Rep Sheet Roundup: ’13 Reasons Why’ and ‘Riverdale’ Actor Signs With UTA

THR’s at-a-glance look at the week in representation news

Who got signed, promoted, hired or fired? The Hollywood Reporter’s Rep Sheet rounds up the week in representation news. To submit announcements for consideration, contact rebecca.sun@thr.com.

Subverting stereotypes

UTA has signed Ross Butler, currently pulling double duty on Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why and The CW’s Riverdale. The Singapore-born, Virginia-raised actor plays jocks on both dark teen dramas, recurring on the Archie comics adaptation as Archie’s rival Reggie Mantle and co-starring on the acclaimed Netflix series as Zach Dempsey, the “seventh reason.”

Butler’s previous credits include MTV’s Teen Wolf, the Disney Channel’s K.C. Undercover and Teen Beach 2, Freeform’s Chasing Life and Lifetime’s Perfect High. He continues to be managed by Vincent Cirrincione Associates.

Gone country

Chad Michael Murray has signed with Innovative Artists. The One Tree Hill alum stars as pioneering rock-and-roll label founder Sam Phillips in CMT’s freshman drama Sun Records. He previously was a series regular on ABC’s Agent Carter and starred in the indie Western Outlaws and Angels, which premiered at Sundance last year.

Taking on the team

Abrams Artists Agency has partnered with EAG Sports Management to offer the latter company’s clients representation in all areas. “We look forward to expanding our network and reach for our professional athlete clients,” EAG CEO Denise White said in a statement. “This partnership will amplify our brand and company culture, in addition to providing our athletes with increased opportunities outside of their sports.”

The deal was crafted by White and Abrams CFO Brian Cho. “We are delighted to offer representation to EAG’s diverse clientele,” Abrams founder and CEO Harry Abrams said in a statement. “Many athletes have expanded their brands to a variety of outlets and opportunities and I couldn’t be happier to offer those experiences to Denise’s roster.”

Growing West

Bicoastal entertainment and media law firm Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard is expanding its West Coast practice with the hires of new partner Carole E. Handler and her longtime associate Brianna Dahlberg. Both are joining CDAS’ Beverly Hills office from Eisner Jaffe, and previously were at Lathrop & Gage.

Handler, an adjunct professor at USC Gould School of Law for more than 13 years, has been known as “the lawyer who saved Spider-Man,” having represented Marvel Entertainment in copyright and litigation and devised the trial strategy that allowed the company to recover motion picture rights to the character in 1999. She also spent nine weeks on a pro bono jury trial to help a Holocaust survivor recover the life rights to her story, which is now being developed into a film.

“Carole’s practice is perfectly synergetic with CDAS’ litigation practice in New York, which also centers on IP, media and entertainment disputes,” CDAS litigation group co-chair Eleanor M. Lackman said in a statement. “She helps us take the strong practice that we have built on the East Coast and replicate that type of focus and service on the West Coast., which provides a major benefit for our clients across the country.”

Said Handler in a statement, “In addition to the superior quality of CDAS’ nationally recognized attorneys, its dedication to innovative legal thinking, the depth of its IP practice and its focus on copyright and media, it is also the unusual firm that has a real commitment to internal development and gender diversity equality and practices it.” CDAS has had a majority of female equity partners since late last year.

Coming true

Publicity firm 42West has signed Georgia native-turned-model Mitchell Slaggert, who appeared in a Calvin Klein Underwear campaign last year alongside Kendall Jenner.

Elsewhere in Rep World:

Brad Goreski Signs With CAA

WME Signs Digital and Disney Channel Star Jake Paul