Notes from the Rep Biz - 7-20-2018

A mega writer/producer to CAA, an astronaut to UTA, and an up and comer to APA. It’s Friday and you know what that means? That’s right, another edition of Notes from the Rep Biz!

At CAA:
 
Prolific producer and Academy Award winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman has signed with Brian Kend. Goldsman has several projects set up all over through his Weed Road production company, including the Rainbow Six adaptation and Avengelyne at Paramount. He’s also producing films based on Rob Liefeld’s comic book universe — Extreme Universe.
 
Actress and model Riley Keough has signed with Maha Dakhil. Keough just recently completed work on The Earthquake Bird opposite Alicia Vikander. Keough’s breakout role was in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road as Capable. From there she’s had roles in the TV series adaptation of The Girlfriend Experience and Andrea Arnold’s American Honey. She’ll next be seen in Under the Silver Lake, Jeremy Saulnier’s Hold the Dark and Lars von Trier’s The House that Jack Built. She’s also repped by manager Thor Bradwell at Thirty Three Management.
 
At UTA:
 
Astronaut Peggy Whitson has signed with the agency for speaking engagements and potential book deals. At 655 days, Whitson, who holds the record for the most cumulative time in space, retired from NASA last month.  
 
Other Notes from the Rep Biz:
 
CESD Talent Agency has promoted Erin Grush to Vice President of the New York theatrical department. Grush’s clients include Brandon Victor Dixon, Amirah Vann, Sarah Stiles, and many other. CESD has also hired casting director Sari Knight as an agent. Knight will be based out of L.A. and previously was the casting director on the TV movie Summer Camp, So Undercover and the Evil Dead remake.
 
Actor Siddharth Dhananjay has signed with Ashley Hanley and Bradie Steinlauf at APA. Dhananjay, who made his feature film debut in last year’s Sundance hit Patti Cake$, began his career on YouTube making parody videos of R&B songs. He was cast in Sony’s Valiant Comic adaptation Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel. Dhananjay is managed by Colin Stark at Stark Management.
 
Management Notes:
 
Management and production company Artists First (which used to be Principato Young) has hired Cara Alpert, who joined the company shortly after its rebrand in April. Artists First has also promoted Arabella Roberts to manager. Alpert comes over from WME, and has been focusing on developing up and coming comedy voices, while Roberts will work on writer and director clients. Both Alpert and Roberts will be based out of the L.A. office.

Sources: Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline