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With projects like Send Help, Disney\u2019s live-action Moana, and the Tom Hiddleston-led Tenzing on the horizon, Danny Long Casting is having into one of its biggest years yet.

\n\n\n\n

She spoke to us from her office in Sydney.

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A lot of casting directors start as actors, and there\u2019s inevitably a moment of clarity when you realize you want to be behind the camera instead of in front of it. Did you have that?

\n\n\n\n

I think I loved it immediately. As soon as I started reading and just playing with actors and having all the joy and none of the stress of it, it was like playing tennis with people. You’re riffing on ideas. I immediately wanted to be a casting director. I just chopped off the acting part of myself, and stopped cold.

\n\n\n\n

Was there anything in particular that made it so special for you, besides the playing with actors?

\n\n\n\n

I just found it really freeing. I think my strongest suit is I have a lot of empathy for actors, so I really enjoy making people feel comfortable in the room, and trying to get the best out of people, and also just making it a really collaborative process. I don’t think I received that so much when I was an actor, so I wanted to break the mold.

\n\n\n\n

A bit less of a power play between the casting director and the actor, and make it a little bit more equal. Auditioning should be an enjoyable process. Joel Edgerton actually said the best thing to me about auditioning. When he used to come in and audition for me, he was just flawless. Casual. Relaxed. I asked him his secret, and he said he just treats every audition like a workshop.

\n\n\n\n

I agree. It should be collaborative. No one can operate from a place of fear. To get the best out of someone, you need to make them feel comfortable. And I really enjoyed that part of the process.

\n\n\n\n

Are you able to do that with the way things have shifted to online and self tapes?

\n\n\n\n

We offer both. Always. Actors often prefer self tapes now because they get to do a gazillion takes and they get all the time in the world to perfect it. I give feedback on self tapes I make people re-tape. If I see a kernel of something in there and I think they’ve just missed it or misinterpreted something, I will say you need to go again with these notes.

\n\n\n\n

I love both. I love being in the room and I love getting self tapes, because you get to see what an actor will organically bring without any interference, instinctually. It’s pretty fascinating, and sometimes when you get self tapes, you’re like, \u201cOh shit, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.\u201d

\n\n\n\n

I don’t know that I would have got that in the room, but then you have the inverse to happen when they are in the room and you you tweak something, and you know that wouldn’t have been possible with a self tape.

\n\n\n\n

Do you think your background as an actor gives you an advantage?

\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s definitely helpful, for sure. You understand the craft. You’ve been in their shoes. Yeah, you have a better language base to be able to direct from, but you can learn that as well without having been an actor. You could be working with someone for six years, watch them and learn by via osmosis.

\n\n\n\n

I think having been an actor, it’s definitely a bonus. 

\n\n\n\n

Working on a studio film like Send Help, do you find your reach as a casting director has extended beyond Australia?

\n\n\n\n

Well, [Dylan O\u2019Brien and Rachel McAdams] were cast by the studio and Nancy Nayor, but the rest of the roles are all mine. But obviously, boots on the ground in the territory that you’re working in is the best way to cast so yes, we all cast globally. We all come up with ideas globally.

\n\n\n\n

I think if you’re actually in that territory, of course, you’re going to have greater knowledge, greater capacity to come up with ideas than somebody who’s on the other side of the world. I do like working collaboratively with another casting director. I find that really useful. 

\n\n\n\n

I worked on a film called Tenzing, about Tenzing Norgay, which is all Tibetan and Sherpa speakers. So we did a global search for that during COVID, my associate Ryan Madden and I, auditioning in a foreign language. Casting in communities is my favorite thing. I think people know me for that. Moana was another one where we cast globally in the Pacifica community all around the world.

\n\n\n\n

That was fun. We just did a series last year [where] everyone in it is living with a disability. That was amazing. You get to learn so much about the communities. It’s probably my passion \u2014 research and learning about different cultures, and different people with different backgrounds and trying to find the unicorns to be in series that are telling stories that are different [from] the mainstream.

\n\n\n\n

Unicorn finder is a good reputation to have.

\n\n\n\n

I guess so. I think that’s project related, though. I don’t think you can cast unicorns in everything. You often need to attach a name, and in a way that’s tougher when you’ve got a clean slate and you’re finding a Tibetan man to play Tenzing.

\n\n\n\n

How many Tibetan actors do we all know? We probably auditioned over 1,500 people globally for 10 roles in that project. In a way, that’s easier, because when you’re casting attaching names, it’s availability and money, all of that juggle.

\n\n\n\n

It’s a completely different stress to wide searches.

\n\n\n\n

That seems like a good segue into our final question, which is what piece of advice, or wisdom,  would you give to somebody coming in to audition for you?

\n\n\n\n

Look, I don’t think I’m going to tell you anything you haven’t heard, but one of my pet things is to make sure you know the genre that you’re taping for. Bring your authentic self to the role. When I say authentic self, I don’t mean the homogenized, shiny version of yourself that you think we want to see.

\n\n\n\n

We want to see the warty, real human aspects. That’s what’s going to set you apart, what makes you you. It doesn’t have to be pretty. Sometimes, it can be left of center, and that’s what makes us sit up and notice your tape or watch you in an audition room where you’re like, \u201cWhat? What just happened there?\u201d

\n\n\n\n

That’s fresh, but it’s also truthful and authentic.

\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Looking for auditions in your area?

\n\n\n\n

Browse casting calls in:

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n

The post Casting Director Danny Long Shares Audition Tips Every Actor Needs to Know appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "With projects like Send Help, Disney\u2019s live-action Moana, and the Tom Hiddleston-led Tenzing on the horizon, Danny Long Casting is having into one of its biggest years yet.\n\n\n\nShe spoke to us from her office in Sydney.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nDanny Long believes the best auditions happen when actors stop performing perfection and lean into authentic, truthful choices.\n\n\n\nSelf tapes have transformed casting, giving actors more control while still requiring strong instincts, genre awareness, and emotional honesty.\n\n\n\nSuccessful casting depends on collaboration, empathy, and extensive global searches to discover fresh talent and underrepresented voices.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA lot of casting directors start as actors, and there\u2019s inevitably a moment of clarity when you realize you want to be behind the camera instead of in front of it. Did you have that?\n\n\n\nI think I loved it immediately. As soon as I started reading and just playing with actors and having all the joy and none of the stress of it, it was like playing tennis with people. You’re riffing on ideas. I immediately wanted to be a casting director. I just chopped off the acting part of myself, and stopped cold.\n\n\n\nWas there anything in particular that made it so special for you, besides the playing with actors?\n\n\n\nI just found it really freeing. I think my strongest suit is I have a lot of empathy for actors, so I really enjoy making people feel comfortable in the room, and trying to get the best out of people, and also just making it a really collaborative process. I don’t think I received that so much when I was an actor, so I wanted to break the mold. \n\n\n\nA bit less of a power play between the casting director and the actor, and make it a little bit more equal. Auditioning should be an enjoyable process. Joel Edgerton actually said the best thing to me about auditioning. When he used to come in and audition for me, he was just flawless. Casual. Relaxed. I asked him his secret, and he said he just treats every audition like a workshop. \n\n\n\nI agree. It should be collaborative. No one can operate from a place of fear. To get the best out of someone, you need to make them feel comfortable. And I really enjoyed that part of the process.\n\n\n\nAre you able to do that with the way things have shifted to online and self tapes?\n\n\n\nWe offer both. Always. Actors often prefer self tapes now because they get to do a gazillion takes and they get all the time in the world to perfect it. I give feedback on self tapes I make people re-tape. If I see a kernel of something in there and I think they’ve just missed it or misinterpreted something, I will say you need to go again with these notes. \n\n\n\nI love both. I love being in the room and I love getting self tapes, because you get to see what an actor will organically bring without any interference, instinctually. It’s pretty fascinating, and sometimes when you get self tapes, you’re like, \u201cOh shit, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.\u201d\n\n\n\nI don’t know that I would have got that in the room, but then you have the inverse to happen when they are in the room and you you tweak something, and you know that wouldn’t have been possible with a self tape.\n\n\n\nDo you think your background as an actor gives you an advantage?\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s definitely helpful, for sure. You understand the craft. You’ve been in their shoes. Yeah, you have a better language base to be able to direct from, but you can learn that as well without having been an actor. You could be working with someone for six years, watch them and learn by via osmosis. \n\n\n\nI think having been an actor, it’s definitely a bonus. \n\n\n\nWorking on a studio film like Send Help, do you find your reach as a casting director has extended beyond Australia?\n\n\n\nWell, [Dylan O\u2019Brien and Rachel McAdams] were cast by the studio and Nancy Nayor, but the rest of the roles are all mine. But obviously, boots on the ground in the territory that you’re working in is the best way to cast so yes, we all cast globally. We all come up with ideas globally. \n\n\n\nI think if you’re actually in that territory, of course, you’re going to have greater knowledge, greater capacity to come up with ideas than somebody who’s on the other side of the world. I do like working collaboratively with another casting director. I find that really useful. \n\n\n\nI worked on a film called Tenzing, about Tenzing Norgay, which is all Tibetan and Sherpa speakers. So we did a global search for that during COVID, my associate Ryan Madden and I, auditioning in a foreign language. Casting in communities is my favorite thing. I think people know me for that. Moana was another one where we cast globally in the Pacifica community all around the world. \n\n\n\nThat was fun. We just did a series last year [where] everyone in it is living with a disability. That was amazing. You get to learn so much about the communities. It’s probably my passion \u2014 research and learning about different cultures, and different people with different backgrounds and trying to find the unicorns to be in series that are telling stories that are different [from] the mainstream.\n\n\n\nUnicorn finder is a good reputation to have.\n\n\n\nI guess so. I think that’s project related, though. I don’t think you can cast unicorns in everything. You often need to attach a name, and in a way that’s tougher when you’ve got a clean slate and you’re finding a Tibetan man to play Tenzing. \n\n\n\nHow many Tibetan actors do we all know? We probably auditioned over 1,500 people globally for 10 roles in that project. In a way, that’s easier, because when you’re casting attaching names, it’s availability and money, all of that juggle. \n\n\n\nIt’s a completely different stress to wide searches.\n\n\n\nThat seems like a good segue into our final question, which is what piece of advice, or wisdom,  would you give to somebody coming in to audition for you?\n\n\n\nLook, I don’t think I’m going to tell you anything you haven’t heard, but one of my pet things is to make sure you know the genre that you’re taping for. Bring your authentic self to the role. When I say authentic self, I don’t mean the homogenized, shiny version of yourself that you think we want to see. \n\n\n\nWe want to see the warty, real human aspects. That’s what’s going to set you apart, what makes you you. It doesn’t have to be pretty. Sometimes, it can be left of center, and that’s what makes us sit up and notice your tape or watch you in an audition room where you’re like, \u201cWhat? What just happened there?\u201d \n\n\n\nThat’s fresh, but it’s also truthful and authentic.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLooking for auditions in your area?\n\n\n\nBrowse casting calls in:\n\n\n\n\nHollywood\n\n\n\nAtlanta\n\n\n\nChicago\n\n\n\nSydney\n\n\n\n\n\nThe post Casting Director Danny Long Shares Audition Tips Every Actor Needs to Know appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-05-22T09:10:00-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T12:06:20-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DANNY-LONG-BLOG.jpg", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=328667", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/netflix-black-rabbit-casting-director-alexa-fogel-interview/", "title": "Alexa Fogel on Casting Netflix\u2019s \u2018Black Rabbit\u2019 and Building Complex Characters", "content_html": "\n

Alexa Fogel has been nominated for 15 Emmys and won three, and it won\u2019t be a surprise if she\u2019s nominated again this year for her work in the Netflix limited series Black Rabbit.

