Karen Kay Management / Talking Heads - The Voice Professionals

What Karen Kay Management / Talking Heads - The Voice Professionals does

Karen Kay Management Limited is a privately held New Zealand talent agency founded in 1989 and headquartered in Auckland, with 27 employees. Operating under the DBA "Karen Kay Management" and the sub-brand "Talking Heads - The Voice Professionals," the agency represents actors, youth, voice artists, comedians, presenters, musical theatre performers, and creative professionals (writers, directors, content creators) across film, television, theatre, voice-over, gaming, and corporate events. The roster includes internationally credentialed performers such as Daniel Gillies, Rhys Darby, Emily Barclay, and Jonny Brugh, with talent distributed across New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Spain, China, Hong Kong, and Mexico.

The agency's core platform is the actors.co.nz website, which functions as a searchable talent database with filters for type, gender, age range, location, and ethnicity, plus a shortlist-and-email feature that lets casting directors and production companies assemble and dispatch candidate lists directly to the agency. Distribution occurs primarily through this website, complemented by an active Instagram channel (@karenkaymgmt) and direct industry relationships with New Zealand production companies, TV networks, and casting directors. The underlying technology is a standard WordPress-based content site with custom filtering; no APIs, SDKs, or AI components are disclosed.

The business model is commission-based: the agency earns a percentage of bookings and contracts secured for represented talent across film, television, theatre, voice work, corporate events, and other entertainment sectors. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is independently operated with no parent company, subsidiaries, institutional investors, or acquisition history disclosed. It is registered in New Zealand as a private limited company and has operated continuously for over 35 years under the same brand identity.

Name

Karen Kay Management / Talking Heads - The Voice Professionals

Legal name

Karen Kay Management Limited

Website

https://actors.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Karen Kay Management is a privately held New Zealand talent agency founded in 1989, representing actors, voice artists, comedians, presenters, and creative professionals for casting across film, TV, theatre, gaming, and corporate events. Operating from Auckland with 27 employees and a searchable online roster at actors.co.nz, it serves casting directors and production companies in New Zealand and internationally on a commission basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Talent Agency Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Artist Management (MPAIAGAA)

Keywords

• Talent agency services
• Actor representation
• Voice talent booking
• Casting services
• Entertainment talent management

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Commission on Talent Bookings: Talent agency earns commission on bookings and contracts secured for represented talent in film, television, theatre, voice work, and other entertainment sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Karen Kay Management is a New Zealand talent agency that represents professional performers across actors, voice artists, comedians, presenters, musical theatre performers, writers, directors, content creators, entertainers, MCs, and speakers, connecting them with casting opportunities in film, television, theatre, voice-over, and commercial projects. The agency operates through an online talent database (actors.co.nz) with searchable profiles and a shortlist tool that lets casting professionals filter by category, gender, age, location, and ethnicity, then submit shortlists via email.

Product overview

Karen Kay Management is a talent representation agency serving the New Zealand entertainment industry for over 35 years. The agency offers a single, unified talent management service across multiple categories including Actors, Youth, Voice Talent, Comedy, Musical Theatre, Presenters, and Creative professionals (Writers, Directors, Content Creators). The company connects talent with casting opportunities across film, television, theatre, and commercial projects, operating from Auckland with talent distributed across New Zealand and international locations including Australia, Los Angeles, New York, London, and other global markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Karen Kay Management Talent Agency Full-service talent representation for professional actors, voice artists, comedians, presenters, musical theatre performers, writers, directors, content creators, entertainers, MCs, and speakers, connecting them with casting opportunities in film, television, theatre, voice-over, and commercial projects. Includes an online talent database with filterable profiles and a shortlist tool for casting professionals.
• Talking Heads - The Voice Professionals

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Verve Talent and Literary Agency: Mid-large talent agency representing actors, comedians, and voice artists across film, TV, and voice-over. Comparable in multi-vertical structure and voice-over emphasis.
• Endeavor (WME): One of the world's largest talent agencies representing actors, directors, and producers globally. KKM competes for international casting placements against WME's roster, though WME operates at much larger scale with global offices.
• Abrams Artists Agency: Established talent agency with strong voice-over and on-camera divisions serving commercials, animation, and entertainment. Analogous range of talent categories to KKM.
• United Talent Agency (UTA): Major global talent and entertainment agency with divisions covering actors, voice talent, and comedians. UTA competes for placement of NZ performers in international productions and voice-over engagements.
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA): Premier global talent agency representing actors, directors, and writers across film, TV, and voice work. CAA's size and Hollywood relationships make it a competitor when NZ talent seeks international representation.
• Innovative Artists: Talent and literary agency with strong voice-over and on-camera divisions. Directly comparable to KKM for Hollywood-bound talent and voice work placements.
• Haven's Talent Agency: Talent agency with significant voice-over and on-camera divisions serving commercial, animation, and corporate voice work. Comparable vertical structure to KKM/Talking Heads.
• Gersh Agency: Full-service talent agency representing actors, voice talent, and comedians in film, TV, commercials, and voice-over. Comparable to KKM in offering a multi-vertical roster including voice specialization.

Direct peers

• CESD Talent Agency: Talent agency with deep specialization in voice-over for animation, games, and advertising, alongside on-camera representation. Closest analogue to KKM's Talking Heads voice division business model.

Regional players

• RGM Artists: Australian talent agency representing actors, voice artists, and presenters. Comparable in size, scope, and roster focus to KKM, serving the trans-Tasman Pacific market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/karenkaymgmt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karen-kay-management-ltd-talking-heads

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Karen Kay Management / Talking Heads - The Voice Professionals