Pennsylvania is a state that is constantly overlooked but has been the source of some of Hollywood’s greatest success stories like Sabrina Carpenter, Kevin Hart, Taylor Swift, and more! Even a small town such as Stroudsburg has had its own success stories like Peter Kallinteris, a Stroudsburg alumnus who now works as a talent agent in Los Angeles, California.
(Image provided by Peter Kallinteris)
Peter Kallinteris graduated from Stroudsburg High School in 1993 and attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From there, he moved to Los Angeles, California, and set out to achieve a lifelong dream of pursuing an entertainment career.
“Not many students choose to pursue it,” says Billye Kubiak, one of Stroudsburg musical’s directors. “It’s more than just being in a musical. We’ve had students make it as musicians, which is just as difficult.”
While at Stroudsburg, he participated in a number of school plays such as “Man of La Mancha” and “Godspell.” While involved in the theatre department in school, Kallinteris had been taken under the wing of Richard Mel, a teacher at Stroudsburg at the time.
Even outside of school, he would indulge himself in the arts of acting, drama, and cinema. Kallinteris surrounded himself with the many works of the entertainment industry such as recording commercials on his family’s videocassette recorder (VCR) and watching soap operas with his mother. He attended college at the University of Arts where he earned his degree in Fine Arts and Theatre.
“Peter has always kept a positive attitude in everything that he did,” remarks Soula Kallinteris, Peter Kallinteris’ sister. “Even when he was struggling, he always made the best out of every situation. He is still that today and that is my favorite quality about him.”
After the conclusion of college, Kallinteris ventured out to Los Angeles, California twice! The first time, he described it as a “reality check” due to his realization of the challenges and difficulties of breaking into entertainment.
“It’s an extremely competitive market. The more skills you have, the better your odds are of becoming successful,” explains Kallinteris. “I realize now because I’m a talent agent, but at the time I didn’t know it. I never took any dance classes, I didn’t play any instruments, I didn’t do sports, so I was limited on things I could be cast for.”
This first trip to the West Coast caused a shift in his love for the industry and acting. He moved back to Stroudsburg in the early 2000s to help run his father’s construction business, where he quickly realized that it wasn’t for him.
With this realization, his spark for entertainment was reignited and he moved back to California in 2013. This time, taking a different approach and pursuing a career as a talent agent. With the help of a friend who was leaving the talent agency market, Kallinteris stepped up and learned the ropes to becoming a successful agent. He started out working for a talent agency called Cavaleri and Associates, where he quickly excelled in the market without any experience in the field.
After a few years of working for various talent agencies, Kallinteris made a life-changing decision. He opened his own acting agency in 2019, the Peter Kallinteris Agency (PKA). As a job that is commission based, a wave of nerves flowed over him, as he started his business. A constant motivator for him was the intuition to push the fear out of his head and have “no choice” but to succeed.
With this mindset, Kallinteris’ agency found its footing in entertainment. In January of 2024, the company celebrated its fifth anniversary, standing as a testament to his commitment to the industry and his relationship with his actors. By building bonds with his actors and employees, he displays how humanizing yourself as a boss and talent agent can help a company grow and thrive.
Over the past five years, PKA has had a number of milestones and accomplishments. The Peter Kallinteris Agency made headlines for launching a video discussing the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community within entertainment. The video featured actors associated with PKA who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community as they shared their personal stories and how it has changed their lives. The project received a noteworthy amount of attention within the industry for its touching message of acceptance and inclusion.
Some other significant successes include one of his actors, Larry Myo Leong, playing Mr. Lou in “Murder Mystery 2” and actor Greg Cohan playing Al Smith in “ATLAS,” starring opposite of famous star, Jennifer Lopez.
With these successes, Kallinteris has seen the path he has taken and every step’s significance in his journey. Stroudsburg’s art and music departments have both grown drastically since 1993. Students are able to explore and experience a number of opportunities such as new instruments, art styles, photography, media content, and more!
“You have to be fully committed. Don’t allow fear to enter your head,” states Peter Kallinteris. “It is very difficult but anything worth anything is a difficult journey. If you stay focused and have your eyes set on what you want to accomplish, you can do anything.”
You can follow Peter Kallinteris and the Peter Kallinteris Agency on Instagram @PeterKallinterisAgency to see more of his actors’ work and the successes of the agency.
