UTA CEO David Kramer accused Variety executive editor Matt Donnelly of threatening the talent agency and engaging in hostile behavior toward female UTA employees after the publication of a critical story Wednesday.
In a memo to staff, Kramer said Donnelly had described UTA as a “flagrant and hostile enemy” in an email. He also quoted a text in which the reporter allegedly warned there would “be consequences both from Variety/PMC and myself.”
Kramer further claimed Donnelly had told UTA employees he intended to damage the agency’s business and had “recently subjected women at UTA to hostile and unprofessional behavior.”
“That does not live up to any editorial standard,” Kramer wrote. “We will not tolerate it.”
A UTA insider told TheWrap of Donnelly’s behavior towards the agency’s staffers: “He calls them stupid. He calls them lazy. He calls them inept to their faces.”
An insider at Variety said UTA was quoting a “months-old email that followed a heated exchange between Variety and a senior executive at the agency,” saying that back-and-forth occurred at the Cannes Film Festival after an executive challenged the veracity of an interview. According to the insider at the PMC publication, a UTA executive said they would tell others the interview was false, and Donnelly responded by saying if that occurred, he would release the full audio of the interview.
“We stand by our reporting and our editor Matt Donnelly,” Variety spokesperson Jeffrey Schneider said in a statement to TheWrap. “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&A published by Variety, which Donnelly regrets being drawn into.”
A UTA spokesperson declined to comment.
The dispute stems from a Variety story headlined “Talent Agency UTA Faces Summertime Struggles,” which detailed a series of high-profile client departures and UTA’s exploration of a potential merger or acquisition.
The report said UTA was searching for greater scale as it sought to compete with rivals including CAA. It also raised questions about the agency’s position in the film business and whether it could retain Timothée Chalamet, the biggest movie star on its roster.
Kramer called the story “agenda-driven” and said it distorted recent events while showing “a clear bias against our business.”
“Let me be clear: We are thriving,” Kramer told employees, describing 2025 as a “record-breaking year” and saying UTA was on track to outperform it in 2026.
Kramer argued that UTA’s industry position had made it a target and dismissed the critical coverage as “industry rumors and gossip.”
“We will not be bullied or distracted,” he wrote. “This moment should energize all of us to double down and do what we do best.”
Read Kramer’s full email 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
