Ryan Wiik

Gunnar Ryan Wiik (born September 23, 1981) is a Norwegian actor and entrepreneur. Wiik resides in Los Angeles, California.

Ryan Wiik
Wiik at a Hollywood red-carpet event in 2007
Born
Gunnar Ryan Wiik

(1981-09-23) September 23, 1981
Hamar, Norway
Occupationactor, entrepreneur
Years active2005 - present

Biography

Wiik was born on September 23, 1981 in the seaside town of Drøbak, Norway.[1] In the late summer of 2005, Wiik appeared as a contestant in a Norwegian talent search TV show, Filmstjerne (English translation: “Movie Star”), but was voted out by the judges after the first round.[2] In 2007, Wiik appeared as Jason in the thriller Timber Falls.[3][4]

In September 2009, Wiik co-founded WR Entertainment with James F. Cardwell, Duane M. Eberlein, Alan E. Bell, Michael Joseph Smith, Øyvind Holm-Johnsen and Steinar Larsen.[2][5][6] On May 9, 2011, Daily Variety announced that WR Entertainment (through its subsidiary WR Films Entertainment Group) had acquired the motion-picture rights to all 83 novels in the best-selling Morgan Kane series, which had sold more than 20 million books to date.[7][8] In January 2016, Wiik announced that he intended to star as the lead role in the planned Morgan Kane films, but later failed his audition.[2][5][9][10][11][12][13]

On January 13, 2016, WR Entertainment became a publicly traded company on the Oslo Stock Exchange Merkur Market under the name WR Entertainment ASA.[14] Two months later, a private placement took place.[15][16] In December 2016, Wiik resigned from WR in response to a group of shareholders seeking his and Chairman James F. Cardwell's removal from the company. This process was later chronicled by WR investor Jan Henry Løken in VG's documentary The Ballad of Morgan Kane. Wiik stated in a press release that he resigned because of "creative differences." Cardwell was later voted out by the shareholders at an EGM.[2][17][18]

Litigation

In March 2017, Wiik filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against WR's CEO, Tasmin Lucia-Khan. The suit, including allegations of defamation and sexual manipulation, made international headlines. Wiik claimed that Lucia-Khan spread rumors about Wiik offering prostitutes to investors.[19][20] Lucia-Khan filed a series of motions to quash service and an anti-SLAPP motion against Wiik.[21][22][23][24] In the anti-SLAPP, one of WR's largest investors, Jonny Martinsen, states in his testimony that he was offered sex with Wiik's assistant as a gift.[25]

In June 2017 WR Entertainment filed a suit against Wiik for multiple counts of fraud, misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, conversion, breach of contract and unjust enrichment.[26] Wiik filed a cross-complaint with multiple claims of breach of contract and fraud.[27][28][29] In July 2017, WR Entertainment obtained an injunction from Oslo District Court (Norwegian: Oslo tingrett) to freeze 18.7 million shares of stock in Wiik's name, pending outcome of WR's fraud claim filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.[30][31][32] Wiik appealed Oslo District Court's decision at a two day oral hearing in August 2017, but lost his appeal.[33] Wiik appealed for the second time to the Borgarting Court of Appeal (Norwegian: Borgarting lagmannsrett).[34][35][36][37][38] On December 1, 2017, Wiik lost his appeal for the second time.[39] The Borgarting Court of Appeal upheld the injunction where the 18.7 million shares would be frozen until Los Angeles County Superior Court had made their ruling.[40][41]

In December 2017, Ryan Wiik reported a WR shareholder to the police for reckless behavior due to him posting parodic and satiric photos of Wiik.[42][43] In June 2018, Wiik's case against the WR shareholder was dismissed by the police.[44]

On February 13, 2018, it was announced that a settlement had been reached between Wiik, WR Entertainment, and WR's CEO Lucia-Khan, where the pending lawsuits between the parties would be dismissed, and that Wiik had agreed to return the disputed 18.7 million shares back to WR Entertainment.[45][46][47][48]

