EXCLUSIVE: Writer-director Duke Johnson has signed with WME in all areas for representation. He is best known for co-directing the critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated film Anomalisa with Charlie Kaufman.
01.05.2023 - 18:19 / variety.com
Angelique Jackson On the heels of a breakthrough role in Netflix and A24’s “Beef,” actor Young Mazino has signed with M88 for representation. The Korean American actor stars in the dramedy series as Paul Cho, the crypto-investing younger brother of Danny (Steven Yeun), whose road rage incident with a woman named Amy Lau (Ali Wong) marks the show’s central “beef.” With Danny and Amy unable to move past their vitriolic interaction, Paul finds himself increasingly embroiled in their drama to a dangerous end. Strong reviews for Mazino’s performance amid the buzz for the show — which premiered at SXSW before launching on Netflix last month — have put him in the mix for his first Emmy nomination (in the outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or TV movie category).
“Internally and emotionally, he feels like he’s still a little kid,” Mazino told Variety about creating the character, who is the striking combination of an aimless nerd in a brawny body. “He still feels like he’s not where he wants to be. I tried to emphasize that in his posture and his body language.” Born and raised in Maryland, Mazino is a classically-trained musician, who made the move to New York City in 2014 to attend the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. His credits also include “Prodigal Son”, “Blue Bloods”, “New Amsterdam” and “Blindspot.” In addition to M88, Mazino will continue to be represented by UTA, Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein, New Standard Branding and Narrative PR. Founded in 2020 by former WME Partner Phillip Sun and MACRO Founder and CEO Charles D. King, and led by Sun and partners Oronde Garrett and Gaby Mena, M88 is an independent full-service representation firm, operating with the
EXCLUSIVE: Writer-director Duke Johnson has signed with WME in all areas for representation. He is best known for co-directing the critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated film Anomalisa with Charlie Kaufman.
EXCLUSIVE: Sagar Radiahas signed with Mosaic for representation.
EXCLUSIVE: Zoë Winters, best known for her role as Logan Roy’s calculating assistant Kerry Castellabate on HBO’s Succession, has signed with Anonymous Content.
EXCLUSIVE: Drag queen, comedian, actor and former RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio (aka Roy Haylock) has signed with CAA for representation.
BreAnna Bell “Harry & Meghan” producer Neha Shastry has signed with CAA for representation. She continues to be represented by Ramo Law. An Indian-American director and producer, Shastry began her career at Vice News, where she produced its critically acclaimed coverage of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and the subsequent war in Eastern Ukraine. Her work has been recognized with an Emmy, a Dupont, and a Peabody. Shastry produced Stacey Abrams’ “All In: The Fight For Democracy,” which detailed the history and legacy of voter suppression in the U.S. The film was shortlisted for an Academy Award, and was named Best Documentary by the Hollywood Critics Association, African-American Film Critics Association, and Alliance of Women Film Journalists.
EXCLUSIVE: Finn Cole has signed with UTA for representation in all areas.
EXCLUSIVE: Naomie Harris has signed with WME for representation in all areas. She is returning to the agency after 3 months with CAA.
EXCLUSIVE: Tunisian-Egyptian actress Hend Sabry has signed with CAA for representation.
EXCLUSIVE: Stand-up comedian and actress Dulcé Sloan has signed with APA.
Meghan Markle has her eye on new ventures. The Duchess of Sussex officially signed with Hollywood talent agency, WME, on Thursday.
EXCLUSIVE: British actress Aimee Lou Wood, best known for her starring role in Netflix’s Sex Education, has signed with CAA for representation.
Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has signed for representation with WME, Variety can report exclusively. The signing represents a crown jewel for WME, one might say, as numerous agency rivals have tried to land the public figure formerly known as Meghan Markle since she and husband Prince Harry moved to California in 2020. Her team at WME will include power agent turned Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, Brad Slater, the rep and brand architect within the agency for Dwayne Johnson, and longtime Serena Williams agent Jill Smoller. Additionally, WME will assume representation of Archewell, her and Prince Harry’s content creation label. Film and television production, brand partnerships, and overall business-building will be explored. Acting will not be an area of focus.
EXCLUSIVE: Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. has signed with A3 Artists Agency for representation.
EXCLUSIVE: Actor and creator Simon Kassianides, known for his portrayal of Axe Woves in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian, has signed with Alchemy Entertainment for management.
EXCLUSIVE: Ron Ninio, whose crime drama Kvodo was remade for Showtime as Your Honor, has signed with CAA for worldwide representation.
EXCLUSIVE: The Sex Lives of College Girls star Alyah Chanelle Scott has signed with Lighthouse Management + Media for management in all areas.
EXCLUSIVE: UTA has signed Young Mazino in all areas. The agency will help bolster Mazino’s career across film, television, and more.
Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International “Drive My Car” star Hidetoshi Nishijima has signed with CAA for representation. Nishijima starred in the acclaimed 2021 Japanese feature “Drive My Car,” which was nominated for four Academy Awards, and walked away with the Oscar for best international feature film. He earned several awards for his performance in the Cannes-premiering critical darling, including best actor from the National Society of Film Critics and the Boston Film Critics Circle Awards, as well as the Japan Academy Film Prize for best actor. Nishijima will next star alongside Rashida Jones in “Sunny,” Apple TV+’s half-hour dark comedy series from A24 and Lucy Tcherniak. He also stars in Kitano Takeshi’s “Kubi,” which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
EXCLUSIVE: Zoë Chao has signed with Entertainment 360 for representation. She most recently appeared in Netflix’s Your Place Or Mine opposite Reese Witherspoon. She will next be seen in Hulu’s Nightbitch opposite Amy Adams and can currently be seen in the Party Down reboot for Starz. In March, SXSW premiered the independent film If You Were The Last, starring Chao and Anthony Mackie.
EXCLUSIVE: House of Lies creator Matthew Carnahan has signed with Verve for representation.