January 30, 2025 • 41 mins
Christopher Silveri, a seasoned professional in the entertainment industry, boasts a rich career that began with casting commercials at Liz Lewis Casting Partners and evolved into leadership roles at Gilla Roos Limited and Prestige Management Group. Graduating from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Silveri's extensive experience in talent management led him to establish his own company, showcasing his dedication to nurturing talent featured on major television networks and films. Now a Partner and Vice President at UIA Talent, he remains committed to supporting actors while sharing his insights with aspiring professionals through seminars and workshops. In the latest episode of 'Conversations with Alya Lei,' host Alya Lei sat down with Christopher Silveri, a seasoned professional in the entertainment industry whose career has spanned over two decades. From acting to casting, representation, and talent management, Silveri's journey is a testament to adaptability and strategic decision-making. Reflecting on his journey, Silveri shared some profound insights. One of the standout quotes from the episode was, "We'll never know every single thing that could possibly go right or wrong. And that's why I think that has just always been my MO in life is just like, take the step." This quote encapsulates Silveri's fearless approach to navigating the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry. In a competitive field where talent and business acumen go hand in hand, Silveri's experiences serve as a valuable guide for aspiring creatives. His willingness to share knowledge through seminars and workshops reflects his commitment to supporting newcomers in the industry. As Christopher Silveri's career continues to evolve, his story exemplifies the resilience and determination required to thrive in the ever-changing landscape of entertainment. Through a blend of passion, strategic decision-making, and a willingness to embrace challenges, Silveri's journey serves as an inspiration for all those pursuing their dreams in the entertainment industry. Here are three key takeaways from the insightful conversation: **Understand the Business Aspects**: Silveri emphasizes the importance of grasping the business side of the entertainment industry. He points out that decisions are often influenced by marketability rather than talent alone. This realization shaped his approach to guiding actors, highlighting the need for individuals to comprehend the industry's dynamics beyond just their craft. 2. **Embrace Adaptability**: Throughout his career transitions, including becoming a talent agent and founding his management company, Center Stage Management, Silveri showcases the significance of adaptability. His ability to pivot in response to industry shifts and financial crises underscores the importance of being flexible and open to new opportunities. 3. **Take the Leap**: Silveri's advice to take the step forward resonates with the idea of embracing uncertainty. He acknowledges that we can't predict every outcome but encourages individuals to move forward despite not knowing all the answers. This mindset of taking calculated risks and being proactive in pursuing opportunities is a key aspect of success in the entertainment industry. Timeline: 00:00:12 Entertainment Industry Journey of Christopher Silveri 00:08:48 Navigating the Business Side of Show Business 00:15:58 Crafting Worlds: The Unsung Heroes of Casting 00:21:06 Navigating SAG-AFTRA Restrictions for Talent Agents 00:26:38 Entrepreneurial Evolution through Industry Challenges 00:30:51 Navigating Career Challenges through Strategic Adaptability 00:37:09 Collaborative Growth and Artistic Balance at UIA #CastingDirectors #ActingJourney #EntertainmentIndustry #ShowBusiness #CastingDirectors #TalentAgency #ManagementCompany #CareerTransitions #UIATalentAgency #ActingJourney #BusinessAcumen #ActorSupport #IndustryInsights #StrategicDecisions
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Christopher Silveri (00:01):
Welcome to Conversations with Aaliyah Ley. Tune
in for inspiration, information and upliftment as
creatives and entrepreneurs share their journeys, challenges
and successes.
Alya Lei (00:12):
Today we have amazing Christopher D. Silveri,
who takes great pride in his career
in the entertainment industry that has spanned
the last two decades. Since his graduation
from New York University Tisch School of
the Arts. Christopher is the partner and
vice president of of UIA Talent, a
(00:33):
talent agency with headquarters in New York
City. After a brief stint in acting,
Christopher began his entertainment career casting commercials
with Liz Lewis Casting partners, moved on
to representation to head up the legit
department theater, TV and film at Guillaroose
limited And began his management career as
(00:54):
the Vice president of talent management at
Prestige Management Group. Christopher started his own
talent management company in 2016, 2017. Serving
clients on both coasts and in all
mediums of the entertainment business. Christopher's clients
can be seen on every single television
(01:15):
network, including Amazon, Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Hulu,
Apple TV, plus TBS stars, etc. And
also on many major features films, the
Wolf of Wall street, etc. Many of
Christopher's clients also have national ad campaigns
(01:38):
and or major print advertisements running. Christopher
also does many seminars for those just
starting out in the entertainment industry, teaching
and participating in workshops in New York,
such as New York University, Pace University,
Brooklyn College and Washington D.C. christopher, thank
(01:59):
you so much.
Christopher Silveri (02:02):
It's been a long, a long journey.
Alya Lei (02:04):
This is so awesome. All right, Christopher,
I'm gonna just kind of start to
ask you, you started as an actor
first, right?
Christopher Silveri (02:13):
I sure did. I actually, if I
went into my real backstory before I
was of college age, I started out
actually as a dancer. Oh. Well, let's
just say when I was growing up
on Long Island, I used to play
(02:33):
baseball for my father's sake. And over
time, I started to just find a
fascination with all of the various different
things that I was seeing. And I
decided that I wanted to dance because
I thought it was such a beautiful
medium. So When I was 13, I
(02:54):
decided to tell my father I didn't
want to play baseball anymore. He loved
that. And I actually became a dancer.
I did a. I was late to
the game, clearly, because most people start
much earlier. But I then went into
a very, like, fast program and I
was part of a Glefski ballet company
on Long Island. Wow. You know, it
(03:16):
sounds awesome. Until, you know, a couple
of years into it, one of my
teachers, you know, poked me while I
was at the barn, was like, this
is soft. It shouldn't be. So, you
know, as with Dan, saying was not
exactly the right venue for me only
(03:37):
because I like French fries too much,
let's be honest. Anyways, so from there,
then I actually said, what can I
do to, you know, still move, but
tell stories through body and all that
stuff? And so I started to do
regional theater on Long island with Jamie
Lynn Siegler from Sopranos Natalie Portman at
(03:57):
Cultural Arts Playhouse on Long Island. And
that's how I kind of got into,
really, the acting portion. Then I realized,
oh, wow, I actually like to sing
and do all these things. And so
I specialized in that in high school
and started to do a lot. My
high school was actually a very close
relationship with mti, or Music Theater International,
(04:20):
and we were the first high school
to ever do les miserables junior. So
actually, Cameron McIntosh came to our high
school. Yes, of course. Many of my
schoolmates also then went on to many
big things, including Jenna Oshkowitz, who was
(04:42):
on Glee. She was in Les Mis
with me. Alexa.
Alya Lei (04:46):
Wow.
Christopher Silveri (04:47):
Yeah. Alexa Green was in my school
as well. Who was Glinda on the
tour of Wicked or Linda. So, yeah,
I mean, it was definitely a huge
coup. And I did an early admission
to NYU, hoping to get into Cat
21, which doesn't exist anymore. Now it's
(05:09):
the new School. I did not. I
got into Atlantic Theater Company. So I
guess that's a good thing and a
bad thing. They were basically like, sure,
you can sing. Let's get you into
an acting program. So, yeah, I was
actually at Atlantic Theatre Company at nyu,
which is where my acting career started.
(05:29):
And then from there, you know, the
rest is history.
Alya Lei (05:34):
So. So you. Okay, so you went
to nyu, got into the Atlantic Theater
Company. So you were what, around 18?
19? 20. Around that time.
Christopher Silveri (05:43):
17.
Alya Lei (05:44):
17, yes.
Christopher Silveri (05:46):
I. I actually graduated early. I graduated
in three years because I had a
lot of AP credits and things like
that. So.
Alya Lei (05:53):
So you're saying you're a genius. Okay,
whatever.
Christopher Silveri (05:56):
No, no, I was only. I only
had those credits because I copied all
of my brother's answers for my AP
courses. No, yeah, I. Yeah, I mean,
I graduated early, so I was actually
out of college by 20, and I.
In my third year because NYU had
a rule that for the first two
(06:18):
years, you cannot leave your studio. So
I was in Atlantic for the first
two years, and then generally in the
third year, people switched to a different
studio. Most people went to Stone street
for film and television. I actually did
not. I was told that Jack from
Will and Grace was already cast and
I should find a new career. I
(06:39):
know, I know. Yes. It's well, different
time. Different time. I'm not that young,
darling. Different. Different era. And so from
there, it doesn't hurt, like, so bad.
Alya Lei (06:51):
I mean, it's like a. Well, first,
the poke in ballet when you're a
kid, which was. I know ballet back
then. I hear they're really working on
making ballet more open.
Christopher Silveri (07:02):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Alya Lei (07:03):
But that hurts. And then this, the
Jack thing. Ow.
