Maha Dakhil's CAA Colleagues Refused Sit-Down Invitation

'This is Maha's Icarus moment': an email from Lourd, Huvane and Lovett confirms her resignation from CAA's internal board and as co-chief of the motion picture department

MAHA MOMENT The superagent, between J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath, at the CAA Pre-Oscar Party at Sunset Tower Hotel earlier this year. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for CAA)

Even though it was taken down in less than an hour, last week’s Instagram post by CAA’s Maha Dakhil accusing Israel of committing genocide in its war with Hamas continues to reverberate, with some questioning how the 48-year old superagent, who boasts one of the most powerful client lists in town, can survive the blowback. Earlier today, principals Bryan Lourd, Kevin Huvane and Richard Lovett, sent to the staff a note, obtained by The Ankler, that Dakhil had stepped back from its internal “Agency Board” and “for the time being” as co-chief of CAA’s motion picture department.

After screenshots of Dakhil’s post started pinballing around the industry on Thursday, Dakhil issued an apology on social media (her Instagram account is now private). The Ankler has learned that among those who immediately contacted Dakhil about the post was manager Guy Oseary.

“I made a mistake with a repost on Instagram story, which used hurtful language. Like so many of us, I have been reeling with heartbreak. I pride myself on being on the side of humanity and peace.” She continued, “I’m so grateful to Jewish friends and colleagues who pointed out the implications and further educated me. I immediately took the repost down. I’m sorry for the pain I have caused.”

But that was just the start of the attempts at damage control. Late last week Dakhil also tried to organize a meeting with some of her Jewish colleagues to further explain and apologize, according to a CAA source. But it didn’t go so well.