Jump to content

Ryan Kavanaugh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ryan Kavanaugh
Kavanaugh in 2014
Born (1974-12-04) December 4, 1974 (age 49)[1]
OccupationFilm financier
Known forCo-founder and former CEO of Relativity Media
Spouses
Britta Lazenga
(m. 2011, divorced)
Jessica Roffey
(m. 2015, divorced)
Children2

Ryan Kavanaugh (born December 4, 1974) is an American film financier. He co-founded and was CEO of Relativity Media, where he brokered deals between Wall Street investors and major film studios. He credited his risk-assessment algorithm with Relativity Media's initial success. He stepped down as CEO after Relativity Media's second bankruptcy filing and later founded Proxima Media, which held a controlling stake in Triller from 2019 to 2022.

Early life

[edit]

Kavanaugh was born to a Jewish family[2][3] in Los Angeles, California, where he was raised in the Brentwood neighborhood[4] and attended Brentwood High School.[5] His mother is a real estate broker and his father is a dentist turned businessman, born in Germany. His father changed his surname to Kavanaugh before his son's birth.[6][7] Kavanaugh began purchasing stock shares when he was six years old.[8]

Kavanaugh attended UC Santa Barbara and UCLA but dropped out in 1996.[9][10] In 2012, Kavanaugh threatened The New Yorker with legal action for its reporting on him, including its report that he dropped out of university. Kavanaugh said he was "an official graduate of UCLA and currently enrolled in a PhD program at USC". The New Yorker stood by its reporting.[11] While subsequent sources reported that Kavanaugh finished a degree in 2012,[8][12] The Wall Street Journal reported that there was no record of him taking classes at USC.[13]

Career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

After leaving UCLA in the late 1990s, Kavanaugh started a short-lived venture capital firm.[7] Kavanaugh's uncle connected the family with producer Jon Peters. Kavanaugh and his father leveraged Peters's Hollywood connections to raise an estimated US$175 million in investment funds for the younger Kavanaugh's company.[12]

Several investors, including Peters, sued Kavanaugh, alleging fraud, and the suits were settled out of court.[12] Michael Sitrick, an executive[14] and Kavanaugh family friend,[15] also sued, alleging that Kavanaugh violated terms of their agreement and placed most of Sitrick's $6 million investment into a type of Ponzi scheme at a company where Kavanaugh was a board member.[15] An arbitrator found that Kavanaugh was "clearly negligent", and Sitrick won a $7.7 million arbitration judgment against Kavanaugh.[14] He never received payment because Kavanaugh successfully argued that he was virtually penniless and his business on the verge of bankruptcy at the time of the judgment.[16]

Relativity Media

[edit]

Pre-bankruptcy

[edit]

Kavanaugh co-founded Relativity Media in 2003[9] or 2004[17] with entertainment executive Lynwood Spinks,[18] whose relationship with Warner Bros. gave Kavanaugh the opportunity to broker a deal between a hedge fund and Warner Bros.' film studio. In the early 2000s, Wall Street investors were awash in cash and looking for investments outside of the stock market.[6][9] Relativity Media brokered "film slate" deals between these investors and studios including Universal Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, and Sony Pictures, earning fees of $500,000[9] to $1 million per film.[13][19] In addition to fees, Kavanaugh also insisted on being credited as an executive producer in each film. This gave Relativity Media the aura of a film production company and Kavanaugh a reputation as a producer[6]—without having creative involvement—in nearly 100 movies.[13][20]

Kavanaugh next to actress Amy Smart at an event in 2009

At Relativity Media, Kavanaugh created a Monte Carlo-based model that predicted the probability of a given film's commercial success.[21] Kavanaugh held Albert Einstein as his hero and would write long equations on whiteboards at investor meetings.[9] Although Kavanaugh frequently cited the model's accuracy rate to be 85%, a source close to Elliott Associates, one of the company's principal (and earliest) lenders, estimated it to be much lower.[22] Some investment banks and industry executives also cast doubt on the model's efficacy.[7][12]

