what are the best talent / acting agents for starting actors in la?

Answer 1

The best thing to do is to get a list of agents in L.A. and submit your headshot/resume.

Agents work with union actors, are you union?

If not, stay in your hometown, develop your resume of acting jobs, and go to L.A. when you have "something on your resume" to show agents and casting directors.

Answer 2

I have to agree with JJ on this one. If you are just starting out, don't worry about an agent unless you are extremely, extremely unique (for example: a one armed red-headed clown who rides a unicycle upside down and juggles - get my drift) or incredibly beautiful.

Do community theatre, student films, and non-union local productions. Build your resume, and GET TRAINING - the best working actors in Hollywood are always, always training! This is something you have to work at - yes, acting is WORK AND A LOT OF IT. Things (for the vast majority of actors) do not happen overnight. It takes a long time (sometimes years) to get where you'd like to be - and maybe not even then.

Then once you have a good/great resume, some good footage for your reel and outstanding headshots that actually look like you, and not some glamorized version, then find of copy of "The Agencies (go to Samuel French bookstore). There you will find all you need to know.

Or just do the last thing mentioned, and spend a lot of money on mailing out headshots to agents who are not going to respond back to you. Sorry - that's just the way it is.

Answer 3

Cynthia Stillwell. Tell her I sent you.