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The TV and movie star has been with Paradigm’s Norm Aladjem for a decade. And he’s helped the Grey’s Anatomy star, with her manager and lawyer, pull down big coin as the film offers pour in. (I hear $6 million against 6% for her romantic comedy opposite 300 hunk Gerard Butler, The Ugly Truth, which Sony is so high on it moved from April to this summer.) Then why am I hearing that Katherine Heigl is taking agency meetings? Paradigm strenuously denies this, telling me it’s “100% not true” and she’s not going anywhere. By the way, Paradigm says Heigl has “not yet” officially left Grey’s Anatomy. So much for that rumor du jour.
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Met KH during the strike and man the camera doesn’t do her justice. She is a mesmerizing beauty. She was funny charming and had every man around her in a tizzy.
I disagree with the poster who say she hasn’t carried a film. Any Rom Com director will tell you that the woman makes the film even if the film is about the man. KH is sexy and innocent at the same time and anyone who could sell being attracted to Seth Rogan should wIn an Oscar.
Don’t know anything about her being an ingrate but she’s a terrific talent and a piece of you know what!
GO KATHERINE!
PS: F— Grey’s Anatomy!
The exit polls from Knocked Up showed Heigl was one of the main reasons people went to see it. Far higher than Rogen and Apatow.
27 Dresses took more internationally than Knocked Up did.
The comments regarding Knocked Up were ridiculously blown out of proportion and misquoted. She was asked if she felt the movie was sexist and she said that she felt it was a little sexist – explained why..then explained she hoped women would realise the characters were exaggerated as that was part of the humor. Then she got slaughtered for it. Very unfair.
She was right not to submit for the Emmy’s. The material was not good enough – and it is still not good enough. Sometimes she is too honest for her own good.
Heigl already has 4 movies in a the pipeline (not romcoms) and has started her own production company optioning rights to several movies and books. They range from high drama to action.
She is by all accounts actually very well liked and very easy to work within the industry. A very down to earth person, friendly and gets along with pretty much everyone. Despite tabloid rumors you regularly see her hanging out with pretty much all of her Grey’s co-stars outside of work.
KH was a star at Paradigm. She’ll be second bench at CAA, and what other agency makes sense for HER? Oh, it makes sense for the other agencies… To steal or not to steal, that is the question. But will be treated as a rising star, at her age, at Endeavor? WMA needs her – and I guess she’d be a good get for ICM and UTA.
She better make her money now. Her 40′s are going to be pretty humbling. Can you say sitcom on the WB?
“Hard for me to love the movie.” Really? Did she send her check back to Judd and the studio? Even if what Heigl said about Knocked Up was true, she still cashed that check. She wanted it both ways – money, in Apatow’s film and to then bite the hand that fed her. She shows her true colors again and again. Overrated is right.
Regardless of one’s feelings about KH, the numbers don’t lie: Something north of 27% of all people who went to see “Knocked Up” responded to the studio’s survey that KH was their reason for going, compared to about 7 or 8 percent who said Rogen was the reason. Yes, obviously Apatow had a lot to do with the film’s success as both director and writer.
But “27 Dresses” made a good deal of money despite complete agreement among critics and industry pros that it hardly had any directing or writing in it at all! Yes, several of the 27 Dresses stars were good, but KH made that movie work. There’s nothing a studio wants more than an actress who can deliver a movie notwithstanding complete screw-ups by several other “responsible” parties … especially directors and the writers.
KH is worth every dime.
Live long and prosper, Katherine Heigl!
Looks like KH’s pr PERSON is here writing several of the responses.
I’m not black, and I’m not even liberal but she got involved with that whole thing with Isaiah and I think it was inappropriate.
While she is free to speak her mind, saying it in front of cameras and getting involved with something that is not her affair is unprofessional.
People went to see Knocked Up because of KH??? Yeah right!!! Where is that survey? That is total BS!! ANd for all you KH lovers, answer me this – why did she drop 80 spots in AskMen’s Sexiest Women survey? She is a hack and her 15 minutes are up. I get a feeling that her IMDB page is going to be empty after 2010.
CAA should just sign Paradigm…that is funnieee!
maybe she can go to Gersh and give them something to do
Without having any verifiable data to prove it, I believe that people went to see KNOCKED UP and 27 DRESSES because of Heigl. I don’t know anyone who went to see the male cast. Rogen? Oh please. Can he fill seats without a beautiful woman in the pic?
If Rogen had star power, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS would have done way better than it did. PINE: $ 101 mios worldwide vs. KNOCKED UP $219 mios worldwide. 27 DRESSES was awful but still made $ 160 mios world.