Kavanaugh advertised heavily in trade press, where he was praised for Relativity Media's high-value deals.[9][23] He garnered a reputation for successfully bridging Wall Street with the risk-prone film production industry.[13] By 2009, three quarters of films produced by Sony and Universal Pictures had used Kavanaugh's financing.[21] In 2010, Kavanaugh raised investor funds for Relativity Media to launch its own studio,[19] producing movies vetted by Kavanaugh's algorithm. Although Relativity Media executives privately disagreed with Kavanaugh's estimations, he publicized increasingly grandiose claims about Relativity Media's valuation, combining third-party investment deals and optimistic projections into reported revenue.[12] By the early 2010s, the algorithm ultimately proved unprofitable, with box-office bombs outnumbering commercial successes.[20]

Kavanaugh was named by Variety as 2011's "Showman of the Year"[6] and placed 22nd on the Fortune 40 Under 40 list in 2011.[24]

In May 2011, Elliott Associates attempted to rein in Kavanaugh's management.[25] Kavanaugh publicly claimed that he would buy out the hedge fund's stake to re-take charge of his company,[26][27] but Elliott Associates denied that they would sell to him.[26] Their primary investment in Relativity Media funded a Universal Pictures deal, but Kavanaugh's studio chose to date several of its own films in competition with Universal's. Elliott Associates moved to take direct control of their film deal, eliminating Kavanaugh's executive producer fees, and significantly dropping their stake in Relativity Media.[28]

In November 2011, when Relativity Media was short on funds, investor Ron Burkle arranged a series of loans to Kavanaugh's company in exchange for interest.[29] Industry speculation surfaced that Burkle would oust Kavanaugh from Relativity Media in favor of his friend Harvey Weinstein, but Burkle and Weinstein both disclaimed the scenario.[9] Relativity Media executives became increasingly doubtful as the company's financial health declined yet Kavanaugh's valuations kept increasing. Kavanaugh presented implausible valuations and "adjusted" EBITDA numbers to investors, which included projections based on films the company had already relinquished to Elliott Management.[12] In June 2015, lenders began requiring Kavanaugh to receive approval before making any transactions.[30] In July, Relativity Media filed for bankruptcy.[31] As a result, Netflix sought to end a distribution deal with Relativity Media, and Kavanaugh responded by sending threatening emails to Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix.[32]

Post-bankruptcy

[edit]

Shortly after the bankruptcy filing,[33] RKA Film Financing, then one of its lenders, sued the company for misappropriating marketing funds, called Kavanaugh a "con man", and alleged that he was operating a "scheme to defraud investors". They also alleged that Kavanaugh used their invested funds for personal expenses. Relativity Media denied that the money was diverted, saying that RKA Film Financing understood that the money would go into a general corporate account. Relativity Media countersued for $200 million.[8] Kavanaugh and other defendants filed a motion to dismiss, arguing RKA Film Financing failed to state a claim, and the suit was dismissed with prejudice.[34][35]

Relativity Media's operations and reorganization remained under the supervision of a bankruptcy court until March 2016.[36] Kavanaugh eventually stepped down as CEO at the end of 2016 but held onto a majority equity of Relativity Media.[37] Leading up to his resignation, Kavanaugh was absent from the company's offices for weeks and did not take part in executive decisions.[38]

In May 2018, Relativity Media filed for bankruptcy again and arranged to sell all of its assets.[37][39] The United States Trustee's office argued that the bankruptcy seemed to benefit Kavanaugh and the new buyer UltraV Holdings at the expense of Relativity Media's creditors. The trustee learned that Kavanaugh paid himself $2.6 million between April and November 2016 while his company failed to pay bankruptcy fees or file tax returns. They also questioned the legitimacy of Relativity Media's sale to UltraV Holdings since Kavanaugh continued to have extensive access at the company after the bankruptcy filing stated that he had already left.[37][40] UltraV Holdings quickly rehired Kavanaugh as a consultant for Relativity Media, paying him $10,000 per month.[37][41]

In June 2018, an arbitration case found that Relativity Media executives fabricated a memo accusing Relativity Media's former co-president Adam Fields of sexual harassment. A forensic audit of Relativity Media found the memo had been generated by a user named "kav kav".[42][43] Relativity Media submitted the falsified memo to court two weeks before Fields's wrongful termination suit against Kavanaugh was set to be tried.[44][45] Fields's lawsuit alleged that Kavanaugh misrepresented Relativity Media's financial prospects, wrongfully fired Fields four months into his four-year contract, and used Relativity Media office space to produce pornography without the co-president's knowledge or authorization.[46][47] A Los Angeles arbitration judge awarded Fields $8.4 million in damages and found that Kavanaugh "must be" one of the people who forged the sexual harassment memo.[42][44]

Proxima Media

[edit]

In 2017, Kavanaugh launched film production company Proxima Media.[48][49] In 2019, Kavanaugh announced a prospective partnership which would provide $250 million to Proxima Media for film production.[49] However, the potential Hong Kong-based partner announced the deal differently, saying that Proxima Media would pay $100 million for a stake in their production company. Film industry peers and The Hollywood Reporter cast doubt on Kavanaugh's version of the announcement, citing the escalating trade war between the US and China and the unhealthy financial situation of the Hong Kong production company.[50]

After unsuccessfully attempting to acquire the online stock trading game Hollywood Stock Exchange (HSX) in February 2019, Kavanaugh set out to create a film properties trading exchange for fans to invest in movies.[51][52] In May 2019, Kavanaugh announced a cryptocurrency to be used for fractional investing in the platform's slates.[53] Kavanaugh was confident that the Jobs Act would allow his platform to operate legally, but securities experts said that the project's inherent risks might increase scrutiny from the SEC.[52][54] He tapped Elon Spar, who formerly worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, the owner of HSX, to help him develop the company. The two subsequently formed Entertainment Stock X (ESX) with Spar as CEO.[51][55]

In June 2019, Spar initiated a lawsuit against Kavanaugh for fraud.[55][56] He argued that Kavanaugh persuaded him to go into business under false pretenses. According to the suit, Kavanaugh had claimed to have hundreds of millions of dollars in capital, but Spar discovered that the company had virtually none. Spar further accused Kavanaugh of running a Ponzi scheme at ESX by redirecting investors' funds to pay old debts, manipulating corporate records to conceal his fraud, as well as diverting corporate funds for his own personal use rather than paying employees and contractors. Kavanaugh submitted a counterclaim alleging Spar was breaching his contract with ESX. After settling outside of court, Kavanaugh and Spar withdrew their complaints before the court filing process was completed.[48] Spar then released a public statement saying his earlier characterization of the company was inaccurate.[51]

Triller

[edit]

In 2019, Proxima Media acquired a majority stake in the video-sharing platform Triller, coinciding with the Trump administration's announcement that it intended to ban TikTok in the US.[57] Kavanaugh subsequently co-founded Triller Fight Club, a subsidiary focusing on pay-per-view boxing events.[58] In 2021, Kavanaugh proposed a potential merger with SeaChange International to take Triller public. SeaChange International's filing with the SEC stated that a dog food company controlled by Kavanaugh sponsored three Triller fights and represented about 74% of Triller's accounts receivable in 2021. Triller's attorney disputed the revenue data in the filing, but the merger was later dissolved.[59] As of October 2022, Proxima Media no longer owned a controlling share in Triller, and Kavanaugh was no longer a board member.[59]

Films produced

[edit]

As of 2012, Kavanaugh has been involved to some capacity in either production or financing for over 200 films,[60] including The Fighter, Limitless, Hancock, Mamma Mia!, The Social Network, Salt, and Cowboys & Aliens.[6] Kavanaugh was denied a producing credit for the Academy Award nomination of the film The Fighter since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences only allows the submission of up to three producers for Academy Award consideration;[61] Kavanaugh unsuccessfully appealed the Academy's decision.[62]

Personal life

[edit]

In 2011, Kavanaugh married ballet dancer Britta Lazenga.[8][63] In 2015, he married model Jessica Roffey.[64] He has two children.[57] He is a member of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple.[65] According to Forbes, while having been previously featured on their billionaires list in 2013,[57][66] Kavanaugh's net worth fell below $1 billion once Relativity Media filed for bankruptcy in 2015.[67] As of 2020, Kavanaugh had been a regular donor to the Republican Party.[57] After 47 years of living in Los Angeles, California, Kavanaugh expressed his intention to move both his residence and business to Florida due to LA's progressive governance, rising crime and homelessness, and California's perceived anti-business policies.[68][69] In January 2024, Kavanaugh launched a podcast, on which he and his guests discuss personal stories of failure.[70]

Public incidents

[edit]

Kavanaugh frequently used a personal helicopter for daily commuting.[19][71][72] The resulting disturbance prompted some of his neighbors to submit complaints to state and local officials. When it was revealed that the hotel Kavanaugh used for landing was legally permitted only for emergency landings, a spokesperson for Kavanaugh expressed his intention to stop landing there.[73]

In 2012, Kavanaugh was targeted by an extensive extortion plot that was mainly aimed at business executives, including Harvey Weinstein. The perpetrator sent a letter to Kavanaugh demanding $11.3 million and threatening the lives of his family members.[74] A day after receiving the letter, actor Vivek Shah, who had been photographed with Kavanaugh at an event in 2011, was arrested on extortion charges and eventually convicted to seven years in prison.[75][76]

In 2014, an email thread obtained through the Sony Pictures hack was published, in which Kavanaugh decries the US government's handling of the Gaza–Israel conflict.[77] Among the recipients was Natalie Portman who described the thread as "very disturbing"[78] and complained to Kavanaugh that she did not consent to have her private email address included in the mailing list and wished to be removed. Kavanaugh responded, "Sorry, You are right jews being slaughtered [...] is much much less important then [sic] your email address being shared with 20 of our peers"[77] and continued to include her in the mailing list.[79]

[edit]

In 2006, Kavanaugh was arrested after being accused of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and being involved in a hit-and-run. All but the DUI charge, which was lessened to a wet reckless charge, were dropped. Kavanaugh was placed on three years of probation, ordered to pay a fine and take counseling and alcohol education programs.[80][7][81] While on probation for his earlier DUI arrest, Kavanaugh was arrested for speeding and drunk driving with a suspended license in 2008. Kavanaugh pled guilty to violating his probation and the other charges were dropped. Kavanaugh then began using a driver.[7][82]

In 2013, Kavanaugh was criminally investigated for potentially impeding the manhunt for Christopher Dorner because Kavanaugh had landed his helicopter on a sheriff's helipad during the manhunt. Prior to the investigation, Kavanaugh had declined to support sheriff Lee Baca's bid for reelection, whose department launched the investigation.[83][84] The investigation was heavily criticized by Kavanaugh and a spokesperson called it a "politically motivated vendetta".[85] The investigation was later closed after it concluded that Kavanaugh had received prior permission to land on the helipad.[86]

Philanthropy

[edit]

According to former Relativity Media executives, Kavanaugh often pledged large charitable gifts and then billed them to the company. In 2007, Kavanaugh presented Habitat for Humanity with an oversized check pledging $1 million and announced he would become a fund-raising chair for the charity.[12] However, as of 2015, Kavanaugh had not yet donated the promised funds.[87] In 2010, the Board of Governors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center awarded Kavanaugh its Hollywood Humanitarian Award.[88] In 2011, he received the Anti-Defamation League's Distinguished Entertainment Industry Award.[88][89] Kavanaugh was chairman of the board of The Art of Elysium from 2009 until 2015.[90]

Selected filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Ryan Kavanaugh". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  2. ^ Berrin, Danielle (October 12, 2011). "A fundraising feast for Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh at ADL's annual entertainment dinner". Jewish Journal. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  3. ^ "Jewish is the new red". Variety. October 15, 2011. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2014. I always get the question — Ryan Kavanaugh, red hair — but I'm here once again to assure you I'm Jewish on both sides ... until my mom admits she had an affair with the milkman or the mailman I will stay Jewish on both sides.
  4. ^ Haithman, Diane (January 26, 2022). "Crime, Homelessness, High Taxes: Why Hollywood Big Shots Like Ryan Kavanaugh Are Fleeing L.A." TheWrap. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  5. ^ Miller, Daniel; Blume, Howard; Esquivel, Paloma (April 30, 2020). "Elite private schools are receiving federal loans — including one attended by Secretary Mnuchin's children". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e Garrahan, Matthew (July 22, 2011). "Ryan Kavanaugh, would-be king of tinseltown". Financial Times. Archived from the original on August 28, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d e Digiacomo, Frank (February 9, 2010). "The Theory of Relativity". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d Faughnder, Ryan; Fleming, Charles (July 30, 2015). "The mini-mogul behind Relativity Media said he'd change Hollywood, now studio files bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Bruck, Connie (October 1, 2012). "Cashier Du Cinema". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  10. ^ Grover, Ronald (May 11, 2009). "Movie Mogul's Rogue Brand, Hard Rock Hotel Team Up". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022. Kavanaugh, who dropped out of UCLA in 1996 to start a dot-com-era venture capital firm [...].
  11. ^ Block, Alex Ben (October 1, 2012). "Ryan Kavanaugh Lawyer Threatens New Yorker Over 'Egregious' Ron Burkle Profile (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Benjamin Wallace (January 24, 2016). "The Epic Fail of Hollywood's Hottest Algorithm". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c d Fritz, Ben; Schwartzel, Erich (September 10, 2015). "Movie Finance Whiz Fights to Keep His Role". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Hiltzik, Michael (February 23, 2008). "PR guru fails in effort to collect $7.7 million". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Flack Attack". Forbes. December 27, 2004. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  16. ^ Lang, Brent (July 15, 2010). "Sitrick Cannot Collect $7.7M From Kavanaugh, Court Rules (Updated)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  17. ^ Faughnder, Ryan (November 4, 2016). "Relativity Media struggles to come back from bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  18. ^ Chew, Jonathan (March 15, 2016). "Kevin Spacey Pulls Out of Becoming the Boss of This Studio". Fortune. Archived from the original on August 13, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2022. Founded in 2004 by Ryan Kavanaugh and Lynwood Spinks, [...].
  19. ^ a b c Rainey, James; Lang, Brent (July 18, 2015). "Relativity in Ruins: Is it Too Late for Ryan Kavanaugh to Save His Studio?". Variety. Archived from the original on January 9, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Schrager, Allison (April 8, 2019). "Why bad data make bad movies". Quartz. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  21. ^ a b Jones, Chris (November 19, 2009). "Ryan Kavanaugh Uses Math to Make Movies". Esquire. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  22. ^ Rainey, James (August 3, 2015). "Major Relativity Lender Faces Struggle to Collect $137 Million Loan". Variety. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  23. ^ Primack, Dan (September 30, 2016). "How Donald Trump's Finance Chief Got Messed Up With 'Masterminds'". Fortune. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  24. ^ "40 Under 40". CNN Money. October 25, 2011. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  25. ^ Finke, Nikki (May 12, 2011). "Elliott Finally Reins In Ryan Kavanaugh: Moves Relativity Prez Michael Joe In-House". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  26. ^ a b Finke, Nikki (May 31, 2011). "Ryan Goes off the Rails! Kavanaugh Trying To Sell Elliott's Stake In Relativity When Investment Group Isn't Selling". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  27. ^ Masters, Kim (May 31, 2011). "Will Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media Split from Financial Backers?". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  28. ^ Finke, Nikki (June 1, 2011). "UPDATE: Elliott Claims Only "Single Digit" Investment Left In Relativity After Takes Back Kavanaugh's Film Fund With Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  29. ^ Waxman, Sharon (November 27, 2011). "Ryan Kavanaugh's 9 Lives: $200M Loan From Ron Burkle Saves 'Immortals' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  30. ^ Busch, Anita (June 25, 2015). "Relativity Gets 10-Day Extension As Lenders Take More Control". