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EXCLUSIVE: Mike Jelline, head of ICM’s TV Talent department, is leaving the agency. Word is Jelline didn’t want to run the department anymore, and the two sides couldn’t decide on another role for him at the agency. Additionally, Jelline, who joined ICM in 1997 and has spent his entire career there, reportedly wanted to see what else is out there. Jelline, who is still under contract, is being released early. He is currently exploring his options and is expected to join another major agency. ICM’s TV Talent department is coming off its strongest season ever, booking 70 actors in pilots and representing more than 100 series regulars. “Mike has made considerable contributions to our television talent department,” Ted Chervin, ICM’s Head of Worldwide Television, said in a statement. “We appreciate his hard work and wish him the best.” Since the busiest period for TV talent agents, pilot casting season, just wrapped, ICM is not in a hurry to name a replacement.
Jelline had been a rising star at ICM, taking over the TV talent department in 2008 at age 33. His clients include Vanessa Williams, Jason O’Mara, Aaron Paul, Paul Wesley, Jeremy Sisto, Morena Baccarin, Ali Larter, Jordana Spiro, Oliver Hudson and Natalie Zea.
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Huge loss for ICM. Its over. They are falling apart. I hear others are following suit including the head of their MP Talent Dept. If that happens its Goodnight to ICM!! No Talent Dept. No movie stars. No MP Lit Dept. Seems as though ICM should just be renamed Broder 2.0
Alright, now you’re going a little overboard.
Jelline’s client list is not so enviable at all. Good guy, but not much by way of leadership skills. A number of people there can easily pick up the slack of running that department, including Craig Shapiro who’s a real pro. Interesting that when ICM announces new heads of the MP Talent Dept, they’re criticized for putting in lightweights, but when there’s a rumor one of them might leave, it somehow spells the end of the company. Please.
I think Craig Shapiro is the best choice for the position. He is a wonderful leader, and also held this position in the past.
Jelline was a tremendous leader, and in many ways the heart and soul of that place – back when he still cared. He has been there for too long through, some very tough times. That guy’s had one foot out the door for a long time. Good for him for getting out.
saying it’s over is a bit much, but there is something in what you say about broder 2.0.
icm did used to ‘seem’ bigger.
ICM has been falling apart for 15 years. Seriously. It’s such an old story.
In fact, the only person still left is good ole Jeff Berg. They bought Intertalent
and Bill Block ran it in to the ground. Then – everyone went to William Morris
and all of Morris went to ICM. Then, the old Intertalent ding dongs started
Endeavor. Then, they bought Broder and fired all their own agents again.
And so on, and so on… The roller coaster just keeps going and so does
that agency. Amazing – but they continue to survive. Definitely number
four at this point, but certainly not dead. They will find another person
to fill what’s his names slot and life will continue. Everyone can be replaced.
A lesson to us all.
Would that be Carol Bodie now?
Love this guy!
I think John Sacks should replace him!
John Sacks is such a sweetheart and a stand up agent as well (if there ever was such a thing).
Makes sense. He’s been tired lately. Time for a change. Good guy though.
Wow. He is one of the best. Huge loss.
WME.
Oscar – you are an idiot and a dickhead.
Mike is a good guy who has seemed increasingly unhappy in all facets of life. He did a good job for ICM, but they have a solid list of backups in the talent department to handle the position.
John Sacks is the only one who could handle it in that department. Mike is a good guy but he wasn’t a good leader.
John Sacks is a terrific agent and would be a great candidate. The guy delivered a huge job for a client of mine just two weeks after signing him from another agency right at the beginning of pilot season. He also knows his way around a sushi bar.
Mike is a good guy and I am sure he will land somewhere great. John Sacks/Logan Eisenberg have been killing it for the department. Sacks should run it.
ICM’s TV Dept. will survive post-Jelline, though he has definitely been instrumental in making it the powerhouse it is in TV. They had a great pilot season this year.
Powerhouse…wha??
Yes powerhouse in TV. They dominated every other agency this year in pilot season.
you can’t be serious
Broder 2.0? That’s a compliment dude.
John Sacks would be genius in this position. He is killing it over there and has an amazing roster of talented people.
LOL – thanks John. We get the point. U want the job. Duly noted.
Honestly, if you have ever worked with Sacks you’d know that he would never plug himself anonymously on Deadline. He is a hard working, humble guy who is incredibly decent to everyone – including his subordinates.
Leigh Brillstein is the bomb. She once told the Pres of a company I used to answer phones for that I would make a good agent. I’m an indie music agent now….. does anyone know if she is looking for a hammer?
