Neil Blair (agent) explained

Neil Blair
Birth Place:United Kingdom
Nationality:English
Occupation:Literary agent, television producer, film producer

Neil Blair is an English literary agent, television producer, and film producer. He is married to Selma Blair.

Early life

Neil Blair studied law at Exeter College, Oxford.[1] [2]

Career

In 1990, after graduating from college, Blair joined the litigation team at the global law firm Linklaters.[3] He later joined Warner Bros. Entertainment, where he became Head of Business Affairs, Europe, worked on productions such as Band of Brothers and Eyes Wide Shut, and helped acquire the film rights for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. In 2001 he left to join the Christopher Little Literary Agency.[4] [5] In 2011, Blair left Christopher Little Literary Agency to found The Blair Partnership. J.K. Rowling joined his client list after 15 years with the Christopher Little Literary Agency.[6] [7]

Blair is the Chairman of the Board and a Director of Pottermore and Chairman of the production companies Brontë Film and Television, founded to develop and produce projects commissioned from J.K. Rowling’s novels,[8] [9] and Snowed-In Productions, founded to work on non J.K. Rowling projects.[10]

Charitable work

Blair is Chairman of J.K. Rowling’s children’s charity Lumos. He is a UK ambassador for The Abraham Initiatives[11] and a board member of JW3.[12] In 2017, he supported the construction of archive space and a reading room on Exeter College’s Cohen Quadrangle to help preserve 30,000 rare books, including important Judaica such as the Soncino Bible, the earliest full text bible ever printed.[13]

Personal life

Blair has said that books and being Jewish "are very close to my heart".[14] He is a fan of West Ham and Saracens.[15] In August 2024, Blair, along with his wife, co-signed a letter demanding that the Emmys rescind its 2024 News & Documentary Emmy nomination[16] of Palestinian journalist and activist Bisan Odwa's award-winning documentary, "It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive[17] ".

Filmography

YearTitleCredited asRef.
width=65 Executive producer
2015The Casual Vacancy[18]
2016Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them[19]
2017–presentStrike[20]
2018[21]
Mrs. Wilson[22]
TBAHarry Potter

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Literary & Entertainment Agents News | the Blair Partnership. 25 May 2021 .
  2. Web site: The Team.
  3. Web site: Passing the Flame. 20 May 2013 .
  4. Web site: Neil Blair. The Blair Partnership. September 23, 2019.
  5. Web site: Neil Blair, founder, The Blair Partnership. Variety. December 5, 2011. September 23, 2019.
  6. Charlotte Williams, "Rowling leaves Christopher Little Agency" The Bookseller.com30.06.11 http://www.thebookseller.com/news/rowling-leaves-christopher-little-agency.html
  7. Shiv Malik, "Harry Potter author JK Rowling leaves her agent" The Guardian, Sunday 3 July 2011 https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jul/04/harry-potter-jk-rowling-agent
  8. Web site: The Team.
  9. Web site: WORK.
  10. Web site: Snowed-In Productions.
  11. Web site: UK Friends of the Abraham Initiatives. 14 July 2019. Abraham Initiatives.
  12. News: Advertising boss chosen as new JW3 chair. 6 December 2017. 14 July 2019. Jewish News.
  13. Web site: NEIL BLAIR OPENS THE NEIL BLAIR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS READING ROOM AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY. 14 July 2019. The Blair Partnership.
  14. Web site: NEIL BLAIR OPENS THE NEIL BLAIR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS READING ROOM AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY. 14 July 2019. The Blair Partnership.
  15. Web site: Neil Blair. Blair. Neil. 24 September 2019. NeilBlairTBP.
  16. Web site: Rice . Lynette . 2024-08-20 . NATAS Responds To Request To Rescind Emmy Nom For Palestinian Journo Behind Doc “It’s Bisan From Gaza And I’m Still Alive” . 2024-08-21 . Deadline . en-US.
  17. Web site: It's Bisan from Gaza and I'm Still Alive . 2024-08-21 . The Peabody Awards . en-US.
  18. Web site: J.K. Rowling, HBO, BBC Team for 'Casual Vacancy' Miniseries. Goldberg. Lesley . The Hollywood Reporter. 23 April 2019. 15 September 2019.
  19. Web site: Warner Bros. Announces Expanded Creative Partnership with J.K. Rowling . 22 September 2010 . . Business Wire. 12 September 2013 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130915102308/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130912005870/en/Warner-Bros.-Announces-Expanded-Creative-Partnership-J.K. . 15 September 2013 .
  20. News: Holliday Grainger to Star in J.K. Rowling's 'Cormoran Strike' TV Series (EXCLUSIVE). Barraclough. Leo. 2 November 2016. Variety. 22 November 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161105223633/http://variety.com/2016/tv/global/holliday-grainger-jk-rowling-cormoran-strike-tv-series-1201906413/. 5 November 2016.
  21. Web site: A Thrilling New Adventure in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World is Underway . . Business Wire. 3 July 2017. 23 September 2019.
  22. Star cast join Ruth Wilson in BBC drama. 17 April 2018. BBC. 23 September 2019.

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