\n\n\n\n

Starring Jason Bateman and Jude Law, the show follows a restaurateur who sees everything he\u2019s built threatened when he lets his troubled brother back into his life. Bateman plays against type as the bad seed brother, while Law shines as a man fighting his own demons.

\n\n\n\n

Fogel spoke to us from her home in Maine.

\n\n\n\n

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\n\n\n\n

Were Jason and Jude on board before you came to cast it? I know they\u2019re both EPs on it.

\n\n\n\n

As I understand it, Jude brought it to Jason’s company. I think they figured out internally who’s gonna play which brother. It flipped on the heads of people’s expectations in the best way. 

\n\n\n\n

I noticed that there is a distinctly foreign aspect to the cast. There’s a lot of Australian and British people in it. 

\n\n\n\n

The world is my oyster. (Laughs)

\n\n\n\n

I’m fascinated by the international scope of casting now. Do you go into it with the idea of, let’s just open it up to the world?

\n\n\n\n

I went into Oz and The Wire with that idea. Idris Elba and Eamonn Walker and Dominic West. For a long time, I\u2019ve just tried to look at the essence of characters through the essence of what actors can bring to it, whether they’re mostly theater actors or whatever. It was harder to do then, because crossing oceans, tapes having to go in the mail, but it’s a little bit easier now. 

\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with Sope and Amaka, both of whom really pop off the screen.

\n\n\n\n

I think because Jason and I talked about certain things, Sope’s character, because he was an international star, could be almost anything, and he’s an actor I’ve loved for ages. Slow Horses, Gangs of London and the Nigerian film, His House.

\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, Amaka had never auditioned for me before. I knew her work, but she was always working. And I think again, [for] a chef, you’re looking for certain qualities, She can come from anywhere to be successful. Once we had both of them, we also talked about the fact that they couldn’t both be British.

\n\n\n\n

So we had to decide which one of them was going to be the American character, and I felt like the the rock star of it all lent itself to the British of it all. Also, Amaka\u2019s American accent was really good. (Laughs)

\n\n\n\n

Do you find that international actors bring something extra to a role?

\n\n\n\n

It depends entirely on the role. In the case of Sope, his presence is so singular, that’s what that character needed. And Amaka\u2019s real female strength, being someone who’s running a kitchen, it’s like casting someone in the military.

\n\n\n\n

It’s hard to find. I’m not targeting somebody who’s foreign. I didn’t just see people from [far] away. I just know the qualities that I need to find.

\n\n\n\n

One of the things that\u2019s really interesting about the cast is the mix of new faces and more established ones.

\n\n\n\n

We had Don Harvey on The Deuce. The great thing about working with Jason is he loves actors and he appreciates careers, and so if you show him somebody like Don and you correlate between the work and my enthusiasm, he gets it.

\n\n\n\n

I also think when you’re working on gritty piece like this, and you’re looking for a level of heightened authenticity, you need people who can really do that. Don is a master. For Forrest Weber, that role as well as the role of Lou, there was a sign language component to that audition process, so that separated people out very quickly, because we also sent auditions to Troy and his consultant to make sure that things were authentic. 

\n\n\n\n

Did you know Forrest before? 

\n\n\n\n

I didn\u2019t, and he\u2019s wonderful. It\u2019s just my good luck. I mean, it’s never lightning in a bottle. It’s a process. Like anything that is specialized, you’re going in a direction that’s very specific, so you see a lot of people, and you need one part of it to work, and then you also need another part of it to work, which is acting, and all these things have to alchemize.

\n\n\n\n

It’s not really about, \u201cI can’t believe I didn’t know him before.\u201d It’s that all of these things in this moment in time met. I say this all the time, but you only need one. 

\n\n\n\n

Forrest had less actual experience than a lot of other people coming in, but he had all of those qualities. He was teamed up with Chris Coy, who I\u2019ve cast many times. He’s so seasoned and he’s so generous, and they were really partners in this.

\n\n\n\n

That was an amazing professional marriage, and I think Chris’ part got a little bit bigger, as I understand it, but for Forrest, I’m sure it was a great ongoing lesson of how to work on set, how to do everything.

\n\n\n\n

One of the things that works well on the show are the smaller parts. One specific example is the Wall Street Guy in episode 2, whose behavior at the blackjack table costs Vince $150,000.

\n\n\n\n

I did this with Kathryn Zamora-Benson, and we take that really seriously in terms of maintaining tone, [and] everything we do. Some of it’s instinctual. You know that when it’s right, it’s right. You see people, and I try to never show people to my collaborators, that I wouldn’t be happy with them being cast. Y

\n\n\n\n

ou want it to be a range, but it can work in one way or another within the tone of the show. I think that’s what you’re doing with the one to five lines in the scene, and really understanding what the scene is trying to say.

\n\n\n\n

So much of acting seems to be about persistence. Have there been actors who auditioned for you multiple times before finally landing the right role?

\n\n\n\n

A long time ago, I used to be a little embarrassed about bringing actors in for for tiny things, small roles. I feel like we’re always respectful, we’re always happy to have them there.

\n\n\n\n

The reality is, people want to work on good stuff, especially in New York. I don’t feel that way anymore. Because we’re all there to do a job. 

\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s so many different worlds in this story, some of which never really overlap. 

\n\n\n\n

That was really fun about it for me. I was casting the kitchen, and then I was casting the front of house, and then I was casting upstairs, and they do interact, but they’re slightly different worlds. Then there’s the creepy people, and Anna [played by Abbey Lee] and the people that interact with her.

\n\n\n\n

It’s a big cast, but you have to understand the function of character and tone. All of the ways the characters fit in with each other is critical. But each component of the restaurant world, and then obviously what happens in the criminal aspect, is really fun.

\n

The post Alexa Fogel on Casting Netflix\u2019s ‘Black Rabbit’ and Building Complex Characters appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "Alexa Fogel has been nominated for 15 Emmys and won three, and it won\u2019t be a surprise if she\u2019s nominated again this year for her work in the Netflix limited series Black Rabbit. \n\n\n\nStarring Jason Bateman and Jude Law, the show follows a restaurateur who sees everything he\u2019s built threatened when he lets his troubled brother back into his life. Bateman plays against type as the bad seed brother, while Law shines as a man fighting his own demons.\n\n\n\nFogel spoke to us from her home in Maine.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nAlexa Fogel prioritized authenticity and emotional specificity over nationality, casting actors based on the essence they brought to each role.\n\n\n\nBlack Rabbit blends emerging talent with seasoned character actors to create a grounded, layered world across the show\u2019s many intersecting social circles.\n\n\n\nThe casting process emphasized collaboration, chemistry, and tone in roles involving sign language and highly specific character dynamics.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWere Jason and Jude on board before you came to cast it? I know they\u2019re both EPs on it.\n\n\n\nAs I understand it, Jude brought it to Jason’s company. I think they figured out internally who’s gonna play which brother. It flipped on the heads of people’s expectations in the best way. \n\n\n\nI noticed that there is a distinctly foreign aspect to the cast. There’s a lot of Australian and British people in it. \n\n\n\nThe world is my oyster. (Laughs)\n\n\n\nI’m fascinated by the international scope of casting now. Do you go into it with the idea of, let’s just open it up to the world?\n\n\n\nI went into Oz and The Wire with that idea. Idris Elba and Eamonn Walker and Dominic West. For a long time, I\u2019ve just tried to look at the essence of characters through the essence of what actors can bring to it, whether they’re mostly theater actors or whatever. It was harder to do then, because crossing oceans, tapes having to go in the mail, but it’s a little bit easier now. \n\n\n\nLet\u2019s start with Sope and Amaka, both of whom really pop off the screen.\n\n\n\nI think because Jason and I talked about certain things, Sope’s character, because he was an international star, could be almost anything, and he’s an actor I’ve loved for ages. Slow Horses, Gangs of London and the Nigerian film, His House. \n\n\n\nInterestingly, Amaka had never auditioned for me before. I knew her work, but she was always working. And I think again, [for] a chef, you’re looking for certain qualities, She can come from anywhere to be successful. Once we had both of them, we also talked about the fact that they couldn’t both be British. \n\n\n\nSo we had to decide which one of them was going to be the American character, and I felt like the the rock star of it all lent itself to the British of it all. Also, Amaka\u2019s American accent was really good. (Laughs)\n\n\n\nDo you find that international actors bring something extra to a role?\n\n\n\nIt depends entirely on the role. In the case of Sope, his presence is so singular, that’s what that character needed. And Amaka\u2019s real female strength, being someone who’s running a kitchen, it’s like casting someone in the military. \n\n\n\nIt’s hard to find. I’m not targeting somebody who’s foreign. I didn’t just see people from [far] away. I just know the qualities that I need to find.\n\n\n\nOne of the things that\u2019s really interesting about the cast is the mix of new faces and more established ones.\n\n\n\nWe had Don Harvey on The Deuce. The great thing about working with Jason is he loves actors and he appreciates careers, and so if you show him somebody like Don and you correlate between the work and my enthusiasm, he gets it. \n\n\n\nI also think when you’re working on gritty piece like this, and you’re looking for a level of heightened authenticity, you need people who can really do that. Don is a master. For Forrest Weber, that role as well as the role of Lou, there was a sign language component to that audition process, so that separated people out very quickly, because we also sent auditions to Troy and his consultant to make sure that things were authentic. \n\n\n\nDid you know Forrest before? \n\n\n\nI didn\u2019t, and he\u2019s wonderful. It\u2019s just my good luck. I mean, it’s never lightning in a bottle. It’s a process. Like anything that is specialized, you’re going in a direction that’s very specific, so you see a lot of people, and you need one part of it to work, and then you also need another part of it to work, which is acting, and all these things have to alchemize. \n\n\n\nIt’s not really about, \u201cI can’t believe I didn’t know him before.\u201d It’s that all of these things in this moment in time met. I say this all the time, but you only need one. \n\n\n\nForrest had less actual experience than a lot of other people coming in, but he had all of those qualities. He was teamed up with Chris Coy, who I\u2019ve cast many times. He’s so seasoned and he’s so generous, and they were really partners in this. \n\n\n\nThat was an amazing professional marriage, and I think Chris’ part got a little bit bigger, as I understand it, but for Forrest, I’m sure it was a great ongoing lesson of how to work on set, how to do everything.\n\n\n\nOne of the things that works well on the show are the smaller parts. One specific example is the Wall Street Guy in episode 2, whose behavior at the blackjack table costs Vince $150,000.\n\n\n\nI did this with Kathryn Zamora-Benson, and we take that really seriously in terms of maintaining tone, [and] everything we do. Some of it’s instinctual. You know that when it’s right, it’s right. You see people, and I try to never show people to my collaborators, that I wouldn’t be happy with them being cast. Y\n\n\n\nou want it to be a range, but it can work in one way or another within the tone of the show. I think that’s what you’re doing with the one to five lines in the scene, and really understanding what the scene is trying to say.\n\n\n\nSo much of acting seems to be about persistence. Have there been actors who auditioned for you multiple times before finally landing the right role?\n\n\n\nA long time ago, I used to be a little embarrassed about bringing actors in for for tiny things, small roles. I feel like we’re always respectful, we’re always happy to have them there. \n\n\n\nThe reality is, people want to work on good stuff, especially in New York. I don’t feel that way anymore. Because we’re all there to do a job. \n\n\n\nThere\u2019s so many different worlds in this story, some of which never really overlap. \n\n\n\nThat was really fun about it for me. I was casting the kitchen, and then I was casting the front of house, and then I was casting upstairs, and they do interact, but they’re slightly different worlds. Then there’s the creepy people, and Anna [played by Abbey Lee] and the people that interact with her. \n\n\n\nIt’s a big cast, but you have to understand the function of character and tone. All of the ways the characters fit in with each other is critical. But each component of the restaurant world, and then obviously what happens in the criminal aspect, is really fun.\nThe post Alexa Fogel on Casting Netflix\u2019s ‘Black Rabbit’ and Building Complex Characters appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-05-15T09:20:00-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T11:21:32-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Black-Rabbit-Jude-Law-Jason-Bateman.jpg", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=327268", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/netflix-beef-casting-director-jeanie-bacharach-season-2/", "title": "Jeanie Bacharach on Casting Netflix\u2019s \u2018Beef\u2019 Season 2, Korean Talent, & Creative Risk-Taking", "content_html": "\n

