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Leslie Siebert was recently named sole president of the Gersh Agency, which reps a wide range of actors, writers, directors and artisans, including Angela Bassett, Jacob Elordi and Hiroyuki Sanada.
The boost that came last month makes Siebert the first woman to lead a major Hollywood talent agency. It comes nearly two years after Gersh received an investment from private equity firm Crestview Partners. Since then, the agency founded in the late 1940s by famed talent rep Phil Gersh has acquired the Madrid-based You First sports agency and the digital and alternative departments of what was formerly the A3 agency.
Siebert is a long-serving Gersh loyalist who joined the agency in the mid-1980s. Here Siebert discusses Gersh’s plan for growth and how she aims to build on its long legacy in Hollywood.
What is Gersh’s position in the representation landscape?
We are positioned exactly where we want to be — as a real and only alternative to the Big Three [CAA, WME and UTA] agencies. Artists need to be prioritized, supported and guided. By acquiring A3’s digital and alternative departments and You First, we have doubled the size of our agency and added capabilities in sports representation, marketing, data and events.
What’s your next expansion area?
We look to further grow Gersh Sports and our core businesses via acquisitions as well as agent hires.
What does it mean to become president?
I am extremely proud to lead this incredible team. It is hard to believe I am the first woman to lead a major talent agency. Something is very wrong with that. But I take that responsibility seriously and will continue to empower and develop female leaders among our agent, client, partner and executive ranks.
Notable talent agency and management signings:
Actor, writer and playwright Hamish Linklater has signed with Gersh. The “Midnight Mass” alum is starring in the Off Broadway revival of Henrik Ibsen’s “Ghosts.”
Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali has signed with CAA. The “Moonlight” star will next be seen in this summer’s Universal tentpole “Jurassic World Rebirth.”
Taraji P. Henson
Erika Bracey
Taraji P. Henson has signed with IAG. The will also represent Henson’s production company, TPH Entertainment, which has a first-look deal at BET.
UTA has signed “Severance” standout Tramell Tillman. He will next appear in Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” alongside Tom Cruise.
Idina Menzel
The Hollywood Reporter via Getty
Tony winner Idina Menzel has signed with Gersh, following Bonnie Bernstein to the agency. Menzel is starring on Broadway in the musical “Redwood.”
Tenpercenteries also runs in Variety‘s print magazine
From the March 19, 2025, edition of Variety
