UTA Loses Nikki Glaser and Alex Cooper as Talent Agency Scrambles to Hold Ground
United Talent Agency has lost two high-profile clients in the summer of 2026 — comedian and Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser and podcaster Alex Cooper — marking the latest in a string of departures that has put the 35-year-old agency under intense scrutiny (Variety).
Glaser defected to WME, one of Hollywood's Big Three agencies alongside CAA and UTA itself. The move shocked many inside UTA's Beverly Hills headquarters, according to three insiders who spoke to Variety. Her departure was not triggered by a single event but by the two parties slowly drifting apart, two sources said. Glaser's profile had risen sharply after her performance on Netflix's 2024 roast of Tom Brady and her first turn hosting the Golden Globes in January 2025.
Cooper, co-founder of the Gen-Z podcast empire Unwell, had been in a public feud with Alix Earle — an influencer and podcaster once distributed by Unwell who is also a UTA client. Cooper was expected to land at CAA, where the plan would be building a premium film and TV production entity in her name.
The summer losses follow a longer exodus. Over the prior three years, UTA lost Greta Gerwig, Ben Stiller, Kevin Hart, and Judd Apatow — a roster that would anchor any agency in Hollywood. In February 2026, Nancy Gates, one of UTA's longest-tenured agents after 30 years, departed to become a manager, as reported by Deadline on February 5 (Deadline).
UTA chief executive David Kramer addressed multiple departments inside the agency, admitting the losses of Glaser and Cooper hurt but emphasising the need to move on, according to Variety. The agency has never had a stronghold with big movie star clients, with one key exception: Timothée Chalamet. Some in the industry think Chalamet may be vulnerable to poaching given the recent headlines.
In July 2026, UTA explored merging with The Team — formerly known as Wasserman — in an attempt to scale up, according to four insiders who spoke to Variety. That effort has not produced a deal. The exploration echoes earlier acquisition attempts: in 2019, UTA was in talks to buy or merge with rival agency Paradigm, though those discussions never resulted in a transaction (Billboard; Hollywood Reporter).
Variety spoke to 10 sources across major studios, management companies, private equity firms and related businesses about UTA's situation. The picture that emerges is of an agency trying to retain its position among the top tier of talent representation while watching clients leave for its two larger rivals.
UTA has also signalled growth where it can. In March 2026, the agency promoted 35 employees to partner across 23 divisions, including Mahzad Babayan in Creators, Hanley Baxter in Filmed Entertainment/Talent, and Christian Bernhardt (Variety). In late July, UTA signed rising filmmaker Januel Mercado for representation in all areas (UTA News).
What makes this moment difficult for UTA is the compounding effect. Losing one major client is a cost of doing business in talent representation. Losing several in a compressed window — while the agency's remaining anchor, Chalamet, is publicly flagged as a potential target — turns a routine cycle into a test of whether UTA can hold its place in the Big Three.
The broader backdrop is one of consolidation. Paramount is pursuing an acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, and the studios, streamers, and agencies that supply them with talent have been under pressure to scale or risk being squeezed out. UTA's attempt to merge with The Team fits a pattern: get bigger, or get fewer clients.
