Black Bear Signs Writer, Producer & ‘Rotting In the Sun’, ‘Ms. Marvel’ Actor Jordan Firstman

EXCLUSIVE: Black Bear’s management arm has signed writer, director, actor, and producer Jordan Firstman, whose credits include Sundance 2023 black comedy Rotting in the Sun.

Firstman first rose to prominence by sharing short skits, impressions, and impersonations on Instagram Live during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He is also known for writing for Alia Shawkat’s Search Party and was later tapped for Netflix animated series Big Mouth, on which he served as both a voice actor and consulting producer. As a filmmaker, Firstman directed the narrative short Men Don’t Whisper, which was shortlisted for the Grand Jury Prize at both Sundance and SXSW in 2018. He has also written for Comedy Central’s The Other Two and directed multiple episodes of the Peabody-nominated Sundance TV series This Close.

On the acting side, Firstman joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2022 via Ms. Marvel on Disney+. He also recently appeared in FX’s Dave and the Netflix comedy You People with Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy.

Next up, Firstman will star in Rachel Sennott’s upcoming HBO comedy pilot alongside Sennott, Odessa A’zion, Miles Robbins and True Whitaker, as well as comedy series English Teacher for FX and Billy Magnussen’s directorial debut The Ridge. 

Beyond his work as an actor and filmmaker, Firstman also penned an ode to gay representation in film, which was sung by Laura Dern and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles at the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards.

Led by partners Keith Redmon and Joanne Roberts Wiles, Black Bear management’s roster includes Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley, whose film Sing Sing is currently in release, Karyn Kusama, Johan Renck, Cooper Raiff, Morten Tyldum, John Hillcoat, Raine Allen-Miller, Charlie McDowell, David Sandberg, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michaël Roskam, Agnieszka Smoczynska, Ilker Çatak, and Simona Tabasco.

Firstman continues to be represented by UTA.