EXCLUSIVE: Senior UTA talent and packaging agent Rob Lee is segueing to the talent management side of the business. Lee is joining Mainstay Entertainment’s founding partners, Norman Aladjem, Ray Moheet, Derek Van Pelt and Sanaz Yamin, as a partner. Lee already shares several clients with Mainstay including creator Dan Patterson (Whose Line is it Anyway, Mock the Week) and eight-time Grammy winner Philip Lawrence (Come Dance With Me).
During his career Lee has represented many prominent names in the industry, most recently Tyra Banks, Eugenio Derbez, and Jon Taffer, among others. He also represents several U.S. and international production companies, documentary filmmakers and showrunners.
Lee recently initiated and packaged the HBO hit series House Of Ho, the new CBS primetime series House Calls with Dr. Phil, and the international hit series De Viaje Con Los Derbez among others. Lee, a seasoned television executive (IMG Global Media, Keshet Studios US) is also an award-winning producer whose credits include Enslaved with Sam Jackson, Americas Best Dance Crew, Millionaire Matchmaker, the feature film Crossroads starring Britney Spears and the miniseries Dean Koontz’s Mr. Murder.
Said Lee, “After many productive and wonderful years wearing various hats in this business, including my most recent and rewarding experience at UTA, I can honestly say that joining Mainstay feels like coming home. I can continue to represent great talent and also make a more significant creative contribution. I’m honored to be joining such an expert and dedicated group who are working with some of the industry’s most talented and respected artists”.
Mainstay CEO Norman Aladjem stated, “Rob and I have been good friends forever and I’ve always admired his passion, creative spirit, and expertise across the entire entertainment landscape. Not only will Rob help augment both our management business and our production arm, but as a human being he’s a perfect fit for our company culture.”
David Kirsch and Geoff Suddleson, UTA Partners and Co-Heads of Unscripted Television, said “Rob has played an integral role on our team at UTA, and we value everything he has contributed to help grow our department. We look forward to working with him in his new capacity.”
Mainstay Entertainment represents clients including Lupita Nyong’o, Trevor Noah, Katherine Heigl, Aaron McGruder, Jennette McCurdy, Maz Jobrani, Roy Wood, Jr., and Emmy nominated director David Paul Meyer.
On the feature film production side, Mainstay most recently produced the independent feature film Before I Go written and directed by Eric Schaeffer and starring Annabella Sciorra and Robert Klein, currently in release, as well as A Simple Wedding, starring Tara Grammy, Rita Wilson and Academy Award nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Among the Mainstay features in development are the film adaptation at Paramount of Trevor Noah’s bestselling memoir Born a Crime with Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o set to star in and produce and Liesl Tommy attached to direct, and the vampire Western Sun Always Sets in the West with Danny McBride and Rough House Pictures at Lionsgate.
On the television side, Mainstay most recently produced the Emmy nominated Kid of the Year for Nickelodeon and Time Studios, and a number of comedy specials for Trevor Noah, Roy Wood Jr., Maz Jobrani and Josh Johnson. Mainstay also produced Black Jesus from creator Aaron McGruder and is currently in production on the reboot of The Boondocks.
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