Stars Agency (San Francisco)

Stars Agency is one of the largest and most respected talent agencies on the West Coast, founded in 1986 by Lynn Claxon in San Francisco and now celebrating over 40 years of continuous operation serving the Bay Area, Northern California, and national production markets. The agency has grown from its San Francisco origins into a comprehensive multi-division firm representing actors, voiceover artists, models, and athletes across an impressive range of categories and platforms. Stars Agency operates as a SAG-AFTRA franchised, ATA member, and Actors Equity Association affiliated agency, providing the full slate of professional credentials that ensure the highest standards of business practice and talent protection. The agency's Grant Avenue office in the heart of San Francisco places it at the center of the Bay Area's vibrant creative and technology community, which generates distinctive production opportunities that differ significantly from the entertainment-focused markets of Los Angeles and New York. The agency's four decades of operation in the Bay Area have given it unmatched knowledge of the Northern California market and the relationships necessary to connect represented talent with the best available opportunities.

The San Francisco and Bay Area production market has a unique character shaped by the region's position as the global center of the technology industry, creating talent demand patterns that are distinct from any other market in the country. Tech giants including Apple, Google, Meta, Salesforce, Adobe, and hundreds of other companies produce enormous volumes of commercial advertising, product launch content, corporate communications, internal training, developer conference presentations, and brand marketing that require professional talent with a specific combination of authenticity, relatability, and intelligence that casting directors in this market have come to expect. Beyond the tech sector, the Bay Area's diverse economy encompasses finance, healthcare, food and wine, tourism, and education, all of which generate additional production activity. Stars Agency has built specialized expertise in serving these distinctive market segments, understanding the aesthetic preferences, casting tendencies, and production workflows that characterize Bay Area production clients. The market also benefits from Northern California's extraordinary shooting locations — from San Francisco's iconic architecture and bridges to Napa Valley's vineyards, Silicon Valley's campuses, and the dramatic natural landscapes of the surrounding region — that attract productions seeking visually distinctive backdrops.

Actors seeking representation with Stars Agency can submit through the agency's website at starsagency.com with professional headshots and a detailed resume highlighting training, experience, and special skills relevant to the commercial, theatrical, voiceover, or modeling divisions they are pursuing. The agency's size and comprehensive division structure mean that it evaluates submissions across many categories, so applicants should clearly identify which divisions align with their capabilities and career goals. The Bay Area market values natural, relatable types particularly strongly — the tech and corporate clients that drive much of the market's production tend to cast real-people looks and authentic personalities rather than the more polished, conventional aesthetics that dominate the Los Angeles market. Training in commercial acting, improv, voiceover, and on-camera technique are all valuable assets for prospective Stars talent. The agency's ATA membership and union affiliations ensure that the submission and representation process follows professional standards, and the agency's 40-year reputation means that acceptance onto the roster carries meaningful credibility with Bay Area casting directors.

Working with Stars Agency provides actors access to the comprehensive range of production opportunities available in the Bay Area and beyond, from national commercial campaigns for major tech brands to corporate video productions, voiceover work, industrial content, print campaigns, theatrical auditions for films and television projects, and the increasingly significant digital content category that tech companies produce in enormous volume. The agency's multiple specialized divisions — theatrical and on-camera, voiceover, model management, and sports management — are each led by agents with specific expertise in their category, ensuring that talent receive informed advocacy from specialists who understand the particular requirements and opportunities of their discipline. The voiceover division is particularly noteworthy, as the Bay Area's tech and corporate landscape generates exceptional VO demand for narration, product demos, app voice interfaces, tutorial content, and commercial spots. Stars Agency coordinates both in-person casting sessions and the self-tape submissions that have become increasingly dominant in the modern Bay Area casting workflow. The agency also provides access to opportunities beyond the Bay Area through its national industry relationships.

Stars Agency's roster is one of the most diverse and comprehensive on the West Coast, spanning actors, voiceover artists, commercial and fashion models, and athletes across all ages, ethnicities, and types. The agency's Stars Model Management division provides specialized fashion, runway, and commercial print representation, while the Stars Sports Management division offers athletes representation including NIL opportunities, marketing, pre-draft preparation, and career guidance — a forward-thinking addition that reflects the expanding intersection of sports and entertainment. The acting roster includes both established Bay Area professionals with extensive commercial and theatrical credits and newer talent who are developing their careers through the opportunities the market provides. Both SAG-AFTRA members and non-union performers find representation at the agency, with the Bay Area offering substantial work in both categories. The actors who thrive through Stars Agency tend to be those who embody the authentic, intelligent, relatable qualities that Bay Area casting directors consistently seek — this is a market that rewards genuine personality over manufactured polish.

Stars Agency operates on the standard commission-only model, with no upfront fees, registration costs, required classes, or ongoing charges to represented talent. Commission rates follow SAG-AFTRA franchise guidelines and ATA member standards, typically ranging from 10 to 20 percent depending on the type of work and applicable agreements. The triple credential of SAG-AFTRA franchise, ATA membership, and Actors Equity affiliation provides multiple layers of professional oversight ensuring that all business practices meet the highest industry standards. The commission-only structure means the agency earns only when its clients earn, creating properly aligned financial incentives. For talent in the Bay Area, where commercial rates from tech clients can be very competitive and voiceover rates for corporate and advertising work are strong, the standard commission rates represent excellent value given the access to one of America's most distinctive and well-paying regional production markets.

Stars Agency is the premier representation choice for actors based in the San Francisco Bay Area who want comprehensive, professionally credentialed agency representation from the market's most established and well-connected firm. The agency is particularly well-suited for actors and voiceover artists who thrive in the commercial and corporate production environment that defines the Bay Area market, and who possess the natural, authentic quality that tech and corporate clients consistently seek. Models will find the Stars Model Management division provides dedicated fashion and commercial print representation in a market that values diverse, real-people aesthetics alongside conventional model types. If you are a Bay Area actor who also works occasionally in the Los Angeles market, Stars can serve as your Northern California base while you maintain separate representation in LA for that market. For anyone serious about building a sustainable professional career in the Bay Area entertainment and production industry, Stars Agency's four decades of experience, triple professional affiliation, and comprehensive division structure make it the definitive choice.

Embrace the Bay Area's distinctive aesthetic by developing the authentic, relatable on-camera presence that tech and corporate clients in this market consistently cast — this means natural delivery, genuine personality, and the ability to connect with audiences as a real person rather than a polished performer. Invest in voiceover training and a professional demo if you have not already, as the Bay Area's tech and corporate landscape generates exceptional VO demand that can become a significant income stream alongside on-camera work. Build familiarity with the tech industry's culture, language, and values, as this knowledge gives you an edge in auditions for tech clients who can tell when an actor genuinely understands the world their product serves. Maintain a professional self-tape setup that can produce broadcast-quality auditions on short notice, as the Bay Area's distance from Los Angeles means that self-tapes are often the primary audition format for national productions casting from Southern California. Take advantage of the Bay Area's vibrant theatre scene, improv community, and independent film culture to keep your skills sharp and your creative network active, as these relationships often lead to professional opportunities that complement agency-submitted work.