UTA Says Top Variety Editor Threatened ‘Consequences,’ Called Agency a ‘Flagrant and Hostile Enemy’ in Email

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 lazy. He calls them inept to their faces.”

The texts and emails were read to TheWrap. In May at Cannes, Donnelly got into a dispute with UTA’s indie film head, Rena Ronson, over a correction to a Q&A the editor conducted with her. Donnelly didn’t want to change the article and then wrote, “I will move forward treating UTA as a flagrant and hostile enemy.”

A second UTA insider told TheWrap that Kramer decided to write the memo to his staff on Wednesday because there had been multiple conversations with Donnelly that were “hostile to UTA staffers” and he wanted them to know he was standing up for them.

An insider at Variety said UTA told Donnelly that if he didn’t correct the Cannes Q&A that was in dispute in May, they would tell “top filmmakers and other consequential parties” that it was false. The insider said that Donnelly responded by saying that 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.

On Wednesday, Variety published a story by Donnelly 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

Sharon Waxman contributed reporting to this story.