Jeanie Bacharach is a three-time Emmy-winning casting director whose credits include The Bear, Black Mirror, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

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She joins Season 2 of Beef following the show\u2019s breakout Emmy-winning first season. The season follows a pair of couples, one played by Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan, the other by Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny. The show also stars Oscar-winning Youn Yuh-jung, Song Kang-ho, Seoyeon Jang, William Fichtner, and Mikaela Hoover.

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All episodes are streaming on Netflix. Bacharach spoke to us from her LA office.

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Knowing the subject matter and how difficult it is, how does that affect your work?

\n\n\n\n

It always just comes back to character, and can I relate to these characters? Can I see the humanity in these characters? What are they saying about the world we’re living in, or the world we once lived in? If I’m going to do a good job casting the show, I have to have a way into these characters and understand them, even if they do awful things. 

\n\n\n\n

Sonny’s just such a beautiful writer, and as terrible as these characters might be to each other, I think the thing that makes people uncomfortable watching the show is [that] there’s truth in what they’re doing, and things that we can see in our own lives that make us uncomfortable. I think that relatability and humanity is really key for me. 

\n\n\n\n

Coming off the success of the first season, is there something to that success that makes your job easier?

\n\n\n\n

Success is a magnet, but it’s also tremendous pressure, and the expectations are so high, but it certainly makes casting easier. People responded so strongly to the first season, and the way Sonny works is also so collaborative that I think that’s a huge draw for creative talent. Charles and Cailee were already on board when I came on, and the conversation with Oscar had begun. And then Carey\u2019s as well. 

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Was there a conversation about what kind of Korean actors you were looking for?

\n\n\n\n

Yeah, they\u2019re just dream actors and I can\u2019t take any credit. But when I talked to Sonny about possibly joining for the season, he had told me that there were going to be some Korean characters that were very important to the storytelling. But again, that’s where the success of the first season certainly comes into play, and people wanting to be part of it. 

\n\n\n\n

Seoyeon Jang was someone who came through the audition process. The Eunice character is a tricky one, because you have to believe both that Chairwoman Park would choose this person to represent her, to speak for her, to interpret for her, to be the face of her, and yet there needed to be something you weren’t quite sure about. Seoyeon just brought this wonderful sort of mystery. You’re drawn to her, and yet you don’t really quite know who she is.

\n\n\n\n

Any time Bill Fichtner shows up, I\u2019m thrilled. Especially as a character like Troy, who walks a delicate line that almost dips into parody. 

\n\n\n\n

That was a fun list of actors to come up with, because Troy is just such a great character. And yes, tonally, it’s tricky. Both he and Mikaela did a lot of exploring and working with Sonny on those characters.

\n\n\n\n

How much leeway do you have in bringing in lesser-seen talent?\u00a0

\n\n\n\n

Honestly, that’s the wonderful, collaborative experience you hope for. Sonny is so open, and so loves the process that we just developed a trust right away, and that is key to any creative relationship. Most people I\u2019ve worked with are open to it, but you have a studio and a network that are, as well.

\n\n\n\n

Aren\u2019t we seeing more of that from creators? The willingness to see things outside of what they\u2019d envisioned?

\n\n\n\n

Ideally in a collaborative relationship, you can say, \u201cI’m going to try something wild here. It may not work, but are you open to seeing it?” And, at the same time, I have to also be willing to hear, \u201cInteresting thought,\u201d or, \u201cNice, but it doesn’t work for A, B or C reasons,\u201d or, \u201cYeah, it’s fun here, but where the character is going, or what the story is that I need to tell, it doesn’t serve it right or it takes you out.\u201d

\n\n\n\n

But that give and take is, again, what you hope for and dream for in a creative environment. So, yes, I think so. 

\n\n\n\n

When do you think that started happening?

\n\n\n\n

It maybe started to happen when there was so much being produced that the more known quantities were being taken, and there was so much being made that people had to maybe become more open to newer faces and lesser-known people.

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But I’d like to think that people who are making things want to be open to it. It\u2019s also dependent on the studio or the network you’re working with in terms of how supported you’re feeling that way and how much pressure you’re under to deliver something.

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Or how much you’re being squeezed in a different area, whereas you just have to get this done in order to do the 50 other things that you have to get to. 

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Do actors come in with bold choices and make you rethink what you had in mind?

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I mean, there’s no greater thrill than having this kind of crazy idea that actually comes to fruition. Or seeing an actor do something that you never really thought they could do, or haven\u2019t gotten to do that maybe they are capable of, but no one’s given them the opportunity to explore.

\n\n\n\n

Or championing someone who’s been kicking around for a long time. The saying, \u201cRight role, right time\u201d is so great. They’ve so earned that moment, and they’re ready for it when it happens, too. 

\n

The post Jeanie Bacharach on Casting Netflix\u2019s \u2018Beef\u2019 Season 2, Korean Talent, & Creative Risk-Taking appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "Jeanie Bacharach is a three-time Emmy-winning casting director whose credits include The Bear, Black Mirror, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.\n\n\n\nShe joins Season 2 of Beef following the show\u2019s breakout Emmy-winning first season. The season follows a pair of couples, one played by Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan, the other by Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny. The show also stars Oscar-winning Youn Yuh-jung, Song Kang-ho, Seoyeon Jang, William Fichtner, and Mikaela Hoover.\n\n\n\nAll episodes are streaming on Netflix. Bacharach spoke to us from her LA office.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nJeanie Bacharach says successful casting always starts with finding the humanity and relatability within even the darkest characters.\n\n\n\nThe massive success of \u2018Beef\u2019 Season 1 helped attract top-tier talent like Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, and acclaimed Korean actors to Season 2.\n\n\n\nBacharach believes the best creative collaborations happen when directors, studios, and casting teams stay open to unexpected actors and bold casting choices.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKnowing the subject matter and how difficult it is, how does that affect your work?\n\n\n\nIt always just comes back to character, and can I relate to these characters? Can I see the humanity in these characters? What are they saying about the world we’re living in, or the world we once lived in? If I’m going to do a good job casting the show, I have to have a way into these characters and understand them, even if they do awful things. \n\n\n\nSonny’s just such a beautiful writer, and as terrible as these characters might be to each other, I think the thing that makes people uncomfortable watching the show is [that] there’s truth in what they’re doing, and things that we can see in our own lives that make us uncomfortable. I think that relatability and humanity is really key for me. \n\n\n\nComing off the success of the first season, is there something to that success that makes your job easier?\n\n\n\nSuccess is a magnet, but it’s also tremendous pressure, and the expectations are so high, but it certainly makes casting easier. People responded so strongly to the first season, and the way Sonny works is also so collaborative that I think that’s a huge draw for creative talent. Charles and Cailee were already on board when I came on, and the conversation with Oscar had begun. And then Carey\u2019s as well. \n\n\n\nWas there a conversation about what kind of Korean actors you were looking for?\n\n\n\nYeah, they\u2019re just dream actors and I can\u2019t take any credit. But when I talked to Sonny about possibly joining for the season, he had told me that there were going to be some Korean characters that were very important to the storytelling. But again, that’s where the success of the first season certainly comes into play, and people wanting to be part of it. \n\n\n\nSeoyeon Jang was someone who came through the audition process. The Eunice character is a tricky one, because you have to believe both that Chairwoman Park would choose this person to represent her, to speak for her, to interpret for her, to be the face of her, and yet there needed to be something you weren’t quite sure about. Seoyeon just brought this wonderful sort of mystery. You’re drawn to her, and yet you don’t really quite know who she is.\n\n\n\nAny time Bill Fichtner shows up, I\u2019m thrilled. Especially as a character like Troy, who walks a delicate line that almost dips into parody. \n\n\n\nThat was a fun list of actors to come up with, because Troy is just such a great character. And yes, tonally, it’s tricky. Both he and Mikaela did a lot of exploring and working with Sonny on those characters.\n\n\n\nHow much leeway do you have in bringing in lesser-seen talent?\u00a0\n\n\n\nHonestly, that’s the wonderful, collaborative experience you hope for. Sonny is so open, and so loves the process that we just developed a trust right away, and that is key to any creative relationship. Most people I\u2019ve worked with are open to it, but you have a studio and a network that are, as well.\n\n\n\nAren\u2019t we seeing more of that from creators? The willingness to see things outside of what they\u2019d envisioned?\n\n\n\nIdeally in a collaborative relationship, you can say, \u201cI’m going to try something wild here. It may not work, but are you open to seeing it?” And, at the same time, I have to also be willing to hear, \u201cInteresting thought,\u201d or, \u201cNice, but it doesn’t work for A, B or C reasons,\u201d or, \u201cYeah, it’s fun here, but where the character is going, or what the story is that I need to tell, it doesn’t serve it right or it takes you out.\u201d \n\n\n\nBut that give and take is, again, what you hope for and dream for in a creative environment. So, yes, I think so. \n\n\n\nWhen do you think that started happening?\n\n\n\nIt maybe started to happen when there was so much being produced that the more known quantities were being taken, and there was so much being made that people had to maybe become more open to newer faces and lesser-known people. \n\n\n\nBut I’d like to think that people who are making things want to be open to it. It\u2019s also dependent on the studio or the network you’re working with in terms of how supported you’re feeling that way and how much pressure you’re under to deliver something. \n\n\n\nOr how much you’re being squeezed in a different area, whereas you just have to get this done in order to do the 50 other things that you have to get to. \n\n\n\nDo actors come in with bold choices and make you rethink what you had in mind?\n\n\n\nI mean, there’s no greater thrill than having this kind of crazy idea that actually comes to fruition. Or seeing an actor do something that you never really thought they could do, or haven\u2019t gotten to do that maybe they are capable of, but no one’s given them the opportunity to explore. \n\n\n\nOr championing someone who’s been kicking around for a long time. The saying, \u201cRight role, right time\u201d is so great. They’ve so earned that moment, and they’re ready for it when it happens, too. \nThe post Jeanie Bacharach on Casting Netflix\u2019s \u2018Beef\u2019 Season 2, Korean Talent, & Creative Risk-Taking appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-05-13T09:24:00-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T11:21:45-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/beefs2.webp", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=321892", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/task-casting-director-avy-kaufman-interview-audition-tips/", "title": "Audition Preparation Tips from Avy Kaufman: Inside \u2018Task\u2019 and Her \u201cRelentless\u201d Push for Tom Pelphrey", "content_html": "\n

A three-time Emmy winner (and 10-time nominee), Avy Kaufman has also been recognized by her peers with 52 Artios nominations and nine wins, over a career spanning more than three decades, and nearly 400 films and TV shows.

