Jacob Gallagher is a Talent Manager and Senior Partner at Calliope West Artist Management. Under his creative moniker of Jayk Gallagher, he is a Writer/Director/Producer as well as a retired, former Actor.
Sundance Screenwriters Lab and Sloan Commissioning Grant Finalist, and Montana Film Commission Big Sky Grant for Feature Film Recipient Jayk Gallagher started out writing, producing and directing (WPD) episodic series for Fremantle Media, Current TV, and Sun Microsystems, plus music videos called “a kick to the gut” by SPIN Magazine, and “breathtaking” by Huffington Post, praised by Stereogum and Flaunt.
Jayk is a queer, non-binary, Iberian, Italian, and Irish American filmmaker.
Jayk WPDed “Idyll”, which debuted at NY Latino Film Festival presented by HBO, starring Sundance Alum Andrea Sixtos (Series Regular CW’s Arrow, Hulu’s East Los High) & Vanessa Garcia (SWAT, MacGuyver), and won Grand Jury Prize Best Narrative Short at Awareness FF and Best Actress in a Drama at Official Latino FF, and the film played at Philadelphia Latino FF, North Carolina Gay & Lesbian FF, Oaxaca FF, San Francisco Latino FF, Seattle Latino FF, Silver State FF, Marina Del Rey IFF, and many others.
Jayk WPDed LA noir sci fi short and episodic proof of concept “Chronopath”, which won Directors’ Choice Award at Sci-On! IFF and Best Actress in a Sci Fi at Official Latino FF, debuted at MCNIFF, and has played at Juggernaut FF, First Contact FF, Atlanta Horror FF, Tampa Bay Underground FF and WMMIFF among others, and was nominated for the “Out of this World Award” at the Official Latino FF. VFX were by George Loucas (Beatriz at Dinner, Boss Level, Jumanji, Superman & Lois), consultation on project by Effie Brown, Reza Safai.
Working on the projects of others, Gallagher Cast and Associate Produced “Hajji” with Snowfort Pictures (XX), starring Dayo Okeniyi (The Hunger Games) and Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead). In 2019, Jayk cast and pre-produced MLB Feature Film RAGE starring Marci Miller (Days of Our Lives Series Reg) and Mykel Shannon Jenkins (Series Regular Bold & The Beautiful) In 2018, Gallagher Cast and Associate Produced a film called “Zero-Zero” which won Best Short Film, Best Child Actor, and Best Actor among other awards at Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema, and won Best Indie Film and Best Child Actor at the Independent Shorts Awards.
In 2020, Jayk Directed and Produced a comedy film Written and Executive Produced by Paige Elson called “Drunk Girl Therapist” which debuted at the San Francisco Black Film Festival, and screened at the HBO Women in Comedy Film Festival, and LA Comedy Film Festival among others.
2016, Jayk WPed short “Synching” starring Milana Vayntrub (This Is Us, Love) and Sundance Alum Adam Gifford (Longmire, Wristcutters: A Love Story).
Jayk is in pre-production for his feature film The Apprehension of Dr. Kaczysnki, for which he received the Montana Big Sky Grant in 2020. He is currently writing and executive producing a major, to-be-internationally-released re-watch podcast for a top-five podcast network, but the details of it are classified until the release date.
The owner of Calliope West Artist Management, Jacob Gallagher has been a talent manager for the last 15 years. Having always been an independent-minded individual, he dove right into growing a roster of talent when he was 24. He started by repping a handful of developmental actors, as he worked side jobs to support his dream. Jacob’s efforts gathered steam over the years to become the successful company of which he is the CEO today.
He originally started Drexel Talent, part of Drexel Box Productions, then moved to Insomnia Media Group to co-head their talent management arm, and then started the company which is now HG5 with another fellow, Erik Heintz. About ten years ago, Greg Strangis and Jacob started Calliope West Artist Management together, and Greg retired about four years back. Many of Jacob’s clients have been with him through the whole journey (Regi Davis, Kevin Brief, Reggie De Leon etc).
