SIGNED WHILE SELLING

A3 Artists Agency’s new head of commercial and endorsements on the changing faces of mainstream advertising

By Benjamin Lindsay

Gabriel Rush in Tide’s Super Bowl LV commercial

THE COMMERCIAL AND BRANDING SPACE FOR ACTORS HAS

never looked more like the real world than it does today. Demands for authenticity and diversity across all identities and walks of life have resulted in a more diverse crop of actors booking work—and landing representation. That’s where professionals like Ashley Partington come in. As A3 Artists Agency’s new head of commercial and endorsements, Partington does everything from working with first-time commercial actors to securing celebrity endorsements, like Jason Alexander’s recent Super Bowl spot for Tide. Speaking with Backstage, she breaks down her casting process, how the face of commercial acting has changed over the years, and what you need to know to get signed by talent agents like her.

There’s a bubbling demand for authenticity in the commercial space. How do you negotiate that with actors and brands? And considering your 15 years in the industry, how have you seen that conversation shift?

First of all, in general, authenticity is our favorite word, whether you’re a brandnew actor or an actor who has been doing it for a long time. You just want to make sure that you’re doing something that feels authentic to you. It’s been a major shift since I started. When I started in commercials, we were still [doing] that kind of classic, old school–type commercial, where you’re holding up a product and smiling and selling it. Over the years, it’s changed quite a bit. Commercials are very reflective of the times, and they need to be, because they need to appeal to the market that’s buying them. If you’re selling an Apple iPhone and highlighting how awesome it is for gaming, you’re not going to have a 1950s housewife selling that product—that wouldn’t make sense.

Definitely over the past few years, there’s a lot of multiethnic talent that we’re seeing getting cast. A lot of the descriptions we see are [for] “real-looking” talent that look like you and me, which is nice. Back in the day, [commercial actors were] very tall, waiflike, beautiful men and women, and now you turn on the television, and you see yourself reflected back.

With that in mind, you might also be fielding submissions from unrepresented talent new to the field entirely. What does that process look like, and what are you looking for when you’re building your roster?

We definitely look at résumés, but we also love people who are just starting out; we love to be part of their growing process, to help them pop and expand. We’re always excited to see newer faces, and we want to be able to introduce newer faces to the market as well. But, you know, [education] is super important. So even if you don’t go to a big, fancy school, still taking classes and [having] just a little bit of experience as to what we’re going to expect of you really puts you ahead of a lot of people that haven’t had that opportunity.

I always recommend, if you have a friend that has an agent or manager, ask them to pass your materials on. I’ll always look at a referral. I’ll always take it much more into consideration.

And Backstage is such a useful tool. There are incredible listings for nonunion opportunities, as well as immediate opportunities. And when you’re just starting out, it’s OK to be doing nonunion stuff. That’s where you’re going to get your experience. Everybody has to start somewhere. Just selfsubmitting and getting those little opportunities and getting a feel for what it’s like will make a big difference in the long run.

What qualities make an actor good for commercials?

It’s confidence. Look, you’re not going to have time to develop a character; you’re not going to get scripts ahead of time, days in advance, to really properly prepare; it’s not going to be a big monologue of dialogue, if there is dialogue. On the commercial side, [you should] walk into the room, be your best self, and just be excited and confident that you’re there because you are supposed to be there. And just have fun with it and run with it. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake.