Hollywood Power Agent Ari Emanuel Urges Sydney Sweeney to Drop Scooter Braun for Career Boost

It appears that Sydney Sweeney’s recent signing with CAA may have been influenced by an uncomfortable meeting with Ari Emanuel earlier in the year, during which he suggested she should split from her partner, Scooter Braun.

Insiders reveal that Emanuel met with Sweeney in January, just after the 29-year-old actress found herself without an agent. This followed her long-term agent, Jennifer Millar, departing from Paradigm Talent Agency to join Brillstein Entertainment Partners as a manager at the end of the previous year.

According to multiple sources familiar with their conversation, the meeting took an awkward turn when Emanuel proposed that Sweeney’s career prospects would improve if she ended her relationship with Braun, the former music manager who has famously managed top artists like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande.

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“Ari emphasized that breaking up with Scooter was necessary for her to be taken seriously as an actress and a businesswoman,” one source mentioned. This advice did not sit well with Sweeney, and Emanuel’s remarks eventually reached Braun, who was reportedly upset by the suggestion.

Interestingly, it was Braun who had encouraged Sweeney to meet with Emanuel in the first place, added sources.

However, a representative for Emanuel has denied that he ever met with Sweeney in January or that he advised her to leave Braun.

While there is no clear history of conflict between Emanuel and Braun, both have been vocal supporters of Israel and have expressed strong emotional responses to the release of hostages by Hamas after the attacks on October 7, 2023. Emanuel has also been a critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Previously, Braun’s media and entertainment firm SB Projects exclusively worked with WME. However, following its acquisition by Hybe, the company began collaborating with UTA.

Puck recently reported that it was Braun who contacted CAA’s Kevin Huvane to arrange a meeting with Sweeney. This was independently confirmed by P6H, although a source close to Sweeney mentioned her production team had already met with CAA and was impressed by them.

Nonetheless, Huvane successfully brought her on board. But not everyone at CAA’s Century City headquarters was eager to celebrate, sources indicate.

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Joel Lubin, head of CAA’s motion picture group, had been actively pursuing Sweeney for over a year and had informed colleagues he was close to signing her, according to insiders. Lubin’s client list includes major stars such as Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron, making him one of the most sought-after agents in the industry. Some within the agency felt that not involving him directly in Sweeney’s recruitment was an oversight.

“It’s awkward for Joel, but Scooter is the type who bypasses the usual channels and goes directly to the top,” a leading manager commented.

Others within the agency mentioned that any internal issues had already been resolved. “This kind of situation is nothing new. Joel played the long game, respecting Sweeney’s current representation, and he was involved eventually without much drama,” one source explained.

Another informant added, “Joel was part of the team the entire time. He’s very pleased and excited [about signing Sweeney]. He brought the deal to Kevin.”

Another key factor in Sweeney’s decision to sign with CAA was the sale of The Team (formerly known as Wasserman, and the parent company of Brillstein), which many see as founder Casey Wasserman’s temporary departure from the industry.

Recently, Sweeney starred in a provocative ad for sports prediction market Novig’s first national campaign, which drew some criticism. In the ad, she is seen nude, using sports equipment like footballs and basketballs to cover herself. She also joined Novig as a strategic partner and equity holder. Before this, she had appeared in another controversial campaign for American Eagle.

On the film front, Sweeney’s upcoming projects include “The Housemaid’s Secret,” the sequel to her successful movie “The Housemaid,” as well as Netflix’s forthcoming live-action “Gundam” movie and Colman Domingo’s directorial debut, “Scandalous!” among other projects.

She started dating Braun last year after they both attended the extravagant wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice, Italy. Recently, Page Six reported that Braun is considering marrying the “Anyone But You” actress, describing her as “the modern Marilyn Monroe,” according to a source.

The couple was seen together attending Rosh Hashanah services in Greenwich, Conn, after being photographed kissing in a gondola at the Venice Film Festival the previous weekend.

Braun shared a birthday tribute to Sweeney on Sept. 12, praising her as “the person who surprised me and showed me how life with true partnership can be lived.” He has increasingly been involved in her career, according to reports.

A spokesperson for Sweeney did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and representatives for CAA and Braun also did not comment.

Meanwhile, Emanuel is set to release his memoir, “Roll the Calls,” on September 22, where he will share behind-the-scenes stories of significant signings, firings, successful mergers, and challenging breakups. It remains to be seen if Sweeney’s story will appear in a future edition.