Christopher Silveri (07:07):
I mean, first of all, it's a
compliment. I wish I was as good
as Sean Hayes. But no, I mean,
honestly, it was painful, especially at that
age. And I spoke to many a
bottle of scotch about it. But that,
in retrospect, it was actually very helpful.
(07:29):
And the reason being it, in obviously,
in retrospect, I looked at it as
this was a passion and this was
an amazing way to do something for
myself, but I never looked at it
as a business. And that, for some
reason, was just not computing in my
(07:50):
brain when I was that young. And
so now looking back at it, I'm
like. And in actuality, if I didn't
take so much offense to it, I
would have seen that ultimately they were
trying to say, it's a business. What
is your brand? You know, but who
would take it from that kind of
comment, you know, at that age? So.
Alya Lei (08:09):
Right.
Christopher Silveri (08:10):
I am bittersweet about that. But at
the same point, it did help me
come to terms with the fact that
it is show business, not show fun.
So from there, instead of doing a
third year of studio in my final
year, I actually just started interning and
that counted as my studio credit. So
I actually worked at Liz Lewis Casting
(08:32):
Partners while still in college, and she
actually hired me before I graduated. So
I actually had a job in the
real world before I graduated college. So
I had a. An early start. I
mean, you know, I don't know if
that's good, but so.
Alya Lei (08:48):
So when you were. So you. So
you. You. You did pivot when you
heard that. You know, everyone has their
paths and obviously yours is very successful.
Just interesting. When did you realize the
show business part together versus show fun?
(09:12):
Right? Like, because it is a business.
And maybe that's what some of the.
A lot of actors don't realize that
are in it for the passion is
that it is a business. When did
you put the two and two together?
And what would you recommend to help
actors understand what that means as a
(09:32):
business?
Christopher Silveri (09:34):
It's hard. The first part I can
answer. The second part is a harder
one because I think everyone needs to
come to terms with it in their
own way because it can be A
very difficult pill to swallow for me.
The same person who told me that
Jack was already cast actually did a
business of acting class when I was
(09:55):
young. I mean, I don't think it
was exactly 100% a business of acting
class, but we had a wonderful activity
and they came into the classroom, had
a stack of headshots, threw them all
on the floor, and then put us
all into groups and said, create a
(10:17):
sitcom from these headshots.
Alya Lei (10:19):
Hmm.
Christopher Silveri (10:21):
We don't know who these people are.
We had no idea. All we could
do was look at these pictures, look
at their resumes, and try to put
together something that we felt would work.
And that was a very big wake
up call for me to say. Doesn't
matter whether they can act, does it?
Do they look like they can be
(10:42):
a family? Do they look like they
can fit in this idea of this
false, you know, fake pilot that we
were doing? And I thought, wow. I
mean, so does your acting really play
a part in it? Not always. And
that's where my eyes kind of were
opened to the idea that there is
(11:05):
a business and there will always be
several people behind that desk, behind that
table that have their own opinions that
may not be the same as yours.
So that was a very good way
for me to have learned that it
is a business that look, I could
look at someone's picture and be like,
(11:25):
they look like an X pass. Did
that have anything to do with your
acting? No. But you don't know. Is
that the person who has the most
clout in that room, People are going
to listen to that. And that's what
really kind of like opened myself to
the idea that the business aspect is
(11:45):
a very large portion. It does not
mean that I don't value the art.
It's just. It is a. It's a
slippery slope and a very thin line
between those two. And so consistently being
on both ends of that, of saying,
yes, this is what you can do
to be creative and do your art,
(12:07):
and this is what you can do
to understand where you're going into. Because
no matter where you are in your
career, you will always have people that
like you or don't.
Alya Lei (12:20):
Yes. Right. Right. Wow. That's huge. Whoa.
So that's why I'm thinking sometimes you
hear, or I hear actors complaining, right?
Because they're like, I can act better
than that person. But that's not. It's
not about just the talent.
Christopher Silveri (12:43):
Thank God.
Alya Lei (12:44):
Thank God for me.
Christopher Silveri (12:45):
Oh, no, that's not true. But. But
it is. I mean, that's the sad
Reality. I mean, especially since the Panda
and since the. The strike. I will
say what a lot of people have
not taken into account is the entertainment
industry is. It's part of commerce. The
(13:07):
people who make these shows, the network
shows, those are IPOs that are publicly
traded, which means that we are in
and of itself a part of the
financial world. So what do you think
happened when you guys shut down the
entire industry for a year? Well, those
(13:28):
people who are shareholders in those companies
were like, no, we need money now.
Yeah. And what was happening prior to
the strike is very important too, is
that everyone was fighting to be as
successful as the streamers. And so what
they would do is they would, you
know, throw money, a couple million dollars
(13:50):
at many, many projects. Now they're not.
Alya Lei (13:54):
Mm.
Christopher Silveri (13:55):
Now they're taking their limited amount for
new, new content and saying, put it
only towards two things that we know
will work and what do they know
will work. How do you know that
someone will watch their show, find a
celebrity that everyone loves.
Alya Lei (14:12):
Wow. But that's not even a guarantee
at all, though.
Christopher Silveri (14:17):
It's not. And I, I kind of
feel very happy when one of those
shows fail just because I'm like, see,
maybe you guys should learn. But I
don't work at a network, so it's
not my job. But I will say,
I mean, sometimes it works for their
benefit, sometimes it doesn't. But it is
a more risk adverse MO for these
(14:40):
studios and networks to kind of basically
say, well, if we get someone who
already has a fan base, that's going
to be a smarter choice than taking
up someone who has no credits but
can act better.
Alya Lei (14:52):
Oh, wow, this is great. I mean,
it's not great to hear, but it's
great information. It's great knowledge that I
think most actors. Actors don't hear in
general. That's fantastic. All right, so let's
go back. Let's go back. So you're
started right in your senior last year
(15:14):
at nyu. You've been hired. You're now
working in casting. Okay. How is that?
And I just want to acknowledge you
for staying in the company and not
while you got that news that could
have been said in a different way.
(15:34):
So you could just rebranded yourself into
somebody different than Sean Hayes because there's
space. Right. But anyways, so you're doing
casting. How was that? And then, like,
where does that go?
Christopher Silveri (15:49):
I loved casting. I still do. And
in fact, I would say that 99%
of my friends are casting directors.
Alya Lei (15:58):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (15:58):
Because I, I respect what they do
so much. It's Such an under underappreciated
talent. People think that they are just
like these people with all the power.
And I'm like, oh, my goodness. Like,
I don't think you know anything about
casting. You think that they're these rich
people who are holding the key to
the world. Well, that that's. They're still
(16:21):
working themselves. And especially while there was
a strike, those people were making no
money. So it's. I like, it's a
very under underutilized or underappreciated talent. But
suffice it to say, I loved casting
because you get to create these worlds,
(16:44):
you get to help have a say
in them.
Alya Lei (16:48):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (16:48):
But you don't get the final say.
Let's just be clear on that. But
you do get to be a part
of bringing those things to life. And
I think that that is the beautiful
thing about casting that I absolutely loved.
Unfortunately for me, having done casting for
four and a half years, it was
(17:08):
a little difficult for me when I
started to work on commercials and casting
commercials. One voiceover artists were generally three
times my age and did not appreciate
getting notes from someone in their early
20s. So that was a very interesting
(17:30):
moment. It's fine. So many years ago.
But also, there were a lot of
different commercial casting, commercial directors. Um, and
commercials are a different beast because you're
talking about ad agencies who literally don't
care anything about the entertainment industry. And
(17:51):
they would literally come to me and
be like, call this person in. And
I'd be like, I don't even like
that person. But sure. Because it was
my job to do what they asked.
And I kind of saw that. For
me, I lost a little bit of,
like, the magic of being able to
work with the people that I wanted
(18:13):
to work with. Because as a former
actor, I liked actors. I wanted to
see them succeed. And instead I was
being told who to bring in. And
I was like, yeah, I feel like
there was a cap for me.
Alya Lei (18:26):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (18:26):
To. To have my own creativity. So
that's when I was like, you know,
how do I get a chance to
work with the actors I want to
work with? And from there, what is
the answer? Oh, that's right. Representation. I
can represent the actors I want to
work with. So it was a very
smart, you know, next step for me.
Alya Lei (18:46):
Yeah, yeah. Because you realize it wasn't.
You weren't working with the people you
wanted to, and you're, what, what can
I do? What can I do? And
then you. And then it came to
you. Representation. Okay.
Christopher Silveri (18:57):
I was pivoting before the panda how.
Alya Lei (19:00):
Did you become an agent? Like, how
did you even know where to start?
Christopher Silveri (19:07):
So that's actually a very interesting question.
