Statt Moves from UTA to CAA

Veteran UTA talent agent Darren Statt is moving to CAA, sources said.

Statt has been in the UTA talent department for seven years.  

The Scottish-born agent reps a diverse roster of actors.

The client list includes Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, Irish actors Ciaran Hinds and Cillian Murphy, Australian thesp Rhys Wakefield (who just landed a lead role in the James Cameron-produced 3-D drama “Sanctum”), Jeremy Davies ("Lost"), “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston, Emmanuelle Chriqui (“Entourage”), and producers Mark Ciardi and Gordon Gray of Mayhem Pictures. Statt isn't Cranston's primary rep and the actor is expected to stay at UTA. Others will play out.

The two big names are Johnson and Reynolds, both expected to move with Statt.

Statt has agented Johnson since he transitioned from his wrestling persona as "The Rock," first starring in action films and then broadening into adult dramas and family comedies. Except for a humorous "Saturday Night Live" appearance when he played "The Rock Obama," Johnson has shed that moniker, and next stars in the George Tillman-directed CBS drama "Faster." Reynolds, meanwhile, followed his summer success in "The Proposal" and "Wolverine" by winning the title role in "Green Lantern," the Martin Campbell-directed film based on the DC Comics character that begins production next year and likely launches a franchise. Reynolds was also the centerpiece of an Allan Loeb-scripted romantic comedy that sold to Working Title in a high six-figure against seven-figure deal last week.  

The exit is being hashed out--agency insiders said Statt's contract runs until year's end--but word began circulating within UTA headquarters Tuesday evening. Already the spinning has begun.