This Topeka talent-booking agency books Comic-Con appearances for popular sci-fi, action stars
The Beast Within Productions, USA, a talent-booking agency that links sci-fi and action-related celebrities with fans, has 54 clients.
Many would be included in a who's who of "Star Wars" movies.
And The Beast Within Productions is based in Topeka.
Spencer Wilding, who played Darth Vader in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" as well as Jimmy Vee, who played R2-D2 in "Star Wars: Episode VIII" — The Last Jedi" and "Solo: A Star Wars Story" are among the listed talent.
Jeremy Palko, who played Andy in "The Walking Dead," Julian Seager, who plays Jari Gorm in Netflix's "Vikings Valhalla," and Florian Munteanu, who played boxer Viktor Drago in "Creed 2," are three other notable clients.
"It's a fun world," said Topekan Staci Williams, who is co-owner and talent ambassador for the business. "Everyone that you meet in this world, the actors are normal people, and they are so kind, and the people that come to the Comic-Cons are amazing, and they are so grateful."
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How 'The Beast Within' was born
It was some sort of karma that led Williams into that strange and special world.
Wilder is her business partner. He lives in north Wales. They communicate often over the phone and in person.
The company came about after Williams and her family attended TopCon, Topeka's version of Comic-Con, a few years ago. Williams and her family own Topeka's Petland store.
The family spent quite a while chatting with Wilding, and her son Steiner suggested going back a couple of days later.
"My son said: 'You know? We have a Welsh flag for a clan at school and Spencer is from Wales,'" Williams said. "'Do you think Spencer would sign it?' and I said, 'We'll see, we'll see.'"
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'I always knew ... I was to follow the yellow brick road to Kansas'
She thought about it, then decided the family should go back.
Wilding, also a champion kickboxer, was teaching a self-defense class and called her youngest son to come participate.
"'Steiner! You need to come in the class!'" Williams recalled Spencer saying. She was flattered and surprised he remembered her son's name.
Afterward, Wilder sat down with the family and made a proposal.
"You know, I always knew all of my life that I was to follow the yellow brick road to Kansas. I didn't know why," she said he told them.
"'I've had this idea of starting up a business representing actors at Comic-Cons,'" he continued. "'Now I know why. You and your family, I want you as my business partners.'"
"Just out of the blue," she said. "I knew nothing, nothing about Comic-Cons. That was my first Comic-Con.
"So we talked some more that weekend, and he flew home to his family, and we flew him back, the whole family, about two weeks later. We spent a week together, and we set up a business."
Wilding, who is a special-creature performer, has also been in several "Doctor Who" episodes, "Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw," "Men in Black: International," "Middle Earth: Shadow of War" and several other productions.
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Who else does The Beast Within represent?
Some other people they represent are Bill Diamond, a puppet maker who created the mask for "The Phantom of the Opera" from a mold of the actor's face, Aaron Schwartz, best known as Gerald Garner in "Heavyweights" and superhero animator Tom Cook, who illustrates He-Man and She-Ra.
The company also arranges for cosplay, where people dress up to impersonate characters.
In addition to services related to events like Comic-Cons, the agency arranges for television and phone interviews, and provides opportunities for its talent to serve as celebrity judges and give product endorsements.
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Memorabilia includes Darth Vader, Spiderman, Funko Pop! items
Williams recently gave a tour of the company's private museum.
It is filled to the brim with everything one can imagine having to do with science fiction and superhero/villain memorabilia.
Darth Vader rules the museum, but Spiderman comes in as a close second. There is even a first-edition Spiderman comic book signed in person by Stan Lee.
In addition to several comic books, strange-looking dolls are displayed. An entire room is taken over by Funko Pop! vinyl figurines.
There is even a Telly Award, which honors excellence in video and television.
Williams, who keeps in touch with many of her clients through WhatsApp, which is used internationally, especially in the United Kingdom, travels often, including to other countries.
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'The Comic-Con world is a family'
She meets a lot of celebrity attendees at events. Actor and producer Henry Winkler, "Rosanne's" Tom Arnold, "Home Improvement's" Tim Allen and Richard Karn, and NSYNC's Joey Fatone are a few.
"The Comic-Con world is a family," Williams said. "You see a lot of the same people at the cons, and you become friends."
The family feeling envelopes the attendees as well.
"We went to Mexico City, and there were full-grown men who were crying because they were so excited to meet Spencer," she said. "You have no idea how you impact people's lives until you see stuff like that."
For more information about The Beast Within's talent, go to https://www.beastwithinproductionsusa.com/talent.
Catheryn Hrenchir is a feature writer for The Topeka-Capital Journal. She can be reached at chrenchir.gannett.com or (785) 817-638.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topekan brings sci-fi and action-hero talent to events like Comic-Con