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  31. ^ Patten, Dominic; Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 30, 2015). "Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media Finally Files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  32. ^ Waxman, Sharon (January 30, 2016). "Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh Threatens Netflix Over 'Sleeze Move' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  33. ^ Pedersen, Erik (March 8, 2018). "Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh Gets Lender's $110M Fraud Lawsuit Dismissed". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  34. ^ Siegemund-Broka, Austin (July 24, 2015). "Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh, Film Financier Duke It Out In New Lawsuits". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  35. ^ Cullins, Ashley (March 8, 2018). "Ryan Kavanaugh Beats $110M Film Finance Fraud Suit". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  36. ^ Lieberman, David; Busch, Anita (March 18, 2016). "Relativity Media & Ryan Kavanaugh: A Walk Down Memory Lane Of Hype". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  37. ^ a b c d Maddaus, Gene (July 6, 2018). "Ex-Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh Paid Himself $2.6 Million as Company Struggled". Variety. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  38. ^ Kilday, Gregg (December 20, 2016). "Ryan Kavanaugh Steps Back at Relativity Media, Dana Brunetti Exits as President". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  39. ^ Williams, Trey (May 3, 2018). "Relativity Media Files for Chapter 11 Again After Racking Up $500 Million-Plus Debt in 2 Years". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  40. ^ Busch, Anita; Chmielewski, Dawn C. (June 6, 2018). "Ryan Kavanaugh Might Have Been Paid $2.6M As Relativity Circled Drain With Books & Records In "Disarray"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  41. ^ Hayes, Dade (May 21, 2018). "He's Baaaack! Ryan Kavanaugh Hired As Consultant By Relativity's New Owners". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  42. ^ a b Busch, Anita (June 4, 2018). "Relativity Fabricated Memo Claiming Sexual Harassment Against Former Co-President Adam Fields, Judge Awards $8.4M". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  43. ^ Lopez, Ricardo (June 4, 2018). "Relativity Media Fabricated Memo Containing Claims of Sexual Harassment by Former Co-President Adam Fields". Variety. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  44. ^ a b Donnelly, Matt (June 4, 2018). "Relativity Fabricated Sexual Harassment Accusations Against Former Executive, Judge Says". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  45. ^ Shepherd, Jack (June 5, 2018). "Major film studio Relativity Media forged #metoo memo accusing co-president of sexual harassment, judge finds". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  46. ^ Ng, David (January 11, 2017). "Former Relativity executive accuses founder of fraud and alleges porn activity in offices". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  47. ^ Donnelly, Matt (June 7, 2018). "Ryan Kavanaugh 'Shocked at Audacity' of New Lawsuit, Denies Relativity Invested in Porn". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  48. ^ a b Gardner, Eriq (November 30, 2021). "Ryan Kavanaugh's New Mind Bender: When Is a Lawsuit Not a Lawsuit?". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  49. ^ a b Williams, Trey (May 15, 2019). "Ryan Kavanaugh's New Company Announces $250 Million Injection for US Film Production". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  50. ^ Chu, Karen; Brzeski, Patrick (May 22, 2019). "Is Ryan Kavanaugh's New China Deal for Real?". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  51. ^ a b c Williams, Trey (June 7, 2019). "Ryan Kavanaugh, Former Business Partner Resolve Legal Drama Over Entertainment Stock Exchange". TheWrap. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  52. ^ a b Gray, Robert (June 19, 2019). "Former Hollywood exec Ryan Kavanaugh eyes China for film production". Fox Business. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  53. ^ Geier, Thom (May 23, 2019). "Ryan Kavanaugh Unveils $100 Million Investment in Crypto-Based Proxicoin to Fund Film Projects (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  54. ^ Williams, Trey (June 5, 2019). "Ryan Kavanaugh Wants to Move on From Relativity: 'That Guy Was Kind of an A–hole'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  55. ^ a b Maddaus, Gene (June 7, 2019). "Ryan Kavanaugh Accused by Ex-Partner of Running a Ponzi Scheme". Variety. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  56. ^ Gardner, Eriq (June 7, 2019). "Dueling Lawsuits Filed Over a Stock Exchange for Hollywood Movies". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  57. ^ a b c d Cohan, William D. (October 15, 2020). "Trump, Triller, and the return of Ryan Kavanaugh". Fast Company. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  58. ^ Carroll, Rory (November 5, 2021). "Combat sports-Triad Combat seeks to bridge gap between boxing and MMA". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  59. ^ a b Contreras, Brian; Lee, Wendy (October 4, 2022). "Triller aimed to be the next TikTok. But some creators complain of missed or delayed payments". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  60. ^ Jones, Chris (February 7, 2012). "Wrench in the machine". ESPN. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  61. ^ Sperling, Nicole (January 13, 2011). "Ryan Kavanaugh denied producing credit on 'Fighter'". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  62. ^ Fernandez, Sofia M. (January 15, 2011). "Ryan Kavanaugh Loses AMPAS Appeal for 'Fighter' Producer Credit". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  63. ^ "Ryan Kavanaugh Weds Britta Lazenga in Capri (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. July 12, 2011. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  64. ^ Miller, Michael; Mercedes Lara, Maria (March 14, 2015). "Inside Hollywood Mogul Ryan Kavanaugh's Star-Studded Wedding to Model Jessica Roffey". People. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  65. ^ Baum, Gary (May 30, 2012). "Hollywood's Hottest $150 Million Project Is an 83-Year-Old Synagogue". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  66. ^ Solomon, Brian (March 4, 2013). "Youngest Billionaires of 2013". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  67. ^ O'Malley Greenburg, Zack (July 30, 2015). "Bye-Bye, Billionaire: Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media Files For Bankruptcy". Forbes. Retrieved December 23, 2021. Ryan Kavanaugh is a billionaire no longer.
  68. ^ Haithman, Diane (January 26, 2022). "Crime, Homelessness, High Taxes: Why Hollywood Big Shots Like Ryan Kavanaugh Are Fleeing L.A.". The Wrap. Archived from the original on June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  69. ^ Freeman, James (January 26, 2022). "Californians Now Willing to Admit Why They Are Leaving". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  70. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (January 31, 2024). "Ryan Kavanaugh Is Back, Ready to Dish on His Failures, Brett Ratner and a Secret Lil Tay Project". Variety. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  71. ^ Barnes, Brooks (July 24, 2011). "With Fan at the Helm, Marvel Safely Steers Its Heroes to the Screen". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  72. ^ Kilday, Gregg; McClintock, Pamela (August 5, 2015). "Living Large With Leo and Bradley: How Ryan Kavanaugh Enjoyed the Perks of Relativity's Rise". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  73. ^ Linthicum, Kate; Fritz, Ben (April 1, 2011). "Copter fight kicks up dust in W. Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 18, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  74. ^ Gardner, Eriq (October 2, 2012). "Harvey Weinstein Extortion Case Expands to Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  75. ^ Patten, Dominic (September 11, 2013). "Harvey Weinstein & Ryan Kavanaugh Extortionist Gets 7 Years In Prison". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  76. ^ Pulver, Andrew (September 12, 2013). "Harvey Weinstein extortionist sentenced to seven years". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 29, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  77. ^ a b Berman, Lazar (December 24, 2014). "Gaza email chain irks Natalie Portman". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  78. ^ Galloway, Stephen (May 6, 2015). "Natalie Portman Sounds Off on Israel, Netanyahu, French Anti-Semitism and the "False Idol" of Oscar". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  79. ^ Alexander, Ella (December 24, 2014). "Sony hacking: Natalie Portman reluctantly embroiled in lengthy email exchange about anti-Semitism and Gaza". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  80. ^ Cieply, Michael (May 5, 2008). "Catch and Release? Yes, Says Moneyman". The New York Times. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  81. ^ Cieply, Michael (June 2, 2008). "Financier in Hollywood Strikes Deal in D.W.I.". The New York Times. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  82. ^ Cieply, Michael; Barnes, Brooks (December 6, 2008). "Hollywood Financier Is Arrested Again". The New York Times. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  83. ^ Faturechi, Robert (July 26, 2013). "Studio exec investigated for copter use during Dorner manhunt". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  84. ^ "Chris Dorner manhunt slowed by Hollywood exec?". ABC7. July 27, 2013. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  85. ^ "Sheriff Dept.'s Claim Against Ryan Kavanaugh Is 'Politically Motivated,' Says Studio". TheWrap. July 26, 2013. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  86. ^ Shaw, Lucas (July 31, 2013). "Ryan Kavanaugh Cleared in Chris Dorner Manhunt Investigation (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  87. ^ Rainey, James (September 8, 2015). "How Ryan Kavanaugh Failed to Deliver $1 Million to Charity". Variety. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  88. ^ a b "Ryan Kavanaugh to Be Honored By the Anti-Defamation League". The Hollywood Reporter. September 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  89. ^ Weinstein, Joshua L. (September 13, 2011). "Ryan Kavanaugh Collects Honor From Anti-Defamation League". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  90. ^ Gardner, Chris (December 11, 2015). "Ryan Kavanaugh Resigns as Art of Elysium's Chairman of Board, Replaced by Billionaire Timothy Headington". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  91. ^ a b "Ryan Kavanaugh: Filmography". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
[edit]