Keya Khayatian’s life reads like the kind of story he now champions in Hollywood: one shaped by the search for identity. Keya traces his journey from immigrating to the U.S. as a child fleeing Iran to becoming a partner and co‑head of Media Rights at UTA, where he represents some of the most influential filmmakers working today.
He reflects on navigating his early experiences of feeling “othered” and discovering Amherst College, where he came into his own and developed the confidence that comes from failing and trying again. He shares what makes a storyteller’s voice unmistakable, how he advocates for artists in moments of creative conflict, and why the stories we tell ourselves matter as much as the ones we tell the world.
Email Keya at khayatiank@unitedtalent.com.
Show notes:
- Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams
- The Invite, Directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Wilde, Seth Rogan, Edward Norton, and Penelope Cruz
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