CAA Cuts Ties With Kanye West As Hollywood Boycott Calls Grow

Amid calls to cut ties with Kanye West over his repeated antisemitic comments, CAA stopped representing the artist within the last month, a source tells The Hollywood Reporter.

The Century City-based talent agency had worked with the artist, but his repeated interviews espousing antisemitic rhetoric have proved indefensible to business partners. With CAA ending its run with West, Hollywood’s major talent agencies — including WME and UTA — have supported calls to end working relationship with the rapper and fashion mogul.

On Oct. 23, Jeremy Zimmer, who leads rival agency UTA, sent a companywide email titled “Rise of Anti Semitism and Hate,” writing that West’s comments “embolden others to amplify their vile beliefs.” The UTA CEO added: “we can’t support hate speech, bigotry or anti-Semitism. Please support the boycott of Kanye West.”

Days earlier, Endeavor and WME mogul Ari Emanuel penned a column in the Financial Times saying that “silence” isn’t an option for the business community given West’s antisemitism. “Those who continue to do business with West are giving his misguided hate an audience,” Emanuel wrote.

While West has a lucrative deal with Adidas for his Yeezy shoe and fashion line, other major partners — including French label Balenciaga — have cut ties with the artist.