So Guillerus was primarily a commercial and
print agency, and they had a completely
separate division that was run by a
gentleman named Marv Josephson, who was in
the industry since, oh goodness, the early
(19:29):
40s, I believe, 50s. Like, he was
around for a very long time. Yeah.
And at that time, he was basically
on his way out to actually retire.
But it's very hard to get someone
to retire at that age because if
they're still working, he. He didn't want
to stop working. So I got the
(19:50):
opportunity to take all of my knowledge
and experience in casting and kind of
come in there, but I didn't want
to work in commercial representation. I wanted
to start to expand into the film,
television, and theater world. This was when
we were still sending packages out of
head shots for breakdowns. Yeah. And I
(20:11):
got a wonderful opportunity to. To work
with him for a couple of months
before I became the official head of
that department. And I. And I ended
up, like, being gifted some amazing people
who had huge careers, including Samuel Lee
Wright, who was, you know, the original
(20:32):
Sebastian, and it was original Scar in
Lion King on Broadway. So, like, there
were some amazing things that I got
a chance to really experience. And I
learned very quickly because I kind of.
I already had been dealing with a
lot of people in the representation angle,
and so I knew what was working
(20:54):
for me as a casting director. And
it was a very quick transition. And
then when he officially retired, it was
officially all of mine. So that was.
It was. It was a pretty good
transition.
Alya Lei (21:06):
Yeah. Wow. And did you have any
doubts, like, when you transitioned from casting
to being a talent agent, did you
have any doubts at all in terms
of what to. To do or. Or
because you had some mentorship for that
couple of months that, that really helped
(21:26):
transition you into a new parallel, but
within the same industry.
Christopher Silveri (21:32):
But it's a great question. I don't.
I don't know. I mean, I'm sure
I did, but I was also in
my early 20s, and I think that
I was just so hungry, and I
thought I could take on anything and
then never experience the negative. And if
I did, then I turn it around
(21:53):
and work the positive. So was I
nervous? The only thing that made me
nervous was when I became an agent.
At the time, SAG and afra, not
sag, aftra, they both basically made me
sign away my rights to ever become
a casting director again. What they said,
(22:16):
as long as you are no Longer
interested in being a casting director because
that is a conflict of interest because
I would not be able to represent
people as well as cast them, which
was kind of like, that was around
the time when they were trying to
get managers in the SAG aftra. Like
there's a lot of different situations there.
(22:37):
But suffice it to say, I did
have to say I am, I'm not
casting. I have no interest in coming
into representation with the opportunity to double
dip and cast my people, which would
then. Yeah, it was very, it was,
it was appropriate for the unions, but
(22:58):
it was just not something that really,
I knew how to do. So that
was an interesting moment, but it was
nothing bad.
Alya Lei (23:07):
Yeah, yeah. So you like, so now
does that still apply today? Like you
literally cannot do any casting still?
Christopher Silveri (23:16):
Well, if you're a rep, yes. Yeah,
that is correct. Oh yeah.
Alya Lei (23:20):
Okay.
Christopher Silveri (23:22):
There are some casting directors that act.
Alya Lei (23:24):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (23:25):
But that is not something that has
ever, ever been, you know, in question.
Like people can do that. But as
far as representation and casting. No.
Alya Lei (23:34):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (23:34):
And also those unions will also say
you can't be a producer. That happened
back in the early aughts with CAA
and wme, basically with what they call
packaging. That was a huge thing. So
because caa, wme, uta, icm, which some
(23:55):
of them, you know, they would basically
represent all people for a production, which
means that they represented the writer, director
and star.
Alya Lei (24:05):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (24:06):
And so they would then sell those
people and that product to a studio.
And so basically that means that they
were double dipping because they were not
only getting a percentage of commission from
the that person that they represented, but
also a percentage of the commission from
it as a whole as a sale
(24:27):
to said studio or network. And so
the state actually and the unions both
cracked down on that and said, you
cannot do that as an agent. So
that's where that kind of situation became
a thing of they're trying to say
you can't produce and be an agent.
(24:47):
Which is why a lot of people
became managers around that time. A lot
of people said, well, I want to
continue to do that. And so they
just remove themselves from the unions. And
it's also why the managers never would
agree to becoming part of the unions
because they were like, no, that's how
(25:09):
we make most of our money in
that we are working with people who
are multi hyphenates and we need to
commission whatever we work on.
Alya Lei (25:17):
Right.
Christopher Silveri (25:18):
So there's a lot of gray area
there. But some suffice it to say
now with franchise agents, part of the
unions they, that still exists, you cannot
produce, you cannot be a casting director
because that would be a way of
you getting around their rules of saying
you must employ the actor.
Alya Lei (25:38):
Okay. Okay. Because it seems like they're
still doing packaging though, right? Like, no,
you know, I don't know.
Christopher Silveri (25:47):
Everyone who wants to do something will
find ways to do it. Whether or
not it's illegal is another story. Is,
is basically the, the only way I
can really reply to that. I, I,
I won't say that it doesn't happen,
and I won't say that it does
happen, but yeah, in so many words,
(26:08):
it, there are ways around things, but
I don't do that. I, I mean,
that's why, you know, my, my wonderful
father would always say, why don't you
just go and work at the CAA
mail room and then work your way
up? And I was like, just that
business ethic never worked for me personally.
(26:29):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (26:33):
Cool. Okay. Thank you. That was very
informative.
Christopher Silveri (26:37):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (26:38):
So, okay, so now you're an agent.
Not only an agent, President of Guillaroos.
And so, and how long were you
there for? And when and why did
you transition?
Christopher Silveri (26:54):
About a year. And, yeah, I know,
a year and a half. And that
was back in 2008, which was the
wonderful financial crisis. And I do distinctly
recall the owner at the time saying,
I can't afford to pay you anymore.
And I said, well, I can't afford
to work here anymore. So, which actually
(27:19):
wasn't a bad thing, per se. It
was just the nature of where we
were in the industry. Yeah. Because again,
our industry is very tied to corporate
America. As much as we don't like
to believe it, it is true. And
so from there, I basically had the
opportunity to take my entire client list
(27:41):
and just go shop it around. Okay.
Now, unfortunately, other agencies were also closing
at that time, so that was not
really the best of options. And so
I got the opportunity to actually work
with a management company, which was even
better for me at the time because
(28:01):
it was a way for me to
then kind of whittle down my client
list to make sure that I could
really pay attention to the ones that,
that I cared so much about. And
I felt that they needed my personalized
attention. Now, that's not to say I
didn't care about the other ones. It's
just to say it kind of made
(28:22):
me focus a little bit more on
my work for them. Yeah. And how,
how necessary it is to have that
level of communication and work with each
person as they are trying to break
into a business. That is oversaturated. So
that's how I started it in management
with Prestige Management Group, and I was
(28:43):
there for nine and a half years,
and it was amazing.
Alya Lei (28:47):
That's a good amount of time.
Christopher Silveri (28:50):
Yeah, I know. I'm old.
Alya Lei (28:53):
No, I don't think that. Look it,
right, we, we've talked about that. But
you're, you're. That, that's fantastic that you
were there for nine years. That, I
mean, that shows that that was a
great company and a really great fit.
Right. Because you were there for nine.
(29:15):
While you were there. You know, what
I'm hearing overall in general so far
is, like, it seems like every time
there was what would be considered an
obstacle or a challenge or a shift,
you just shifted with it. Like, you
just kept shifting and moving forward. Like,
(29:36):
you shifted and moved forward. You shifted
and moved forward. Like, every time you've
shifted and moved forward is what I'm
hearing. It's very cool. And that you
really believed in yourself when you were
in your 20s.
Christopher Silveri (29:50):
Yeah, well, I don't know. I don't
know where that came from. Probably those
bottles of scotch or something. I don't
know. But, yeah, no, I mean, I
do think that this industry in and
of itself is a shifting industry. And
so for me, each time that those
obstacles presented, my option was to just
(30:14):
throw my hands up and say effort
or shift with it and try to
move forward. You know, the definition of
insanity is doing the same thing over
and over, expecting a different result. And
so I knew that each time that
these obstacles presented themselves, I had to
switch gears in order to continue on,
(30:36):
and I could never give this industry
up.
Alya Lei (30:39):
Yeah, you love the industry.
Christopher Silveri (30:42):
I do. I do. I was always
a huge fan of acting and storytelling
and just art in general.
Alya Lei (30:50):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (30:51):
And that is why I would continue
to pivot. And honestly, it's helped me
a lot because, let's just be honest.
I mean, what happened, like 2020 and
then what happened in 2023? Like, these
are huge obstacles. But I had already
had the experience of pivoting to make
(31:12):
sure that there's still possible ways of
income and making this my life.
Alya Lei (31:19):
Yeah. Yeah. And you still love it?
Christopher Silveri (31:22):
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Alya Lei (31:24):
Yeah. Very cool. All right, so prestige.
