Creative Artists Agency executive Rachel Rusch has been elevated to co-head of motion picture talent. In her new role, she will lead the department alongside agency veteran Franklin Latt.
All the while, Rusch will continue to lead CAA’s comedy department, a position she’s held since 2019.
“Rachel is an extraordinary advocate for artists, a proven leader with a keen understanding of the marketplace, and a valued mentor to many within the agency and beyond,” CAA board members Maha Dakhil and Joel Lubin said in a statement. “Working collaboratively across the agency, she has led the comedy department to new heights and will play a critical role in guiding the continued growth of the motion picture department in the years to come.”
Since joining CAA in 2010, Rusch has represented comics working across film and television, including Trevor Noah, James Corden, Sacha Baron Cohen, Leslie Jones, Ben Platt, Cecily Strong and Zooey Deschanel. She recently signed Maria Bakalova, the breakout star of Baron Cohen’s acclaimed sequel “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.” Bakalova, a 24-year-old Bulgarian actress, has even generated awards attention for her turn as Borat’s daughter Tutar Sagdiyev in the film, which was released on Amazon Prime last October.
Rusch has also developed a strong track record for breaking U.K. talent into film and television projects in the States. She currently reps comedian Michael McIntyre; actor Matt Berry (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Aisling Bea (“Living With Yourself,” the upcoming “Home Alone”), and actor Jamie Demetriou, who will appear alongside Emma Stone and Emma Thompson in Disney’s “Cruella.”