Sean Grumman has dedicated the last five years to developing Verve’s talent division from the ground up, and he asserts that this is only the beginning.
With 25 years of experience in the entertainment field, Grumman previously honed his craft at CAA and WME before becoming a partner at Verve in 2020. He joined Verve when it was primarily a literary agency, tasked with establishing a strong talent representation branch.
“I started with just 14 clients on my own,” Grumman shared with Variety. “I don’t want to disclose our current number, but it’s significantly more than that. We now have 20 team members working in the talent department.”
A lifelong Angeleno and avid Dodgers supporter, Grumman has deep connections in Hollywood. His uncle, Ken Stovitz, has enjoyed a long career as an agent, executive, and producer at CAA. Grumman fondly reminisces about his early days as an intern and working in the CAA mailroom, where he would read every script his uncle perused.
“I read more scripts during my junior and senior years than I did books,” he reflected. “That’s when I truly fell in love with the business.”
After spending over a decade at CAA and an additional four years at WME—navigating the challenges of a global pandemic—Grumman sought a new direction. His discussions with Verve’s leadership revealed shared values and objectives, leading him to take on the leadership role for their talent representation efforts. He praised Verve’s co-founders, Adam Levine and Bryan Besser, for cultivating a collaborative culture that allows clients to access all aspects of the agency they desire.
“In the five years since Sean joined Verve, he has constructed our talent team into a formidable entity,” Besser remarked to Variety. “He has developed a carefully curated roster of actors and multi-faceted talent with significant cultural influence, recruiting high-performing agents who share his passion for elevating and diversifying creative careers. Furthermore, he has become a critical member of Verve’s leadership team, focusing on the agency’s growth and team-oriented culture.”
After 25 years in the industry, what continues to inspire Grumman about his daily work?
“It’s the opportunity to work with equally passionate individuals,” he stated. “It’s about bringing on talent agents who are as dedicated and enthusiastic. Our mission remains unchanged… At the end of the day, it’s about signing and collaborating with those who share my excitement for the industry.”
Grumman pointed to client Morris Chestnut as an example. Chestnut not only maintains a steady presence on-screen—appearing in CBS’s “Watson” alongside other series like “Reasonable Doubt,” “The Best Man: The Final Chapters,” and “Diarra From Detroit”—but is also pursuing film projects tied to intellectual properties he owns.
“For the last two years, [Chestnut] has only been available for about 10 days,” Grumman commented. Yet, he emphasized that Verve’s approach isn’t to simply book clients on as many projects as possible for maximum earnings. Instead, the focus is on helping clients express their creativity and explore new interests.
Consider Ben McKenzie, another of Grumman’s clients known for his lead roles in “Southland,” “The O.C.,” and “Gotham.” When McKenzie expressed a desire to delve into cryptocurrency, rather than pushing him back into another acting role, Grumman and his team decided to offer support. Now, McKenzie has authored the book “Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud” with journalist Jacob Silverman, testified at a Congressional hearing, and directed the documentary “Everyone Is Lying to You for Money,” which premiered at SXSW in 2025.
“I believe our approach to client management is highly personalized,” Grumman remarked. “We take the time to listen to their aspirations and strive to build something together. Our teams are engaged and enthusiastic in these endeavors. If they require assistance, we are there for them, and vice versa.”
This philosophy has enabled Grumman’s team to attract both seasoned and emerging agents. For instance, JR Ringer joined Verve from ICM in 2022, and since then, his client Josh Hartnett has collaborated with directors like Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”) and M. Night Shyamalan (“Trap”), made a guest appearance on FX’s “The Bear,” and is set to lead a new Netflix limited series.
Recently, Verve also brought on Barrett Bischoff from New York, whom Grumman describes as “a fantastic agent,” to solidify their East Coast presence. In addition, talent coordinator Lacey Hunsucker has quickly ascended to agent status due to her remarkable work ethic. “Lacey is a young agent who we took a chance on. We thought, ‘Let’s see your potential,’ and promoted her swiftly,” Grumman recounted.
Looking ahead, Grumman anticipates expanding Verve’s talent and digital representation as key aspects of the agency’s future. Moreover, he remains optimistic about a resurgence in production activity in and around Los Angeles.
“Today, on my way to work, I observed two different productions filming… It’s exhilarating to witness the power of entertainment re-emerging. It feels like the heartbeat of our city is returning.”
