UPDATED: I'm told the director of this year's Oscar-nominated There Will Be Blood "just wanted to move on. It wasn't any one thing. He wants a change of scenery. It's all very amicable." I've heard he's already taking meetings with other agencies. Also, actor John C Reilly just fired Endeavor in order to go to CAA. The star of the box office disappointment Walk Hard had once been repped by CAA. Then left to go to Endeavor. Then left to go to UTA. Then returned to Endeavor just recently to follow the three UTA defectors Nick Stevens, Lisa Hallerman and Sharon Sheinwold. Now he returns to CAA. Jeez, it's brutal out there, just brutal.
He needs to take a meeting with AMPAS and the Coens so they can give him the 3 Oscars he should’ve won for There Will Be Blood. Just sayin.
Hopefully wherever he ends up, he’ll be inspired to make movies more frequently than once every 5 years.
Comment by PTA — April 23, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
i for one love PT Anderson.
as for tenpercenters, clients like PTA are great for the trophy case. and, as brilliant as he is, how much do his movies make? not as much as Apatow, et al. Also, at this point, like a Woody Allen, he’s such a master that he picks his cast outside of the whole “packaging” formula over which agencies obsess. So in the end, whoever gets him . . . it’s just a prestige, a golden sticker, as it were. Ho-hum.
Comment by ho-hum — April 23, 2008 @ 4:45 pm
I wonder if P.T.’s departure has anything to do with his not getting the Best Director Oscar for “There Will Be Blood”, that is, he feels the agency didn’t lobby voters enough.
For some odd reason, I remember him and his (then? still?) girlfriend Fiona Apple stewing mad in the audience when he didn’t win an Oscar for “Magnolia”, so it’s safe to assume he covets the phallic statuette.
Comment by P.J. — April 23, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
Hopefully they can hook him up with an editor too…
Comment by Bryan — April 23, 2008 @ 6:03 pm
PTA is the biggest douchebag working in Hollywood today. He’s completely full of himself, disdainful of the contributions of others who work with him, and just generally a nightmare to deal with. His work isn’t commercial and actively turns off most audiences, too.
Comment by Can't Take it Anymore — April 23, 2008 @ 6:04 pm
Is it just me, or is there a pattern to these defections?
UTA clients/agents go to Endeavour
Endeavour clients/agents go to CAA
It’s only a matter of time before CAA clients go to UTA, then to Endeavour, and then return to CAA!
Egad! They’re trapped in a time-loop like a substandard episode of Star Trek!
I think it’s just me, because I can’t tell what the hell is happening anymore.
Comment by Furious D — April 23, 2008 @ 6:29 pm
Johnny C. sounds like kind of a prick.
Comment by 40yearoldstitzer — April 23, 2008 @ 7:13 pm
Maybe Ari should pay a little attention to his own company? It’s one thing to have some big clients walk through the front door, but what’s the point if others are walking out the back?
Comment by somewhatinterested — April 23, 2008 @ 7:50 pm
These guys have profile, but are they earners? I’m the biggest PTA apologist in the world (and I actually think he’s a decent person)…but is he someone who has great earning potential? I love his movies but I don’t think he’s someone who could pull a Singer and move into high concept stuff.
…same with Reilly…there are a couple of Oscars he should have gotten…but outside of critical aclaim is he someone who has any box office potential?
Comment by Charlotte A. Cavatica — April 23, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
I had a few minutes to sit and chat with John C. Reilly one day. While I have no idea what his representation-related issues are, when I spoke to him he came off as a nice guy, and dedicated to his craft.
Comment by mheister — April 23, 2008 @ 10:05 pm
I’ve liked Reilly for some time and thought WALK HARD was the most underrated comedy I’ve seen in years. I actually fell out of my seat at one point. What’s the time-line for all these agency changes? If it’s over a long period of time, it doesn’t matter. If it happened in the last six months then, well…
Comment by Jack Burton — April 24, 2008 @ 12:23 am
John Reilly has a reputation as an extremely difficult actor. It is well known within the studios that his behavior while filming and promoting Walk Hard was quite volatile. For someone who has never opened a movie it seems strange that he was permitted to act in such a destructive manner. Nikki, what’s the reason for an actor to go to so many agencies over such a short period of time? Is he just a guy with some real egomaniacal tendencies as well as a complete disrespect for people in those professions or is there some bigger picture we are all missing? Say what you will about agents but Mr. Reilly seems to think they are simply disposable. Why would anyone at his newest place of representation feel incentivised to work for someone who will clearly leave again in a short period of time? Doesn’t seem like good business.
Comment by themaninthemirror — April 24, 2008 @ 4:40 am
People are such yentas! Or, are you all agents on this board?
I don’t know PTA, but how is it any of your business to decide many times this guy can change his own personal representation? Obviously there’s a problem with the agents. It’s very hard to find a decent agent. They don’t build careers, they steal from others. The agency biz has become toxic and desperate.