Amazing. Huge clients. Amazing. Next pivot.
Christopher Silveri (31:36):
Next pivot was actually the pain easiest.
No, Actually, no. I, I, I mean,
in, in no uncertain terms. I, I
wanted to have authority. I wanted to
have my own yes. Roster rather than
try to ask someone else if they
(31:57):
believed in who I thought should be
brought on or things like that. And
and you know, hello, my daddy issues
and authority issues is that like, I
just, I wanted things to be on
my terms and I didn't want to
have to split money with other people
who were doing these things for me.
And so there I, I thought the,
(32:20):
the easiest way to do that was
to have my own company.
Alya Lei (32:25):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (32:25):
Now, of course, that comes with all
of the business crap that you got
to deal with. So that was definitely
a new thing for me. But yeah,
the same point. If that is all
it took for me to have that
authority, it was worth it. And so
that's. That's how I then started my
(32:45):
own company, Center Stage Management. And it
was brilliant. Of course, probably not of
the best of times because that was
in 2017. So I only had three
years before the world went upside down.
But yeah. So if I just say
I still managed to hold on to
my company for seven and a half
years all on my own, even with
(33:07):
the panda. So I don't know, it
works for me.
Alya Lei (33:10):
Yeah. Wow, that's amazing. So you had
to learn like all this business stuff
that you didn't know before once you
became your own entity.
Christopher Silveri (33:18):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (33:19):
And it, and it just sounds like
you knew what you wanted and you
went for it.
Christopher Silveri (33:28):
When I make up my mind, I
make up my mind. I may not
think through the details of it 100,
but I'm like, mind made up. We'll
figure it out.
Alya Lei (33:38):
Yeah, yeah. So your mind's made up.
You take that action, you're like. And
you'll. And then you just figure it
out as you go along.
Christopher Silveri (33:48):
Yeah. It's called life.
Alya Lei (33:50):
Fantastic.
Christopher Silveri (33:50):
We'll never know every single thing that
could possibly go right or wrong. And
that's why I think that has just
always been my MO in life is
just like, take the step. What happens
in that step forward? Yeah, we don't
know. But if you don't take it,
you won't know.
Alya Lei (34:09):
I love that. That's so good. Wow.
You are bold. You are a bold
bad ass. I don't know if I
can say that.
Christopher Silveri (34:19):
Why? Not sure.
Alya Lei (34:20):
I don't know. Awesome. Okay. So your
own management company. Amazing. Survived through the
panda. Crazy. Because there was nothing going
on then or it's just like. Yeah,
yeah, right. And finally now you are
(34:40):
at UIA. Yes, yes.
Christopher Silveri (34:44):
That actually happened because in 2023, which
I like to refer to as dumpster
fire.
Alya Lei (34:53):
2020, that commercial, the 2020. What was
that? There was that commercial with the
devil and he like finally met his
love of his life, which was like,
what was it? 20, 20, 2023. I
don't remember.
Christopher Silveri (35:09):
Yeah, I think I, I have seen
that one. Yeah, it's like, look, 2023
was a hard year for everyone, not
just the on camera world. And yeah,
it just changed perspectives because I'm not
a 20 something anymore. And the seven
(35:31):
and a half years that I was
running my own company, I specialized in
film and television. I mean, I did
have theater people as well, don't get
me wrong, because, you know, coming from
my background, of course I will never
turn down a good theater. But people
I noticed were always coming to me
for film and television. Like they had
(35:52):
already gotten their Broadway credit and then
they got bored with it and so
they were like, I want to do
film and television. There's so much to
do in New York.
Alya Lei (35:58):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (35:59):
So I ended up being very specialized
in film and television as a manager,
and that made 2023 really hard. So
there I was in the middle of
a dual strike, which has not happened
since I've been alive actually.
Alya Lei (36:19):
And they were long.
Christopher Silveri (36:21):
And they were long, long strikes. Yeah,
I, I can't, I'm not going to
make comment on, you know, the good
or the bad of those strikes because
it. Everyone has their own thoughts. It's
just regardless of the good or the
negative that came out, I think people
forget it still happened for nine months.
Alya Lei (36:40):
Yeah. No one was making any money.
Christopher Silveri (36:44):
Anyone. Any money. And especially when you're
a business owner.
Alya Lei (36:48):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (36:49):
Where is any money coming from? And
my life is my business. So it
was definitely a moment of realization, of
saying, I need to expand. I need
to not just specialize in film and
television. I need to have other sources
of income for my actors.
Alya Lei (37:09):
There you go pivoting again.
Christopher Silveri (37:11):
Yeah, and there I am pivoting again.
And you know, some people were more
than happy to take on any theater
project that came on their way. Other
people were like, I'm gonna ride it
out with SAG Aftra and you know,
that's great for them. I mean, stand,
stand your ground. However, for me, that.
That's not fiscally savvy, let's just say
(37:32):
that. So anyways, over the past couple
of years though, I had shared clients
as a manager and then they were
the agents with Aaron and Nicole and
Heather at UIA. Yes. And they actually
recently approached me in early 2024 and
said, would you ever consider becoming a
partner here? We love film and television.
(37:55):
It's not necessarily our strength, but it's
definitely something that we have here and
we do do, and we would love,
you know, if that would be something
that you're interested in because we understand
that we're trying to expand to multiple
different streams of income. And I was
like, that's a great idea. Oh, my
God, I wish I thought of that
as a manager. So it was really.
(38:18):
I mean, it was a long process
because that was back in, what, February,
and it wasn't until August that I
started at uia. So clearly, you know,
lots of financial due diligence and all
those lawyers. But it was a great.
I know, right? But it was a
great step forward because that way I
(38:38):
wasn't the only person that was responsible
for every single thing. I came into
a place that had the infrastructure, and
I could get back to really just
focusing on the love that I have
for my actors, for the work, for
doing those things, but still being a
partner and being an owner. So it
(38:58):
was. It was the right fit. And
obviously, you know, I love my peeps
over at uia. I mean, it's. We
have a very family vibe because we're
always working for one another as well
as our actors. So it was the
perfect timing. And that's. That's kind of
my whole feel. That's how I got
(39:19):
to where I am today.
Alya Lei (39:21):
Nice. Just to clarify, when it was
just the idea of paperwork and having.
Christopher Silveri (39:26):
Oh, no.
Alya Lei (39:27):
Like, all.
Christopher Silveri (39:28):
Oh, I agree with you. Are you
kidding?
Alya Lei (39:31):
Any last things that you would love
to impart to inspire or keep people
on target or anything that you wish
people could have told you that would
help you so much more smoothly go
through all your privacy pivots?
Christopher Silveri (39:54):
I don't like to make it about
me, so I'm going to go with
the first portion of that question. I'd
like to say things that I like
to impart to actors. Get out of
your head. Get out of your head
and think that there's something that you
can do to make this work for
you? The answer is, all in due
(40:18):
time. There are some people who you
don't even know who they are until
they're in their 50s. One of my
favorite performers is Allison Janney.
Alya Lei (40:30):
Oh, yes.
Christopher Silveri (40:32):
I'm sorry. She had never won an
award until she was well into her
50s. Trust me, she was acting before
then.
Alya Lei (40:40):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (40:42):
And was around for a very long
time before then. But sometimes things just
fall into place. Everything everywhere, all at
once.
Alya Lei (40:53):
That was such a great movie.
Christopher Silveri (40:55):
Right. But it just. It like, these
are the ways that the world works.
You can't control the universe. And I
know that we, in such an industry
with so many question marks, try to.
We try to Find a control. Don't,
because it's not gonna work. It's just
gonna piss you off and get you
(41:17):
frustrated every day. Know that it happens
when it happens. If. Trust me, if
I had a success guide, then I'd
be living in some sort of mansion
out in Malibu Hills, like, because then
I would do that for everyone. Like,
why would I not do that? There
(41:38):
is no one way, and there is
no one thing that's going to work
for everyone. So don't try to control
it. Accept it when it comes with
gracious, open arms.
Alya Lei (41:48):
Yeah, I love that. Thank you. All
right, last. Last question. Silly question. Silly
question. All right, let's do this. 1.
Two truths and a lie.
Christopher Silveri (42:00):
Oh, do you know that one? I
do, but, like, I haven't played it
in a while, so, like, I don't
know. Or at least I haven't played
it in a more professional setting.
Alya Lei (42:14):
Safe for work. Safe for work.
Christopher Silveri (42:16):
Exactly. I know. That's a whole new
thing I'm learning at uia, too. Hello.
No teachers and a lie. I. I
miss acting. I. My favorite movie is
(42:39):
clue from 1985, and my favorite television
show is Will and Grace. Can you
guess which one's the line?
Alya Lei (42:54):
Okay, I'm gonna guess.
Christopher Silveri (42:55):
Go for it.
