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UPDATES Hollywood Signings & Hirings & Firings
WME talent agent Michael Cooper is jumping to CAA, bringing with him clients Josh Brolin, Charlie Hunnam, and a few others. Cooper was considered William Morris chief Jim Wiatt’s go-to guy because he used to be an assistant on the CEO’s desk. At one point, Cooper was tipped to co-head the Morris talent department. But he lost clout at WME when Wiatt was exited before the Endeavor merger. The move to CAA by Cooper, who is the veteran HBO & DreamWorks exec Bob Cooper’s son, also reunites a bit of a boys club from the old Morris (Todd Feldman, Joel Lubin).
WME and manager Robert Stein have been dropped by Mark Ruffalo. It happened a month ago, but for some reason it hasn’t registered with Gaby Morgerman. Ruffalo for now is parked with his lawyer. Yesterday, his Sympathy For Delicious film won Sundance’s Special Jury Prize and marks his directing debut.
Paradigm and agent Andrew Rogers have parted company. He’s taking Michael Cera and a few other clients with him. “Michael’s contract was up and he has other plans,” a source tells me.
ICM has signed Michael Keaton, who recently completed production on The Other Guys; Oscar-winner Alan Arkin who recently wrapped Due Date; David Scearce, who is vying for an Independent Spirit Award for A Single Man which he co-wrote; Garry Shandling, best known for his two iconic series, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show and The Larry Sanders Show; and Aasif Mandvi, a writer and on-air correspondent for The Daily Show who’s in M. Night Shymalan’s The Last Airbender; Eric Stonestreet who stars in the hit series Modern Family; and Émile Gaudreault, the Canadian filmmaker whose De Pere En Flic (Fathers and Guns) became the highest-grossing local French-language film there.
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he is a great guy and reps Michael Fassbender, the most charismatic actor I’ve seen in years
Cooper is a bad guy. I can’t stress enough how unlucky people are when they come in contact with him. He is more fake than anyone I ever met. His father taught him the ways to be an evil executive with no morals or spine. I wish Brolin would realize what kind of jerk he really is. Cooper is the kind of guy who stabs his best friends in the back. He stabbed everyone at William Morris (even his so called best friends) in the back and always got away with it because he was Wiatt’s boy. Thank God that has changed. I hope that karma comes into play and he gets what he deserves so that everyone he stepped on when climbing the ladder will have a smile on there face. He helped Brolin sure…but he stole a lot of thunder from other agents. Jeff Kolodny and Holly Baril used to repp him with Cooper and put a lot of work into getting Brolin back too and they were never recognized because of Cooper’s thugery. I know nice guys finish last but in this case this guy is just an evil person. Ari and Co. may even have a heart compared to “Coop” as he is called (please you’re a jerk), but this guy is a vampire. I would stay clear of anything he says. Most of the time it’s all lies. For the love of God whomever is his assistant should not go with him. Let him suffer setting up his office at CAA.
And so the balls continue to drop from the merger…WME still seems to be losing out here…
OMG, finally Mark Ruffalo has seen the light regarding so-called Manager, Robert Stein. One encounter was enough for me…I could rant on about Stein forever but I’m afraid I can’t be bothered and I’m sure everyone knows anyway.
I find these comments so filled with venom disgusting. There is no reason to be so nasty about anyone. You are such a tiny human. Why not man (or woman up) and give your name.
This goes to all of you people that write so nasty about people. Grow up. I hate that these comments are printed. But since they are, I will defend Michael Cooper.
He has been professional, honest, true to his word on our deals – and fun to work with. I wish him the best at CAA. His clients are lucky to have him fighting so hard for them. WME was luck to have him and so will CAA.
Try spending the time you put into being so angry into something good.
You want people who criticize others to attach their names to their comments? You didn’t even have the guts to reveal your name in your DEFENSE of Cooper. Get real.
I have to speak up, especially when I hear how people say that Coop was handed everything he has. That is so not true. Cooper has worked his ass off since the day he graduated college. His best friends from fourth grade are still his best friends – is this someone who’s “evil” and “venomous”? Please, reserve your rage for a therapist. And yes, I’ve known cooper longer than anyone, so don’t tell me you have better insight.
