TalentWorks

What TalentWorks does

TalentWorks is a privately held, bi-coastal U.S. talent agency founded in 1982 by former actor Harry Gold, originally operating as Harry Gold & Associates and later as Gold, Marshak before adopting the TalentWorks name in 2004. The firm represents actors across five categories — Film, Television, Theater, Alternative, and Literary — and operates offices in Burbank (Los Angeles) and New York. The 2004 combination with New York-based HWA, directed by Jay Kane, created the agency's present bi-coastal structure.

TalentWorks generates revenue through commissions on talent deals negotiated between its represented actors and the production companies, studios, and content buyers that hire them, following the standard agency compensation model in the entertainment industry. There is no indication of proprietary technology, software platform, or digital product underlying the service; the website is a basic informational site. Headcount is reported in the 11–50 range, consistent with a mid-sized boutique agency rather than a major franchise like CAA or WME.

The agency's go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: agents identify and sign actors to representation agreements and then match them to casting opportunities across theatrical, television, and emerging content formats. Beyond the 2004 HWA combination, there are no publicly disclosed acquisitions, funding rounds, partnerships, product launches, or material restructurings. The firm operates as a private company with no public financial disclosures, and available sources provide no revenue, ARR, deal-volume, or roster-size data.

Name

TalentWorks

Legal name

TalentWorks

Website

https://talentworksla.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TalentWorks is a privately held, bi-coastal U.S. talent agency that has represented actors in Film, Television, Theater, Alternative, and Literary categories since 1982, operating from offices in Burbank and New York and earning revenue through commissions on talent deals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Talent Agency / Entertainment Representation

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Talent Agency & Representation Services (HSACAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Talent Casting & Auditions (Casting Directors, Open Calls) (HSACAHAL), Talent Booking Agencies (Live Performance) (MPAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Talent agency services
• Actor representation
• Entertainment talent management
• Theatrical representation
• Casting representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Burbank

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Talent Representation and Commission: TalentWorks generates revenue by representing actors and other talent in the entertainment industry. As a talent agency, they earn commissions on deals they negotiate for their clients with production companies, networks, streaming platforms, and other buyers of talent services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

TalentWorks is a bi-coastal talent agency that represents actors and performers in film, television, theater, alternative entertainment, and literary verticals. The agency signs individual performers as clients and earns commissions by negotiating bookings and contracts with production companies, networks, and casting directors on their behalf. Founded in 1982, it operates from Burbank, California and New York with a roster that includes Tony and Obie Award winners.

Product overview

TalentWorks is a bi-coastal talent agency offering talent representation services across five entertainment verticals: Film, Television, Theater, Alternative Entertainment, and Literary. Originally founded in 1982 as Harry Gold & Associates, the agency rebranded as TalentWorks in 2004 and combined with HWA in New York. The agency operates offices in Los Angeles (Burbank, California) and New York, representing actors who have won major industry awards including Oscars, Golden Globes, Tony Awards, and Obie Awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film Representation

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• HWA (New York)coreOthersHistorical combination with HWA (New York) in 2004 when TalentWorks was renamed. HWA was a well-regarded agency and its combination with TalentWorks established the company's bi-coastal presence. The east coast office maintains operations under this combined heritage.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Buchwald Agency: Long-established, privately held talent agency with offices in LA and NY representing actors, writers, and directors. Direct peer with similar boutique scale and longevity.
• Agency for the Performing Arts (APA): Mid-sized bi-coastal talent agency representing actors across film, television, and theater. Directly comparable to TalentWorks in size, business model, and client base.
• Paradigm Talent Agency: Bi-coastal talent agency with literary, talent, and music divisions. Comparable to TalentWorks in its multi-vertical, mid-sized agency positioning.
• Abrams Artists Agency: Mid-sized full-service talent agency in NY and LA representing actors across film, TV, theater, and commercial. Comparable scale and vertical mix.
• Verve Talent and Literary Agency: Bi-coastal talent and literary agency with talent and lit divisions. Comparable multi-vertical approach and similar client-targeting to TalentWorks.
• Innovative Artists: Boutique talent agency with LA and NY offices serving actors in film, television, and theater. Closely comparable in size and service offering.
• The Gersh Agency: Full-service talent agency with offices in Los Angeles and New York representing actors in film, TV, and theater. Closely comparable in scale and vertical mix to TalentWorks.

Broad incumbents

• United Talent Agency (UTA): Mega-agency operating across talent, literary, music, sports, and production. Competes with TalentWorks for actor clients but at vastly greater scale and scope.
• William Morris Endeavor (WME): Global mega-agency representing actors, writers, directors, and producers. Broader portfolio player whose talent division directly overlaps with TalentWorks' core offering.
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA): Largest global talent and entertainment agency, representing actors across all major verticals. Functions as a broad incumbent competing for the same actor pool as TalentWorks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/talentworks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TalentWorks