Next Gen 2012: Hollywood's Fastest-Rising Stars

Kives' roster ranges from the brawny (Bruce Willis) to the scrawny (Warren Buffett, Jesse Eisenberg), to say nothing of the beauties (Kate Hudson, Kate Bosworth). The Winnipeg, Canada-born agent, 31, orchestrated Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to the big screen and counts Obama speechwriter-turned-1600 Penn writer Jon Lovett among his politico-turned-writer clients.

BIG BREAK: Getting my first job in the CAA mailroom [after graduating from Stanford] despite being Canadian, because they don't sponsor people for work visas. Arlene Newman, head of HR, decided to make a one-time exception.

CAREER INSPIRATION: Growing up, I would read books on different entertainment players: David Geffen, Mike Ovitz and Barry Diller. Many started at agencies, so I decided from an early age that I wanted to be an agent.

BEST ADVICE: My high school debate coach told me to be the best version of myself.

10 YEARS AGO: I was working for Bill Clinton in the post-presidency in Harlem. I always told the president I wanted to be an agent. And he'd say, "You want to be a Secret Service agent?"

10 YEARS FROM NOW: I hope to be working with great clients and celebrating Hillary Clinton's re-election -- in 2020, after raising a lot of money.

BEST DAY: June 1, 2011. I got an e-mail that I got my green card, and I started running around CAA screaming like a madman.