Alya Lei (42:56):
But I'm giving it some time, so,
you know, anyone listening can guess too.
Christopher Silveri (43:00):
Mm.
Alya Lei (43:01):
I'm gonna guess. The lie is willing
Grace is your favorite show.
Christopher Silveri (43:05):
Wrong. Go. Ah. My lie is I
miss acting. Wow.
Alya Lei (43:14):
You don't miss acting? That's great. I
mean, considering what you're doing, that is
great.
Christopher Silveri (43:22):
Well, it took some time, I will
say. It did. It definitely took some
time. But I will say I. There
are moments in my life where I'm
like, oh, it was so nice to
tell those stories, but the amount of
sheer vulnerability that you have to have
as an actor is something that I'm
just not good at.
Alya Lei (43:43):
Oh.
Christopher Silveri (43:44):
And I. And I don't like doing
that, so I think it's one of
those things that probably. I never will
miss acting because I'm. I'm getting to
an age where I. I'm setting my
ways now, so I'm. I ain't going
back, so. Yeah, that's actually life and
Will and Grace was one of my
favorites. The original, not the reboot. And
(44:07):
Clue is my favorite movie.
Alya Lei (44:09):
Ah. I never saw Clue. I love
Will and Grace, so.
Christopher Silveri (44:13):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (44:14):
Well, cool. Thank you so much. I
appreciate.
Christopher Silveri (44:19):
It's my pleasure.
Alya Lei (44:20):
Thank you so much for listening to
conversations with Aaliyah Lei. I'd love to
hear from you. Follow me. On Instagram
@alia Le A L Y a L
e I.
Welcome to Conversations with Aaliyah Ley. Tune
in for inspiration, information and upliftment as
creatives and entrepreneurs share their journeys, challenges
and successes.
Alya Lei (00:12):
Today we have amazing Christopher D. Silveri,
who takes great pride in his career
in the entertainment industry that has spanned
the last two decades. Since his graduation
from New York University Tisch School of
the Arts. Christopher is the partner and
vice president of of UIA Talent, a
(00:33):
talent agency with headquarters in New York
City. After a brief stint in acting,
Christopher began his entertainment career casting commercials
with Liz Lewis Casting partners, moved on
to representation to head up the legit
department theater, TV and film at Guillaroose
limited And began his management career as
(00:54):
the Vice president of talent management at
Prestige Management Group. Christopher started his own
talent management company in 2016, 2017. Serving
clients on both coasts and in all
mediums of the entertainment business. Christopher's clients
can be seen on every single television
(01:15):
network, including Amazon, Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Hulu,
Apple TV, plus TBS stars, etc. And
also on many major features films, the
Wolf of Wall street, etc. Many of
Christopher's clients also have national ad campaigns
(01:38):
and or major print advertisements running. Christopher
also does many seminars for those just
starting out in the entertainment industry, teaching
and participating in workshops in New York,
such as New York University, Pace University,
Brooklyn College and Washington D.C. christopher, thank
(01:59):
you so much.
Christopher Silveri (02:02):
It's been a long, a long journey.
Alya Lei (02:04):
This is so awesome. All right, Christopher,
I'm gonna just kind of start to
ask you, you started as an actor
first, right?
Christopher Silveri (02:13):
I sure did. I actually, if I
went into my real backstory before I
was of college age, I started out
actually as a dancer. Oh. Well, let's
just say when I was growing up
on Long Island, I used to play
(02:33):
baseball for my father's sake. And over
time, I started to just find a
fascination with all of the various different
things that I was seeing. And I
decided that I wanted to dance because
I thought it was such a beautiful
medium. So When I was 13, I
(02:54):
decided to tell my father I didn't
want to play baseball anymore. He loved
that. And I actually became a dancer.
I did a. I was late to
the game, clearly, because most people start
much earlier. But I then went into
a very, like, fast program and I
was part of a Glefski ballet company
on Long Island. Wow. You know, it
(03:16):
sounds awesome. Until, you know, a couple
of years into it, one of my
teachers, you know, poked me while I
was at the barn, was like, this
is soft. It shouldn't be. So, you
know, as with Dan, saying was not
exactly the right venue for me only
(03:37):
because I like French fries too much,
let's be honest. Anyways, so from there,
then I actually said, what can I
do to, you know, still move, but
tell stories through body and all that
stuff? And so I started to do
regional theater on Long island with Jamie
Lynn Siegler from Sopranos Natalie Portman at
(03:57):
Cultural Arts Playhouse on Long Island. And
that's how I kind of got into,
really, the acting portion. Then I realized,
oh, wow, I actually like to sing
and do all these things. And so
I specialized in that in high school
and started to do a lot. My
high school was actually a very close
relationship with mti, or Music Theater International,
(04:20):
and we were the first high school
to ever do les miserables junior. So
actually, Cameron McIntosh came to our high
school. Yes, of course. Many of my
schoolmates also then went on to many
big things, including Jenna Oshkowitz, who was
(04:42):
on Glee. She was in Les Mis
with me. Alexa.
Alya Lei (04:46):
Wow.
Christopher Silveri (04:47):
Yeah. Alexa Green was in my school
as well. Who was Glinda on the
tour of Wicked or Linda. So, yeah,
I mean, it was definitely a huge
coup. And I did an early admission
to NYU, hoping to get into Cat
21, which doesn't exist anymore. Now it's
(05:09):
the new School. I did not. I
got into Atlantic Theater Company. So I
guess that's a good thing and a
bad thing. They were basically like, sure,
you can sing. Let's get you into
an acting program. So, yeah, I was
actually at Atlantic Theatre Company at nyu,
which is where my acting career started.
(05:29):
And then from there, you know, the
rest is history.
Alya Lei (05:34):
So. So you. Okay, so you went
to nyu, got into the Atlantic Theater
Company. So you were what, around 18?
19? 20. Around that time.
Christopher Silveri (05:43):
17.
Alya Lei (05:44):
17, yes.
Christopher Silveri (05:46):
I. I actually graduated early. I graduated
in three years because I had a
lot of AP credits and things like
that. So.
Alya Lei (05:53):
So you're saying you're a genius. Okay,
whatever.
Christopher Silveri (05:56):
No, no, I was only. I only
had those credits because I copied all
of my brother's answers for my AP
courses. No, yeah, I. Yeah, I mean,
I graduated early, so I was actually
out of college by 20, and I.
In my third year because NYU had
a rule that for the first two
(06:18):
years, you cannot leave your studio. So
I was in Atlantic for the first
two years, and then generally in the
third year, people switched to a different
studio. Most people went to Stone street
for film and television. I actually did
not. I was told that Jack from
Will and Grace was already cast and
I should find a new career. I
(06:39):
know, I know. Yes. It's well, different
time. Different time. I'm not that young,
darling. Different. Different era. And so from
there, it doesn't hurt, like, so bad.
Alya Lei (06:51):
I mean, it's like a. Well, first,
the poke in ballet when you're a
kid, which was. I know ballet back
then. I hear they're really working on
making ballet more open.
Christopher Silveri (07:02):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Alya Lei (07:03):
But that hurts. And then this, the
Jack thing. Ow.
Christopher Silveri (07:07):
I mean, first of all, it's a
compliment. I wish I was as good
as Sean Hayes. But no, I mean,
honestly, it was painful, especially at that
age. And I spoke to many a
bottle of scotch about it. But that,
in retrospect, it was actually very helpful.
(07:29):
And the reason being it, in obviously,
in retrospect, I looked at it as
this was a passion and this was
an amazing way to do something for
myself, but I never looked at it
as a business. And that, for some
reason, was just not computing in my
(07:50):
brain when I was that young. And
so now looking back at it, I'm
like. And in actuality, if I didn't
take so much offense to it, I
would have seen that ultimately they were
trying to say, it's a business. What
is your brand? You know, but who
would take it from that kind of
comment, you know, at that age? So.
Alya Lei (08:09):
Right.
Christopher Silveri (08:10):
I am bittersweet about that. But at
the same point, it did help me
come to terms with the fact that
it is show business, not show fun.
So from there, instead of doing a
third year of studio in my final
year, I actually just started interning and
that counted as my studio credit. So
I actually worked at Liz Lewis Casting
(08:32):
Partners while still in college, and she
actually hired me before I graduated. So
I actually had a job in the
real world before I graduated college. So
I had a. An early start. I
mean, you know, I don't know if
that's good, but so.
Alya Lei (08:48):
So when you were. So you. So
you. You. You did pivot when you
heard that. You know, everyone has their
paths and obviously yours is very successful.
Just interesting. When did you realize the
show business part together versus show fun?
(09:12):
Right? Like, because it is a business.
And maybe that's what some of the.
A lot of actors don't realize that
are in it for the passion is
that it is a business. When did
you put the two and two together?