Ummm, hey sis! How about you respond regarding his treatment of his assistants… Anything to say about that? Didn’t think so. Shut it. The guy is an ass and the way he treats people makes him even more of a clown. No excuse for treating assistants the way he does. I have no patience or sympathy for Cooper getting blasted on these posts. He needs to change the way he treats people. He has no class. End of story.
And you complain about how the guy treats assistant? You just told me to ‘shut it’? Real classy.
reserve rage for a therapist? sure that could be a good option actually. i’ll get everyones names he screwed over. should we bill it to you or michael? since michael is the one that inflicted this so called rage. will he pay for the sessions? i would like to go to a expensive therapist though because there might be some subconscious issues I haven’t dealt with regarding michael’s treatment of others.
Haha, Oh poor Sherri. If someone saying “Shut it” is offensive and class less to you, you would faint if you watched your brother at work for one day. That is the equivalent of him blowing a kiss to his assistant and gently whispering “I respect and appreciate you. Have a great night.” …actually, if he just said “shut it” to his assistants from now on I bet people would think he turned to religion or found jesus or something. Wake up and take a look at your brother. Pretty sad stuff.
Always funny to me when someone who doesn’t divulge THEIR real name tells everyone else to “man (or woman up)” and give THEIR real name.
Agree with XXXX re: the venom but if you knew Coop or had worked with Coop, you might change your tune a little.
HOWEVER, agents are agents people. Not ALL agents behave like this but COME ON! “SWIMMING WITH SHARKS” may be fiction but it isn’t folklore. I’ve been in the room to hear Ed Limato un-friggin-load on a Fox exec spitting words that almost made ME cry!
PS – How’s this for dirt…Todd Feldman is a pizza delivery boy turned agent that climbed the ladder quickly due to the dirt he had on Jim Wiatt and Lubes is “Lubes”. (Both good agents though!!)
The pot calling the kettle black: What’s your real name?
Oh please. Cooper was so D-list and had mostly crap clients. Anyone decent he stole from other agents. Everyone makes it out like it’s a WME loss. Ever think it might have been WME’s choice for him to go? He was just dead weight (along with the bulk of those let go after the merger). Now he’s CAA’s dead weight. Yeah, Josh Brolin is a loss now that his career has been revitalized…but Charlie Hunnam? Come on.
Don’t kid yourself. The atmosphere at WME is so toxic right now, CAA can pick and choose whichever agents they want from that place.
This Cooper guy is a bad apple from my impression.
Thank you.
And so Andrew Rogers finally publicly reveals what had been his intention since back when Sarah Clossey was one of the Talent Dept. heads at Paradigm: that he never intended to stay there because he thinks he’s bigger than Paradigm.
Only problem with that line of thinking is: Andrew Rogers isn’t a rainmaker. He didn’t sign Michael Cera, he merely intra-company poached him. He didn’t sign Mary Elizabeth Winstead. He’s just a glorified covering agent.
The biggest questions now are: 1) Does this mean that Jim Osborne will just take over that entire department now?; 2) Does this mean that Steve Small and Michael Lazo will be further marginalized since they bet all of their chips on the now-departed Rogers?; and 3) What happens to Nate Bryson – the guy who had absolutely no claim to being an agent, other than that he was Rogers’ loyal slave?
Hmmm: This is a huge loss for WME. Stop sugarcoating it. WME has been getting crushed by CAA since the merger, and this is another huge loss, following Shia leaving a few weeks ago. Cooper represents Michael Fassbender, who will be winning Oscars soon enough. I wonder who Matthew Fox will stay with?
Michael Cooper is an incredible agent and a fantastic colleague. As anyone who has worked with him can attest, the guy is smart, focused, possesses vision and creativity, and works tirelessly on behalf of his clients. He’s also damn funny.
Andrew Rogers is about a big a moron as there is in the agency business. Hearing he went over to ICM? UTA and CAA and WME all passed on him. I bet Gersh would have passed too. He is disgusting to be around and a slimy slob. I bet Michael Cera will eventually see the light. It isn’t like Paradigm has too many “stars” so it isn’t like Andrew can take too many people. This is probably the first time Sam Gores did something smart at the agency…next he needs to boot those deuchebags Steve Small and Norm Aledjem (or however you spell it).
