THE APEX TIMES
Independent Artist Group signs stunt coordinator and director Jonathan Eusebio for Universal action comedy ‘Love Hurts’
The Independent Artist Group has signed Jonathan Eusebio, whose feature-directorial debut is the Universal action comedy Love Hurts, starring Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose.
Independent Artist Group has signed stunt coordinator and second unit director Jonathan Eusebio following his feature directorial debut on the Universal action comedy Love Hurts, Deadline reported on August 20, 2026.
Eusebio’s new representation with IAG adds another high-level action and stunts-focused filmmaker to the roster, according to the announcement. The move places him under the agency’s umbrella as Love Hurts continues its run as a studio release featuring major awards-recognized leads.
Love Hurts stars Academy Award winners Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose. In the film, Marvin Gable (Quan) is a mild-mannered Milwaukee realtor whose former life as an assassin resurfaces, pulling him back into an action-heavy conflict, the report said.
Deadline’s account ties Eusebio’s signing to the work that brought him to the director’s chair for a feature. The report describes him as a stunt coordinator and second unit director before making Love Hurts his first feature directorial credit.
Eusebio’s background in stunts and second unit direction is positioned as part of the creative through-line for Love Hurts, which combines the cast’s comedic performances with an action framework, the report said. With IAG representation, the agency will look to align his next directing projects with his demonstrated skill set in both coordination and action execution.
The signing also reflects the ongoing studio and industry appetite for talent that can translate action design into narrative filmmaking, particularly for projects that balance genre set pieces with character-driven comedy. For agents and managers, representation can affect which projects a filmmaker is considered for and how deals are packaged across studio, production, and distribution stakeholders.
No additional details were provided in the report about specific future projects, timelines, or the terms of the representation agreement.
For now, Eusebio’s most prominent current credit remains Love Hurts, and the IAG announcement places his post-debut career planning directly alongside a studio title headlined by Quan and DeBose.
Why It Matters
- The IAG signing may shape how Eusebio is presented for future film directing opportunities, particularly projects requiring action execution and narrative integration.
- With Love Hurts led by Quan and DeBose, Eusebio’s association with a high-profile studio release could affect his negotiating leverage within the industry.
- The move highlights the talent-management value of stunt and second-unit experience as studios continue investing in action-comedy hybrids.
- For audiences, the development indicates continuity of genre craft as Eusebio transitions from action coordination roles into sustained feature directing work.
Key Facts
- Independent Artist Group signed stunt coordinator and second unit director Jonathan Eusebio, Deadline reported on August 20, 2026.
- Deadline described Eusebio as having made his feature directorial debut with Universal action comedy Love Hurts.
- Love Hurts stars Academy Award winners Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose.
- The film’s premise, as described by Deadline, follows Marvin Gable, a mild-mannered Milwaukee realtor whose former assassin life resurfaces.
- The report characterizes Eusebio as an action-focused professional with experience coordinating stunts and directing second-unit work.