Who is Carl Hollywood from The Diamond Age, or, Young Lady's Illustrated Primer and what is their importance?

Though Carl Hollywood's character plays a minimal role in the novel, he is an exceptional being. He is an actor and a ractor, as well as a performance artist, a theater director, and the manager of a company. He owns the company that employs Miranda and he allows her to concentrate on her role in narrating the Primer for Nell. He becomes Miranda's friend with her and acts as an intermediary between her and Lord Finkle-McGraw.