One of Hollywood’s top talent agencies sent out a blistering company-wide memo after Variety published a not-very-favorable story about said agency.
On Wednesday, Variety (owned by Penske Media Corporation, which also owns The Hollywood Reporter) published a piece by reporter Matt Donnelly that spotlights recent high-profile client departures from United Talent Agency, such as Alex Cooper and Nikki Glaser, as well as alleged consolidation pressure within the media space and agents’ anxiety inside the company.
In response, UTA CEO David Kramer issued an email to employees, accusing Donnelly of threatening them and deliberately trying to damage the talent agency’s business. “This morning, Variety published an article with a clear bias against our business,” he wrote. “It distorts recent events, is agenda-driven and does not reflect the strength or momentum of UTA. Let me be clear: We are thriving.”
“This is a reporter that has declared in an email that UTA is a ‘flagrant and hostile enemy,’ and in a text that there would ‘be consequences both from Variety/PMC and myself’ to UTA, and stated to UTA employees his intent to damage UTA’s business. He has recently subjected women at UTA to hostile and unprofessional behavior. That does not live up to any editorial standard. We will not tolerate it,” Kramer added in the email.
The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Donnelly for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication.
A spokesperson for Variety told Semafor that Donnelly’s comments that were quoted in the UTA staff memo were taken out of context. “We stand by our reporting and our editor Matt Donnelly,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The email and texts cited by UTA in its memo to staff date from last May when a UTA exec initiated a heated back and forth, regarding an on-the-record Q and A published by Variety, which Donnelly regrets being drawn into.”
Read Kramer’s full memo to staff below.
This morning, Variety published an article with a clear bias against our business. It distorts recent events, is agenda-driven and does not reflect the strength or momentum of UTA. Let me be clear: We are thriving.
This is a reporter that has declared in an email that UTA is a “flagrant and hostile enemy,” and in a text that there would “be consequences both from Variety/PMC and myself” to UTA, and stated to UTA employees his intent to damage UTA’s business. He has recently subjected women at UTA to hostile and unprofessional behavior. That does not live up to any editorial standard. We will not tolerate it.
Here are the facts: UTA is growing. 2025 was a record-breaking year for our company and we are on track to outperform in 2026. We outperform because we serve our clients better than anyone else.
It is that leadership that can make you a target. We will not be bullied or distracted by industry rumors and gossip.
We have built the most culturally relevant global talent agency, and we will continue to lead by building on that position and executing for our clients.
This moment should energize all of us to double down and do what we do best.
Thank you for all you do.
David
Read the full article here
