Alex Cooper Poised to Drop UTA From Unwell — SkimNews
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- Alex Cooper is preparing to drop UTA as her talent agency, a move driven in part by frustration over the agency's continued representation of Alix Earle and Dave Portnoy, two figures who have publicly feuded with her.
- Unwell, the production company Cooper co-founded in 2023 with husband Matt Kaplan, just landed its first outside investor — Patrick Whitesell's WTSL — at a $500 million valuation, with Cooper and Kaplan retaining majority ownership.
- Unwell Beverage Co., a beverage venture launched last year with Nestlé as partner, was shut down by Cooper last week, according to Bloomberg, narrowing the company's focus as outside capital arrives.
- UTA had brokered marquee deals for Unwell including Cooper's host appearance on Peacock during NBCUniversal's 2024 Paris Olympics coverage and the launch of the Unwell Network, a creator platform.
- Matt Kaplan has faced allegations in Vanity Fair and Bloomberg exposés of creating a "toxic work environment," questioning employees about their sex lives, and frequently yelling at staff; Cooper dismissed the reporting at Cannes Lions, suggesting it was a "smear campaign."
Why it matters: Cooper's break with UTA coincides with Unwell's first outside capital — a $500 million valuation from Patrick Whitesell's WTSL — and the shuttering of Unwell Beverage Co., consolidating her operations around podcasting and brand deals at the very moment a heavyweight entertainment investor is signaling growth-capital backing.
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