Agent Names: Dan Baron & Chase Northington
New Company: Paradigm
Department: Talent (Dan Baron), TV Literary (Chase Northington)
Previous Company: APA/IAG (Dan Baron); Verve (Chase Northington)
Territory: United States
- Dan Baron, a veteran talent agent, has joined Paradigm after 21 years at APA/IAG, where he was made a partner in the talent department in 2021.
- Chase Northington, a seasoned TV literary agent, comes over from Verve, where he spent 13 years, climbing from the mailroom to agent in 2015.
- Both agents will be based out of Paradigm’s Los Angeles office, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to building its West Coast talent and literary divisions.
- The dual hire signals Paradigm’s aggressive push to strengthen its talent roster and TV literary capabilities heading into 2026.
Paradigm has made two major moves, bringing aboard veteran agents Dan Baron and Chase Northington in a pair of high-profile hires that signal the agency is building toward a strong 2026.
Baron brings 21 years of experience from APA/IAG, where he rose to partner in the talent department in 2021. He’s widely regarded as one of the industry’s most well-connected talent reps, and his move to Paradigm is already turning heads.
Paradigm Managing Partner Andrew Ruf praised Baron’s “deep industry relationships and sharp strategic instincts,” saying the hire adds “immediate strength” to their talent roster.
On the literary side, Northington arrives from Verve, where he spent 13 years working his way up from the mailroom before being promoted to agent in 2015. He’s known for his strong creative eye and deal-making chops in the TV space.
Ruf noted that Northington’s “forward-thinking approach meaningfully expands” Paradigm’s literary capabilities.
This isn’t the first time Paradigm has made noise in the marketplace. The agency recently made waves when Eyal Podell and Jonathon E. Stewart signed with Paradigm, and before that, Ben York Jones signed with Paradigm Talent Agency, pointing to a clear pattern of deliberate, strategic talent acquisition across departments.
Paradigm is a full-service entertainment agency with offices across Los Angeles, New York, London, and beyond, representing clients in television, film, music, theatre, and more. With Baron and Northington now in the fold, the agency looks poised to make even bigger moves this year.
Takeaways
These two hires aren’t just routine additions, they tell a story. Paradigm is clearly playing offense in 2026, targeting proven, experienced agents with deep networks rather than grooming talent from within.
Pulling Baron away after two decades at APA/IAG and landing Northington from Verve shows the agency has the leverage and appeal to compete for the industry’s best.
What’s particularly interesting is the balance of the move: one talent-side hire, one literary-side hire. That’s not a coincidence. It suggests Paradigm is strengthening both pillars simultaneously, which is exactly what an agency needs to attract A-list clients who want full-service representation under one roof.
Is Paradigm positioning itself to challenge the dominance of WME and CAA in the mid-market talent space? Could these hires trigger a chain reaction of movement among other senior agents at competing firms?