Comment by bad agents — April 24, 2008 @ 7:41 am
When is someone going to write the story of the mass client exit from Endeavor? Chris Rock, Michael Patrick King, Reese Witherspoon, John C Reilly, PT Anderson, and the list goes on and on. One day all these agents that they are attracting are going to realize that Ari and gang don’t care about them, they just care about the clients. The clients are the pawn in the game. There will be a day of reckoning when all the partners at Endeavor realize they are not going to get paid well beacause they have spent so much money acquiring agents to get their clients. I feel sorry for the Lisa Hallerman’s of the world who are going to be jobless after their guarantees expire. Ari - good job - hire the agents to get the clients and then don’t pay the core. It will all come back to haunt you - I promise
Comment by dogman — April 24, 2008 @ 7:59 am
Paul is a very good writer and director, but is next to impossible to deal with. He’s bought his own hype since “Boogie”, and has some…unhealthy habits as well.
Comment by mike — April 24, 2008 @ 8:00 am
John C. strikes me as a Gene Hackman type. He was great in River Wild, and has range.
I think the Walk Hard movie flopped because of goodwill for Johnny Cash - nobody was ready to laugh at that kind of myth yet, even if it is parody ready. Same thing with Ray. People LIKE those movies. And laughing at them would end people’s relationship to them.
John C. should find a role as a hitman or an old boxer, maybe after he got real fit. He’s sort of tough, has a mug like an old actor from the 40’s. He should stay away from frat boy comedies. Get in good with David Lynch.
Agents don’t matter, they’re parasites. Talent matters. Actors only have so much time, so no quarter for the agents. OFF with their heads…
Comment by lew wassupman — April 24, 2008 @ 8:54 am
Hey Nikki…just a thought, but
WHO CARES?
Actor leaves agency to join another agency.
Zzzzzz….
Isn’t there anything else going on in Hollywood worth reporting on?
your friend,
Mal
Comment by malcom spago — April 24, 2008 @ 10:31 am
What’s with all the qualifications on needing to be top earners or open a box office? That’s obviously the magic ATM for everyone, but isn’t it the JOB of these agents to creatively maximize the client’s earnings and build their career.
I wish agents would stop whining and do their job - earn top dollar for that particular client. Don’t sneeze at money-earners just because they aren’t top dog.
I know, too much optimism to ask for in this low swing of the industry.
CD
Comment by CD — April 24, 2008 @ 10:38 am
Mal: Yeah, it is sorta news to us in the business. Because like it or not, the agency aspect of things is a huge aspect of the business, and influences what movies get made and how. Mass defections and shufflings — of which these two are a part — are in the end a part of that landscape being reshaped.
Aside of that, though, they’re both worth big money to an agency. Think PTA’s fee(s) are insignificant? And even if Walk Hard didn’t perform, the combination of it and Will Ferrell’s Nascar movie and his other roles puts him at the apex of his earning potential right now, even if it’s leveling out and will eventually decline. That matters to an agency.
Comment by S — April 24, 2008 @ 10:48 am
Ugh. So, so tired of hearing agent-bashing over and over and over again. Enough already. Yeah, some agents are worthless. Yeah, some agents suck. Yeah, some agents ARE parasites. But to say that ALL agents don’t matter to the business is an absolutely moronic and ignorant statement. As “S” just stated above, the agency aspect of things IS a huge aspect of this business, such as negotiating a deal for a client, or getting a client a job that gives them their big break, or getting a network to read a spec script, or putting together a package (yes, I said it, the dreaded P-word) that gets a show on the air, and so on.
Yes, there is some unbelievable talent out there who we, the audience and viewers, would love to believe would succeed with or without those “parasite” agents. However, that, unfortunately, is NOT the case. The reality is that there is ENORMOUS amount of talent in this town who we have never seen due to their lack of representation (or bad representation)…Or due to their inability to catch that first big break, be it a movie or tv show.
Say what you will about agents, but they are NOT meaningless and they do matter. For those who disagree, I’d suggest you talk to a writer or actor with good representation. Then talk to one with bad representation. I’m pretty sure their agent “matters” to them and their career - for better or worse.
And before the flame-party commences, no, I’m not an agent.
Comment by Oh, shut up already! — April 24, 2008 @ 12:47 pm
An ENORMOUS amount of talent? Really?
Comment by Rated R — April 24, 2008 @ 3:42 pm
“Hopefully wherever he ends up, he’ll be inspired to make movies more frequently than once every 5 years.”
It took him several years to attain the funding, based on the difficult subject matter of the film…do a little research next time.
I’ve met PTA several times in regular Joe situations and he came off as very nice guy. Who gives a shit what he does in his personal life.
And not every filmmaker in Hollywood is making big bucks…there are Woody Allen types who’s main raison d’être is prestige, which generates activity in bankable/and or talented actor circles who want to work with him, which offers more attraction for the agency, etc. PTA is one these filmmakers.
Why are people so obtuse?
Comment by Skateboard P — April 24, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
“Hopefully wherever he ends up, he’ll be inspired to make movies more frequently than once every 5 years.”
It took him several years to attain the funding, based on the difficult subject matter of the film…do a little research next time.
I’ve met PTA several times in regular Joe situations and he came off as very nice guy. Who gives a shit what he does in his personal life.
And not every filmmaker in Hollywood is making big bucks…there are Woody Allen types who’s main raison d’être is prestige, which generates activity in bankable/and or talented actor circles who want to work with him, which offers more attraction for the agency, etc. PTA is one these filmmakers.
Why are people so obtuse?
Comment by John Doe — April 24, 2008 @ 5:18 pm