Steve Dontanville, one ofHollywood's leading talent agents whose clients include Reese Witherspoon andAnne Hathaway, is leaving William Morris Agency (WMA) to take six months offand then change direction after 27 years as an agent.

Dontanville came to WMA in2000 from ICM where he worked for 17 years. His current client roster alsoincludes Josh Brolin and Benjamin Bratt, and it's not yet clear where Dontanville's clients willland.

WMA chief Jim Wiatt said ina statement: "We want to give Steve our best wishes for whatever hechooses to do in the future and extend to him our sincerest gratitude for hisfriendship and years of service to his colleagues and to his clients. Ipersonally want to say that I cherish the 22 years Steve and I have workedtogether and while I will miss him tremendously, I respect and admire hisdecision to do what he feels is best for himself and those he loves at thispoint in his life."