Joshua Siegel
First off, most people know that an agent is very important to an actor's career, but few actually know what an agent's job entails. Can you briefly describe what an agent does?

Angela Morris
An Agent works for their client -- be they a Model or Actor to find the best exposure they can, and markets the client for employment in the medium of the clients choice... A friend of mine worded it best though, (thanks Karen!) as to finding the best agent for children -- it is applicable for adults as well:

• The agent who LOVES your child the MOST is the best agent.
• The agent who will work HARDEST for your child is the best agent.
• The agent who will GROOM your child -- tell you what you need to do to market your child successfully is the best agent.
• The agent who picks up the phone and PITCHES his heart out about your kid is the best agent.
• The agent who LISTENS to your questions and answers them so you can understand is the best agent.
• The agent who KNOWS what career path you want to follow and submits accordingly is the best agent.

What are some of the common misconceptions you think actors have about agents?
The biggest misconception that actors (especially newbies) have about getting into show biz is that getting the agent is the hardest part and its all easy street from there -- that's the easiest part!

Very true. It's still important to keep up your training and get yourself seen. But having a good agent is certainly an essential part of an actor's career. What are the most important things you look for in a prospective client?
Poise, Personality, and Presence.

How about experience?
Experience helps, but skill is what I will be looking for most. There will always be room for beginners.

We all need to start somewhere. Speaking of which, how did you get started as an agent?
I started off as a Child/Teen Actor... As an adult I worked in Human Resources, but it wasn't enough...when I got an opportunity to combine both fields I was overjoyed. I consider myself extremely lucky that I have found a career that I love so much.

Any final words of advice for those interested in an acting career?
I always tell my clients to keep a hold of reality while they follow their dreams. A swelled ego will get a person nowhere. Education is important.

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Angela W. Morris is a talent agent and the owner of the 2AM Agency. She has been in the entertainment industry since childhood and tries to keep in mind how rough it was when she was starting out.

Copyright © Angela Morris & Joshua Siegel. Used with permission of the author. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or distributed.

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