Jamie Kennedy couldn't find an acting agent so he made one up

By: Start TV Staff     Posted: February 5, 2021, 11:48AM

Image Source: Everett Collection

Comedian and Ghost Whisperer star Jamie Kennedy was closer than most to calling it quits when he first started out in Hollywood. Making the move from his hometown in Pennsylvania to LA in 1989, Kennedy had a hard time finding either an acting role or agent to represent him.

In between numerous auditions Kennedy would find himself taking on an assortment of odd jobs to pay the bills. From waiting tables to dressing up as Bart Simpson for birthday parties, he would do it all to stay in LA until he accomplished his dream of becoming an actor. 

He eventually was hired at a telemarketing agency making cold call sales over the phone. On the verge of packing up and moving back home, it's here that Kennedy is struck with a revelation of how similar acting agents are to working in sales. With actors as the product, it's up to the agent themselves to sell studios and directors on their said product. Following countless failed attempts at finding his own agent, Kennedy decided to put both his talents in acting and sales together to create his own. Thus acting agent extraordinaire "Marty Power" was born. 

As Marty Power, Kennedy would answer calls with his new persona by putting on a tough-guy Bronx accent whenever representing his client aka himself. Over time he was quick to get the attention of Hollywood as more agents and talent scouts began to show up to watch Kennedy's performances at the insistence of Marty Power. Marty would become such an iconic figure himself that other managers would even claim to be old friends of Jamie Kennedy's fictionalized persona.

After months of pitching himself to various Hollywood projects, Kennedy garnished enough attention to land numerous acting roles and even an actual agent. In 1996 he would finally get his big breakout role in the horror movie classic, Scream. Jamie Kennedy proves that sometimes you can fake it until you make it.

Watch Ghost Whisperer on Start TV

EVERY NIGHT AT 4 AM EASTERN