Your name must be Abe aka husband. Nice. Funny.
John Sacks is a class act. He’s been brought up from a long line of class act agents like Leigh Brillstein and Iris Grossman. Agents who care about their clients and tv.
Not to mention Tom Burke who was his mentor and truly one of the classiest agents I ever dealt with
who these people and who are those clients, ICM used to be in the race with WM and CAA now they are hanging on to compete with APA and Innovative, sad day for all Jeff Berg fans.
anyone sad?
Chris Silbermann’s plan to climb past UTA and WME is going according to plan. Lose anyone with talent to the big boys. Spin the news. Rinse. Repeat. Over and over.
Great work Chris. Way to help ICM change as the business completely does a 180. Can anyone compare this ICM and the old Jim Wyatt ICM?
hahah you can’t be seroius? the only reason ICM is still around is because they were able to acquire Broder/Kurland and rebuild their tv lit department with some legitamte clients and a few good Agents. They had a huge blow when Chris Hart, one of their senior tv talent agents, left for UTA, and have been suffering since. Have you seen their feature department’s rosters? Anyone who knows anything about the Agency biz knows that ICM is a disaster, most of their agents are unhappy, they are stuck with B and C leve clients, and that there are only 3 ‘powerhouses’ – CAA/WME/UTA.
Silbermann is an overgrown frat boy who is still enamored that he gets to hang out with the cool kids. The funny thing is that he has failed to realize that the cool kids are NOT laughing with him.
He’s not a leader, he only promotes those that can’t/won’t oppose him. He competes internally to serve his own ego.
If Schachter wants to leave to go be with his boys at UTA, let him. It, too, will be a non-event.
ICM needs a major overhaul. Its sad to see such a legacy tarnished.
Broder 2.0 would be a compliment because its reminiscent of a time when those guys were hungry and cared about building significant business. Now, all the Broder guys are fat, bloated, rather enthralled with themselves and could give two shits about any of the agents working for them.
Jelline is a rockstar. Whoever lands him is very lucky.
Mike is a class act and a great agent. ICM’s loss will be another agencies gain.
LOGAN EISENBERG!! CLASS ACT EXTRAORDINAIRE! Hard working machine!
are you kidding? is the coordinator too busy or something?
Powerhouse in TV? Not. WME packaged more than 61% of network pilots this year. More than all the other agencies combined.
Dar Rollins is the star in that dept. I have only heard glowing praise about that guy and have been impressed by every interaction I have ever had with him.
enough already. mike is a really good agent who has made a decision regarding his future and it is the right one. he will be missed. sadly
there is NOT a great list of people who can replace him. logan and john are young but are nowhere near running a dept. dar will be killing people and trying to get it for himself but that would be a mistake. maybe the powers that be will merge the two dept into one talent dept and put a trio in to run it. that way they can save some money. whatever they do will be less than perfect. like a house on a hillside icm is slowly going over the edge.
Something here doesn’t make sense. Why not just announce a replacement and give someone else a shot and he just steps down to a role as TV Talent agent. Why would that be so difficult? More than meets the eye here.
Mike is a brilliant guy and very skillful on how to create heat for his clients. I have worked with some of his clients who absolutely adore him. He has nothing but a solid reputation in the TV industry. I am extremely optimistic about his future and wonder what he has in store. Sometimes people who go through change don’t do it because of the company but for themselves and I’ve seen many agents who are too afraid to get out of their comfort zone, so bravo to him.
From my experience, ICM TV Talent Department blows other departments out of the water. I hear the agents within their department get along and are a strong team. I have not heard the same with regard to MP Lit or Talent. So maybe they should learn a thing or two from the TV Talent peeps.
Best of luck Mike! You deserve it!
I had lunch with Mike once and he spent the entire time looking over my shoulder to see who else was in the restaurant. As for Chervin, his meetings are better than his follow through…
Jelline was ‘ok’ in my book! Remember that ICM’s TV Talent department is coming off its strongest season ever, booking 70 actors in pilots and representing more than 100 series regulars! Who can ICM thank for that accomplishment? If ICM is analyzing the situation in an intelligent manner, they would look at some of the talent and sparkling gems they have internally! I read the earlier post and saw Craig Shapiro’s name. Shapiro is, on all levels,the best candidate ICM has right now and right at their fingertips! He ran Innovative for like 17 years! ICM needs a pro, someone who can ride the wave and continue the path they have established in 2010. ICM…the industry will be watching!
We all wish you the best…