Laurene Jobs Bets Former Agent Can Make Hollywood More Diverse
- Ex-WME Partner Charles King raises funds for TV, films, Web
- Proceeds will back projects at his new media company Macro
Left to right: Jussie Smollett, Serayah McNeill, Taraji P. Henson, Bryshere Gray, Grace Gealey, Terrence Howard, Trai Byers, and Kaitlin Doubleday from "Empire."
Photograph: FOX via Getty ImagesEmerson Collective, a socially conscious fund started by billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs, led an investment of at least $10 million in Macro, a media company that aims to produce film, television and web series for multicultural audiences.
The investment, described as eight figures, marks the first round of funding for Macro, according to a statement Wednesday. Macro is led by former talent agent Charles King, who left one of Hollywood’s most powerful agencies to produce content for segments of the population he considers under-served, an approach reinforced by the success of his client Tyler Perry.