Meet The Talent Agency That’s Turning Influencers Into Superstars

Arsenic is a powerhouse agency that’s helping top influencers get TV shows, brand deals and cultural status.

A year ago, she was told she was “just an Instamodel.” Now she’s in Italy filming a TV show for Hulu produced by Alex Cooper, the creator and host of Call Her Daddy. And she’s not alone, she’s part of a wave of social media talent crashing into mainstream TV. When casting directors with top networks like Netflix and Hulu want the next reality TV stars, they don’t just hold open castings anymore—increasingly, they call Arsenic. 

Founded by Billy Hawkins—who once repped A-listers like Will Smith and the writers of Transformers—Arsenic has become the go-to agency for turning top online talent into mainstream stars. Nowhere is this trend more explosive than with creators coming out of the exclusive content boom. “Many of these creators are already running seven-figure businesses,” Hawkins says. “We help them make more money and unlock bigger opportunities—TV, brands, press… the works!”

Bringing More Value To The Table

Affluence doesn’t always equal access. Many of these creators face a stigma that blocks them from mainstream opportunities, especially when it comes to brands, press, and TV. “There’s a gold rush to take a cut of exclusive content earnings, but the smart creators demand a partner that brings more value to the table,” Hawkins says. “Like Arsenic.”

Arsenic clients have landed roles on shows across Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, ABC, and more. “We’re in the middle of a major shift,” says Cindy Chea, VP of Operations. “Casting execs and brands are open to exclusive-content creators—if they’re positioned the right way.”

Be The Brand

While TV is the gamechanger, Arsenic’s brand division—led by Beth Bruno, VP of Client Service—talks to more than 1,000 companies a week to bring top-tier brand deals to its talent. “The truth is we invest in our talent at a level that others won’t,” Bruno says. “We don’t mind losing money on a client this month if it means we build something meaningful and earn ten times that down the line.”

Meanwhile, the agency’s PR team is landing clients in Glamour, Forbes, Daily Mail, and on major red carpets. “We tell creators: We’re not just bringing you a brand deal, we’re building you as the brand,” Bruno says. “This is about building empires,” Hawkins says. “The ones who go for it—who cross over into TV, brands, and mainstream culture—they’re the ones who will still be here in five years.”