Anderson Cooper hires Hollywood super agent a sign the $18M-a-year anchor may leave CNN: reports

Anderson Cooper has hired a reputed Hollywood “super agent” — a sign that the CNN anchor, said to be pulling down an annual salary of $18 million, may exit the struggling cable network amid looming cost cuts.Cooper, the 58-year-old son of the late fashion designer and railroad heiress Gloria Vanderbilt, is ditching his longtime agent United Talent Agency in favor of Creative Artists Agency and its top deal broker Bryan Lourd.News of Cooper’s move was reported on Tuesday morning by the news sites Semafor and Variety.A CNN spokesperson declined to comment.The Post left a message on Lourd’s voicemail seeking confirmation of the Variety and Semafor reports.The decision to switch agents and hire Lourd is significant given that the CAA rep’s client roster leans more toward Hollywood’s elite than traditional broadcast journalists, according to Variety.Lourd has offered his services to A-list stars such as Scarlett Johansson, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron and Daniel Craig.Cooper’s shift in agencies has raised questions about whether the anchor may be preparing to expand his portfolio — or possibly exit the network altogether — as the traditional TV news model faces mounting financial pressures.The former war correspondent has diversified his media presence over the years.

In addition to anchoring “Anderson Cooper 360” on CNN, he contributes to CBS’s “60 Minutes” and previously guest-hosted “Jeopardy!”He was also once considered for a permanent role alongside Kelly Ripa on Disney’s syndicated morning show “Live.” These side gigs have given Cooper room to stretch beyond hard news, and his latest agent switch suggests there may be more evolution ahead.Industry observers told Variety that Cooper’s timing comes as networks across the board are cutting costs and rethinking their talent strategies.Cooper’s bosses at media conglomerate Warner Bros.Discovery, which oversees CNN, is restructuring to separate its TV networks f...