What makes CAA tick? How do top agents see the dealmaking environment? How deep are the wounds from the WGA battle? What has it meant to have private equity in the house for the past decade?

Nine senior CAA agents and executives and the co-ceo of parent company Tpg opened up to Variety on these questions and more. Here are highlights from those conversations.

On CAA’s competitive advantage:

Maha Dakhil (co-head of international film group and co-head of motion picture talent): I did not think I could possibly fit in by all that I had read about (agencies). I did not see myself as a natural fit, but what’s true is that this is not a monolithic place. The communication and the way we share information make people on the outside feel that we’re all so connected, and that we’re of the same mind — but we are truly a rambunctious,...