ZACK AND MIRI with Rogen? Who cares? (Sorry Kevin Smith)
Watching Rogen and those other supposed “average guy” type actors (Jonah Hill, *gag*) who couldn’t possibly score in a club before 3 AM isn’t my idea of entertainment.
Heigl likely broadened the appeal of ‘Knocked Up’, but to think she was the reason that film was successful is grossly inaccurate. The Apatow brand is a cash cow. I don’t remember seeing Heigl in ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin’, or in the other countless inferior Apatow produced films that come out every other week and do nothing but big business.
The creative team behind ‘Knocked Up’ was surprised by her comments after the film’s release and subsequent success. They pride themselves on encouraging input from the cast and crew on every aspect of the production. She apparently had no issue on set, if she did it would surely have been addressed. She only raised her concerns when she felt it was in her own selfish interest.
In response, the ‘Knocked Up’ guys have had nothing but positive things to say about Heigl and her contributions to the film, at least publicly. The way she she went about trashing those guys and the movie in the press was truly classless.
Ever since her PR campaign against Issiah Washington, I haven’t been able to see her the same way. I am not a “hater” in any way, but I feel really pressed when it comes to this woman.
1) So what if T.R. is your friend, you should of kept your mouth shut and let the senario play out.
2) Who keeps saying this girl is hot?
3) Who keeps saying shes a great actress.
3) Next Julia…come on.
4) As far as carrer moves, I dont know, I think they have been pretty good. As far as breakout TV stars go, she def up there. Hit films, producing some and now 6M +%6. wow
I think she stinks but I have to give credit where credit is due.
You can’t win in this town! Most people criticize actors for being so bland and PC with their responses and then you have someone who walks the walk and she gets blasted for it. As for Knocked Up – the only reason I saw it was because of KH, because she has that Sandra Bullock girl next door quality that so many lack (seen the latest Renee film with her tight expressionless face? – yuk).
I used to watch Greys and now I don’t because I just don’t care.
I like Katherine Heigl and will go see her in most of her movies….and if it’s got Gerard Butler…then even more so.
Leave her alone. She’s outspoken and for that alone I respect her. And no, I’m not her publicist, just someone who prefers honesty over PC bullshit.
her agent is a duplicitous little ass kisser, but that sums up most at paradigm. it’s a prerequisite to stay on suitless sam’s good side. heigl is overrated and you get her nutcase mom with her in the deal , which should make any would be takers of meetings nervous.
So typical of men in the industry to continually be in denial what a powerful market women audiences are. Are you all kidding? A romantic comedy doesn’t even have to be good for it to make a ton of money and a rom com doesn’t cost a lot of money to make. That’s a friggin dream for a studio. Heigl has huge charm and appeal and is unquestionably a draw in those films. As for what she said about Apatow and crew, comparing his female characters to male characters, uh, well she’s right. Like 100% and it was pretty darned insightful. But the boys have a problem with women ever speaking up about badly written female characters. God forbid a female actress with box office power actually flexes her muscles a bit. How dare she.
seriously people? Norm Aladjem doesn’t know how to handle KH, and that’s why he’s always been kept on a short leash with threats of “Patrick Whitesell wouldn’t do that to us” anytime the KH camp knows NA is being an arse….which is a good amount of the time…
KH and crew should run, not walk….
Paradigm’s biggest problem isn’t its size. Many people keep referring to it as a “boutique,” but what’s your definition of that term? You do realize that they have an office in NY that’s bigger than any of the big 5, right? And ones in Nashville and Monterey for music? You do realize that they have a partnership with Athletes First in Newport, right? In other words, they have divisions for Talent, Lit, Sports, Digital Media, Legit Theatre, Books, Film Finance and Music – which is to say they have the same scope that any of the Big 5 do. And frankly, their music roster is bigger than anyone else’s, with the possible exception of WMA.
Their biggest problem isn’t a lack of money. I see a lot of hating on these and previous comments, but how can you hate on a family of immigrants who are self-made with two brothers becoming billionaires and the third (Sam) being worth several hundred million (the recent economic downturn notwithstanding, of course)?! That’s the American dream, isn’t it? And the end result is that they arguably have more cash-on-hand than ANY of the Big 5. Yeah, I said it, what other agency can you think of that has ready access to over a BILLION dollars? And at the end of the day, who cares whether you get the money from a bank loan or a brother – money is money.
Probably Paradigm’s biggest problem is a lack of agents who are used to success at the highest level, who know how to operate in that world and who have the confidence that that knowledge exudes. The Steve Small, Andrew Rogers, Norman Aladjem and Michael Lazo’s of the world are gifted at leveraging the most out of what they have (seriously, who else could have made Dean Cain as wealthy as he is?!). But they’re not the type of agents who can POACH and MAINTAIN A-list stars.