And what would you recommend to help
actors understand what that means as a
(09:32):
business?
Christopher Silveri (09:34):
It's hard. The first part I can
answer. The second part is a harder
one because I think everyone needs to
come to terms with it in their
own way because it can be A
very difficult pill to swallow for me.
The same person who told me that
Jack was already cast actually did a
business of acting class when I was
(09:55):
young. I mean, I don't think it
was exactly 100% a business of acting
class, but we had a wonderful activity
and they came into the classroom, had
a stack of headshots, threw them all
on the floor, and then put us
all into groups and said, create a
(10:17):
sitcom from these headshots.
Alya Lei (10:19):
Hmm.
Christopher Silveri (10:21):
We don't know who these people are.
We had no idea. All we could
do was look at these pictures, look
at their resumes, and try to put
together something that we felt would work.
And that was a very big wake
up call for me to say. Doesn't
matter whether they can act, does it?
Do they look like they can be
(10:42):
a family? Do they look like they
can fit in this idea of this
false, you know, fake pilot that we
were doing? And I thought, wow. I
mean, so does your acting really play
a part in it? Not always. And
that's where my eyes kind of were
opened to the idea that there is
(11:05):
a business and there will always be
several people behind that desk, behind that
table that have their own opinions that
may not be the same as yours.
So that was a very good way
for me to have learned that it
is a business that look, I could
look at someone's picture and be like,
(11:25):
they look like an X pass. Did
that have anything to do with your
acting? No. But you don't know. Is
that the person who has the most
clout in that room, People are going
to listen to that. And that's what
really kind of like opened myself to
the idea that the business aspect is
(11:45):
a very large portion. It does not
mean that I don't value the art.
It's just. It is a. It's a
slippery slope and a very thin line
between those two. And so consistently being
on both ends of that, of saying,
yes, this is what you can do
to be creative and do your art,
(12:07):
and this is what you can do
to understand where you're going into. Because
no matter where you are in your
career, you will always have people that
like you or don't.
Alya Lei (12:20):
Yes. Right. Right. Wow. That's huge. Whoa.
So that's why I'm thinking sometimes you
hear, or I hear actors complaining, right?
Because they're like, I can act better
than that person. But that's not. It's
not about just the talent.
Christopher Silveri (12:43):
Thank God.
Alya Lei (12:44):
Thank God for me.
Christopher Silveri (12:45):
Oh, no, that's not true. But. But
it is. I mean, that's the sad
Reality. I mean, especially since the Panda
and since the. The strike. I will
say what a lot of people have
not taken into account is the entertainment
industry is. It's part of commerce. The
(13:07):
people who make these shows, the network
shows, those are IPOs that are publicly
traded, which means that we are in
and of itself a part of the
financial world. So what do you think
happened when you guys shut down the
entire industry for a year? Well, those
(13:28):
people who are shareholders in those companies
were like, no, we need money now.
Yeah. And what was happening prior to
the strike is very important too, is
that everyone was fighting to be as
successful as the streamers. And so what
they would do is they would, you
know, throw money, a couple million dollars
(13:50):
at many, many projects. Now they're not.
Alya Lei (13:54):
Mm.
Christopher Silveri (13:55):
Now they're taking their limited amount for
new, new content and saying, put it
only towards two things that we know
will work and what do they know
will work. How do you know that
someone will watch their show, find a
celebrity that everyone loves.
Alya Lei (14:12):
Wow. But that's not even a guarantee
at all, though.
Christopher Silveri (14:17):
It's not. And I, I kind of
feel very happy when one of those
shows fail just because I'm like, see,
maybe you guys should learn. But I
don't work at a network, so it's
not my job. But I will say,
I mean, sometimes it works for their
benefit, sometimes it doesn't. But it is
a more risk adverse MO for these
(14:40):
studios and networks to kind of basically
say, well, if we get someone who
already has a fan base, that's going
to be a smarter choice than taking
up someone who has no credits but
can act better.
Alya Lei (14:52):
Oh, wow, this is great. I mean,
it's not great to hear, but it's
great information. It's great knowledge that I
think most actors. Actors don't hear in
general. That's fantastic. All right, so let's
go back. Let's go back. So you're
started right in your senior last year
(15:14):
at nyu. You've been hired. You're now
working in casting. Okay. How is that?
And I just want to acknowledge you
for staying in the company and not
while you got that news that could
have been said in a different way.
(15:34):
So you could just rebranded yourself into
somebody different than Sean Hayes because there's
space. Right. But anyways, so you're doing
casting. How was that? And then, like,
where does that go?
Christopher Silveri (15:49):
I loved casting. I still do. And
in fact, I would say that 99%
of my friends are casting directors.
Alya Lei (15:58):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (15:58):
Because I, I respect what they do
so much. It's Such an under underappreciated
talent. People think that they are just
like these people with all the power.
And I'm like, oh, my goodness. Like,
I don't think you know anything about
casting. You think that they're these rich
people who are holding the key to
the world. Well, that that's. They're still
(16:21):
working themselves. And especially while there was
a strike, those people were making no
money. So it's. I like, it's a
very under underutilized or underappreciated talent. But
suffice it to say, I loved casting
because you get to create these worlds,
(16:44):
you get to help have a say
in them.
Alya Lei (16:48):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (16:48):
But you don't get the final say.
Let's just be clear on that. But
you do get to be a part
of bringing those things to life. And
I think that that is the beautiful
thing about casting that I absolutely loved.
Unfortunately for me, having done casting for
four and a half years, it was
(17:08):
a little difficult for me when I
started to work on commercials and casting
commercials. One voiceover artists were generally three
times my age and did not appreciate
getting notes from someone in their early
20s. So that was a very interesting
(17:30):
moment. It's fine. So many years ago.
But also, there were a lot of
different commercial casting, commercial directors. Um, and
commercials are a different beast because you're
talking about ad agencies who literally don't
care anything about the entertainment industry. And
(17:51):
they would literally come to me and
be like, call this person in. And
I'd be like, I don't even like
that person. But sure. Because it was
my job to do what they asked.
And I kind of saw that. For
me, I lost a little bit of,
like, the magic of being able to
work with the people that I wanted
(18:13):
to work with. Because as a former
actor, I liked actors. I wanted to
see them succeed. And instead I was
being told who to bring in. And
I was like, yeah, I feel like
there was a cap for me.
Alya Lei (18:26):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (18:26):
To. To have my own creativity. So
that's when I was like, you know,
how do I get a chance to
work with the actors I want to
work with? And from there, what is
the answer? Oh, that's right. Representation. I
can represent the actors I want to
work with. So it was a very
smart, you know, next step for me.
Alya Lei (18:46):
Yeah, yeah. Because you realize it wasn't.
You weren't working with the people you
wanted to, and you're, what, what can
I do? What can I do? And
then you. And then it came to
you. Representation. Okay.
Christopher Silveri (18:57):
I was pivoting before the panda how.
Alya Lei (19:00):
Did you become an agent? Like, how
did you even know where to start?
Christopher Silveri (19:07):
So that's actually a very interesting question.
So Guillerus was primarily a commercial and
print agency, and they had a completely
separate division that was run by a
gentleman named Marv Josephson, who was in
the industry since, oh goodness, the early
(19:29):
40s, I believe, 50s. Like, he was
around for a very long time. Yeah.
And at that time, he was basically
on his way out to actually retire.
But it's very hard to get someone
to retire at that age because if
they're still working, he. He didn't want
to stop working. So I got the
(19:50):
opportunity to take all of my knowledge
and experience in casting and kind of
come in there, but I didn't want
to work in commercial representation. I wanted
to start to expand into the film,
television, and theater world. This was when
we were still sending packages out of
head shots for breakdowns. Yeah. And I
(20:11):
got a wonderful opportunity to. To work
with him for a couple of months
before I became the official head of
that department. And I. And I ended
up, like, being gifted some amazing people
who had huge careers, including Samuel Lee
Wright, who was, you know, the original
(20:32):
Sebastian, and it was original Scar in
Lion King on Broadway. So, like, there
were some amazing things that I got
a chance to really experience. And I
learned very quickly because I kind of.
I already had been dealing with a
lot of people in the representation angle,
and so I knew what was working
(20:54):
for me as a casting director. And
it was a very quick transition. And
then when he officially retired, it was
officially all of mine. So that was.
It was. It was a pretty good
transition.
Alya Lei (21:06):
Yeah. Wow. And did you have any
doubts, like, when you transitioned from casting
to being a talent agent, did you
have any doubts at all in terms
of what to. To do or. Or
because you had some mentorship for that
couple of months that, that really helped
(21:26):
transition you into a new parallel, but
within the same industry.
Christopher Silveri (21:32):
But it's a great question. I don't.
