United Talent Agency is closing all its worldwide offices by end of day Thursday amid the coronavirus scare “for the coming weeks,” according to a staff memo obtained by TheWrap.
“This is not a reactive decision,” UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer wrote. “There has been no diagnosis of an employee or other specific event. This is a proactive decision that reflects evolving public health guidance and the simple, intuitive fact that we are all connected.”
In a similar move, Paradigm is closing its offices Friday, an agency spokesperson confirmed to TheWrap.
Creative Artists Agency has closed its Century City offices amid the coronavirus scare, asking its employees to work remotely.
ICM Partners and the Gersh agency employees have been asked to work remotely starting today and tomorrow.
ICM employees will begin working remotely beginning today in New York and Washington DC and tomorrow in Los Angeles. Gersh employees will start working remotely Friday.
The news comes a week after CAA restricted travel for its employees.
“While we have asked colleagues worldwide to work remotely, all of us at CAA remain committed to serving our clients and working in partnership with our friends and business leaders in movies, television, music, sports, and beyond,” said CAA President Richard Lovett in a statement to TheWrap. “Our goal throughout our preparations for remote work has been to work as seamlessly as possible, while, of course, making health and wellness a priority in our decision-making.”
An individual with knowledge of the situation tells TheWrap that the agency made the move last night in New York after becoming aware of an agent in the sports group who came into contact with an NBA player who tested positive for coronavirus.
Trey Williams contributed to this report.
