The Kohner Agency has laid off its three talent agents, and the move comes with a notice: the entertainment industry is in the middle of a rough patch, one the agency calls profound and unprecedented. Owner and President Pearl Wexler says the agency is not shutting down, but the talent department will stop signing new clients and will only handle existing contracts and collect commissions.
Wexler will keep representing acting and literary clients herself. The agency’s literary department is also staying open. The statement, sent to Deadline, says the cuts were made because of “profound and unprecedented economic pressures.”
The Statement
“It is with a heavy heart that we must announce a restructuring of our talent representation team, necessitated by the profound and unprecedented economic pressures currently facing the broader entertainment industry,” the agency said in its statement.
The statement goes on to say the decision was difficult and that the agency is thankful for the work of those being let go. It promises leadership will manage the transition to keep serving clients through the change.
Why Now?
The agency points to the post-Covid, post-Peak TV period as the cause. Smaller, boutique talent agencies have struggled to survive with a marquee client who commands a big, steady paycheck as a star on an established series. Agencies that shut down in the past couple of years include A3 and KMR. That has made it harder for up-and-coming actors to find an agent willing to take them on.
The timing is notable. The industry has spent years consolidating, and smaller shops that once thrived on niche specialties now face pressure.
A Long History
Kohner was founded by Paul Kohner in 1938. It is the second oldest agency in Los Angeles, behind WMA, which is now WME. Its early clients included Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Maurice Chevalier, Billy Wilder, Henry Fonda, John Huston, Ingmar Bergman, Lana Turner and Liv Ullmann.
The agency has been in business for nearly 90 years.
Who Owns It Now
Wexler has owned and run the agency for the past 25 years. She is keeping her own roster of acting and literary clients, which means the agency will still represent talent even after the talent department’s staff is gone.
What Changes
The talent department will stay open to service existing contracts and collect commissions. It will not sign new clients.
The Contrast
This is where things get awkward. Wexler is keeping her own clients while letting go of other agents. The agency is telling its clients the talent department will keep working, but the statement also says the decision was difficult and that the agency is thankful for the work of those being let go.
| Role | Status |
|---|---|
| Talent agents laid off | Three agents |
| Talent department | Stays open, commissions only, no new clients |
| Literary department | Stays open |
| Wexler’s acting and literary clients | Kept by Wexler herself |
The Industry Context
Smaller agencies have been hit hard by consolidation. A3 and KMR both shut down in recent years. The loss of those agencies further limits opportunities for young actors to get an agent.
The agency’s statement frames the cuts as necessary, but it also acknowledges the human cost. The agency is grateful for the work of those being let go and wishes them well in their future endeavors.
What Happens Next
The agency leadership will oversee the transition to ensure continuity for clients. Wexler will continue representing acting and literary clients herself. The literary department will stay open.
The agency is navigating a changing landscape, but it is doing so by staying true to its core mission: protecting and nurturing the finest talent in film, television, theater and literature.
The Bottom Line
A 90-year-old agency with that kind of history laying off its talent agents is a signal. The boutique model is under pressure, and smaller shops are finding it harder to survive without a big, steady paycheck from a signature client.
The Kohner Agency has weathered hard times before. It has stayed in business for nearly 90 years. Whether it survives this round depends on whether Wexler can keep the agency running while managing the transition.
The agency’s statement is sincere about the difficulty of the decision. But the fact remains: three agents lost their jobs today, and the agency is telling clients everything will be fine.
That is a jarring contrast, and it is the story.
Source material: “Kohner Agency Lays Off Its Talent Agents Due To “Profound & Unprecedented Economic Pressures”,” Deadline.
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