21 Nov 2023

W TALENT NYC's Kelli Walters Wins “Resilient Visionary of Talent Excellence Award” - New York NY

by: James Bower of GRA

Kelli Walters, the owner of W Talent NYC, has been awarded the prestigious Resilient Visionary of Talent Excellence Award for her unwavering commitment to excellence in the face of adversity.

This award recognizes Kelli's inspiring leadership and dedication to the talent industry during the COVID pandemic. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Kelli has not only weathered the storm but has emerged stronger than ever. W Talent NYC has continued to flourish under her guidance, signing an impressive 300 talents since reopening in 2022. Her passion and dedication to nurturing new talent within the industry and providing top-tier representation have made W Talent NYC a beacon of resilience and success.Kelli's outstanding leadership has garnered her numerous accolades, including Leading Women Entrepreneurs in 2012 and Women in Business Awards from 2008 to 2018. She is also recognized as one of the Top 10 Talent Agencies in NYC as of August 2022.

Her awe-inspiring track record of winning Best Model and Talent Agency awards at 25 Global Model Conventions from 2000 to 2019 further cements her position as a tireless advocate for talent and a ground-breaking entrepreneur. "We celebrate Kelli Walters for her remarkable achievements and the indelible impact she continues to make in the talent industry," said a spokesperson for the Resilient Visionary ofTalent Excellence Award. "Her dedication to excellence, ethical conduct, and perseverance in the face of adversity is an inspiration to us all."

About Global Recognition Awards: Global Recognition Awards (www.globalrecognitionawards.org) is an international organization that recognizes exceptional companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to their industry.

Central Pa. musician, hairdresser to appear alongside award-winning actress in new TV series

Published: Jan. 31, 2024, 7:06 p.m.

By Sean Adams | sadams@pennlive.com

Harrisburg hairdresser Deuce Gibb has a few interesting side gigs.

One of them is as a member of the rock group The Martini Brothers, who have been performing in the central Pennsylvania region since 1994. The other is as an occasional model and actor. And he’ll be appearing in a new series on FX, which begins airing on Jan. 31.

Gibb will make his television debut in an upcoming episode of “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.” The Ryan Murphy-produced anthology series will focus this season on writer Truman Capote and a group of socialites whom he used as inspiration for his thinly-veiled novel “Answered Prayers.” Feeling betrayed by Capote using their secrets as fodder for his book, the socialites swear revenge on him.

Though its his first time on television, Gibb has appeared on screen before - he had a small role in the film “Girl, Interrupted,” which was shot in Harrisburg.

“I was Seedy-Looking Guy!” Gibb said, laughing.

While the majority of his scene was cut from the film, he said, he can still be spotted in a few moments, and he also got to hang out with actor Angelina Jolie.

So how does a Harrisburg hairdresser end up in Hollywood productions?

“I have a friend that has a talent and modeling agency,” “It’s called W Talent NYC. And from time to time, she would send me new models that needed their hair done, so I could fix their hair up before a photo shoot. And I said to her, ‘I’d like to get back into doing more things like modeling or television commercials or something’.”

Gibb had a profile made through the agency to be added to a database of extras and day players.

“Let’s face it, I’m now the older guy,” he said. “I don’t have a belly and I have all my hair. So I figured there’s work for me somewhere, you know?”And when the producers of “Feud” needed a guy with a certain look, who also knew how to style hair? That’s when Gibb got the call to come to New York and shoot a scene with Calista Flockhart.

Flockhart portrays Lee Radziwill in “Feud,” and while Gibb didn’t interact much with her besides a few on-set pleasantries, the process was exciting to be a part of. After all, it’s not every day you get to put on a wool suit and be directed by Academy Award nominee Gus Van Sant.

“At one point, everybody left the room - all the camera people, all the light people, all the gaffer people,” he said. “And it was just Calista Flockhart, sitting at the vanity, her hairdresser - the three of us and Gus Van Sant. So we got to actually watch her rehearse the scene with the director a few times. It was pretty cool. And then, you know, we shot the scene that I was in about eight times. That was about it, and it was a wrap.”

“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” begins airing on Jan. 31 on FX, and episodes are available the day after airing on Hulu.