Open warfare has erupted in Hollywood to block deposed Tinseltown king Michael Ovitz from trying to regain his throne.
Fighting Ovitz the hardest is big talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) – which Ovitz co-founded and ran for 20 years as the most powerful man in Hollywood until he gave it up to be Walt Disney president.
In a rare display of anger, CAA has branded Ovitz “untrustworthy” – and gave an ultimatum to its celebrity roster that has shocked Hollywood.
If you work for Ovitz, you won’t work for us.
It means that some of Hollywood’s biggest names are being dragged into the battle and must choose sides – a conflict of proportions rarely ever imposed on celebrities.
In his comeback attempt, Ovitz wants to build a new powerhouse that not only manages careers of stars but also produces and distributes movies.
He’s called in numerous favors in recent weeks, and rounded up a growing list of celebrities to work with his new company, Artists Management Group.
But the biggest blowup came last week when Ovitz secretly poached Robin Williams.
CAA executives, many of whom trained under Ovitz and warmly regarded him as their idol, blew their tops and issued the ultimatum aimed at other superstars on its roster such as Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise.
Williams, who gets $20 million a picture, will cost CAA lost millions in 10 percent talent fees, but the agency’s loss in prestige could be far worse and open the flood-gates for more defections.
Before the big flare-up over Williams, a number of CAA clients agreed to keep CAA for their job searches but signed up with Ovitz to manage their careers.
They include directors Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Sydney Pollack and actors Minnie Driver and Mimi Rogers.
If CAA holds to its ultimatum however, the big names could be forced to make a choice. And insiders warn that the strategy of pushing around stars could blow up in CAA’s face.
CAA hasn’t banned its clients from working for other management agencies, just Ovitz’s.
CAA President Richard Lovett told Variety: “We know Ovitz. He has proven himself untrustworthy. He has betrayed the people closest to him.”
Ovitz also tried to poach one of New York’s top literary agencies, Janklow/Nesbit, which had always taken its hot books to CAA for screen deals. Janklow/Nesbit turned down Ovitz and is sticking with CAA
Janklow/Nesbit’s writers include Michael Crichton, Tom Wolfe and Anne Rice.