Meghan Markle’s talent agency WME embroiled in Gaza storm after top celebrity agent wrote ‘screw the left kill all’ following deaths of six Israeli hostages

A head of the giant talent agency that represents Meghan Markle reportedly reacted angrily to Hamas’ killing of six Israeli hostages, saying: “Let those leftists die.”

Brandt Joel, a senior leader at WME, wrote the message over the weekend in a pro-Israel workgroup on WhatsApp.

But Mr. Joel deleted the message minutes later from a chat that apparently also included WME CEO Ari Emanuel, the influential Hollywood expert who personally represents the Duchess of Sussex.

Mr. Joel’s clients include Matthew McConaughey, Jason Momoa, Kevin Hart, Hugh Laurie, Mahershala Ali, Jonah Hill, John Malkovich, Ted Danson, Matt LeBlanc and Justin Timberlake.

The millionaire agent responded angrily to a White House statement shared on the group confirming that the six Israeli hostages in Gaza were dead.

Several colleagues called the news “heartbreaking” and “sad”, before Mr Joel declared: “To hell with these left-wing killings”.

Some colleagues were angry about the message and therefore took a screenshot before sharing the message with the media.

A source told The Wrap: ‘Everyone [was] “We text each other asking what’s going on with him.”

According to a WME insider, Mr. Joel has previously criticized the agency for not firing some clients.

The source told TheWrap that they believed he was referring to clients who expressed support for Hamas.

He wrote: ‘We have been weak. Every department has clients we should have discharged, but we didn’t. That shows that we are weak and that we tolerated horrible behavior.’

WME declined to comment. MailOnline has reached out to the Duchess of Sussex for comment.

Meghan joined WME last year in what experts said was a major relaunch after negative publicity over Prince Harry’s book Spare and attacks on the royals in their Netflix documentary.

Her agent Ari Emanuel is a major player in the fashion industry and his wife Sarah Staudinger is the founder and designer of the luxury brand Staud, which Meghan loves.

Mr Emanuel is the president of talent agency WME, which represents the Sussexes’ friends Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry. The agency is known as “the best in the business” when it comes to “business deals and making money”.

Ari is also ‘super connected’ in the Middle East and considers the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a good friend.

“More and more people see Harry as a deer in the headlights and she’s driving. Ari Emanuel is going to fix that. There’s finally an adult in the room,” one PR expert said when the partnership with Meghan was announced last year.

During Covid, WME, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, set up a “bubble” on an island off the coast of the Emirates called “Fight Island” and continued to stage televised fights, which generated millions through television rights and pay-per-view streaming.

“Hollywood came to a standstill and no one was making money, but Ari figured out a way to make millions even during Covid,” a source said.

He will no doubt be careful to avoid pitfalls if he decides to link ‘Meghan Inc.’ to his wealthy Arab clients.

The duchess was criticised for wearing earrings featuring “blood diamonds”, which she received on her wedding day as a gift from Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the man whose regime was responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

Her lawyers, Schillings, issued a strong statement at the time defending the duchess, insisting that she had no idea of ​​Prince Mohammed’s suspected involvement in the murder.

The source said: ‘Ari won’t make mistakes like that. He’s super connected, tough and brilliant.

“Meghan is lucky to have him on her team. If Ari can’t build her into a global brand, no one can.”

WME also represents Meghan’s close friends Oprah Winfrey, Wimbledon champion Serena Williams and filmmaker Tyler Perry.

Perry was the one who lent the Sussexes his Hollywood home when they arrived in Los Angeles after Megxit and he is godfather to their daughter Lilibet.

But Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand has yet to sell a single product, five months after its splashy Instagram launch, leaving experts concerned about the brand’s future.

American Riviera Orchard, which plans to sell kitchenware, jams and jellies, has so far shared only a few of its products with celebrity friends.

The brand’s Instagram page and website are still empty and customers cannot yet purchase products there.

Visitors are instead greeted by a logo and brand name appearing in gold on a faded background.

“If I were an investor, I would have major concerns,” PR and brand marketing expert Matt Yanofsky told The Times.

“If I were an investor, I would say to her, ‘You need to find a CEO with an immediate business plan that is profitable, or at least a revenue plan within the next 60 to 90 days.’

“Otherwise I’ll take my money out.”