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The odds of her earning another Emmy nod this year are pretty high, judging from her work on HBO\u2019s Task. Created by Mare of Easttown\u2019s Brad Ingelsby and starring Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey and Emilia Jones, the show follows an FBI agent heading up a task force to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspected family man.

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Kaufman talked to us from her New York office.

\n\n\n\n

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Let\u2019s start with [your decision to cast] Tom Pelphrey as Robbie.

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I was relentless. That’s the tricky thing about casting. I speak for myself only, but you read something and you get a feeling for it. It was important for me to have different voices tell this story, and Pelphrey was not a new name in the world, but I was relentless. I just felt like he could go toe to toe with Ruffalo.

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What was it that made you so relentless about him?

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At first he wasn’t going to read, but they said he had to, so I begged his team. And he did. It was that simple. 

\n\n\n\n

Do you find there are more actors now who won\u2019t read? Or are reluctant to?

\n\n\n\n

I don’t think it’s an attitude, per se, for everybody. I feel that when some people feel like they’ve done it before. I feel that way sometimes if I’m asked to take a meeting and I’ve done it. It’s a tricky thing. I never say this, and I’m going to say this is now, you need an agent or a manager or whomever it is that\u2019s taking care of the talent to have a good conversation.

\n\n\n\n

I was able to speak clearly with his team just to say why it’s important for this reason.

\n\n\n\n

There are at least three major actors, Alison Oliver, Sam Keeley and Phoebe Fox, who are either English or Irish, and I\u2019m curious about how you found them and brought them in for this very American story.

\n\n\n\n

I had seen Alison in two British shows, and at first I was like, \u201cWait, is that the same person?\u201d Because she’s a chameleon. She read on a Zoom and everyone loved her. Same thing with Phoebe. Sam as well. If I’m lucky enough to get visas, I love to look at talent from all over the world.

\n\n\n\n

If they can have the proper accent and we can get a visa, that’s just fun for me personally. People don’t want me to do that most of the time, but it makes my job a lot of fun and curious and imaginative.

\n\n\n\n

Is that one of the things that you would recommend to any foreign-born actor? To get their American accent down?\u00a0

\n\n\n\n

I’m going to recommend doing whatever you feel comfortable with. I just feel like that’s the one beautiful thing in seeing actors, is we can all feel when they’re comfortable. They just mold into the role. 

\n\n\n\n

Emilia Jones plays something I hadn\u2019t seen her do before, which is always good to see from an actor. 

\n\n\n\n

You never want to say this out loud, but there were choices, and the team really loved Emilia. When I saw what she did, I was so deeply proud of her. I mean, the relationship between her and Tom was so interesting and strong.

\n\n\n\n

You never know what it’s going to be like, y\u2019know? You read something and then they go off and shoot it for nine months, and then we get to see it two years later. Sometimes I’ll look at shows I’ve worked on and I’m going, \u201cGod, I don’t remember that character \u2026 \u201d (Laughs)\u00a0

\n\n\n\n

Should actors be trying as many new things as possible?

\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s interesting, because I’m here to talk about one show, but there’s a show I worked on last year, where an actor in the movie passes on a role. I used to get upset, and I’m sure I still do because I take everything too personally, but if an actor passed on a role, I didn’t even want to share it with the director. I didn’t want to feel it.

\n\n\n\n

It’s taken me many years, but I feel that I have to trust if an actor passes on a role or accepts a role they’ve never done, it’s what they need to do. I have to trust that they know. We don’t know. It’s so hard to be an actor!

\n\n\n\n

It goes hand in hand with what you said before, about an actor needing to do whatever makes them comfortable.

\n\n\n\n

I don’t know how other people work. We just love actors because that\u2019s what we do.

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Two of the things that stood out for me were the motorcycle gang (the Dark Hearts) and the kids. Let\u2019s start with the Dark Hearts. 

\n\n\n\n

It’s interesting because I had done a show with Wagner Moura and Brian Tyree Henry [in Dope Thief] right before I did Task, and we were looking for similar characters [for the] motorcycle gangs. Bad boys. Dark characters. So it was just a deep search because I couldn’t use the people I had just used. Just auditioning a thousand people.

\n\n\n\n

And the kids? Especially Ben Lewis Doherty as Sam.

\n\n\n\n

And the kids! I’ve [cast] a lot of kids in my time, and I love casting kids. You’ve got to cast close to the bone. You have to understand who this kid is. And even for Sam, I like to talk to the kids for a long time to get to know them to see if they are actually ready to do something like this.

\n\n\n\n

These are tough roles for a kid. Sam, especially because, to be kidnapped? But kids \u2026 it\u2019s about love. I think, hopefully, [with]\u00a0 human beings, animals, we follow the love. Hopefully, we follow the love and keep trust in there because he had to have some trust as well.

\n\n\n\n

I think that applies to acting in general.

\n\n\n\n

And life. You have to trust, you have to love, you have to do all of it, and it\u2019s all part of the same thing.

\n

The post Audition Preparation Tips from Avy Kaufman: Inside \u2018Task\u2019 and Her \u201cRelentless\u201d Push for Tom Pelphrey appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "A three-time Emmy winner (and 10-time nominee), Avy Kaufman has also been recognized by her peers with 52 Artios nominations and nine wins, over a career spanning more than three decades, and nearly 400 films and TV shows.\n\n\n\nThe odds of her earning another Emmy nod this year are pretty high, judging from her work on HBO\u2019s Task. Created by Mare of Easttown\u2019s Brad Ingelsby and starring Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey and Emilia Jones, the show follows an FBI agent heading up a task force to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspected family man. \n\n\n\nKaufman talked to us from her New York office.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nCasting decisions are driven less by credits and more by whether an actor feels authentic and fully \u201cmolds\u201d into the role.\n\n\n\nKaufman emphasizes trust on both sides, believing actors know when to take risks, pass on roles, or step outside their type.\n\n\n\nAccess, persistence, and communication matter, as seen in her relentless push to get Tom Pelphrey to read for Task.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s start with [your decision to cast] Tom Pelphrey as Robbie.\n\n\n\nI was relentless. That’s the tricky thing about casting. I speak for myself only, but you read something and you get a feeling for it. It was important for me to have different voices tell this story, and Pelphrey was not a new name in the world, but I was relentless. I just felt like he could go toe to toe with Ruffalo.\n\n\n\nWhat was it that made you so relentless about him?\n\n\n\nAt first he wasn’t going to read, but they said he had to, so I begged his team. And he did. It was that simple. \n\n\n\nDo you find there are more actors now who won\u2019t read? Or are reluctant to?\n\n\n\nI don’t think it’s an attitude, per se, for everybody. I feel that when some people feel like they’ve done it before. I feel that way sometimes if I’m asked to take a meeting and I’ve done it. It’s a tricky thing. I never say this, and I’m going to say this is now, you need an agent or a manager or whomever it is that\u2019s taking care of the talent to have a good conversation.\n\n\n\nI was able to speak clearly with his team just to say why it’s important for this reason.\n\n\n\nThere are at least three major actors, Alison Oliver, Sam Keeley and Phoebe Fox, who are either English or Irish, and I\u2019m curious about how you found them and brought them in for this very American story.\n\n\n\nI had seen Alison in two British shows, and at first I was like, \u201cWait, is that the same person?\u201d Because she’s a chameleon. She read on a Zoom and everyone loved her. Same thing with Phoebe. Sam as well. If I’m lucky enough to get visas, I love to look at talent from all over the world. \n\n\n\nIf they can have the proper accent and we can get a visa, that’s just fun for me personally. People don’t want me to do that most of the time, but it makes my job a lot of fun and curious and imaginative.\n\n\n\nIs that one of the things that you would recommend to any foreign-born actor? To get their American accent down?\u00a0\n\n\n\nI’m going to recommend doing whatever you feel comfortable with. I just feel like that’s the one beautiful thing in seeing actors, is we can all feel when they’re comfortable. They just mold into the role. \n\n\n\nEmilia Jones plays something I hadn\u2019t seen her do before, which is always good to see from an actor. \n\n\n\nYou never want to say this out loud, but there were choices, and the team really loved Emilia. When I saw what she did, I was so deeply proud of her. I mean, the relationship between her and Tom was so interesting and strong. \n\n\n\nYou never know what it’s going to be like, y\u2019know? You read something and then they go off and shoot it for nine months, and then we get to see it two years later. Sometimes I’ll look at shows I’ve worked on and I’m going, \u201cGod, I don’t remember that character \u2026 \u201d (Laughs)\u00a0\n\n\n\nShould actors be trying as many new things as possible?\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s interesting, because I’m here to talk about one show, but there’s a show I worked on last year, where an actor in the movie passes on a role. I used to get upset, and I’m sure I still do because I take everything too personally, but if an actor passed on a role, I didn’t even want to share it with the director. I didn’t want to feel it. \n\n\n\nIt’s taken me many years, but I feel that I have to trust if an actor passes on a role or accepts a role they’ve never done, it’s what they need to do. I have to trust that they know. We don’t know. It’s so hard to be an actor!\n\n\n\nIt goes hand in hand with what you said before, about an actor needing to do whatever makes them comfortable.\n\n\n\nI don’t know how other people work. We just love actors because that\u2019s what we do.\n\n\n\nTwo of the things that stood out for me were the motorcycle gang (the Dark Hearts) and the kids. Let\u2019s start with the Dark Hearts. \n\n\n\nIt’s interesting because I had done a show with Wagner Moura and Brian Tyree Henry [in Dope Thief] right before I did Task, and we were looking for similar characters [for the] motorcycle gangs. Bad boys. Dark characters. So it was just a deep search because I couldn’t use the people I had just used. Just auditioning a thousand people.\n\n\n\nAnd the kids? Especially Ben Lewis Doherty as Sam.\n\n\n\nAnd the kids! I’ve [cast] a lot of kids in my time, and I love casting kids. You’ve got to cast close to the bone. You have to understand who this kid is. And even for Sam, I like to talk to the kids for a long time to get to know them to see if they are actually ready to do something like this. \n\n\n\nThese are tough roles for a kid. Sam, especially because, to be kidnapped? But kids \u2026 it\u2019s about love. I think, hopefully, [with]\u00a0 human beings, animals, we follow the love. Hopefully, we follow the love and keep trust in there because he had to have some trust as well.\n\n\n\nI think that applies to acting in general.\n\n\n\nAnd life. You have to trust, you have to love, you have to do all of it, and it\u2019s all part of the same thing.\nThe post Audition Preparation Tips from Avy Kaufman: Inside \u2018Task\u2019 and Her \u201cRelentless\u201d Push for Tom Pelphrey appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-04-27T09:10:00-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T11:22:36-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/task-tom-pelphrey_2.jpg", "tags": [ "Acting Advice", "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=317985", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/lou-heesom-casting-insights-self-tapes-acting-advice/", "title": "When Luck Meets Craft: Lou Heesom on What Makes Actors Unforgettable", "content_html": "\n

For thirty years, Heesom Casting has been the sole South Australian member of the Casting Guild of Australia. 