I don't know. I mean, I'm sure
I did, but I was also in
my early 20s, and I think that
I was just so hungry, and I
thought I could take on anything and
then never experience the negative. And if
I did, then I turn it around
(21:53):
and work the positive. So was I
nervous? The only thing that made me
nervous was when I became an agent.
At the time, SAG and afra, not
sag, aftra, they both basically made me
sign away my rights to ever become
a casting director again. What they said,
(22:16):
as long as you are no Longer
interested in being a casting director because
that is a conflict of interest because
I would not be able to represent
people as well as cast them, which
was kind of like, that was around
the time when they were trying to
get managers in the SAG aftra. Like
there's a lot of different situations there.
(22:37):
But suffice it to say, I did
have to say I am, I'm not
casting. I have no interest in coming
into representation with the opportunity to double
dip and cast my people, which would
then. Yeah, it was very, it was,
it was appropriate for the unions, but
(22:58):
it was just not something that really,
I knew how to do. So that
was an interesting moment, but it was
nothing bad.
Alya Lei (23:07):
Yeah, yeah. So you like, so now
does that still apply today? Like you
literally cannot do any casting still?
Christopher Silveri (23:16):
Well, if you're a rep, yes. Yeah,
that is correct. Oh yeah.
Alya Lei (23:20):
Okay.
Christopher Silveri (23:22):
There are some casting directors that act.
Alya Lei (23:24):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (23:25):
But that is not something that has
ever, ever been, you know, in question.
Like people can do that. But as
far as representation and casting. No.
Alya Lei (23:34):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (23:34):
And also those unions will also say
you can't be a producer. That happened
back in the early aughts with CAA
and wme, basically with what they call
packaging. That was a huge thing. So
because caa, wme, uta, icm, which some
(23:55):
of them, you know, they would basically
represent all people for a production, which
means that they represented the writer, director
and star.
Alya Lei (24:05):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (24:06):
And so they would then sell those
people and that product to a studio.
And so basically that means that they
were double dipping because they were not
only getting a percentage of commission from
the that person that they represented, but
also a percentage of the commission from
it as a whole as a sale
(24:27):
to said studio or network. And so
the state actually and the unions both
cracked down on that and said, you
cannot do that as an agent. So
that's where that kind of situation became
a thing of they're trying to say
you can't produce and be an agent.
(24:47):
Which is why a lot of people
became managers around that time. A lot
of people said, well, I want to
continue to do that. And so they
just remove themselves from the unions. And
it's also why the managers never would
agree to becoming part of the unions
because they were like, no, that's how
(25:09):
we make most of our money in
that we are working with people who
are multi hyphenates and we need to
commission whatever we work on.
Alya Lei (25:17):
Right.
Christopher Silveri (25:18):
So there's a lot of gray area
there. But some suffice it to say
now with franchise agents, part of the
unions they, that still exists, you cannot
produce, you cannot be a casting director
because that would be a way of
you getting around their rules of saying
you must employ the actor.
Alya Lei (25:38):
Okay. Okay. Because it seems like they're
still doing packaging though, right? Like, no,
you know, I don't know.
Christopher Silveri (25:47):
Everyone who wants to do something will
find ways to do it. Whether or
not it's illegal is another story. Is,
is basically the, the only way I
can really reply to that. I, I,
I won't say that it doesn't happen,
and I won't say that it does
happen, but yeah, in so many words,
(26:08):
it, there are ways around things, but
I don't do that. I, I mean,
that's why, you know, my, my wonderful
father would always say, why don't you
just go and work at the CAA
mail room and then work your way
up? And I was like, just that
business ethic never worked for me personally.
(26:29):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (26:33):
Cool. Okay. Thank you. That was very
informative.
Christopher Silveri (26:37):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (26:38):
So, okay, so now you're an agent.
Not only an agent, President of Guillaroos.
And so, and how long were you
there for? And when and why did
you transition?
Christopher Silveri (26:54):
About a year. And, yeah, I know,
a year and a half. And that
was back in 2008, which was the
wonderful financial crisis. And I do distinctly
recall the owner at the time saying,
I can't afford to pay you anymore.
And I said, well, I can't afford
to work here anymore. So, which actually
(27:19):
wasn't a bad thing, per se. It
was just the nature of where we
were in the industry. Yeah. Because again,
our industry is very tied to corporate
America. As much as we don't like
to believe it, it is true. And
so from there, I basically had the
opportunity to take my entire client list
(27:41):
and just go shop it around. Okay.
Now, unfortunately, other agencies were also closing
at that time, so that was not
really the best of options. And so
I got the opportunity to actually work
with a management company, which was even
better for me at the time because
(28:01):
it was a way for me to
then kind of whittle down my client
list to make sure that I could
really pay attention to the ones that,
that I cared so much about. And
I felt that they needed my personalized
attention. Now, that's not to say I
didn't care about the other ones. It's
just to say it kind of made
(28:22):
me focus a little bit more on
my work for them. Yeah. And how,
how necessary it is to have that
level of communication and work with each
person as they are trying to break
into a business. That is oversaturated. So
that's how I started it in management
with Prestige Management Group, and I was
(28:43):
there for nine and a half years,
and it was amazing.
Alya Lei (28:47):
That's a good amount of time.
Christopher Silveri (28:50):
Yeah, I know. I'm old.
Alya Lei (28:53):
No, I don't think that. Look it,
right, we, we've talked about that. But
you're, you're. That, that's fantastic that you
were there for nine years. That, I
mean, that shows that that was a
great company and a really great fit.
Right. Because you were there for nine.
(29:15):
While you were there. You know, what
I'm hearing overall in general so far
is, like, it seems like every time
there was what would be considered an
obstacle or a challenge or a shift,
you just shifted with it. Like, you
just kept shifting and moving forward. Like,
(29:36):
you shifted and moved forward. You shifted
and moved forward. Like, every time you've
shifted and moved forward is what I'm
hearing. It's very cool. And that you
really believed in yourself when you were
in your 20s.
Christopher Silveri (29:50):
Yeah, well, I don't know. I don't
know where that came from. Probably those
bottles of scotch or something. I don't
know. But, yeah, no, I mean, I
do think that this industry in and
of itself is a shifting industry. And
so for me, each time that those
obstacles presented, my option was to just
(30:14):
throw my hands up and say effort
or shift with it and try to
move forward. You know, the definition of
insanity is doing the same thing over
and over, expecting a different result. And
so I knew that each time that
these obstacles presented themselves, I had to
switch gears in order to continue on,
(30:36):
and I could never give this industry
up.
Alya Lei (30:39):
Yeah, you love the industry.
Christopher Silveri (30:42):
I do. I do. I was always
a huge fan of acting and storytelling
and just art in general.
Alya Lei (30:50):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (30:51):
And that is why I would continue
to pivot. And honestly, it's helped me
a lot because, let's just be honest.
I mean, what happened, like 2020 and
then what happened in 2023? Like, these
are huge obstacles. But I had already
had the experience of pivoting to make
(31:12):
sure that there's still possible ways of
income and making this my life.
Alya Lei (31:19):
Yeah. Yeah. And you still love it?
Christopher Silveri (31:22):
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Alya Lei (31:24):
Yeah. Very cool. All right, so prestige.
Amazing. Huge clients. Amazing. Next pivot.
Christopher Silveri (31:36):
Next pivot was actually the pain easiest.
No, Actually, no. I, I, I mean,
in, in no uncertain terms. I, I
wanted to have authority. I wanted to
have my own yes. Roster rather than
try to ask someone else if they
(31:57):
believed in who I thought should be
brought on or things like that. And
and you know, hello, my daddy issues
and authority issues is that like, I
just, I wanted things to be on
my terms and I didn't want to
have to split money with other people
who were doing these things for me.
And so there I, I thought the,
(32:20):
the easiest way to do that was
to have my own company.
Alya Lei (32:25):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (32:25):
Now, of course, that comes with all
of the business crap that you got
to deal with. So that was definitely
a new thing for me. But yeah,
the same point. If that is all
it took for me to have that
authority, it was worth it. And so
that's. That's how I then started my
(32:45):
own company, Center Stage Management. And it
was brilliant. Of course, probably not of
the best of times because that was
in 2017. So I only had three
years before the world went upside down.
But yeah. So if I just say
I still managed to hold on to
my company for seven and a half
years all on my own, even with
(33:07):
the panda. So I don't know, it
works for me.
Alya Lei (33:10):
Yeah. Wow, that's amazing. So you had
to learn like all this business stuff
that you didn't know before once you
became your own entity.
Christopher Silveri (33:18):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (33:19):
And it, and it just sounds like
you knew what you wanted and you
went for it.
Christopher Silveri (33:28):
When I make up my mind, I
make up my mind. I may not
think through the details of it 100,
but I'm like, mind made up. We'll
figure it out.
Alya Lei (33:38):
Yeah, yeah. So your mind's made up.
