United Talent Agency

At this year’s London Book Fair, UTA joined Curtis Brown Group and C&W to host our annual soiree at LAVO at the BoTree Hotel in London. The trade fair is one of the busiest weeks in the publishing calendar and brings together executives and leaders from across the literary business, as well as TV and film executives who are on the hunt for the next hot adaptation. This year’s fair felt “as big as it’s ever been in my career,” said Byrd Leavell (Partner & Co-Head of Publishing). “There seems to be a renewed energy and excitement to escape into a great book and help shepherd its journey to screen,” added Jason Richman (Partner & Co-Head of Media Rights).

“If you’re looking for someone to smash and grab without strategy, I’m not the agent for you,” Elisa Vazzana, a 2025 Pollstar Women of Live, tells the music outlet.   This annual list celebrates women who demonstrate excellence in today’s live music industry. Pollstar recognizes Vazzana’s strategic leadership in helping artists break through in new markets.   Last year, she has been integral in propelling country music phenomenon Megan Moroney to new heights, securing festival appearances that might have once been considered unexpected, like Chicago’s Lollapalooza.   Vazzana says witnessing “a massive crowd” there “screaming every word to every song of the set was such a magical moment for Megan — and one I’ll never forget.”

To celebrate C2C: Country to Country, Europe's biggest country music festival, UTA brought together music industry executives, artists, and clients (including Remember Monday and Gareth) for a rooftop brunch, held at The Terrace at Canteen Food Hall in London.   UTA Music clients Dylan Gossett, Chayce Beckham, Tyler Hubbard, Drew Baldridge, and Willow Avalon were among the acts who performed at this year’s festival. According to data shared by the Country Music Association, last year, streams of country music surpassed 1 billion for the first time in the U.K., with five of the top 15 songs from the genre.   “There’s a lot of creative thinking being employed by the team. We’re constantly looking to push boundaries as country [music] finds new audiences outside of where you might historically expect to find fans,” London-based Music Agent Beth Morton told Pollstar. And Music Agent Sarah Casey, also based in London, noted just how many other country acts, including Midland, Stephen Wilson Jr., and Cam, “are seeing huge growth with globally” with sold-out shows and festival appearances.   Read more from their interviews with Pollstar at link below: https://lnkd.in/gg4RKBfP

The UTA Foundation hosted Bellamy Young and CARE for an evening to celebrate Women's History Month and the launch of their new podcast "She Leads with CARE". Moderated by Rene Jones, the conversation explored Bellamy’s experience interviewing women leaders across the globe and her long-term commitment to CARE. Listen to the podcast hereL https://lnkd.in/g-jsHtnN

UTA x SXSW recap! Stephanie Smith (VP, Talent Strategy, IQ), Maia Ervin, MBA (Director, Next Gen, Entertainment Marketing), and Liz Roca (Director, Music Marketing) were in Austin this week, sharing their expertise on panels that spanned the intersection of entertainment, marketing, and culture. 🎮 At “From Players to Powerhouses: Shaping the Future of Gaming in Culture,” Smith explained that for marketers who are interested in gaming, “the riches are in the niches.” In other words, think about reaching more specific audiences versus targeting gamers more broadly. When it comes to the how, Smith shared that “70% of Gen Z and millennials are more likely to respond positively to an ad if the content feels more like entertainment than like an ad.” 🤝 At The Female Quotient’s FQ Lounge, Ervin spoke about how different generations are working together to create new standards and expectations for the modern workplace. “I think Gen Z’s superpower is the ability to keep asking — and keep requiring — more of their employers,” Ervin said. “And we as managers have a duty to educate the younger generation on how to ask for those things, rather than discouraging them from something they may be passionate about.” 🎶 At “The Next Frontier: Marketing Innovation in Latin Music,” Roca delved into how her approach to marketing on behalf of Latin artists has evolved over time, and how she helps artists nurture and grow traditional fan bases.

The devil sure does know how to make a comeback. “Daredevil: Born Again,” starring Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onoferio, drew more than 7 million views in its first five days of availability on Disney+. (A view is defined as total stream time divided by runtime.) This makes the series, wherein Cox reprises his role as Matt Murdock more than a decade after his TV debut on Netflix, the streamer’s biggest premiere of the year. Additional client involvement includes actor Clark Johnson in a recurring role; Heather Bellson as consulting producer; Katharyn Blair as executive story editor; Fahed Alhabib as visual effects producer; and Dave Macomber as second unit director. https://lnkd.in/gQ5i_yiP

We are thrilled to announce that singer, actor, and producer Kristin Chenoweth has joined UTA for representation in all areas. Known around the world for originating the role of Galinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” on Broadway (for which she was nominated for a Tony), Chenoweth received an Emmy for her performance in the acclaimed comedy series “Pushing Daisies.” Last year, Chenoweth premiered her latest project, “The Queen of Versailles,” at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre. She starred in and produced the musical through her own Diva Worldwide Entertainment. It’ll debut on Broadway during the 2025-2026 season and mark the highly anticipated reunion between Chenoweth and “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz. https://lnkd.in/gq_mGHYU

“As L.A. heals, rebuilds, and transitions into our new normal [following the fires], the film and TV industry is ramping back up. Lots of new development has commenced, and there seems to be a renewed energy and excitement to escape into a great book and help shepherd its journey to screen,” says UTA’s Co-Head of Media Rights Jason Richman. That energy will be felt at this week’s London Book Fair, one of the busiest weeks for the publishing industry, where film and television executives hunt for hot IP and the next “Normal People,” “Lessons in Chemistry,” or “Conclave.” “We’re expecting a busy year across the board with many producers and executives who hadn’t been in previous years making the trek to London,” Richman says. Read more via Deadline Hollywood at the link below.

In recognition of International Women's Day, La Femme Majeure — a UTA event series that connects the next generation of women in music — hosted a brunch in London. The event centered on nurturing professional growth, deepening industry relationships, and promoting gender equality in music.   Speaking to Music Week, Zoe Williamson, UTA Music Agent and co-founder of Le Femme Majeure, says “My colleagues and I started La Femme Majeure in 2018 when we were assistants. Now, we are all agents and executives together and helping the next generation rise up while looking to our mentors in the community to keep growing in our own careers.”

Last week, at a convening with the nonprofit Rare, our client Rainn Wilson discussed his work with Climate Basecamp, whose mission is to make talking about climate cool again. The UTA Foundation hosted the event in partnership with Rare to explore how climate is portrayed in film and television, and to discuss effective tools for positive depictions. 📷: Brandon Conklin