3 Reasons Agents Say Yes to New Clients—and 6 Reasons They Say No

Agents are decision-making machines. That’s what we do each and every day. Who should I submit for this role? Which call needs to be returned first? What’s the best way to improve this deal? Decisions and choices, choices and decisions—it never stops. 

This begs the question: What’s the most important decision an agent must make? The answer is simple: Should I or should I not sign this actor? That’s No. 1 by a country mile, because we’re judged by the clients on our lists. To be effective, agents need to have the right mix of people. So how do we choose? 

Here are the top three reasons I’ve said yes to an actor seeking representation:

1. An experienced performer with the ability to generate immediate cash flow gets a quick yes. That’s just common sense. 

2. Assuming talent is a given, I will jump on anyone who fills a hole on my list. Those holes are defined by age, gender, type, and other broad categories. For example, if I don’t have a young Asian American male who’s good with comedy, I will probably grab the first one who walks through my door. 

3. I like signing actors who have been referred to me by someone with a lot of weight in the industry. Doing so will strengthen my relationship with that person, which I can then exploit at a future date. And the actor gets extra attention, so it’s a win-win!

Now, here are the top three reasons I’ve said no:

1. The actor might be too close in type to someone on my list. That’s called a conflict. I prefer to avoid them. 

2. I will pass on actors I like if I can’t stand nor trust their manager. Why repeat past mistakes when I can avoid them? 

3. There are the ones you just don’t like. Sometimes, you don’t even have a reason. There’s just something about the person that rubs you the wrong way. Trust me—it’s hard to represent someone you don’t like. 

And now, just for fun, here are three of the strangest reasons I’ve said no:

1. I once had to pass on a promising actor because he looked like my associate’s ex-husband. She insisted there was just no way she could stare at his face all day.

2. Before Uber was a thing, a young man showed up for our meeting covered in sweat and smelling like an old sock. The kid explained he had ridden his bike to our office in the summer heat because his car was in the shop. You have to ask: What if he did that for an audition?

3. A female actor once came in for our meeting in the skimpiest dress I’ve ever seen; there’s no shame in that, but it was inappropriate for a professional setting, and let’s just say she accidentally showed us a little too much after animatedly jumping out of her chair while sharing a story. Again: What if that had happened during an audition?

To sign, or not to sign, that is the question. Agents are all individuals with unique backgrounds and experiences that influence our decisions. Sometimes we’re right; sometimes we’re wrong. That’s why I’ve always thought it would be fun to spend an entire month choosing clients with a Magic 8 Ball. Should I represent this actor? “My reply is no.” “Signs point to yes.” “Ask again later.”

This story originally appeared in the March 11 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.