Best Acting Agencies — An Actor’s Guide for All Levels

Creative Artists Agency (or CAA) is one of the oldest and biggest acting agencies in Hollywood. CAA represents a star-studded roster and is not generally the first agency an actor will sign with, but it is good to put a pin in their name and perk your ears up if you meet anyone who says they work there!

On par with Creative Artists Agency is William Morris Agency. In terms of client roster and company size, WME is slightly smaller, but still boasts a broad, international network and high level talent. As with CAA, you won’t likely start out with WME, but you can mark them as one to work towards. As with many agencies, agents looking for actors at the top firms want to see a body of work already gaining traction.

Another top acting agency that is more for the big fish than the new Hollywood arrival, United Talent Agency (UTA) is part of the Big 4 top acting agencies for good reason. They boast not only many high profile clients but a seasoned team of professionals with reach into many aspects of the business, and working with them is an asset to any creative professional. 

While the other Big 4 are only for big name, highly established talent, The Gersh Talent Agency is a more mid-level agency. However, they still like to see an established resume and do not accept cold calls.

This is a good agency that often represents acting talent who have “faces that are more recognizable than their names,” and who work steadily in Hollywood even if they aren’t über-stars. 

While the Big 4 remain inaccessible to most new talent, a good stepping stone is to start with one of the smaller, boutique good acting agencies and build up your resume with consistent work. Greene & Associates is an up-and-coming acting agency that is still boutique in nature but building major traction with highly successful clients. 

Buchwald is another example of the many excellent boutique modeling and acting agencies with offices in Los Angeles and New York. This is an excellent agency for working actors, but they are also connected and powerful enough to arrange some of the biggest deals in the industry. 

The Osbrink Talent Agency specializes in breaking talent. Unlike many of the top modeling and acting agencies, even the more boutique ones, Osbrink does accept submissions. They are one of the best acting agencies for beginners and they specialize in signing and developing new faces, and they work in film, television, and commercials, as well as other areas of the industry. 

A great way to accrue a work history in Hollywood is by booking as many background gigs as possible. It shows you’re willing to work and puts you in settings where you can broaden your network and learn about the industry. Central Casting is one the go-to good acting agencies for beginners looking to find background acting gigs. 

CESD Talent Agency is one of the more accessible casting agencies for actors, while still being able to land their clients exciting roles that move their career forward. Often CESD is one of the acting agencies that accept new talent, so it is worth submitting. If you also have a voiceover reel, they are an excellent place to move the needle not only on your acting work but also to level up your voiceover presence.