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References
  1. Maddaus, Gene (16 July 2017). "Meet the Norwegian Cowboy Being Chased by 300 Angry Investors Over a Failed Western". Variety. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
  2. Østbø, Stein (23 September 2017). "VG Spesial – "Balladen om Morgan Kane"" [VG Special – "The Ballade of Morgan Kane"]. VG.no (in Norwegian).
  3. "Ryan Wiik". British Film Institute. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  4. Wiik, Ryan. "Ryan Wiik: Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  5. Sæter, Kjetil (20 May 2017). "Mannen som ville være Morgen Kane" [The man who wanted to be Morgan Kane] (in Norwegian). Dagens Næringsliv. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  6. "WR Entertainment". Wide Release Entertainment.
  7. McNary, Dave (9 May 2011). "WR saddles up for Kane Westerns". Variety. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  8. Stavrum, Gunnar (18 March 2016). "Norske milliardærer satser på Morgan Kane". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  9. Østbø, Stein (16 March 2017). "Norske Ryan Wiik saksøker sin tidligere sjef - anklager henne for å ha forført og lurt ham" [Norwegian Ryan Wiik sues his former boss – accuses her of having seduced and tricked him]. VG.no (in Norwegian).
  10. Johannessen, Stian Øvrebø (26 July 2017). "Motsøksmål i Morgan Kane-striden: – Latterlig og skamløst, svarer WR-sjefen" [Countersuit in the Morgan Kane-battle: – Ridiculous and shameless, the WR-boss responds] (in Norwegian). Dagens Næringsliv. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  11. Stavrum, Gunnar (12 January 2016). "Norske Ryan Wiik blir verdenskjent som "Morgan Kane"" [Norwegian Ryan Wiik will become world famous as "Morgan Kane"]. Nettavisen.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  12. "Dokumentar – Balladen om Morgan Kane" [Documentary – The Ballade of Morgan Kane]. VGTV.no (in Norwegian). 23 September 2017.
  13. Ripegutu, Halvor. "Nordmannen Ryan Wiik fjernet som Morgan Kane" [Norwegian Ryan Wiik removed as Morgan Kane] (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  14. Eckblad, Bjørn (15 January 2016). "Tapte 320 mill. på én børsdag" [Lost 320 million on one trading day] (in Norwegian). DN.no. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  15. Stavrum, Gunnar (18 Mar 2016). "Norske milliardærer satser på Morgan Kane". Nettavisen. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
  16. Ekeseth, Fredrich Chr. (18 Mar 2016). "Kjos inn i Morgan Kane selskap". DN. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
  17. Strandli, Are (13 December 2016). "Gründer takker for seg" [Gründer thanks himself] (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  18. Ripegutu, Halvor (14 Dec 2016). "Styreleder og hovedrolleinnhaver ute av styret". Nettavisen. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
  19. Maddaus, Gene (15 March 2017). "Norwegian cowboy actor claims CEO seduced and betrayed him". Variety. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  20. Cullins, Ashley (15 March 2017). "Producer Claims CEO Sexually Manipulated Him to Take Control of the Company". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  21. "Anti-SLAPP Motion against Gunnar Ryan Wiik". 27 September 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  22. "Morgan Kane-sjef: Søksmålet er useriøst" [Morgan Kane boss: The Lawsuit is Unserious]. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  23. "Går til motsøksmål mot omstridt Morgan Kane-gründer" (in Norwegian). 28 September 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  24. "Morgan Kane-sjef slår tilbake mot søksmål" [Morgan Kane boss hits back in Court] (in Norwegian). 28 September 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  25. Østbø, Stein (4 October 2017). "Morgan Kane case: Full battle about prostitution claims". VG.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  26. "Lawsuit filed by WR Entertainment against Gunnar Ryan Wiik". 19 June 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  27. Gran Svenningsen, Christian (26 July 2017). "Morgan Kane Founder Claims 90 Million Kroner". E24.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  28. "Morgan Kane-selskap saksøker gründeren" [Morgan Kane company sues the founder] (in Norwegian). 20 June 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  29. Lorentzen, Marius (9 May 2017). "Full strid om Morgan Kane: Selskapet saksøker grunnleggeren" [Full controversy about Morgan Kane: The company sues the founder]. E24.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  30. "Låser Morgan Kane aksjene til Ryan Wiik" [Morgan Kane lends shares to Ryan Wiik]. Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). 7 July 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  31. "Oslo tingrett fryser Morgan Kane grunderens aksjer" [Oslo District Court freezes Morgan Kane founders shares]. E24.no (in Norwegian). 7 July 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  32. Jacobsen, Stian (7 July 2017). "Må levere tilbake cowboyaksjer" [Must return cowboy shares] (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  33. "Oslo District Court Ruling". 5 September 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  34. "Morgan Kane anker aksjefrys" (in Norwegian). 6 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  35. "Nå har Morgan Kane grunderen anket". 6 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  36. "Duell i retten rundt Morgan Kane aksjer" [Duell in court around Morgan Kane shares]. Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). 24 August 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  37. "Sviende nederlag for Morgan Kane-gründer". Dagens Næringsliv. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  38. "Morgan Kane-gründer tapte i retten – aksjeposten fortsatt frosset" [Morgan Kane founder back in court - stock are still frozen]. E24.no (in Norwegian). 9 May 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  39. "Borgartingting Court of Appeal Ruling". 1 December 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  40. "Anken avvist for Morgan Kane-gründer".
  41. Strandli, Are. "Cowboysagaen: Wiik-anke avvist - hegnar.no".
  42. "Morgan Kane-saken: Ryan Wiik anmelder småaksjonær".
  43. Østbø, Stein (22 December 2017). "Ryan Wiik reports shareholder". E24.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  44. Østbø, Stein (19 June 2018). "The Morgan Kane Case: Satire police report dismissed". VG.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  45. "Settlement of lawsuits against Gunnar Ryan Wiik and Sissel Wiik". newsweb.no. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  46. "Børshopp for Morgan Kane-selskap etter at forlik satte stopper for betent konflikt" [Stock Exchange increase for Morgan Kane-company after a settlement stopped bitter conflict]. Dagens Næringsliv (in Norwegian). 13 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  47. "Forlik i Morgan Kane-saken" [Settlement in the Morgan Kane-case]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 13 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  48. "Begraver stridsøksen i Morgen Kane-konflikt" [Burying the battle axe in the Morgan Kane-conflict]. E24.no (in Norwegian). 13 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
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