Top 5 list of the Most Powerful Agents and Managers in Hollywood
Every year we see movement in who are the most influential Talent Agents and Managers in the entertainment industry. This year we saw the after effects of the pandemic still causing negative movement through out the industry with mergers, staff departures, layoffs still rippling through the industry. In spited of all this, we worked hard to put together our yearly list. However because of this, our list was narrowed to a Top 5 list of the most influential agents and managers in the industry.
As we do every year we reached out to many industry stake-holders for their views and opinions. Including studio executive, talent, fellow peers, etc. The Agents and Managers that made our list this year are responsible for representing and negotiating deals for their clients as well as moving their respective agencies forward during these troubling times. It is important to note that being ranked in the top of the industry and helping their clients becoming successful, they also get a sizable well deserved chunk of the money that a talent receives.
Below is our official list of the 5 most influential Agents and Managers in the entertainment industry for 2022:
5 — RICHARD LOVETT — CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY/IMG
Richard Lovett took over as head of CAA in 1995, at the age of 41. He’s credited with the success of many of the leading actors in today’s blockbusters. He is also credit with helping to re-shape the industry on how the industries unions work with talent agencies and also shaping how the industry will evolve in a post pandemic. Under Lovett’s leadership, the agency has in recent years grown from a traditional talent agency into a multi-tentacled conglomerate. While we do not know now that the merger is finalized with ICM will work out with who will lead the new agency, we do want to include him in our top 5 as he has contributed to the industry in the past year through his work. He has demonstrated that through troubled times he has lead the agency with a steady hand. Lovett’s reported net worth is in excess of 50 million dollars.
4 — TRACEY JACOBS — UNITED TALENT AGENCY
Tracey Jacobs became the co-head of talent and one of the six partners at UTA . They way she manages has helped many talent in their comebacks and re-emergence in Hollywood places her firmly in our top 5 list. Her philosophy is to provide her clients with long-term success rather than quick, big paychecks. This business plan has served her well. In 2008, she was named to the board of directors of UTA. She holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve on the board of directors of the agency. She has amassed a net worth of 3 million dollars during her tenor as co head of talent at the agency. Although Tracey has a fortune herself, she is not seen flaunting her riches on her social media or on the internet. She tries to keep her personal life, the charities she works with and riches as far from the general public. Even though she is one of the best talent agents and managers in Hollywood.
3 — CRIAG ROGALSKI — CK TALENT
Craig Rogalski is the founder of the Agency, who is well liked by talent, staff and respected by fellow professionals in the industry. This year he was named to the Forbes 50 under 50 list and saw several of his clients named as prominent figures in Hollywood. Recently, one of his clients was named by Deadline to be one of the next generation of Hollywoods Black Actors whose film won best horror film at SXSW, another won best actor at Cannes. His other clients this year appeared in the Offer (Paramount), Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount), Indiana Jones 5 (Disney) and Our Flag Means Death (HBO). He also signed four time world Karate Champion Ethic Dejaun and KeKe Palmer’s Partner Darius Daulton. According to Forbes he and his spouse (who owns a Tech company)have a net worth close to 500 million dollars, excluding his Agency holdings at CK Talent. Like Jacobs our number 4 pick, Rogalski lives a life far from the general public as possible and lives a rather low-key life despite being one of the best talent agents and managers.
2 — PATRICK WHITESELL — WME
Patrick Whitesell is the co-CEO of WME. Whitesell and his other WME co-CEO have been credited with “rewriting the way things are done in Hollywood” He has led WME efforts to reconfigure client deals as studios transition to day-and-date theatrical and streaming releases, serving as lead negotiator in these profitable dealings. He worked with Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel to finally take the company public and make several buys of companies in the industry or industry adjacent that spearheaded a new avenue of revenue for the agency. According to celebrity net worth Whitesell has garnered 450 million from being co-CEO of WME.
1 — ARI EMANUEL — WME
Ari Emanuel though he is best known as the inspiration behind the foul-mouthed agent Ari Gold in the former show Entourage. He is credited with helping to put WME and Endeavor back to the forefront of talent agencies. Over the past few years he is credited with finalizing a deal to hold a substantial stake in the UFC and various other sports related groups. He oversaw the agency go public and expansion into other areas of the entertainment industry not representation related. According to Bloomberg, Emanuel has amassed a net worth of 480 million dollars from his work at WME. He is one of the most recognized names in Hollywood and has been immortalized by actors who play roles inspired by him.