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Responsible for mega blockbusters (the Mortal Kombat franchise), International Emmy-winning series (First Day), iconic cult classics (Wolf Creek), beloved indie features (Storm Boy) and award-winning television commercials (Cannes Grand Prix winner, \u201cBe Consumed\u201d), Angela and Lou Heesom are the \u201cgo-to girls\u201d for all things happening in Australia\u2019s southern state. 

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Heesom Casting was responsible for the Australian casting of Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II. What can actors learn from your experience casting such major international co-productions? 

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That luck definitely exists! But you have to be ready for it when the moment arrives. 

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Mortal Kombat came to us through the legendary producer E. Bennett Walsh. This man\u2019s credits literally define eras in cinema! Meanwhile, we were these little-known Adelaide-based casting directors who, while having had the privilege of working on some seminal Australian productions, had never worked on that international scale before.

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Yet, for whatever reason, Bennett saw something in us and was willing to take the chance.\u00a0That\u00a0was the moment that changed everything. Suddenly, we were working on the Australian end under US casting director Rich Delia,\u00a0watching pure mastery in action.\u00a0

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But none of this could have happened without Bennett.\u00a0We\u2019ve now made three films together, and I can honestly say I owe my career to the belief of that man.\u00a0

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I think that, in many ways, it\u2019s the talent-based philosophy that has been the universal thread in all three productions we\u2019ve done together. These highly revered giants of film really give weight to the power of instinct, and that when someone walks into the room and has that magical quality, you trust that.

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You don\u2019t always have to wait for the CV to give you permission to hire. You back the talent, you back the actor and you back the work. Across these three productions, we\u2019ve been able to cast actors in key supporting roles who, at the time of auditioning, had nomajor film or television credits. 

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You never know when your big break could come. It could be your next audition, your next tape. But you have to be ready. You have to keep up the momentum \u2014 working, stretching and deepening your craft. And do it not for the credits or fame, but for the pure joy of the work.

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As casting directors, we see all of that. We see all those hours of unseen preparation, the heart, the craft and quiet sacrifice. When that\u2019s all coalescing inside of you, that\u2019s what sets your work on fire when the big moment arrives. 

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Your team has almost as many TV credits as film credits. How does self taping or auditioning for a series differ from self taping or auditioning for a feature? 

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It\u2019s subjective, but for me personally, I don\u2019t think there are specific rules for feature auditions vs. episodic auditions. Of course, you have to do the right research in terms of genre and tone of the filmmakers, plus the rhythm of the writing, so your work lives within the same universe.

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However, at the end of the day, all we are truly looking for is good work. Work that is fully formed, honest and teeming with life. It\u2019s always about how the actor brings themselves to the part and expresses this in artistic terms. 

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For general advice, and this is not a blanket rule, but for episodics or features that have a writer/director, actors should stay true to the text, and not assume they can improvise or be too loose with the dialogue. Often, writers are also watching the auditions, and by the time we\u2019re at the casting stage, they\u2019ve spent years honing the language.

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If you want to improv, I always suggest doing the first take as written. Then, if you want to offer something more unique to you and your sensibilities, deliver it in a second take. Then you are honoring both creative partners: the writer and you, as the actor. 

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You joined Heesom Casting in 2009, so you\u2019ve had a front-row seat to the many shifts and changes the industry has undergone in that time. What realities do you believe today\u2019s actors most need to be aware of? 

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Casting wasn\u2019t an industry sector in South Australia before my mom, Angela Heesom, created it over thirty years ago. I\u2019ve seen firsthand the grit behind the glamour, the depth of her craft and her dogged determination. She cares so deeply about our industry. A lot of that has informed my approach as well. 

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Yes, the landscape has undergone radical evolution, particularly with technology. The great conversation piece is, of course, self tapes, which have now become a routine entry point for first-round auditions. But all casting directors mourn the days of solely in-the-room auditions.

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That was our lifeblood \u2014 that exchange between us and the actor, together mining the material for all its infinite possibilities. Most of my friends are actors as well, so that sense of daily community has really shifted and taken some adjustment. 

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Yet we can\u2019t resist technology; we must embrace it and evolve alongside it. Where we once would have seen four or five actors each hour, I can now watch twenty self tapes in the same amount of time. That has undoubtedly widened the horizons and given greater permission for experimentation, because I\u2019m not limited by the time available in the room.

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Tapes have become a great democratizer. We can push the envelope more than ever before to challenge, to give space for new voices and spotlight communities not represented, or authentically represented, on our screens. So, I\u2019m truly grateful for the power of that. 

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Plus, it can give actors a sense of agency. You know the audition you do, and then on the way home you suddenly realize all the ways you could have done it in the room? That no longer exists. You have complete creative control. [With a self tape], you can hone and develop it until you are totally satisfied. I\u2019m constantly marveling at how actors arrive at such precise and imaginative interpretations of the material. It\u2019s wild watching a great creative force be creative.      

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Similarly, you\u2019ve mentioned that simply being \u201cgood\u201d just isn\u2019t enough. In your eyes, what separates the good actors from the great? 

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That\u2019s a difficult question. Quite frankly, Australian actors are extraordinary. Beyond world class! We\u2019re currently casting an ensemble film and it\u2019s almost impossible to arrive at any type of shortlist because, audition after audition, every actor\u2019s work is just so good. 

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Then, all of a sudden, an actor walks in or a tape arrives that transcends everything that came before them. Not because of a specific choice they made, or some bold idea they\u2019ve inserted to make their work stand out, but because the work is so organically alive. It breathes. There\u2019s an emotional translucence and an energetic undercurrent that makes you hear the material anew. 

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I always know when an actor has achieved that. Something almost leaps through the lens and into your body. By the end of the scene, not only have I forgotten to call \u201ccut,\u201d but I\u2019ve completely stopped breathing. Literally. Because the actor has me so fully suspended in that moment, I\u2019ve forgotten that there\u2019s a script and we\u2019re just two people in a room reading a scene.

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That\u2019s what\u2019s so exquisite about that level of craft and execution. While it looks effortless, it carries the weight of a lifetime. For me, that\u2019s what separates the good from the great. It\u2019s lightning in a bottle. 

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Your Screen Acting Masterclasses constantly sell out. If you had to guess, what would you say is their secret sauce? 

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I wish there were a secret sauce! If there is one, it\u2019s the actors themselves. I\u2019m continually in awe of the level of talent and commitment they bring to the room. The classes are such joyous spaces full of experimentation, risk taking, discovery and laughter.

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At the same time, they\u2019re deeply practical. I feel a real responsibility to ensure every actor leaves with tangible, actionable tools they can use immediately, because in auditions, the window to bring material to life is so fleeting. It\u2019s a high-pressure environment, so my focus is always on keeping the actor open and accessing their best work.

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There isn\u2019t space to dismantle what they\u2019ve prepared, even if something isn\u2019t fully serving the material, because in that moment the actor tightens and I lose access. In the masterclass, we\u2019re given the rare gift of time. 

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Ultimately, it\u2019s about giving back autonomy and creative control. Helping actors understand their process, trust themselves and acknowledge the extraordinary artistry within them. Then it\u2019s about elevating that work to its fullest expression, and giving permission for their entire being to completely fill the frame. 

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What\u2019s the best way for emerging actors to get on the Heesom Casting radar? 

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Knowing good actors is a casting director\u2019s currency. We\u2019ve always got an ear to the ground! 

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However, I also don\u2019t sit in an ivory tower making all the decisions alone as to who I bring into the room. So much of this job is about collaboration. Collaboration with our team, and  importantly, collaboration with agents. Agents don\u2019t get nearly enough thanks for what they do, or the hours they work. They work harder than anyone in this industry.

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If you can find an agent who really believes in you as an artist, please know they will literally kick my door down to make sure I\u2019m seeing your work or giving you audition opportunities. If an agent or manager calls me and says I have to see this person for this role, I generally trust that. 

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If you don\u2019t have an agent, however, it\u2019s about putting yourself out there. And I know that is hard when you are first starting out, but work truly begets work. Do local theater, star in your own web series, make a short film and put it into the festival circuits. Oscars have been won by films made on iPhones. Actors have so much more agency than ever before. 

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Be reassured that if you\u2019re doing good work, you will get noticed. It\u2019s our job to notice. Stay curious, stay engaged and stay passionate. That energy, that love for the process, fuels everything you do and is always visible. Remember, no one can take away your right to be an artist. It\u2019s a game of luck, perseverance, passion, preparation and opportunity.

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Embrace the work. Hone your craft. Trust your instincts. Be bold, be daring and never stop believing in the artist within you, as the only sure way of not having a career in this industry is by giving up. 

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Amen! Finally, any films or series you\u2019ve seen lately that should be on every actor\u2019s watchlist? 

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I\u2019ve actually been revisiting some old classics and am into the final season of The Sopranos. But I\u2019m obsessed with the Brazilian film I\u2019m Still Here directed by Walter Salles. Plus all three seasons of The White Lotus, The Correspondent (cast by the incredibleAnousha Zarkesh) and Bring Her Back by local Adelaide legends, the Philippou brothers.

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Looking back to 2024, Ripley was a masterclass in establishing tension through silences. The volcanic internal life all those actors brought was breathtaking. Such a great example of how doing less is always more, when the internal life is fully supplied. 

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Every actor should be across all series and films being produced in this country. Know your casting directors, producers and directors. Notice who they are casting and ask yourself why. How can you speak to their sensibilities, and film self tapes or scenes that deliver that as explorations? 

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This interview has been edited and condensed. 

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Special thanks to Lou Heesom for her time.

