One of the biggest challenges you’ll face as an actor is finding an agent who recognises your talent. It’s not just a decision you’ll have to make at the beginning of your career—you might need to change representation when you’re doing well but feel you could do even better. Here’s our go-to list of the best London agencies for midcareer actors who are ready to level up.
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42 is mixing up the traditional UK agency scene up by managing both acting and crew talent while also running a production company. If you like the idea of your agents also making film and television (and possibly giving you a privileged look-see at those projects), then 42 might be a good fit.
Productions the agency has worked on include Netflix and the BBC’s miniseries adaptation of Watership Down, starring Nicholas Hoult; the Max limited series The Girl Before, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw; and Agnieszka Smoczynska’s film The Silent Twins, starring Letitia Wright. 42 also reps top directors like Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin) and collaborates with major industry players such as Lionsgate.
The agency has managed top-name talent, including Zawe Ashton, Jonny Lee Miller, Vicky McClure, Jason Flemyng, and even Sir Michael Caine. 42’s bets on up-and-comers has panned out nicely, if Jamie Beamish (Bridgerton), Raphael Sowole (Munich: The Edge of War), and Ellie Taylor (Ted Lasso) are any indication.
While 42 does not accept unsolicited submissions, they do take calls and agent submissions.
With fewer than 20 agents, TAP is known for providing highly personalised service—and its client list speaks for itself. It reps A-listers like Emily Blunt, Idris Elba, and James Norton (Happy Valley), as well as writers, directors, and influencers, offering a “full service environment” to help actors build long-lasting careers.
Talents like Oscar nominee Naomie Harris (Moonlight, Skyfall) and Emmy nominee Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale, American Horror Story) could give the impression that it’s only an agency for big names. But TAP has also helped actors including Vanessa Emme (Dublin Murders, Bloodlands) and Fode Simbo (Andor) step up their careers.
Blunt has been with agent Roger Charteris (who acquired and rebranded the agency) since the very beginning of her career. On the advice of one of her drama teachers, the agent turned up to see the teenage actor in a school production of the rock musical Bliss at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Blunt told the Guardian that there were “eight people in the audience every night”; but Charteris recognised her talent, quickly signed her, and helped her become the household name she is today.
To try and catch the interest of an agent, submit a cover letter, current headshot, CV, and online show reel to representation@theartistspartnership.co.uk.
ARG is a bespoke operation that represents talent including Toby Jones, Liam Neeson, and Daniel Radcliffe.
Founded in 2001 by Sue Latimer, the Ladbroke Grove–based agency offers “highly individual personal management” and has a reputation for loyalty, attention to detail, and solid support of actors’ long-term goals.
ARG client Lesley Manville saw later-career growth with the agency, garnering a 2018 Oscar nomination for her role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread. Actors like Olly Rix (Call the Midwife, The Spanish Princess) and Elaine Cassidy (The Wonder) have also grown their careers at ARG.
If you want to see what the agency can do to help your career take flight, send an email to argall@argtalent.com with your CV, headshot, and show reel.
CVGG is an established Soho agency with big-name clients and contacts in the industry. Unlike others on this list, it works exclusively with actors. That means you can expect top-class career advice and agents who make you their focus. Its clients include Benedict Cumberbatch, Tobias Menzies, Helena Bonham Carter, Callum Woodhouse, Joanne Froggatt, Michael Fox, Phyllis Logan, and Tuppence Middleton.
Agent and CVGG co-founder Nicki van Gelder’s top tip for what she looks for in a new client is straightforward: “You have to think they’re good. Really, it’s very simple. And I’m not always going to go for someone who’s absolutely beautiful or handsome. It could be someone tiny and characterful who’s just really interesting.”
CVGG accepts submissions for representation via email sent directly to the agent you’re interested in working with. You can see the full list of reps and email addresses here. Include a CV, headshot, show reel, and a cover letter or email.
CB is a top agency with many reps who are former actors, meaning its talent can expect plenty of empathy. The company has deep roots, beginning life as a literary agency in 1899. Now, it represents big-name talent including Mia Goth, Pierce Brosnan, Stanley Tucci, and Robert Pattinson.
Other prominent clients include O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale), Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner, Spinning Out), and Bel Powley (The King of Staten Island, The Diary of a Teenage Girl).
CB was acquired by the U.S. powerhouse United Talent Agency in June 2022, with the companies expressing hope that it will “expand international opportunities for clients.”
You can either identify an individual rep to contact directly, or email “all agents” at actorsrepresentation@curtisbrown.co.uk. Send a CV, photo, show reel, and cover email.
