Award-winning Nigerian-Tamil author Akwaeke Emezi has recently signed with United Talent Agency (UTA), a leading global talent, entertainment, and sports agency. UTA will help Emezi with film and TV rights for their books, and more.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, UTA will work with Emezi on areas such as “media rights, film, television, music, fashion, speaking engagements, podcasts and more.” Emezi will continue to be represented by The Wylie Agency and Objectively Good Management for their literary needs.This expanded representation by UTA makes sense given that Emezi recently added on performing artist to their portfolio. [Go here if you missed it.]

This is a highly exciting bit of news since UTA is famous for representing major celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Lizzo, Halsey, M. Night Shyamalan, and Wes Anderson. In fact, they say they only like to represent “storytellers who shape culture and drive the future.”

We are thrilled with Emezi’s new representation especially since they have some film and TV adaptations coming up. Amazon Studios won the screen rights to Emezi’s romance novel You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty back in 2021 and Freshwater is also currently in development for series adaptation at FX.

Emezi is an award-winning Nigerian author with an MFA from Syracuse University. The Death of Vivek Oji (2020) won the Nommo Award. Freshwater (2018) won the Nommo and Otherwise Awards. Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir (2021) won the 2022 ALA Stonewall Prize for Best Nonfiction Book.

Emezi has been named a New York Times bestselling author, a National Book Award finalist, a 5 Under 35 National Book Foundation honoree, and was on the cover of Time Magazine as part of its Next Generation Leaders list. Emezi has also written and directed experimental short films and released a rap single recently!

We are so proud of Emezi for all their achievements. Congrats to Emezi on signing with UTA!