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EXCLUSIVE: CAA has just hired Kami Putnam-Heist away from WME, and I’m told the talent agent will bring her longtime client James Franco. Putnam-Heist has been with WME for more than five years. She has repped Franco for six years, signing him while she was an agent at Gersh. Because this has just happened, it wasn’t immediately clear which other clients might be joining her. According to a client list on IMDB.com, she is aligned with some real up-and-comers and some vets. That list includes The Social Network’s Armie Hammer, Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Logan Lerman, True Blood (and reported Superman candidate) Joe Manganiello, NBC Chuck‘s Zachary Levi who just played the male lead in Tangled, and Prom’s Thomas McDonell. She worked on the WME team that reps Spider-Man’s Emma Stone, and vet clients include Kate Bosworth, Bradley Whitford, and Dennis Farina. Franco jumps in the midst of a career-changing year. He’s considered a strong candidate for a Best Actor nomination for playing Aron Ralston in the Danny Boyle-directed 127 Hours. Late last year, Deadline broke the story that he’ll co-host the upcoming Academy Awards with Anne Hathaway.
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She was a really nice woman, but not a great agent. Franco made every choice he’s made against her advice. Good to see Franco as loyal, but the CAA guys will surround him and push her out. Sad, but true.
“Franco made every choice he’s made against her advice.”
And you know this how?
I’m at another agency. We kicked the tires on this one. she is the point person for Franco, and that is basically it.
within 2 months, CAA will realize she is mediocre, and they will separate her from the client.
she will be unemployed in January 2013.
ooof. she is one of the laziest, most horrible agents that i’ve ever dealt with. hopefully franco will bring on a new agent to his caa team and put her on the street.
Putnam-Heist also represents hot Australian actress/commedienne Rebel Wilson who will seen in this year’s BRIDESMAIDS and THIS MEANS WAR.
Hot is probably the last word I would use to describe Rebel Wilson.
Big score for CAA. Good way for them to start the new year.
Huge blow to WME – smart move by CAA. Kami is by far one of THE classiest agents around. Phenomenal taste and a straight shooter – doesn’t deal in drama and bullshit. Love doing business with her and wish her well.
Ehhh…IMDB is a bit off. She reps none of those people.
This was buy an agent for their one client.
Ehhhh… Those ARE actually her clients. I love it when arrogance and stupidity are on the same post.
No professionals get their info from IMDB; a site that can be updated by 7th graders in Akron. (No offense Akronites.) And yeah, even IMDBPro is usually off so don’t start clarifying yourself. It’s Studio System, or, more likely, a reporter like Fleming who knows and verifies his info.
Way to go Kami!
DONT HATE ON AKRON!!!
I work in the field of entertainment, but I guess I’m not a “professional”, because I use IMDB daily, and have found it quite trustworthy.
HA. I will take odds that 75% of those clients listed below do not leave WME with Kami.
IMDB is good for some things, mostly historical. If you need to know what films anyone in the business has previously worked on (as cast & crew), there’s no better resource. But for current info like development status and representation, it’s simply not reliable. Filmtracker and Studiosystem are the right tools for that.
The fact is, the casting agents loved James Franco from the beginning when he was basically unknown and trying hard to land something. In fact, Mary Jo Slater was one of the very first to recognize this guy’s talent and push him to the fore.
And if memory serves, he’s not a bad pool (billiards) player either.
That’s because he trained at Playhouse West and they’re the best.
I love the irreverent way Franco conducts his career. An inspiration to us all. Hope he thrives at CAA and gets the care an ARTIST of his caliber deserves.
I’m at WME. Didn’t know Kami that well but I know she was not known as “one of the bitches” at WME. I get it that it’s a man’s club there but the female agents are so butch and pissed off at everything.. Okay, back to Desperate Housewives.
I agree. The female agents at WME are a weird bunch, but it’s a total product of their environment thing… Kami managed to avoid all of that.
She has great taste. Let us not forget to mention her hot and comer Matt Lanter. Wonder if CAA snagged him too?
Kami is smart and a straight shooter. Classy and smart. And Franco is on fire . Great get for CAA.
by the way, i waited the eight seconds or whatever it was for the ad that popped up before i read this. didn’t like waiting, not sure what the ad was for, and couldn’t care less, but please keep this to a minimum on this beloved site. kind regards.
francos career has been on the rise in the years shes worked with him. I cant imagine thats because he doesnt listen to her advice. i think she put hilary swank in boys dont cry as well. she thanked her for it, that says something.
“Kicked the tires on this one”? Really? I’m sure there was a lot of chin scratching and temple rubbing in your weekly “partner meeting”. She wasn’t on the market, CAA pursued her. And seeing as you’re a self-proclaimed “outsider” she wouldn’t have ever gone to APA anyways.
AMAZING! Thought this would/should have happened sooner… She is no bullshit and she has a great eye for talent and an even better way of communicating with them. Refreshing approach with buyers and talent. Plus CAA could use another kick ass female agent! Hey Ari, slow down, iceberg ahead…
Kami is a fantastic agent and an even better human being. I’ve known her since her Metropolitan days and they don’t come smarter or nicer. She is a true rarity in Hollywood: Someone with taste, ambition, and moral fiber. Score one for CAA.
she does rep the actors mentioned and they are all prime talent. also like the way kami handles her stars they get good projects and exposure without the drama of twilight or disney stars. armi hammer, logan lerman and joe mangiello are going to be major stars.just hope this doesn’t affect lerman’s casting as Charlie in Perks of Being a Wallflower which also stars another WME talent Emma Watson.
I have known Kami for over 15 years she is one of the hardest working people I know. I think the fact that CAA pursued her tells the story. Way to go Kami !
Not to be irrelavent but I would love to have the chance to meet james franco and kami.
Franco will be fine. He’s got a great management team and will ensure his success regardless what agency he is with.
I have known and worked with Kami for many years. I have found her to be one of the most honest people I have ever met. The fact that James has followed her to CAA obviously shows his trust in her and nothing else needs to be said. I only wish her the best.
I met Kami b4 and thought i wouldn’t like her but did. She’s ADD but a kind person. Not sure she’s taking anyone else with her but Franco.
Kami is smart, funny, real, and has an amazing eye for talent. She did put Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry and if I remember correctly she had to push Hilary to do it…we all know how that turned out. CAA is smart by grabbing her and Franco. They are both amazingly talented and on the way up. Hopefully WME will take a step back and realize what they’ve lost. I know that won’t happen but one can dream. WME is going to keep losing good agents and actors as long as the boys club over there is running the show. Congrats Kami!
It’s true. Hilary had to fly to NYC to audition on her own dime and hesitated and Kami forced her to do it by saying she’d drop her. That is an agent. That’s how it’s done. Kami knew that strange, dark little indie movie would be huge and a career-making role perfect for her client.
Kami is an awesome person, I wish her the best
As a former colleague of Kami’s, she’s one of the most wonderful people i ever had the pleasure of working with. No BS, true blue, salt of the earth. She’s got great taste and it speaks volumes that Franco is sticking by her – especially given the year he’s had. Kami did put Swank in BOYS DON’T CRY and is always ahead of the curve when it comes to discovering talent. WME is down one of the good guys (or gals). Congrats Kami; I hope this is an amazing move for you. xo