United Talent Agency
| Company type | Privately held partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Talent agency, Entertainment |
| Predecessor | Bauer-Benedek Agency, Leading Artists Agency |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Peter Benedek, Jim Berkus, Jeremy Zimmer |
| Headquarters | Beverly Hills , United States |
Area served | International |
Key people | Jeremy Zimmer (CEO and founding partner), Paul Wachter (Chairman), David Kramer (President), Jay Sures (Vice Chairman) |
| Products | Talent representation, brand management, film financing and packaging, licensing agreements, marketing strategies, strategic consulting, venture capital investments |
Number of employees | 1400+ (2021) |
| Website | www |
United Talent Agency (UTA) is an international talent agency based in Beverly Hills, California. Established in 1991 by founders Peter Benedek, Jim Berkus, and Jeremy Zimmer, UTA represents a wide range of professionals and artists within the entertainment industry. As of 2021, the agency employs more than 1,400 individuals globally. Its extensive divisions cover film, television, music, sports, digital media, publishing, video games, branding and licensing, speaking engagements, marketing, fine arts, news, and broadcasting. Additionally, UTA oversees the charitable efforts of the UTA Foundation.
Corporate overview
As a privately held partnership, UTA comprises roughly 300 agents who represent actors, directors, producers, recording artists, writers, and various other entertainment professionals. The firm's operations go beyond talent representation to include brand management, film financing and packaging, licensing agreements, marketing strategies, strategic consulting, and venture capital investments. UTA has established offices in major cities such as Beverly Hills, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Malmö, Miami, Nashville, and New York.
Jeremy Zimmer acts as CEO and founding partner while chairman Paul Wachter provides strategic guidance. In 2022, David Kramer was elevated to president and Jay Sures to vice chairman. The executive leadership team and board feature influential industry leaders including Andrew Thau, Rich Paul (renowned entrepreneur), Blair Kohan, Matt Rice, Bob Roback (COO), Ceci Kurzman, Kasper Knokgaard, Sydney Pardey, and Philippe Bouchard. This governance framework enables UTA to maintain a strong market position through targeted acquisitions and its international presence across multiple entertainment sectors.
Founding and early history
UTA originated in 1991 from the merger of the Bauer-Benedek Agency with Leading Artists Agency. The agency’s founders were Jim Berkus, Jeremy Zimmer, and Peter Benedek. By mid-1994, the company had expanded to include 10 partners and 40 agents. Early on, UTA earned recognition for its weekly compilation of entry-level entertainment industry job listings—a valuable tool for newcomers to the field.
By 1996, UTA had grown to 45 agents and was acknowledged as one of Hollywood’s "big four" agencies. During the early 2000s, it developed a notable comedy talent roster featuring Jim Carrey, Dave Chappelle, Will Ferrell, and Ben Stiller along with writers behind popular television comedies. The agency also represented influential TV creators such as David Chase and Dick Wolf.
In 2006, the Los Angeles Times identified UTA as a "tastemaker" agency with clients including Don Cheadle, Johnny Depp, and M. Night Shyamalan. To foster talent growth internally, UTA introduced "UTA U" in 2008—an educational program led by partners and executives that incorporates community service components. Further cementing its industry stature, UTA was inducted into Vanity Fair's "New Establishment Hall of Fame" in 2010.
Recent history
In 2011, UTA relocated its main offices to a complex on Civic Center Drive, which was subsequently renamed UTA Plaza. By January 2014, the agency had acquired N.S. Bienstock, a premier U.S. television news talent agency representing more than 600 anchors and reporters, including notable figures such as Glenn Beck and Anderson Cooper. This acquisition established UTA as the foremost agency representing television news professionals. In 2017, following sexual harassment allegations, UTA chose not to renew Bill O'Reilly's contract and rebranded this sector as UTA News & Broadcast.
In May 2014, UTA introduced Keywords Press, a publishing imprint dedicated to digital content creators, in collaboration with Atria Publishing Group. This imprint secured agreements with prominent internet personalities like Shane Dawson and Connor Franta.
The year 2015 saw UTA recruit twelve agents from Creative Artists Agency in a high-profile transition that resulted in legal disputes. That same year, Jeffrey W. Ubben, founder and CEO of ValueAct Capital, acquired a minority interest in UTA and joined its board as a non-voting member. Additionally, UTA purchased The Agency Group (TAG), the largest independent music agency worldwide, thereby adding approximately 2,000 artists such as Muse and The Black Keys to its roster. The company also expanded its New York City offices in 2016.
Early in 2017, UTA demonstrated social activism by organizing the "United Voices" rally opposing the "Muslim travel ban," which attracted about 2,000 participants including prominent personalities like Michael J. Fox and Bill Nye. The agency contributed $320,000 to civil rights organizations and supported events for female staff during the Day Without a Woman.
UTA broadened its business scope by acquiring an equity stake in investment bank AGM Partners in March 2017 to provide advisory services on media and entertainment investments. In September of that year, it acquired Greater Talent Network (GTN), specializing in public speaking engagements; GTN’s founder Don Epstein was named partner while maintaining offices in Florida and New York City.
Recognized by The New York Observer in November 2017 as one of "Hollywood's 7 Most Powerful Talent Agencies," UTA hosted Anita Hill amid the early Me Too movement and backed the industry’s Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace. In early 2018, UTA became a founding donor of Time’s Up with a $1 million contribution. Further expansion included acquiring Circle Talent Agency—focused on dance and electronic music—in April 2018. By November 2020, UTA had signed Kitboga, a leading creator known for scambaiting content.
UTA entered the sports sector in 2019 through a partnership with NBA agent Rich Paul to establish a Sports division competing with major agencies like CAA and WME. Paul significantly grew UTA’s sports clients from four to twenty-three athletes and joined its board of directors; he was also honored as "Power Broker of the Year" by GQ magazine that year.
Continuing its expansion efforts in 2021, UTA acquired strategic advisory firm MediaLink for $125 million, launched an NFT division to engage emerging digital markets, announced a $200-million SPAC IPO targeting gaming and creator economy sectors, and opened a comprehensive office in Atlanta.
In June 2022, UTA enhanced its international presence by acquiring Curtis Brown, a UK-based literary and talent agency. The following year saw the acquisition of James & Co., a New York executive search firm that strengthened UTA’s consulting services.
In November 2023, UTA severed ties with Susan Sarandon following controversial statements made at a pro-Palestine rally. By January 2024, seven CalArts alumni withdrew from an exhibition at UTA Artist Space due to restrictions on pro-Palestine messaging. In June 2025, after anti-Israel Defense Forces chants at Glastonbury Festival provoked political backlash, UTA ended its relationship with Bob Vylan.
UTA Foundation
The non-profit arm of UTA, known as the UTA Foundation, organizes the yearly Project Impact week. This program collaborates with various organizations to encourage employee participation in community service, underscoring the firm's dedication to corporate social responsibility.