You take that action, you're like. And
you'll. And then you just figure it
out as you go along.
Christopher Silveri (33:48):
Yeah. It's called life.
Alya Lei (33:50):
Fantastic.
Christopher Silveri (33:50):
We'll never know every single thing that
could possibly go right or wrong. And
that's why I think that has just
always been my MO in life is
just like, take the step. What happens
in that step forward? Yeah, we don't
know. But if you don't take it,
you won't know.
Alya Lei (34:09):
I love that. That's so good. Wow.
You are bold. You are a bold
bad ass. I don't know if I
can say that.
Christopher Silveri (34:19):
Why? Not sure.
Alya Lei (34:20):
I don't know. Awesome. Okay. So your
own management company. Amazing. Survived through the
panda. Crazy. Because there was nothing going
on then or it's just like. Yeah,
yeah, right. And finally now you are
(34:40):
at UIA. Yes, yes.
Christopher Silveri (34:44):
That actually happened because in 2023, which
I like to refer to as dumpster
fire.
Alya Lei (34:53):
2020, that commercial, the 2020. What was
that? There was that commercial with the
devil and he like finally met his
love of his life, which was like,
what was it? 20, 20, 2023. I
don't remember.
Christopher Silveri (35:09):
Yeah, I think I, I have seen
that one. Yeah, it's like, look, 2023
was a hard year for everyone, not
just the on camera world. And yeah,
it just changed perspectives because I'm not
a 20 something anymore. And the seven
(35:31):
and a half years that I was
running my own company, I specialized in
film and television. I mean, I did
have theater people as well, don't get
me wrong, because, you know, coming from
my background, of course I will never
turn down a good theater. But people
I noticed were always coming to me
for film and television. Like they had
(35:52):
already gotten their Broadway credit and then
they got bored with it and so
they were like, I want to do
film and television. There's so much to
do in New York.
Alya Lei (35:58):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (35:59):
So I ended up being very specialized
in film and television as a manager,
and that made 2023 really hard. So
there I was in the middle of
a dual strike, which has not happened
since I've been alive actually.
Alya Lei (36:19):
And they were long.
Christopher Silveri (36:21):
And they were long, long strikes. Yeah,
I, I can't, I'm not going to
make comment on, you know, the good
or the bad of those strikes because
it. Everyone has their own thoughts. It's
just regardless of the good or the
negative that came out, I think people
forget it still happened for nine months.
Alya Lei (36:40):
Yeah. No one was making any money.
Christopher Silveri (36:44):
Anyone. Any money. And especially when you're
a business owner.
Alya Lei (36:48):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (36:49):
Where is any money coming from? And
my life is my business. So it
was definitely a moment of realization, of
saying, I need to expand. I need
to not just specialize in film and
television. I need to have other sources
of income for my actors.
Alya Lei (37:09):
There you go pivoting again.
Christopher Silveri (37:11):
Yeah, and there I am pivoting again.
And you know, some people were more
than happy to take on any theater
project that came on their way. Other
people were like, I'm gonna ride it
out with SAG Aftra and you know,
that's great for them. I mean, stand,
stand your ground. However, for me, that.
That's not fiscally savvy, let's just say
(37:32):
that. So anyways, over the past couple
of years though, I had shared clients
as a manager and then they were
the agents with Aaron and Nicole and
Heather at UIA. Yes. And they actually
recently approached me in early 2024 and
said, would you ever consider becoming a
partner here? We love film and television.
(37:55):
It's not necessarily our strength, but it's
definitely something that we have here and
we do do, and we would love,
you know, if that would be something
that you're interested in because we understand
that we're trying to expand to multiple
different streams of income. And I was
like, that's a great idea. Oh, my
God, I wish I thought of that
as a manager. So it was really.
(38:18):
I mean, it was a long process
because that was back in, what, February,
and it wasn't until August that I
started at uia. So clearly, you know,
lots of financial due diligence and all
those lawyers. But it was a great.
I know, right? But it was a
great step forward because that way I
(38:38):
wasn't the only person that was responsible
for every single thing. I came into
a place that had the infrastructure, and
I could get back to really just
focusing on the love that I have
for my actors, for the work, for
doing those things, but still being a
partner and being an owner. So it
(38:58):
was. It was the right fit. And
obviously, you know, I love my peeps
over at uia. I mean, it's. We
have a very family vibe because we're
always working for one another as well
as our actors. So it was the
perfect timing. And that's. That's kind of
my whole feel. That's how I got
(39:19):
to where I am today.
Alya Lei (39:21):
Nice. Just to clarify, when it was
just the idea of paperwork and having.
Christopher Silveri (39:26):
Oh, no.
Alya Lei (39:27):
Like, all.
Christopher Silveri (39:28):
Oh, I agree with you. Are you
kidding?
Alya Lei (39:31):
Any last things that you would love
to impart to inspire or keep people
on target or anything that you wish
people could have told you that would
help you so much more smoothly go
through all your privacy pivots?
Christopher Silveri (39:54):
I don't like to make it about
me, so I'm going to go with
the first portion of that question. I'd
like to say things that I like
to impart to actors. Get out of
your head. Get out of your head
and think that there's something that you
can do to make this work for
you? The answer is, all in due
(40:18):
time. There are some people who you
don't even know who they are until
they're in their 50s. One of my
favorite performers is Allison Janney.
Alya Lei (40:30):
Oh, yes.
Christopher Silveri (40:32):
I'm sorry. She had never won an
award until she was well into her
50s. Trust me, she was acting before
then.
Alya Lei (40:40):
Yeah.
Christopher Silveri (40:42):
And was around for a very long
time before then. But sometimes things just
fall into place. Everything everywhere, all at
once.
Alya Lei (40:53):
That was such a great movie.
Christopher Silveri (40:55):
Right. But it just. It like, these
are the ways that the world works.
You can't control the universe. And I
know that we, in such an industry
with so many question marks, try to.
We try to Find a control. Don't,
because it's not gonna work. It's just
gonna piss you off and get you
(41:17):
frustrated every day. Know that it happens
when it happens. If. Trust me, if
I had a success guide, then I'd
be living in some sort of mansion
out in Malibu Hills, like, because then
I would do that for everyone. Like,
why would I not do that? There
(41:38):
is no one way, and there is
no one thing that's going to work
for everyone. So don't try to control
it. Accept it when it comes with
gracious, open arms.
Alya Lei (41:48):
Yeah, I love that. Thank you. All
right, last. Last question. Silly question. Silly
question. All right, let's do this. 1.
Two truths and a lie.
Christopher Silveri (42:00):
Oh, do you know that one? I
do, but, like, I haven't played it
in a while, so, like, I don't
know. Or at least I haven't played
it in a more professional setting.
Alya Lei (42:14):
Safe for work. Safe for work.
Christopher Silveri (42:16):
Exactly. I know. That's a whole new
thing I'm learning at uia, too. Hello.
No teachers and a lie. I. I
miss acting. I. My favorite movie is
(42:39):
clue from 1985, and my favorite television
show is Will and Grace. Can you
guess which one's the line?
Alya Lei (42:54):
Okay, I'm gonna guess.
Christopher Silveri (42:55):
Go for it.
Alya Lei (42:56):
But I'm giving it some time, so,
you know, anyone listening can guess too.
Christopher Silveri (43:00):
Mm.
Alya Lei (43:01):
I'm gonna guess. The lie is willing
Grace is your favorite show.
Christopher Silveri (43:05):
Wrong. Go. Ah. My lie is I
miss acting. Wow.
Alya Lei (43:14):
You don't miss acting? That's great. I
mean, considering what you're doing, that is
great.
Christopher Silveri (43:22):
Well, it took some time, I will
say. It did. It definitely took some
time. But I will say I. There
are moments in my life where I'm
like, oh, it was so nice to
tell those stories, but the amount of
sheer vulnerability that you have to have
as an actor is something that I'm
just not good at.
Alya Lei (43:43):
Oh.
Christopher Silveri (43:44):
And I. And I don't like doing
that, so I think it's one of
those things that probably. I never will
miss acting because I'm. I'm getting to
an age where I. I'm setting my
ways now, so I'm. I ain't going
back, so. Yeah, that's actually life and
Will and Grace was one of my
favorites. The original, not the reboot. And
(44:07):
Clue is my favorite movie.
Alya Lei (44:09):
Ah. I never saw Clue. I love
Will and Grace, so.
Christopher Silveri (44:13):
Yeah.
Alya Lei (44:14):
Well, cool. Thank you so much. I
appreciate.
Christopher Silveri (44:19):
It's my pleasure.
Alya Lei (44:20):
Thank you so much for listening to
conversations with Aaliyah Lei. I'd love to
hear from you. Follow me. On Instagram
@alia Le A L Y a L
e I.
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