HH is a top agency that reps actors at all career levels, as well as casting directors. It offers “career management for extraordinary talent,” and it’s hard to argue when actors like India Amarteifio (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story), Will Poulter (Dopesick, Midsommar), Martin Compston (Line of Duty, The Rig), and Emmy nominees David Oyelowo (Selma, Silo) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki) are on the books.
Don’t let the starry names put you off, though—the agency has helped many working actors grow their careers. It took Tobi King Bakare from relative unknown to a supporting role on HBO’s Emmy-winning I May Destroy You. Clients Parth Thakerar (King Charles III, Grantchester), Ryan Sampson (Plebs, After You've Gone), and Bronagh Gallagher (Brassic, Pulp Fiction) also found success with HH. Many clients—like Emmy winner Ben Whishaw—have a theatrical pedigree, so live performance credits might just help you stand out when submitting to the agency.
To seek representation at HH, send a cover letter via email to representation@hamiltonhodell.co.uk with the name of your intended agent in the subject line.
ITG is the agency to consider if your career is in need of some oomph. It reps actors, directors, and writers, which means introductions can be made, wheels oiled, and deals done, all in-house.
With a roster that includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag), Christina Chong (Black Mirror), Lily James (Cinderella), and David Tennant (Doctor Who), ITG has a reputation for taking a hands-on approach, guiding its clients through different stages of their careers.
Client Claire Foy has said that without her agent’s sage advice, she might have missed out on her breakout role on Netflix’s The Crown, for which she won three Emmys.
“It started the usual way: I got sent the script,” she explained. “It was slightly tempered by the fact that I was five months pregnant at the time. So when my agent mentioned it, I was like, ‘Do you really think I want to have a 3-month-old baby and do a nine-month TV series while I play the Queen of England? Are you insane?’ So I was reticent about it. But my agent said, ‘They just want to talk to you.’”
Personal recommendations from actor friends are one of the best ways to find a good agent—just ask Emmy winner Jodie Comer. As a teenager, she was spotted in a play by fellow actor Stephen Graham (This Is England), who recommended her to his agent at ITG. In her 2019 BAFTA acceptance speech for Killing Eve, Comer thanked Graham and said that she owed him a pint.
Good agents are definitely worth their weight in gold (and pints). To submit, send a cover letter, CV, headshot, and a show reel or other example of your work to actingrepresentation@independenttalent.com.
MF&I is a great choice for younger actors on the way up; and the agency’s client list reflects its diverse and interesting outlook.
Although now a subsidiary of Curtis Brown, MF&I’s client list is more eclectic, diverse, and young than that of its parent company. Actors including Ruth Negga (Preacher, Passing), Lily-Rose Depp (The Idol), Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, Doctor Strange), and Theo James (Divergent, The White Lotus) are all repped here.
Alex Irwin, who is Ejiofor’s agent, says that successful representation isn’t about going for stardom, but rather “making the stories that resonate and open up people’s worlds and viewpoints.”
If you fancy joining MF&I, send an email to admin@markhamfroggattirwin.com with your CV, show reel, and headshot.
Tavistock Wood retains a boutique character even as it “represents and advises artists of outstanding talent and international reputation.” Curtis Brown invested in TW in 2018, granting the smaller agency stronger connections worldwide. It now represents actors as well as writers and directors.
The agency’s client list includes Oscar winner Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl), Daniel Brühl (All Quiet on the Western Front, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and Dominic West (The Wire, The Crown).
If you’d like to join TW’s list, send your CV, photo, and an explanatory letter to info@tavistockwood.com.
UA is a solid, powerful agency that goes to bat for its clients. Representing a mix of seasoned actors and new talent, it’s a safe bet for your career at any stage.
The client list doesn’t get much better than this major agency—one of the U.K.’s largest. It represents A-listers like Kate Winslet, James McAvoy, Miriam Margolyes, Taron Egerton, Jessie Buckley, Ricky Gervais, Sian Clifford, Eddie Redmayne, Jade Anouka, and Emerald Fennell, as well as up-and-comers like Kai Alexander and Adwoa Akoto.
UA has assembled a team of agents that engender loyalty in their clients. Oscar winner Olivia Colman has been with her UA agent, Lindy King, since the start of her career, when she wasn’t quite the hot property she is today. King backed Colman from the beginning—and in turn, the actor followed her when she moved to UA. Colman even gave her a warm, loving shoutout in her Oscar acceptance speech.
Submission requirements are tailored to each agent; you can find the full list and contact information here.
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