Gambler R.J. Cipriani has made a calculated bet in agreeing to sit for his first in-depth profile. He thinks revealing himself more fully will sharpen his position in his fight with Paramount president Jeff Shell, whom he may soon dislodge from a second major studio job in three years, having helped precipitate Shell’s fall as NBCUniversal CEO in 2023. Cipriani also believes that an unvarnished close-up on his improbable biography and outsized personality may finally deliver the Hollywood green light he’s convinced he deserves.
At his favorite corner table at the Venice restaurant Gjelina, Cipriani refers to himself as “a kamikaze,” “a lone wolf,” “a wild card” and “a fucking cowboy.” He drops names, cracks jokes, issues threats. On several occasions, he breaks into song. An observant Catholic, he says he’s recently been visiting his local church in Santa Monica multiple times a day to pray as he contends with
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