 movie (The Santa Clause) all at the same time. In addition, he and a successful line of tools made by Stanley but marketed by Disney as “Binford Tools” based on the fictional sponsor of the “Tool Time” tv show.
“Fact Check” is a term you might want to look into at some point…
Comment by LVX — May 5, 2008 @ 8:42 am
Those sources must have had their feet firmly planted in the Gossett camp, because those are the only people who would have that glowing version of Gossett’s 7 yr long agenting career. The list of stars who have left CESD as a result of his agenting is very, very long.
Start with Hayden Panatierre, Jake Cherry, Josh Hutcherson, Taylor Lautner. The guy has mixed reviews at best. His leaving had been rumored for some time, but it was said that he was having some trouble finding an agency base, Cyrus or no.
Miley has been with him for 3 years. That’s long term? It was one job! And that is a “creative” retelling of her Hannah Montana casting. It would be compelling to read exactly how much Gossett got for Miley in her Disney deal since she signed on with no credits, no name. How much do they pay for a manufactured product like she is?
Wouldn’t Hilary Duff have had the same 4 contractual areas at Disney?
Comment by kidsworld — May 5, 2008 @ 9:13 am
Mitchell is one of the nice guys, good luck to him in that snake pit.
Comment by Mikey — May 5, 2008 @ 9:57 am
I don’t see where Nikki wrote that Cyrus is the first “artist” to have the 4 contractual areas at Disney
There are some really snarky commenters on this site. Are you Tim Allen’s agent or something? You all have too much time on your hands.
Who gives a you-know-what anyway? This Cyrus is a joke, a product of a bunch of pedophile old-fart music execs, sexing up adolescent stars per usual to line their own pockets with a faster sell.
Comment by who cares anyway — May 5, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Vincent Martella from Everybody Hates Chris and Disneys Phineas and Ferb will be going to UTA also. Vincent plays Greg on Everybody Hates Chris and is the voice of Phineas.
http://www.vincentmartella.com
Comment by Jim — May 6, 2008 @ 7:55 pm