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The post When Luck Meets Craft: Lou Heesom on What Makes Actors Unforgettable appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "For thirty years, Heesom Casting has been the sole South Australian member of the Casting Guild of Australia. \n\n\n\nResponsible for mega blockbusters (the Mortal Kombat franchise), International Emmy-winning series (First Day), iconic cult classics (Wolf Creek), beloved indie features (Storm Boy) and award-winning television commercials (Cannes Grand Prix winner, \u201cBe Consumed\u201d), Angela and Lou Heesom are the \u201cgo-to girls\u201d for all things happening in Australia\u2019s southern state. \n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nSelf-taping has shifted power toward actors, offering more creative control while expanding access and opportunity across the industry.\n\n\n\nLuck opens doors, but only actors who are consistently prepared and deeply invested in their craft are ready to walk through them.\n\n\n\nGreat acting isn\u2019t about flashy choices but about work that feels fully alive, emotionally transparent, and impossible to ignore.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHeesom Casting was responsible for the Australian casting of Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II. What can actors learn from your experience casting such major international co-productions? \n\n\n\nThat luck definitely exists! But you have to be ready for it when the moment arrives. \n\n\n\nMortal Kombat came to us through the legendary producer E. Bennett Walsh. This man\u2019s credits literally define eras in cinema! Meanwhile, we were these little-known Adelaide-based casting directors who, while having had the privilege of working on some seminal Australian productions, had never worked on that international scale before. \n\n\n\nYet, for whatever reason, Bennett saw something in us and was willing to take the chance.\u00a0That\u00a0was the moment that changed everything. Suddenly, we were working on the Australian end under US casting director Rich Delia,\u00a0watching pure mastery in action.\u00a0\n\n\n\nBut none of this could have happened without Bennett.\u00a0We\u2019ve now made three films together, and I can honestly say I owe my career to the belief of that man.\u00a0\n\n\n\nI think that, in many ways, it\u2019s the talent-based philosophy that has been the universal thread in all three productions we\u2019ve done together. These highly revered giants of film really give weight to the power of instinct, and that when someone walks into the room and has that magical quality, you trust that. \n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t always have to wait for the CV to give you permission to hire. You back the talent, you back the actor and you back the work. Across these three productions, we\u2019ve been able to cast actors in key supporting roles who, at the time of auditioning, had nomajor film or television credits. \n\n\n\nYou never know when your big break could come. It could be your next audition, your next tape. But you have to be ready. You have to keep up the momentum \u2014 working, stretching and deepening your craft. And do it not for the credits or fame, but for the pure joy of the work. \n\n\n\nAs casting directors, we see all of that. We see all those hours of unseen preparation, the heart, the craft and quiet sacrifice. When that\u2019s all coalescing inside of you, that\u2019s what sets your work on fire when the big moment arrives. \n\n\n\nYour team has almost as many TV credits as film credits. How does self taping or auditioning for a series differ from self taping or auditioning for a feature? \n\n\n\nIt\u2019s subjective, but for me personally, I don\u2019t think there are specific rules for feature auditions vs. episodic auditions. Of course, you have to do the right research in terms of genre and tone of the filmmakers, plus the rhythm of the writing, so your work lives within the same universe. \n\n\n\nHowever, at the end of the day, all we are truly looking for is good work. Work that is fully formed, honest and teeming with life. It\u2019s always about how the actor brings themselves to the part and expresses this in artistic terms. \n\n\n\nFor general advice, and this is not a blanket rule, but for episodics or features that have a writer/director, actors should stay true to the text, and not assume they can improvise or be too loose with the dialogue. Often, writers are also watching the auditions, and by the time we\u2019re at the casting stage, they\u2019ve spent years honing the language. \n\n\n\nIf you want to improv, I always suggest doing the first take as written. Then, if you want to offer something more unique to you and your sensibilities, deliver it in a second take. Then you are honoring both creative partners: the writer and you, as the actor. \n\n\n\nYou joined Heesom Casting in 2009, so you\u2019ve had a front-row seat to the many shifts and changes the industry has undergone in that time. What realities do you believe today\u2019s actors most need to be aware of? \n\n\n\nCasting wasn\u2019t an industry sector in South Australia before my mom, Angela Heesom, created it over thirty years ago. I\u2019ve seen firsthand the grit behind the glamour, the depth of her craft and her dogged determination. She cares so deeply about our industry. A lot of that has informed my approach as well. \n\n\n\nYes, the landscape has undergone radical evolution, particularly with technology. The great conversation piece is, of course, self tapes, which have now become a routine entry point for first-round auditions. But all casting directors mourn the days of solely in-the-room auditions. \n\n\n\nThat was our lifeblood \u2014 that exchange between us and the actor, together mining the material for all its infinite possibilities. Most of my friends are actors as well, so that sense of daily community has really shifted and taken some adjustment. \n\n\n\nYet we can\u2019t resist technology; we must embrace it and evolve alongside it. Where we once would have seen four or five actors each hour, I can now watch twenty self tapes in the same amount of time. That has undoubtedly widened the horizons and given greater permission for experimentation, because I\u2019m not limited by the time available in the room. \n\n\n\nTapes have become a great democratizer. We can push the envelope more than ever before to challenge, to give space for new voices and spotlight communities not represented, or authentically represented, on our screens. So, I\u2019m truly grateful for the power of that. \n\n\n\nPlus, it can give actors a sense of agency. You know the audition you do, and then on the way home you suddenly realize all the ways you could have done it in the room? That no longer exists. You have complete creative control. [With a self tape], you can hone and develop it until you are totally satisfied. I\u2019m constantly marveling at how actors arrive at such precise and imaginative interpretations of the material. It\u2019s wild watching a great creative force be creative.      \n\n\n\nSimilarly, you\u2019ve mentioned that simply being \u201cgood\u201d just isn\u2019t enough. In your eyes, what separates the good actors from the great? \n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a difficult question. Quite frankly, Australian actors are extraordinary. Beyond world class! We\u2019re currently casting an ensemble film and it\u2019s almost impossible to arrive at any type of shortlist because, audition after audition, every actor\u2019s work is just so good. \n\n\n\nThen, all of a sudden, an actor walks in or a tape arrives that transcends everything that came before them. Not because of a specific choice they made, or some bold idea they\u2019ve inserted to make their work stand out, but because the work is so organically alive. It breathes. There\u2019s an emotional translucence and an energetic undercurrent that makes you hear the material anew. \n\n\n\nI always know when an actor has achieved that. Something almost leaps through the lens and into your body. By the end of the scene, not only have I forgotten to call \u201ccut,\u201d but I\u2019ve completely stopped breathing. Literally. Because the actor has me so fully suspended in that moment, I\u2019ve forgotten that there\u2019s a script and we\u2019re just two people in a room reading a scene. \n\n\n\nThat\u2019s what\u2019s so exquisite about that level of craft and execution. While it looks effortless, it carries the weight of a lifetime. For me, that\u2019s what separates the good from the great. It\u2019s lightning in a bottle. \n\n\n\nYour Screen Acting Masterclasses constantly sell out. If you had to guess, what would you say is their secret sauce? \n\n\n\nI wish there were a secret sauce! If there is one, it\u2019s the actors themselves. I\u2019m continually in awe of the level of talent and commitment they bring to the room. The classes are such joyous spaces full of experimentation, risk taking, discovery and laughter. \n\n\n\nAt the same time, they\u2019re deeply practical. I feel a real responsibility to ensure every actor leaves with tangible, actionable tools they can use immediately, because in auditions, the window to bring material to life is so fleeting. It\u2019s a high-pressure environment, so my focus is always on keeping the actor open and accessing their best work. \n\n\n\nThere isn\u2019t space to dismantle what they\u2019ve prepared, even if something isn\u2019t fully serving the material, because in that moment the actor tightens and I lose access. In the masterclass, we\u2019re given the rare gift of time. \n\n\n\nUltimately, it\u2019s about giving back autonomy and creative control. Helping actors understand their process, trust themselves and acknowledge the extraordinary artistry within them. Then it\u2019s about elevating that work to its fullest expression, and giving permission for their entire being to completely fill the frame. \n\n\n\nWhat\u2019s the best way for emerging actors to get on the Heesom Casting radar? \n\n\n\nKnowing good actors is a casting director\u2019s currency. We\u2019ve always got an ear to the ground! \n\n\n\nHowever, I also don\u2019t sit in an ivory tower making all the decisions alone as to who I bring into the room. So much of this job is about collaboration. Collaboration with our team, and  importantly, collaboration with agents. Agents don\u2019t get nearly enough thanks for what they do, or the hours they work. They work harder than anyone in this industry. \n\n\n\nIf you can find an agent who really believes in you as an artist, please know they will literally kick my door down to make sure I\u2019m seeing your work or giving you audition opportunities. If an agent or manager calls me and says I have to see this person for this role, I generally trust that. \n\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t have an agent, however, it\u2019s about putting yourself out there. And I know that is hard when you are first starting out, but work truly begets work. Do local theater, star in your own web series, make a short film and put it into the festival circuits. Oscars have been won by films made on iPhones. Actors have so much more agency than ever before. \n\n\n\nBe reassured that if you\u2019re doing good work, you will get noticed. It\u2019s our job to notice. Stay curious, stay engaged and stay passionate. That energy, that love for the process, fuels everything you do and is always visible. Remember, no one can take away your right to be an artist. It\u2019s a game of luck, perseverance, passion, preparation and opportunity. \n\n\n\nEmbrace the work. Hone your craft. Trust your instincts. Be bold, be daring and never stop believing in the artist within you, as the only sure way of not having a career in this industry is by giving up. \n\n\n\nAmen! Finally, any films or series you\u2019ve seen lately that should be on every actor\u2019s watchlist? \n\n\n\nI\u2019ve actually been revisiting some old classics and am into the final season of The Sopranos. But I\u2019m obsessed with the Brazilian film I\u2019m Still Here directed by Walter Salles. Plus all three seasons of The White Lotus, The Correspondent (cast by the incredibleAnousha Zarkesh) and Bring Her Back by local Adelaide legends, the Philippou brothers. \n\n\n\nLooking back to 2024, Ripley was a masterclass in establishing tension through silences. The volcanic internal life all those actors brought was breathtaking. Such a great example of how doing less is always more, when the internal life is fully supplied. \n\n\n\nEvery actor should be across all series and films being produced in this country. Know your casting directors, producers and directors. Notice who they are casting and ask yourself why. How can you speak to their sensibilities, and film self tapes or scenes that deliver that as explorations? \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis interview has been edited and condensed. \n\n\n\nSpecial thanks to Lou Heesom for her time.\nThe post When Luck Meets Craft: Lou Heesom on What Makes Actors Unforgettable appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-04-15T09:00:54-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T11:23:41-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Tahlia Norrish", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/tahlia-norrish/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/185/185acf857f99767f1a69a69aaf9ca52cx512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Tahlia Norrish", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/tahlia-norrish/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/185/185acf857f99767f1a69a69aaf9ca52cx512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Lou-Heesom-Blog.png", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=314231", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/casting-director-ian-bender-interview-undertone-audition-advice/", "title": "Casting Director Ian Bender on Championing Uniqueness and Breaking the Mold", "content_html": "\n

Ian Bender has not been a casting director for that long, but he\u2019s made the time count. The Canadian professional only started in the field eight years ago, but in that time, he\u2019s been part of dozens of productions, with much of his work in the indie world. His scope is widening, as he is, along with Ashley Hallihan and Nancy Nayor, one of the casting directors for the very buzzy recent horror flick Undertone. The film, about a podcast host whose latest project turns dark, stars Adam DiMarco and Nina Kiri and hit theaters earlier this month. He spoke to us from his office in Toronto.

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How did you get into casting in the first place?

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I started as an actor, just taking workshops and classes as a kid, doing community theater stuff, and then I went to college for that, and did my best at trying to pursue it. Musical theater was my goal. Around the time I turned 30, I started to think, okay, what can I do with all this passion that I have for this industry and acting in general? I was lacking stability, and every time I would book a job, it would be, pack your bags. You’re going away for a few months at a time. A few friends of mine suggested casting. So I started working for Ashley Hallihan with Hallihan Casting here in Toronto, as her assistant. It was a really great opportunity for her to take me under her wing and show me the logistics behind casting, because it really is a very different job than acting.\u00a0

\n\n\n\n

Yeah, no kidding. 

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(Laughs) You get the creative muscle, of course, but it really is quite clerical. Heavy paperwork.

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But that tends to appeal to a lot of people, too, being able to do both.

