Meet Madison Junod | Talent Agent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madison Junod and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madison, what principle do you value most?
Balance. I’ve found that by pursing the balance between courage, humility, kindness, and truth I push myself to try to continuously evolve into my best self. Professionally, considering the extreme nature of the entertainment industry, understanding balance has been vital to my success. There’s the physical balance of things like time and health but I’ve found that seeking the balance between the metaphysical to be equally life changing.

One of the most important values I strive to remember is when to be bold and take up space versus when to listen and give space to others. There is a constant pressure in today’s world to be seen, heard, and acknowledged; to take up as much space as possible, always. Our world is what we tell ourselves it is, or at least, that will be the only perspective we are capable of seeing. The reality is- we shape our own realities!

That’s where balance comes in- Being courageous and speaking up for yourself and others is crucial but sometimes ego gets in the way and we’re no longer courageously standing up for anything but rather having a temper tantrum for what we believe we’re owed. On the other side, by trying to stay humble, listening and learning, it can be easy to get caught up being the student and forget to have faith in your own experience. Balance; the art of taking up the exact amount of space you need to in a moment. Being loud enough to be heard, quite enough to hear others. For me, I try to stay conscientious, respecting the power of words, and I find that I speak with more purpose and listen with more integrity when I do.

Likewise, I seek balance by remembering kindness while vigilantly striving for truth. Being brutally honest can be easy, but if the goal is to help then how much brutality is needed? By finding the balance in kindness and honesty I am reminded that my overall goal is to inspire and to share the tools and knowledge I’ve picked up along my journey, from a place of love and support.

Considering that art comes from the heart, the artistic world can be a heartless place. Money, power, and ego can bring a darkness that shadows the art. My goal is to spread as much light, love, and life as I am blessed to do in art and in life. After all, it’s all about balance!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think I’ve found a perfect culmination for my passion in casting, acting, and production as a Film & TV agent with AMT. Originally from the world of casting, I was fortunate enough to work on numerous award-winning productions including True Detective, Watchmen, and Netflix’s first streaming original, House of Cards, as part of the Primetime Emmy winning team for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series under Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert, CSA. After moving to Atlanta to put my performance degree to work, I spent five years professionally acting full time in film & television throughout the Southeast. This is where I got the real life experience of being a starving artist. The feast or famine of it all. Truthfully, the idea of a steady paycheck started to sound really good so I ended up returning to the production side after having worked (and starved) as a full-time actor. It was on The CW’s Legacies production team that I worked closely with producers, directors, and writers finding a new passion in the business side of production. When Jason, Kelly, and Sarah asked me to join the AMT Dream Team, it was a match made in heaven! As an agent I am able to empower actors, create with casting directors, and solve production’s problems all in the same day!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite thing about Atlanta as a city is all the different vibes the different neighborhoods have. For instance, if my friends and I were looking for a great place to grab some authentic ethnic food then we could just drive up and down Buford highway window shopping all the amazing options. If we’re looking to dance then The Basement in East Atlanta Village in a go to! Roswell has the most beautiful hiking, kayaking, and tubing while still being 10 minutes away from critically acclimated restaurants. Whatever your interest is, Atlanta has a stop for it. The theatre community here is really something special and Atlanta magically has theatres, museums, and show spaces all over, inside and outside the perimeter, so no matter what you end up doing that day there’s always something for you to catch that night!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout has to go to my work family at Atlanta Models & Talent! From my work siblings Jason Lockhart & Kelly Nehmen to our Mama Bear, Sarah Carpenter, and to every single crazy cousin actor that we represent and love, AMT truly is one big family! Without the guidance of my mentors and coworkers I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today. Professionally, they have taught me efficiency unlike I knew possible, especially on the go! Personally, they are a continuous support system that values humanity and joy equally to success. My actors are constant reminders of how serving others truly serves yourself. To share the highs and lows, joys and defeats, wins and losses of a person and their dreams is a bond unlike any other. I feel so blessed to have a job that I love, that feeds my soul, and makes 8 year old Madison’s dreams come true.

Website: https://www.amtagency.com

Instagram: @sup3rmadi

Image Credits
Chase Anderson Rachel Zehner