Cooper lost all his pull when Jim Wiatt was kicked to the curb. Ari probably didn’t want to pay Cooper his $800k salary so he too let him go. I know he did do a lot for Josh Brolin’s carrer, but come on, Brolin won’t be a star for that long and to pay Cooper that kind of money is insane. Cooper is a little man. Not even 5ft6inches and his ego is as high as anyone would imagine. He kisses the right asses and steps on everyone else from his assistant to his best friends. I hope one day Carma will catch up with this guy because if there is anyone that deserves a knife to the back, it’s him. I’m sure Ari didn’t put up a fight to let him go. Less overhead and less ego in the WME offices.
What’s up with these cool signs at ICM. Mandvi is cool, as is Searce and Keaton. I hear Rogers is going to ICM too.
i only know one thing about this man. he’s a real prick to his assistants.
please tell me more about how he treats his assistants… I interviewed with him but didn’t get it. Dodged a bullet, I see.
Robert Stein was an arrogant, mean spirited, pathetic fool posing as a Hollywood somebody for years, riding off of the back of just one respected client (Mark)… I personally saw him over-negotiate this client out of millions. He truly was perhaps the person in town most often referred to as a “moron” and whom others shook their heads in disbelief when his name came up (like you do when someone brings up a famous football fumble, like Ernest Byner on the three yard line).
R.I.P.
Byner wasn’t the reason the Browns lost that game. The pathetic defense that showed up and allowed 38 pts to the Broncos blew it.
Byner was the reason they were in that game in the first place (Kosar had a little to do with it as well).
Oh, and Stein is a dick!
yeah i don’t like cooper either. i’m glad people are stating the truth about this guy. i’ve known him since the ICM days when he was on wiatt’s desk. he wasn’t the most trustful person i came into contact with and would always try to steal people’s thunder. slimy… nikkie, thanks for the forum.
oh god, i hate cooper. i wonder if he’ll get as many haters on here as he did when nikki reported when tommy lee jones left him and wiatt. the problem with him is that he was too privileged, had a sense of entitlement and also treated agents and assistants like they were 3rd class citizens with a green card. he also stole credit from other agents (CAA agents watch your back when teaming up with him). now that his protector (wiatt) is gone it will be interesting to see how he makes out at CAA. obviously Ari saw through his bullshit.
I agree with Karma for Cooper. He did treat people like 3rd class citizens. I remember once I was hanging out with an agent near Cooper’s office and I overheard him on the phone. Wow, what a maniac. He really swung his bullshit around by criticizing others. He also started screaming at his assistant who at the time was trying her best with what she had. Poor girl. I felt so sorry for her. People all told me she worked her butt off trying to please him. I ran into this poor girl months after and she decided to take time off because of the mental abuse.
I never liked Cooper. Bad vibes. Hopefully CAA will steal away his clients and show him the door. He’s not a good apple.
Michael Cooper is Bob Cooper’s son. Is he also 60′s and 70′s literary agent Frank Cooper’s grandson? If so, that fully explains his becoming a big time agent since Jim Wiatt’s first gig as an agent in this business — even before his ICM days — was as the protege of Frank Cooper.
Which would go to prove not only the “The Sun Also Rises”, “The Son-In-Law Also Rises (David O. Selnick vis. Louis B. Mayer) but also “The Grandson Also Rises”
Get Real,
The only thing funny about Cooper is his hair.
Thank you.
All of you that are posting anonymous comments trashing Michael Cooper, you’re typical Hollywood cowards that would never have the BALLS to say that to anyone’s face. Either speak nicely about people, or show you’re name!
Don’t be an idiot. You really think anyone wants their name out there? It has nothing to do with being a coward or not.
And who cares? Everyone has personal experiences with people in this town, some good, mostly bad. The nameless comments allows for honest opinions – but does it really change anything. I deal with Coop, I think he’s a putz, but so what, I still deal with him – doesn’t mean I want him over for American Idol finale.
And I read that someone else feels that he’s one of the top 5 best guys on the planet – it still doesn’t change my opinion of him being a putz.
It’s not like comments are influencing people – just sharing opinions. Chill out dude.
To quote Bob Sugar (JERRY MAGUIRE): “Finally! Someone said it!”
Well-worded Arturo. Except for the American Idol finale part. You lost me there…
Michael Cooper has done wonders for Josh Brolin’s career. I’d pass on the new Wall Street movie if it didn’t have Brolin.
Andrew Rogers is an outstanding agent. I have worked with him over the years and he keeps his clients working and helps them choose good projects. He has a solid list of up-and-comers as well as veteran actors who all constantly work.
Where ‘Anonymous’ is most incorrect is that it’s hard to be a rainmaker unless one is at one of the big four agencies. If Mr. Rogers moves on to one of those agencies, I think he’ll have an easier time. If I were a top actor, I would choose an agency with top directors. Paradigm doesn’t have any.
Also, this notion that Cooper/Rogers ‘steal’ intracompany clients is absurd. If the signing agent isn’t getting the job done, then a fellow agent should do the client, and the company, their just duty and help them find work and progress in their career.
I think a lot of this hate is jealousy. Lord knows that Cooper isn’t the first person to benefit from a famous last name, but I doubt he would’ve survived if he hadn’t done a solid job. As far as I know Rogers isn’t a legacy, just a hard-working young agent who is probably moving on to bigger and better things.
To Lou (Cooper is that you?),
Why would anyone show themselves? So they can be blackballed? This blog is all about venting with no repercussions…You see…if people start naming themselves than others like Michael Cooper (jerk) will blackball them in the industry calling everyone they know and telling lies. That’s why!!! Nikki has great reporting skills and knows a great story, but also this site is successful because you can vent about this stuff. People have an open forum to discuss this because they can’t go to HR and complain. That’s useless in this industry. Maybe Cooper will change his behavior now. Limato might of yelled at a Fox exec and it may have been wrong, but hey he’s Ed Limato…give him some respect. I’m sure the exec deserved it anyways. Who is Michael Cooper but just a tiny little man that got handed everything…People want to know what really happens behind the scenes. Karma is a bitch. Maybe he should of realized that when he was stepping on people and taking credit when credit is not due. I hope Nikki continues to print this because it needs to be said.
hey mr annonymous, its so much easier to deal with someone else’s success by rationalizing that he was handed everything. you think he could’ve lasted in this town if he didn’t have something to back it up? as for karma, you think cooper’s hurting? he’s the winner here. and yes keep printing nikki, you’re certainly aren’t going to change anyone’s mind bitter guy
Won’t state the exec’s name but she had it comin’ BIG TIME. Ed is the man.
Totally agree with everything Mr. Anonymous stated. These requests for commentors to use their real name is getting a little old. Everyone here should know by now that this is a venting site. Anyone sincerely requesting the identity of a commentor is either the recipient of the venting or someone not in the business.
We do business with people we hate EVERY SINGLE DAY. We hug it out at Kate Mantilini’s and discuss when we could get together for a beer then call our assistant’s to inform them that they are not to set anything with that piece of shit.
This is the business. Love it or please, get the f out…
thank god someone is telling the truth about cooper. here i thought i was all alone in knowing he was human scum. oh well nothing to concern myself with but i huge smile on the face of many people in the industry who have hatred for him. good luck michael i hope you change your outlook on how you treat people while at CAA. you’re no jay maloney (RIP) and ovitz is not around anymore. in your case jim wiatt is not around to protect you. maloney god rest his soul. in his heyday before 94-95 he was “the man.”
I never like Michael Cooper (Wiatt’s so called wonder boy). I remember when he took credit for Henry Cavill getting his tv show while I was in the staff meeting and he announced it. Too bad he didn’t mention Ashley Josephson’s name who was really the agent that got Cavill the job. Ashley is one of the best young agents out there. She did it all for Henry. Cooper did nothing. Also, Alan Gasmer (nicest man ever) and Cooper got into it during a staff meeting and when Alan showed him up Cooper went and told on him to Wiatt. Wiatt threatened Gasmer with his job because he didn’t take shit from the little man. Why would Gasmer ( a respected veteran of this community) take it from Cooper? NO WAY! We need more people like Gasmer…LESS of Cooper.