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Yeah, exactly, and that’s how I feel, because I’m very type A, so it really fits me nicely. I love organization and have just as much fun with the business side of things as the creative side, where I get to brainstorm and think of people who would be great in a part, or auditioning actors and finding a new face that I haven’t seen before, seeing what interesting choices they bring to the table. It’s really nice to be able to flex both and to work on both sides.

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Do you find that because you’ve had an acting background, that’s given you an advantage in working with actors in the room, or even by giving them feedback with self tapes?

\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I’d like to think so. I still think of everything as an actor. Everything that I do, the way I release my breakdowns, the way I conduct my auditions, all of that, I really am trying to keep the actor in mind, because I think of things that were pet peeves of mine as an actor growing up, or things that I wish casting directors would know. I really love getting to meet actors in person as well, and hear what their thoughts are and what their challenges are.

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Is there a checklist of things you go through in that regard?

\n\n\n\n

Yeah, for sure. For example, there are a lot of factors that go into helping you get seen and recognized by casting directors. I had a lovely team of people helping me, but I wasn’t with the biggest agent in town, and I didn’t have those opportunities. So I keep my mind open when I’m going through my submissions from the very beginning, and considering everyone that gets submitted to me, and taking the time and due diligence to look at their resumes and consider them seriously for the part. Also, I love a wild card. So if there’s an actor that may not seem like they’re visually right for the part, I want to explore that to see if they give me something a little bit different. Those are the people that really make it far or get booked in some of these roles. It really forces the creative team as well to think outside of the box, and opens up new ideas for them. Sometimes I wish that had happened to me when I was an actor. I was a queer dude trying to find opportunities in the early to mid-2000s, and a lot of [them] just weren’t there. There’s only so many gay best friends that you can put in a series or film. (Laughs) I’m always thinking about that, trying to keep it as open as I can, because you never know.

\n\n\n\n

That’s the thing that you can pass along to actors, that you make sure they understand that their uniqueness is a benefit, even when it sometimes doesn’t necessarily feel that way to them?

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Absolutely. It’s your superpower, really.

\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about Undertone, which received the kind of pre-release buzz that a select few horror films get. That must be very exciting.

\n\n\n\n

I’ve been very lucky. Because I’m so interested in the industry, I continue to improve and learn. I was basically a student every day. So, to have an opportunity like Undertone, I worked with Black Fawn Films, Cody Callahan and Dan Slater before, and they’re really great guys. The writer-director, Ian Tuason, was new to me, but that script, when I first got it, was so wild, so interesting. It’s exciting when I get the tingles and start brainstorming right away. It’s a whirlwind. I don’t know what it’s going to look like for me. I still have that imposter syndrome in the back of my head going, keep working, take meetings with everybody, because I’m hoping that this gives me some more opportunity to show what I do best. I have so much fun with these horror and genre films. They’re my most favorite films to watch, so the fact that I get to help find these characters and work with these amazing writers and directors every day is just a dream.

\n\n\n\n

You talked earlier about working with actors and how much you enjoy it. What piece of advice or wisdom would you give to an actor coming in to see you?

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Just know that I’m on your side and that if you’ve done the work on the role and on the material, then just show it. You don’t have to bring anything else into the room. Put the nerves aside as best as you can, and just be yourself and show the work that you’ve done, and then it’ll all come together. If you’re right for the role, you’re right for the role, and it’ll show itself in the room. I want every single person to walk in that door to get the part. That means I\u2019ve done a good job. I used to have the worst nerves going into audition rooms. Anytime I\u2019d get a job, I’d be surprised, because I was a nervous wreck going in. But I knew that if I did the work and put the time into the material, it would release in the room, and I would make the choices that I’ve prepared. That\u2019s the biggest thing, too. Make interesting choices.

\n\n\n\n

So often, a wrong choice is better than no choice at all.

\n\n\n\n

Yes, because it shows me that you can make a choice. If a choice has been made, I’ll see that, and it shows me that they’ve actively been thinking about the part and that they’ve internalized it enough to get there. It means that there’s the likelihood that the director on the day is going to probably be able to get a different choice out of them. It’s exciting when that all happens and comes together.

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Key Takeaways

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The post Casting Director Ian Bender on Championing Uniqueness and Breaking the Mold appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "Ian Bender has not been a casting director for that long, but he\u2019s made the time count. The Canadian professional only started in the field eight years ago, but in that time, he\u2019s been part of dozens of productions, with much of his work in the indie world. His scope is widening, as he is, along with Ashley Hallihan and Nancy Nayor, one of the casting directors for the very buzzy recent horror flick Undertone. The film, about a podcast host whose latest project turns dark, stars Adam DiMarco and Nina Kiri and hit theaters earlier this month. He spoke to us from his office in Toronto.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nIan Bender\u2019s acting background shapes his casting approach, keeping the actor experience central to every audition and decision. \n\n\n\nHe actively looks beyond traditional \u201ctype\u201d and values unexpected, creative choices that challenge assumptions. \n\n\n\nCasting blends creativity and logistics, requiring both artistic instinct and strong organizational discipline.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow did you get into casting in the first place?\n\n\n\nI started as an actor, just taking workshops and classes as a kid, doing community theater stuff, and then I went to college for that, and did my best at trying to pursue it. Musical theater was my goal. Around the time I turned 30, I started to think, okay, what can I do with all this passion that I have for this industry and acting in general? I was lacking stability, and every time I would book a job, it would be, pack your bags. You’re going away for a few months at a time. A few friends of mine suggested casting. So I started working for Ashley Hallihan with Hallihan Casting here in Toronto, as her assistant. It was a really great opportunity for her to take me under her wing and show me the logistics behind casting, because it really is a very different job than acting.\u00a0\n\n\n\nYeah, no kidding. \n\n\n\n(Laughs) You get the creative muscle, of course, but it really is quite clerical. Heavy paperwork.\n\n\n\nBut that tends to appeal to a lot of people, too, being able to do both.\n\n\n\nYeah, exactly, and that’s how I feel, because I’m very type A, so it really fits me nicely. I love organization and have just as much fun with the business side of things as the creative side, where I get to brainstorm and think of people who would be great in a part, or auditioning actors and finding a new face that I haven’t seen before, seeing what interesting choices they bring to the table. It’s really nice to be able to flex both and to work on both sides.\n\n\n\nDo you find that because you’ve had an acting background, that’s given you an advantage in working with actors in the room, or even by giving them feedback with self tapes?\n\n\n\nYeah, I’d like to think so. I still think of everything as an actor. Everything that I do, the way I release my breakdowns, the way I conduct my auditions, all of that, I really am trying to keep the actor in mind, because I think of things that were pet peeves of mine as an actor growing up, or things that I wish casting directors would know. I really love getting to meet actors in person as well, and hear what their thoughts are and what their challenges are.\n\n\n\nIs there a checklist of things you go through in that regard?\n\n\n\nYeah, for sure. For example, there are a lot of factors that go into helping you get seen and recognized by casting directors. I had a lovely team of people helping me, but I wasn’t with the biggest agent in town, and I didn’t have those opportunities. So I keep my mind open when I’m going through my submissions from the very beginning, and considering everyone that gets submitted to me, and taking the time and due diligence to look at their resumes and consider them seriously for the part. Also, I love a wild card. So if there’s an actor that may not seem like they’re visually right for the part, I want to explore that to see if they give me something a little bit different. Those are the people that really make it far or get booked in some of these roles. It really forces the creative team as well to think outside of the box, and opens up new ideas for them. Sometimes I wish that had happened to me when I was an actor. I was a queer dude trying to find opportunities in the early to mid-2000s, and a lot of [them] just weren’t there. There’s only so many gay best friends that you can put in a series or film. (Laughs) I’m always thinking about that, trying to keep it as open as I can, because you never know.\n\n\n\nThat’s the thing that you can pass along to actors, that you make sure they understand that their uniqueness is a benefit, even when it sometimes doesn’t necessarily feel that way to them?\n\n\n\nAbsolutely. It’s your superpower, really.\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s talk about Undertone, which received the kind of pre-release buzz that a select few horror films get. That must be very exciting.\n\n\n\nI’ve been very lucky. Because I’m so interested in the industry, I continue to improve and learn. I was basically a student every day. So, to have an opportunity like Undertone, I worked with Black Fawn Films, Cody Callahan and Dan Slater before, and they’re really great guys. The writer-director, Ian Tuason, was new to me, but that script, when I first got it, was so wild, so interesting. It’s exciting when I get the tingles and start brainstorming right away. It’s a whirlwind. I don’t know what it’s going to look like for me. I still have that imposter syndrome in the back of my head going, keep working, take meetings with everybody, because I’m hoping that this gives me some more opportunity to show what I do best. I have so much fun with these horror and genre films. They’re my most favorite films to watch, so the fact that I get to help find these characters and work with these amazing writers and directors every day is just a dream.\n\n\n\nYou talked earlier about working with actors and how much you enjoy it. What piece of advice or wisdom would you give to an actor coming in to see you?\n\n\n\nJust know that I’m on your side and that if you’ve done the work on the role and on the material, then just show it. You don’t have to bring anything else into the room. Put the nerves aside as best as you can, and just be yourself and show the work that you’ve done, and then it’ll all come together. If you’re right for the role, you’re right for the role, and it’ll show itself in the room. I want every single person to walk in that door to get the part. That means I\u2019ve done a good job. I used to have the worst nerves going into audition rooms. Anytime I\u2019d get a job, I’d be surprised, because I was a nervous wreck going in. But I knew that if I did the work and put the time into the material, it would release in the room, and I would make the choices that I’ve prepared. That\u2019s the biggest thing, too. Make interesting choices.\n\n\n\nSo often, a wrong choice is better than no choice at all.\n\n\n\nYes, because it shows me that you can make a choice. If a choice has been made, I’ll see that, and it shows me that they’ve actively been thinking about the part and that they’ve internalized it enough to get there. It means that there’s the likelihood that the director on the day is going to probably be able to get a different choice out of them. It’s exciting when that all happens and comes together.\n\n\n\nKey Takeaways\n\n\n\n\nPreparation and authenticity matter more than perfection\u2014actors should focus on doing the work and trusting it in the room.\n\n\n\nMaking a bold or unconventional choice is often more impactful than playing it safe.\n\n\n\nAn actor\u2019s uniqueness is their greatest asset, even when it doesn\u2019t seem to fit the role at first glance.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe post Casting Director Ian Bender on Championing Uniqueness and Breaking the Mold appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-03-31T10:13:46-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T12:04:15-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Ian-Bender-Headshot-e1774977109615.jpg", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=313196", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/casting-director-beverly-holloway-actor-advice-interview/", "title": "Casting Director Beverly Holloway\u2019s Advice to Actors: Be Authentic, Prepared, and Story-Driven", "content_html": "\n

It\u2019s pretty rare to have a front-row seat to the evolution of an entire film genre. You\u2019d have to be very good at your job, and also more than a little lucky to find yourself in the right spot at the right time. Beverly Holloway is both, as she has helped to turn faith-based films from a punchline into one of the most lucrative genres in the film business.

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It was at least partially due to her vision that we\u2019ve seen faith-based films explode over the last decade, though she is far too humble to acknowledge that. She has over 150 credits to her name, with the latest, the sequel I Can Only Imagine 2, currently in theaters. She spoke to us from her home in LA.

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How did you get into casting?

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Well, it was a little bit of a roundabout way. 

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It usually is.

