Entrepreneur, philanthropist, author and media personality Jason Lee has signed with UTA for representation in all areas, Variety has learned exclusively.
Lee is the CEO and founder of Hollywood Unlocked, a leading source for breaking news and tell-all interviews with some of entertainment’s biggest names. Since its founding in 2015, Hollywood Unlocked has become a trusted platform for figures in the entertainment and music space and has secured podcast and digital series syndication deals with Fox Soul and iHeartRadio, putting Lee in 72 markets and establishing worldwide reach as the No. 1 weekend show on iHeartRadio.
Lee first rose to prominence while appearing on three seasons of VH1’s hit reality series “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” and subsequently appeared alongside Nick Cannon for five seasons of his long-running improv series MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out.”
Through his success in the media space, Lee was tapped by Kanye West to work as his head of partnerships, where he consulted on his “Donda 2” album and the Yeezy Gap partnership.
In January 2023, Lee debuted talk series “The Jason Lee Show,” airing on RevoltTV’s linear channel. The series launched with Grammy-winning rap superstar Cardi B as the first guest, and has since featured celebrities including Cannon, Chloe Bailey, Keke Palmer, Laverne Cox, Babyface, Amber Riley and more. Lee recently brought the talk show to his home at Hollywood Unlocked where it continues to be a mainstay, with each episode amassing millions of views.
Lee opened up about his challenging Stockton, Ca. upbringing in his 2019 memoir “God Must Have Forgotten Me,” detailing his time in foster care, his mother’s substance abuse issues and the death of his brother.
At the 2023 Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards, Lee launched the non-profit organization Hollywood Cares and the I Am Ready initiative, providing much-needed opportunities and resources for Stockton youth in the form of youth leadership workshops, civic engagement education and social and emotional development through hands-on mentorship. Lee has since launched his own campaign for Stockton’s District 6 city council seat, centered on a platform that aims to address food deserts, rehabilitate neglected landmarks, increase community resources and create more youth-focused initiatives to curb rampant crime.
Recently, Lee and Hollywood Unlocked partnered with Enhance Health to launch the Healthcare Unlocked initiative, which brings together celebrity culture and health insurance with the mission to inspire and mobilize one million uninsured individuals to enroll in the Affordable Care Act.
Lee currently splits his time among Los Angeles, Miami and Stockton. In 2023, Hollywood Unlocked ranked No. 1,114 on the Inc. 5,000, valued at more than $50 million. It is one of the nation’s leading Black-owned media and entertainment brands.
UTA will work with Lee to help expand his businesses across all verticals. Lee will continue to be managed by Michael J. Kagan, partner at Range Media Partners.
