👋 This is Warner, creator of Assistants vs. Agents. Connect with me here.
📞 We have a BIG one today. I say that every week, but I really mean it as today we sit down with powerhouse UTA agent Blair Kohan. Kohan is a Board Member, Partner, Literary & Talent Agent who represents A-listers like Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Ali Wong, Gisele Bündchen, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Kroll, Rosalía, Julia Garner, Adam Scott & many more. Her biggest award to date though? Winning our Inaugural “Agent With The Best Style” award earlier this year. What CAN’T she do?
In all seriousness, her story from assistant to the top is inspiring, and she is one of the most respected Agents in our business.
📞 The Call Log: Blair Kohan, Board Member, Partner, Literary & Talent Agent at UTA.
Blair Kohan is a distinguished Board Member, Partner, Literary & Talent Agent and powerhouse dealmaker at United Talent Agency, representing an exceptional roster of talent that includes Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Paul Rudd, Mike Mills, Lizzo, Ali Wong, Gisele Bündchen, Colleen Hoover, Adam Scott, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Kroll, Gloria Sanchez Productions, Lorene Scafaria, Josh Greenbaum, John Boyega, Jessica Biel, Jesse Peretz, Nathan Fielder, John Gatins, Karlie Kloss, Cooper Koch, Daisy Edgar Jones, Autumn de Wilde, Rosalia and Julia Garner, among many others. As one of the few women in the industry to serve on a talent agency's Board, Kohan is a vital member of UTA’s leadership team and is widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s true tastemaker agents.
Our conversation is below:
AvA: What was your first job in Entertainment? What was that experience like?
Kohan: My first exposure to the entertainment business was a PA job on the television series ALF. I was still in college and had been studying creative writing and accepting that I likely didn’t have a future as a professional writer. During that Summer job, it became abundantly clear to me that I needed to sort out a plan to get back to LA after graduation to secure a job in the movie or tv business.
My first job out of college was as an assistant to a literary agent at Bauer/Benedek. Watching agents pitch and advocate for their brilliant clients was not just exciting but clarifying for me. I fell hard for the idea that I could discover great storytellers, protect their vision and fight relentlessly alongside them to bring their stories to screens.
AvA: Looking back on your career so far, what’s one moment that you consider to be a milestone or turning point for you? What did you learn from that experience that you still carry with you today?
Kohan: There is something so deeply soulful and gratifying about supporting a client’s path to success, in whatever form that takes. Celebrating new projects – a film or television release, a book publishing, a theater premiere, a standup tour or special, it continues to inspire and motivate and never gets old.
An early realization was to resist the temptation to take the first offer or deal that comes your way. This career has really taught me the gift of patience and the power of No and the benefit of being proactive versus reactive. I think as I have matured, I have learned that slowing the roll and listening to my gut usually yields a better result.
AvA: What are some of the biggest opportunities today at UTA and other agencies that young professionals should be thinking about?
Kohan: I have long held the belief that each client is an entrepreneur and, as their advocates, we need to think entrepreneurially on their behalf. A multi-hyphenate client requires a multi-hyphenate agent. It’s exciting to represent storytellers who tell their stories on every available platform as it gives the agent an opportunity to become fluent in different areas of the business. The ever changing landscape forces us out of our comfort zones very regularly and challenges us to stay ahead of the transitions to best advise our clients.
AvA: What are 3 of the most important qualities you see in your peers who have risen through the ranks quickly in their professional roles?
Kohan: The willingness to take a risk and fail.
Possession of a strong, relentless, and passionate point of view.
Commitment and diligent work ethic.
AvA: What is one piece of advice you have for someone just starting out in their careers?
Kohan: Run your own race. Put your head down, do the work, and don’t compare yourself to others.
AvA: If money was no object, what would your job/career be (outside of the Entertainment Industry)?
Kohan: Definitely something in the world of fashion and design.
AvA: What are you binging on TV right now?
Kohan: Mid-century Modern & The Studio.
AvA: Book or podcast recommendation?
Kohan: Reading ‘When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines’ by Graydon Carter
Listening to ‘The Telepathy Tapes’ podcast (slowly but surely)
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