A3 Artists Agency is shuttering.
A3 COO Todd Quinn informed staff in an email Friday, writing, “The decision was not made lightly and comes after extensive analysis. Despite our best efforts, we find ourselves unable to continue operating in a sustainable manner.” Final paychecks will be sent to staff on Monday, which will be its final day of operations.
According to a source, the decision to pull the trigger was made unilaterally by chairman Adam Bold on Friday afternoon and caught agency CEO Robert Atterman and president Brian Cho by surprise. Bold has the power to make such moves unilaterally according to new operating agreements signed last year.
Atterman and Cho, longtime executives at the firm since before its rebranding from Abrams Artists Agency in 2020, currently are suing Bold for fraudulently compelling them to sign over their managing rights to him. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Dec. 4 in an attempt to block Bold from selling off A3’s signature digital and alternative departments to Gersh.
Before shutting down, the agency had lost its Empire State Building offices in New York as well as its Pacific Design Center offices in West Hollywood. Last month, it did sell off its digital and unscripted divisions to Gersh.
Deadline first reported the news.
—Borys Kit contributed reporting.
