The Experts:
- Renee Perkins, agent at Paloma Model & Talent
- Laura Winson, CEO of Zebedee Talent
- Katie MacMillan, founder and director of Kello Inclusive
- Linda Ann Watt, acting instructor, owner of AcademyofActing.org, and author of “The Actor’s Manifesto”
- Danielle Pretsfelder Demchick, founder of DPD Casting
- Nicole Cyrille, vice chair of the SAG-AFTRA National Performers With Disabilities Committee and chair of the L.A. Local Performers With Disabilities Committee
Finding a great agent is a challenge for any actor, but it can get even trickier when you have a disability. And while the basic rules of securing representation apply to everyone, there are extra considerations for performers with disabilities who are looking for someone who will help them stay safe and score the best jobs.
So where can you find someone who will keep your best interests in mind? And what kinds of questions should you ask to ensure that you get the right support?
Where to look for agents
When you’re vetting potential agencies, “ask if they have either an inclusive department or a diversity division,” says Renee Perkins, a talent agent focusing on inclusion at Paloma Model & Talent, which represents over 100 clients with disabilities. Some agencies may list “inclusive divisions” on their websites, but others may not. It’s best to call and ask directly.
There are other agencies, like the U.K.-based Zebedee Talent, that work exclusively with people with disabilities. Former social worker Laura Winson co-founded Zebedee in 2017 with her sister-in-law Zoe Proctor, a performing arts teacher for people with learning disabilities. They had noticed a hole in the market for agents who understood the business from both the disability and non-disability sides. “It didn’t make sense to us that [the industry] was as it was, and we really felt we could make a difference,” Winson says.
Other agencies and management companies in the U.S. that specialize in representing disabled clients include EP Talent, Arise Artists Agency, Zuri Agency, and Aligned Stars Agency, which has a special abilities division.
Becoming an Actor With a Disability: Opportunities, Advice + SupportHow to vet agents
It’s essential that you ask potential reps if they have education or work experience in the disability space. You want someone who is respectful and values a more diverse population. “Their values will come out when you ask those questions,” says Winson. “Make sure they are in the industry for the right reason.”
While anyone with experience may say they can support you, someone who has experience working with performers with a disability will really know what you need to thrive, as well as how to showcase your strengths, explains Katie MacMillan, founder and director of Kello Inclusive, a Canada-based agency.
“There’s still so much [basic] thinking like: If I’m going to hire a wheelchair user, I’ve got my preconceived notions about what that means,” says MacMillan. “But [if] you put 10 different wheelchair users in a room, they’re all going to have slightly different needs.” An agent needs to understand how to support each of those individuals.
One of the best ways to know if someone is familiar with your community and has the right connections is to see what they’ve accomplished. “Look at their socials to see that they are well-established and have connections,” says Winson.
What to Know About Pursuing an Acting Career in a WheelchairGetting the right kind of support
Many first-round auditions are done via self-tapes that are emailed or done over Zoom, which can be a great way to avoid potential barriers to accessibility that may make it tough to literally get in the front door.
But for any in-person callbacks or booked roles, ask agents if they’re able to secure accommodations for you. Any rep worth signing with should be comfortable requesting these modifications. For example, the agents at Zebedee provide an access rider where a client can share what types of accommodations they need, such as “step-free access, having a quiet space, allowing people to take regular breaks, or being able to take an assistant to help with change of clothing or helping them with their health needs,” says Winson.
Make it clear that you don’t want to be boxed in.
When you meet a potential agent, ask if they will put you forward for all roles, and not just those intended specifically for people with disabilities. “Ask an agent if when they see a character description, do they assume the character is cisgendered, white, and able-bodied?” says Danielle Pretsfelder Demchick, founder of the inclusion-focused casting company DPD Casting. “If it’s not described as that, why don’t you submit the person who’s a wheelchair user or the person who’s deaf or the person who has a limb difference?”
Acting coach Linda Ann Watt argues, “If the lead character is an attorney, why can’t the lead attorney also have a disability? An attorney with a disability is a fact of life, and theatrical representations reflect what we experience in life. It just makes sense.”
Marlee Matlin’s Secret to Getting Cast: Reach Out, Hustle + ‘Get Creative’According to actor, activist, and SAG-AFTRA committee member Nicole Cyrille, there are two types of agents: There’s “the agent whose main focus is on disability inclusion and the agent who sees the disabled artist as any other talent on their roster, simply making their roster more diverse.
“The agent whose client list is mostly disabled talent will be the first call, if not the only call, by casting directors when a project is specifically seeking a disabled actor,” Cyrille explains. “The other type of agent may not get the call for a disabled role…but they have more opportunities to pitch a [person with a disability] without casting immediately pigeonholing the artist as disabled.
“The bottom line,” she continues, “is that finding an agent is challenging for any actor, but for a [person with a disability], there are extra hurdles and considerations.”
But as Watt points out, those hurdles are worth it. “The more we see actors on screen and stage with disabilities,” she says, “the more these roles will be written into scripts.”
