Swank Fires Long-Time Staff Over Dictator Gaffe

Hilary Swank quickly apologized after taking part in a dictator’s birthday celebration—and promised to donate the cash fee she received to charity—but apparently that wasn’t enough. Last week, the Oscar-winning actress fired her manager of eight years, whom the Independent reports is also a friend. Two of her CAA reps, who were responsible for the Chechen booking, may also be bumped from her team, and a fourth CAA employee is also on her bad side for allowing the PR disaster to occur.

"Hilary values her liberal credentials and is close to Michelle Obama. She's really upset by what happened," says a source. "It's partly her fault. But what can she do? She can hardly fire herself." Her manager, in particular, is “the fall guy in all this,” the source continues, because he “was never properly told about the … event” in Ramzan Kadyrov's honor. In a bizarre footnote, Seal, who also attended the party, didn't back down from critics on Twitter earlier this month: "You sit there under the umbrella of democracy and never once stop to think how it keeps you dry." (More Hilary Swank stories.)