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Why Ari Emanuel Banned Amy Pascal

Hollywood movie producer Amy Pascal.
Hollywood movie producer Amy Pascal. Photo: Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images
Matthew Belloni
November 4, 2022

Now that he’s the C.E.O. of a publicly traded company, it’s been awhile since Ari Emanuel has pulled an Ari Emanuel-ish stunt. But from a good Endeavor source comes word that Ari has forbidden his company from doing business with producer Amy Pascal, and the kibosh is being enforced by the troops at the WME agency. What caused this declaration of war against an in-demand producer and former Sony studio chief?

Well, Pascal is currently finishing up Challengers, an MGM love-triangle dramedy set in the world of pro tennis, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist. The director is Luca Guadagnino, the Italian auteur behind Call Me By Your Name and the current Bones and All. During the Challengers shoot earlier this year, Guadagnino apparently expressed some frustration with Mike Simpson and his WME agents. Pascal, instead of calling Simpson or someone else to tip the agency about its disgruntled client, tipped off Bryan Lourd at CAA. Guadanino soon departed WME for CAA. Ouch.