Meghan Markle signs with 'Hollywood mogul': Who is Ari Emanuel?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently lost their $20million deal with Spotify. While this is a major loss, Meghan is rumoured to be bouncing back quickly with a reported deal with Dior.

The partnership with the French luxury brand could make her the highest-paid influencer, possibly making 200K per post.

This could be a drastic change of work as, since the couple left their royal duties, they have solely been creating content that is centered around their time as royals.

According to new information, this shift in what Meghan Markle is involved with is due to a massive strategic addition to her team.

Indeed, the Duchess ‘has recently signed with powerhouse agency Endeavour’.

While this might not mean much to the general public, this is a huge move. It means that Meghan is now represented by Ari Emanuel who is known not only as a mere agent but as a ‘Hollywood mogul.’

Who is Meghan Markle’s new powerful agent?

When rumours emerged about Meghan’s new possible record-setting deal with Dior, it was said by an unnamed source that her new team had ‘been working on the rebranding of Meghan for weeks.’

But who is this new team and how are they impacting the Duchess’ revenues?

Well, when Meghan signed with William Morris Endeavor, she started working closely with Ari Emanuel.

Emanuel is often described as 'almost a caricature' of a Hollywood agent. The New Yorker says he is 'cunning, quick-thinking, charming and heroically profane.'

Read more: Meghan Markle’s lifestyle blog The Tig could make her millions, claims industry expert

To many people this name doesn’t ring a bell but in Hollywood this is a very big deal. Over his career, Emanuel has represented people such as Oprah Winfrey, Martin Scorsese and Charlize Theron.

But while this might make you think that Emanuel is just another agent for actors to get attached to, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Financial Times describes him as someone with ‘relentless ambition’. So much so that he inspired the Ari Gold character in the HBO series Entourage.

Ari Emanuel is therefore incredibly well connected in Hollywood which could benefit Meghan Markle if she ever wants to return to acting.

Ari Emanuel's political connections

But that’s not all. Ari Emanuel is also connected politically and not just in the States. His own brother, Rahm, ‘served as ex-president Barack Obama’s White House Chief of Staff.’

We know that Meghan is very socially aware and that she has, even before marrying Prince Harry, been known to take political stances.

Read more: Prince Harry: This is where the Duke of Sussex may be staying during the trial

On an international level, Emanuel is also highly connected. The New Yorker reports that in 2009 he met Emirati official and business leader Al Mubarak as he 'began seeking investors in Abu Dhabi.’ The publication continues and explains that Al Mubarak used to be a ‘closed adviser to Mohammed bin Zayed’ who is the ‘Emirates’ de-facto ruler.’

It should also be noted that Mohammed bin Zayed is ‘one of the world’s richest man.’

Emanuel and Al Mubarak also share the same passion for sports which makes them very close friends.

With this connection, Meghan could see a whole new market open for her and that would explain why the rumoured Dior deal could be happening as luxury brands work really well in the UAE.

Now that Meghan Markle is represented by this ‘aggressive deal maker’ we can be certain that there is much more in store for her and on a possibly even bigger scale.

Why Ari Emanuel?

Of course, all the financial and networking reasons listed above may definitely be part of the reasons why Meghan Markle has chosen to sign with Ari Emanuel.

But there is more.

With her podcast Archetypes the Duchess aimed to ‘investigate, dissect, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back.’ We also know that the Duchess has been working with many charities and so even before she was a royal.

That sensibility and awareness to the world could also be something that explains the collaboration between Meghan and Emanuel.

Financial Times explains:

Ari occasionally wades into hot topics, writing an FT editorial that called out rapper Kanye West for antisemitic comments.

We also know that Meghan is very political and that is something else the two share.

For instance, in 2018, Emanuel ‘returned $400million to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.’

Emanuel even stated in The New Yorker:

You have to have some morals

The two seem to share a sense of humanity and empathy as well as an astute sense of business that promises to be very lucrative.

Sources:

IMDB

Twitter

Financial Times: Ari Emanuel: the tenacious super agent disrupting Hollywood

The New Yorker: Ari Emanuel Takes on the World

Express: Meghan Markle linked to new Hollywood agent while she was still a working royal

Daily Mail: Is Meghan about to become the mega-bucks Duchess of Dior? As Sussexes' Spotify gig goes south and observers wonder how they will fund their lavish lifestyle, Hollywood is abuzz with what may be the answer

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