Unwell, the media company founded by popular podcast host Alex Cooper, has received an investment from Hollywood super agent Patrick Whitesell that values the firm at $500 million, according to people familiar with the deal.
Whitesell, who has shepherded the careers of movie stars such as Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, is betting that Cooper and her husband Matt Kaplan can build Unwell into a billion-dollar media business. WTSL, a firm led by Whitesell and backed by private equity firm Silver Lake, made the investment so Unwell can expand its video and consumer products businesses.
Cooper and Kaplan founded Unwell in 2023, looking to build off the success of Call Her Daddy. The show, in which Cooper interviews celebrities such as Olivia Wilde and Megan Fox, is one of the most popular podcasts in the US. Its frank conversations about love and sex struck a nerve, particularly with young women. Sirius XM Holdings Inc. pays Unwell more than $30 million a year to handle distribution and advertising sales for program.
Cooper has spent the past few years leveraging the show into new business opportunities. She produced a documentary for Hulu, hosted live programming from the Paris Olympics for Peacock and developed new series for YouTube. Unwell has also introduced a line of drinks in partnership with Nestle and started an advertising agency with Google.
Whitesell, as well as his colleagues Jason Lublin and Josh Pyatt, see an opportunity to build on that foundation.
Cooper and Kaplan are no strangers to controversy, however. Cooper had a public breakup with her former co-host Sofia Franklyn, as well as with Alix Earle, who previously hosted a show for Unwell. She and her husband have also been criticized for fostering a hostile work environment. Cooper told Marie Claire magazine last year that she and Kaplan foster a “very positive and safe” environment for employees.