Jacob is a retired, former actor, who worked under his creative moniker of Jayk Gallagher. He booked some great work in his twenties, such as The Social Network, Veep, CSI: NY, and more, but his passion for management led him to leave acting years back to triple down on his focus and commitment to Calliope West. Jacob’s experience as an actor greatly influences his work with his clients, allowing him to more deeply understand their concerns and struggles, as well as the preparation and work required for success in the career.
Along with his life-long excitement for representing artists, Gallagher has led a creative life, finding past success as a grunge musician, music promoter, radio host, playwright, rapper and rap battler, stand-up comedian, and more. But as he aged he decided to simplify and unify his efforts so that all his energies focus on only one thing: Helping people he cares about achieve their dreams. Jacob is deeply grateful to devote his life to growing Calliope West Artist Management, providing personal service to his clients with kindness, moral transparency, and a spirit of collaboration.
Our talent management company has clients with WME, A3, UTA, ICM, APA, BRS Gage, Innovative, KMR, AKA, AEFH, CESD, Talentworks, SMS, Media Artists Group, Sovereign, Metropolitan, Ellis Talent Group, Aperture, LB Talent, etc… we have clients that are multiple series regulars, celebrities, as well as the star of Seinfeld, Family Feud, and Dancing with the Stars– John O’Hurley. 5 time Series Regular Mauricio Mendoza, star of SHOWTIME’s award-winning drama Resurrection Boulevard, Latin American Celebrity Marlene Favela, Series Regular on General Hospital Avery Pohl, Elizabeth Rice who played Margaret Sterling on Mad Men for 7 seasons, Allan McLeod who played Jimmy on You’re the Worst for 5 seasons, 2 Season Series Regular on Showtime Celeste Pechous, Series Regular on Raising Hope and Major Recurring Guest Star on My Name is Earl Gregg Binkley, 9 Season Recurring Guest Star on The Middle and Damien Chazelle Studio Feature darling Troy Metcalf, Major Recurring Guest Stars and Niecy Nash’s Daughters Dia and Donielle Nash, 72 episode Recurring Guest Star on Superstore Kelly Schumann, Series Regular on 2022 Amazon Pilot Once Upon a Time in Aztlan with George Lopez Arianna Williams, Desperate Housewives Series Regular Rachel Fox, 27 Episode Recurring Guest Star on Mom Reggie De Leon, and so many more TV stars. Beyond those mentioned above, our clients are Recurring Guest Stars in the last year or two on Sex Lives of College Girls, Boo Bitch!, Never Have I Ever, Reboot, Carpe, Black-Ish, Mindhunter, Monster, Family Reunion, American Horror Story, The Lincoln Lawyer, SWAT,
Grey’s Anatomy, Filthy Rich, Saved by the Bell, Warped!, Game Shakers, Dear White People, Adam Ruins Everything, NCIS New Orleans etc. 2020-2022 Studio Feature Leads for our clients include Disney’s Jungle Cruise, Hellraiser, Little, Stuber, Rampage, Richard Jewell, Seberg, Horse Girl, Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, The Way Back, Godzilla: King of Monsters, Desperados, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and many more. https://pro.imdb.com/company/
Calliope West has a thriving Below the Line Department with clients that include George Loucas of Baked FX, who has Visual Effects Supervised such films as Beatriz at Dinner, Jumanji: The Next Level, Talladega Nights, and The Clapper, and such Sundance hits as Nine Days, The Infiltrator and many more. He’s worked on HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show among countless studio feature credits.
Co-Founding Partner Emeritus Greg Strangis was executive producer for Falcon Crest and Eight Is Enough in the 70s, and Jag and Flipper in the 90s. He created the television show War of the Worlds in the 80s. He started managing John O’Hurley in the mid nineties, and started the career of Eva LaRue– She starred in 153 episodes of CSI Miami, and remains at Greg’s original management company today.