Inarguably, Jim Osborne is the only agent in that entire building who has ever handled A-list talent (which is probably why he’s the one who’s bringing the Gary Oldman’s, Hayden Christensens and Adrien Brody’s in the door). And the rest of the talent department is comprised basically of servicing agents, some of whom can get the job done, but many of whom are just taking up office space.
What Sam should do if he really wants to kick in the jet engines, is to lay off about 80% of the agents in the talent department, and then take that capital and use it to bring on some star agents – the Nick Styne’s, the Josh Lieberman’s…hell, why not even shoot for Ed Limato? Sam can pay them more than any other agency and offer them more autonomy. They, in turn can bring over the stars, and well, success generally begets success.
Just my two cents. Oh, and as for KH – it’s not particularly surprising that she would leave….they all do at some point for whatever reason. But it’s kind of sad that you stick with a guy who believes in you and who builds you a career with choices that so many millions of actresses dream of having, but which so few ever get to experience. And then, right when he gets you everything you’ve asked for, you leave him.
And ps, her Mom-ager is completely nuts.
Hahahaha got to laugh at some of these comments about Norm Aladjem. Anybody that knows Norm, knows he’s the rare agent that maintains excellent relationships with studio execs, producers, filmmakers, and his colleagues. He works his ass off for his clients and they love him. As for him not knowing how to handle KH, are you kidding? $300k per episode for Greys and a stack of $10mil plus offers for her next film??? Yeah, I’d say he’s definitely mishandling her career….NOT!!!
they are referred as a boutique mostly because their motion picture and television departments are fairly small compared to the big 5 agencies. Also, their talent roster and directors are very thin. just because they have 70 agents, doesn’t make them big. Its a bloated agency with a collection of old, tired and stiff agents in every department
It’s easy to say that Gores should lay off 80% of the talent department. the problem is he cant attract the necessary CAA or Endeavor agent to the company because those agents won’t come. they fear that if the move to Paradigm, the clients wont come with them. that’s what happened with Limato.
Lazo, Small, Aladjem and Rogers are small time agents. each one has 1 client that matters and Small doesn’t even have that anymore. They will continue to be in the game, but they’ll always be the LA Clippers, never the LA Lakers which is who the big 5 are or similar teams.
i wonder how KH’s meetings went this week?
Saw KH, her mother/manager, having late lunch with some suits at Pennisula Roof Top today…they must have been trying to avoid the usual crowd.
Worked with the “mesmerizing beauty,” for several years and I must say she is overwhelmingly average. Pretty but nothing to get all crazy about, plus she has zero sex appeal. Don’t get all the fanfare around her. She is thoroughly an actress, knows how to play the game. Fake as the day is long. She and her mother have this weird clingy relationship. Her mother is truly a nightmare.
KH is doing the typical thing: Got a steady gig on a top rated show, scored a few hit films on the side & now wants to be the ‘next Julia’, so buh-bye GREYS…
I won’t even get into the whole ‘KNOCKED UP/Who made it funny’ debate…Who cares? Both Seth Rogen & KH Jumped to near A list with KNOCKED UP, so both benefited. Nuff said on that.
My advice to KH?
Do one, MAYBE two, more Rom Coms(with some type of TWIST), then do a Good Crime or legal Thriller…DIG for a HOT SCRIPT, something smart & edgy. She should stay away from HEAVY DRAMAS & ARTSY PET PROJECTS for now…and NO HORROR!
After doing 3 movies, Take some time off & don’t overexpose…
She should be fine…
Lots of misinformation here..and people who obviously have an agenda…fans who love her and other people who don’t.
Heigl is generally very well regarded in the industry and any comments that she is difficult to work with are ridiculous and simply not true. Her mother is certainly not a nut case either – very shrewd in fact.
She has not been with Norm for 10 years it is considerably less than that.
If there is ANY dissatisfaction it would be in the handling of endorsements – Paradigm have no idea how to build on her brand and were happy to associate her with absolutely anything that paid..rather than go for quality deals. They recently hired a new person to handle this part of the business and her very pushy attitude was not well received.
Heigl already has 4 movies in the pipeline. Her production company Abishag has optioned the rights to several movies. Escape, is one a based on the book by Carolyn Jessop, who was forced into a polygamous marriage as part of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints and later escaped with her six children. The script is being written by Emmy winner Kirk Ellis who wrote John Adams. She also has an action comedy called Drawn Together amongst others.
Heigl has been with CAA and WMA in the past. If she does move it will be for the right reasons. She has a good relationship with Norm.