(Laughs) Yes, I had a friend who was a filmmaker, and I had done other careers. Directing community theater, youth theater, producing shows. I had that creative heart, but I really didn’t know anything about the film industry. I went to my friend and said I thought it could be an area that I could be good at. I’d love to just intern. I was 30, and just started over as a $50 a week intern. 

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Okay, so then how did that transition into casting?

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He’s the one who suggested it. He put me in that role before I ever really understood it was an option, if that makes sense.

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I jumped in and figured it out and learned on the job. It was great. It just was one of those wonderful things that grew organically. For me, being a person of faith, I like to say that God sort of planted me in there, and then I just walked through the steps as they came to me.

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What was it that spoke to you about casting once you figured out what it was?

\n\n\n\n

I love actors. I love working with actors and understood them, and so I really enjoyed that community of people. There was a little bit of a continuation of my directing roots, and also, my father was an engineer, my mom was an interior designer. I literally think I have a split brain.

\n\n\n\n

I hear that a lot, the creative and the clerical going hand in hand.

\n\n\n\n

I’ve actually seen pure creatives struggle with the casting part of it, just because you’d like to think that every decision is purely creative bliss, right? But of course, we’re taking into account scheduling and budget things and how family groups look together, and heights, and, you know, a lot of things that have to go hand in hand with the creative decisions as to the actor’s performance.

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That can frustrate some people who I think are purely creative. So I do think casting is a great mix of both of those worlds.

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You mentioned your faith, and I’m glad you brought it up, because I was going to ask you about the films that you make. Much of your work is in the faith-based world, and while they don\u2019t tend to get the same level of respect as other genres, it\u2019s incredibly lucrative and you never stop working.

\n\n\n\n

Yeah, that\u2019s true.

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Did you get into it as an intentional move because of your own faith?

\n\n\n\n

The filmmaker who got me into this was a friend from church. That very first project was actually for an organization called Youth With A Mission. That was the kind of content he was making, and of course, that was consistent with my own personal faith, and I loved being a part of stories that made people feel better, or met them in a time of need.

\n\n\n\n

It just grew, and the films grew. I\u2019m now going into my 32nd year, my career has grown as the faith, family, inspirational industry has grown, and it’s kind of a perfect mirror of that. I just inadvertently became an expert. I didn’t set out to be. It’s just I was in it in the early days, so as other filmmakers came up behind me. I had more experience and I could help guide them. 

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Was there ever a conflict or a struggle with this direction? 

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Yes, there was a time where I butted up against it, because I saw other casting directors doing films that were mainstream and more readily accepted. In the early days, I did have to explain what it was and why it had value, talking to agents and actors to help them understand, really, what these things were and the impact. But I did butt up against it because they weren’t hip and cool and, you know, you don\u2019t get awards for them. But I was passionate about it, so I became a champion for it in the agency talent world.

\n\n\n\n

Trying to really help them understand why actors who didn’t have that same personal faith belief or faith journey could still understand the value of encouraging another human being or sharing someone’s inspirational, true story, and just realizing the positivity, the power, the impact of that. 

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How have things changed for the genre since you started in it?

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Faith films really got a bad rap for a lot of years, and rightfully so, because they were not great. The acting was horrible, because in most cases, these filmmakers had no money, and so they were casting from their church or friends or whatever.

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So they kind of just did the best with what they had. My mission was, no, let’s go out of our little circle to get the best actor. Let’s bring up that quality. Because if we truly believe we’re telling the greatest stories out there to tell and and we are excited about telling them, then we’ve got to do it well.

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We’ve got to do it with excellence. Bringing SAG to a lot of films to up the quality. What’s exciting is that there are filmmakers now who are really bringing beautiful filmmaking, people who are matching that level of quality. And when you get all the pieces together, great actors, great visuals. It’s really exciting. It really is so satisfying.

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Do you have a type of actor you go for? I mean, does someone have to be a Christian or a believer to be in your projects?

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The audience embraces actors who are great. There is an element of an added positive with someone who either has the same faith journey or the same belief system personally, or someone who respects it and embraces it. But really, we just want actors who love the story, love the craft, love the film and the team and all of that, and respect the audience, regardless of their own personal journey.

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There are people who, maybe they’re at a different place in their life, or they become parents or grandparents, and all of a sudden they want to do something that their kids can watch, that they can feel good about. There’s a lot of reasons why people resonate with the material, and we just want to find those people who want to be there, that it’s not just a gig. [As with] any film, they want to know their actors are engaged on a deeper level and really passionate about it. So it’s the same for us.

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It must be enormously rewarding to not only do something you love, but to be part of creating something that actually helps people.

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When it’s hard, or when I’m frustrated or exhausted, at the end of the day I can say I’m helping to put something into the world that makes a difference, and whether that difference is just encouraging them that day, or providing a pathway for something for them to explore, or helping them feel like they can accomplish something, or that God’s just there and cares about them, for me, that matters.

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With all that in mind, what piece of advice would you give to someone coming in to see you?

\n\n\n\n

Do your research ahead of time. Look up the filmmakers. What are the kinds of projects they do? Understand the kinds of stories that they tell. I don’t want people necessarily to come in and feel like they have to clean themselves up or abide by a bunch of parameters. We just want the most honest, truthful performance.

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I don’t want people to feel like they have to be something they’re not. We’re not looking for perfect people. We’re not looking for perfect Christians. We’re looking for great actors who resonate with the story and who resonate with the characters in an honest way, and who see value in the stories we’re telling and are willing to be a part of it and respect it. The rest we will figure out along the way.

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Key Takeaways

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The post Casting Director Beverly Holloway\u2019s Advice to Actors: Be Authentic, Prepared, and Story-Driven appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "It\u2019s pretty rare to have a front-row seat to the evolution of an entire film genre. You\u2019d have to be very good at your job, and also more than a little lucky to find yourself in the right spot at the right time. Beverly Holloway is both, as she has helped to turn faith-based films from a punchline into one of the most lucrative genres in the film business. \n\n\n\nIt was at least partially due to her vision that we\u2019ve seen faith-based films explode over the last decade, though she is far too humble to acknowledge that. She has over 150 credits to her name, with the latest, the sequel I Can Only Imagine 2, currently in theaters. She spoke to us from her home in LA.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nCasting director Beverly Holloway emphasizes that actors don\u2019t need to share the same beliefs as a project, but must genuinely respect and connect to the story.\n\n\n\nPreparation goes beyond memorization, as understanding the filmmakers and their work can give actors a meaningful edge.\n\n\n\nAuthenticity consistently outperforms trying to fit a perceived mold or \u201cperfect\u201d version of a character.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow did you get into casting?\n\n\n\nWell, it was a little bit of a roundabout way. \n\n\n\nIt usually is.(Laughs) Yes, I had a friend who was a filmmaker, and I had done other careers. Directing community theater, youth theater, producing shows. I had that creative heart, but I really didn’t know anything about the film industry. I went to my friend and said I thought it could be an area that I could be good at. I’d love to just intern. I was 30, and just started over as a $50 a week intern. \n\n\n\nOkay, so then how did that transition into casting?\n\n\n\nHe’s the one who suggested it. He put me in that role before I ever really understood it was an option, if that makes sense. \n\n\n\nI jumped in and figured it out and learned on the job. It was great. It just was one of those wonderful things that grew organically. For me, being a person of faith, I like to say that God sort of planted me in there, and then I just walked through the steps as they came to me.\n\n\n\nWhat was it that spoke to you about casting once you figured out what it was?\n\n\n\nI love actors. I love working with actors and understood them, and so I really enjoyed that community of people. There was a little bit of a continuation of my directing roots, and also, my father was an engineer, my mom was an interior designer. I literally think I have a split brain.\n\n\n\nI hear that a lot, the creative and the clerical going hand in hand.\n\n\n\nI’ve actually seen pure creatives struggle with the casting part of it, just because you’d like to think that every decision is purely creative bliss, right? But of course, we’re taking into account scheduling and budget things and how family groups look together, and heights, and, you know, a lot of things that have to go hand in hand with the creative decisions as to the actor’s performance.\n\n\n\nThat can frustrate some people who I think are purely creative. So I do think casting is a great mix of both of those worlds.\n\n\n\nYou mentioned your faith, and I’m glad you brought it up, because I was going to ask you about the films that you make. Much of your work is in the faith-based world, and while they don\u2019t tend to get the same level of respect as other genres, it\u2019s incredibly lucrative and you never stop working.\n\n\n\nYeah, that\u2019s true.\n\n\n\nDid you get into it as an intentional move because of your own faith?\n\n\n\nThe filmmaker who got me into this was a friend from church. That very first project was actually for an organization called Youth With A Mission. That was the kind of content he was making, and of course, that was consistent with my own personal faith, and I loved being a part of stories that made people feel better, or met them in a time of need. \n\n\n\nIt just grew, and the films grew. I\u2019m now going into my 32nd year, my career has grown as the faith, family, inspirational industry has grown, and it’s kind of a perfect mirror of that. I just inadvertently became an expert. I didn’t set out to be. It’s just I was in it in the early days, so as other filmmakers came up behind me. I had more experience and I could help guide them. \n\n\n\nWas there ever a conflict or a struggle with this direction? \n\n\n\nYes, there was a time where I butted up against it, because I saw other casting directors doing films that were mainstream and more readily accepted. In the early days, I did have to explain what it was and why it had value, talking to agents and actors to help them understand, really, what these things were and the impact. But I did butt up against it because they weren’t hip and cool and, you know, you don\u2019t get awards for them. But I was passionate about it, so I became a champion for it in the agency talent world. \n\n\n\nTrying to really help them understand why actors who didn’t have that same personal faith belief or faith journey could still understand the value of encouraging another human being or sharing someone’s inspirational, true story, and just realizing the positivity, the power, the impact of that. \n\n\n\nHow have things changed for the genre since you started in it?\n\n\n\nFaith films really got a bad rap for a lot of years, and rightfully so, because they were not great. The acting was horrible, because in most cases, these filmmakers had no money, and so they were casting from their church or friends or whatever. \n\n\n\nSo they kind of just did the best with what they had. My mission was, no, let’s go out of our little circle to get the best actor. Let’s bring up that quality. Because if we truly believe we’re telling the greatest stories out there to tell and and we are excited about telling them, then we’ve got to do it well. \n\n\n\nWe’ve got to do it with excellence. Bringing SAG to a lot of films to up the quality. What’s exciting is that there are filmmakers now who are really bringing beautiful filmmaking, people who are matching that level of quality. And when you get all the pieces together, great actors, great visuals. It’s really exciting. It really is so satisfying.\n\n\n\nDo you have a type of actor you go for? I mean, does someone have to be a Christian or a believer to be in your projects?\n\n\n\nThe audience embraces actors who are great. There is an element of an added positive with someone who either has the same faith journey or the same belief system personally, or someone who respects it and embraces it. But really, we just want actors who love the story, love the craft, love the film and the team and all of that, and respect the audience, regardless of their own personal journey.\n\n\n\nThere are people who, maybe they’re at a different place in their life, or they become parents or grandparents, and all of a sudden they want to do something that their kids can watch, that they can feel good about. There’s a lot of reasons why people resonate with the material, and we just want to find those people who want to be there, that it’s not just a gig. [As with] any film, they want to know their actors are engaged on a deeper level and really passionate about it. So it’s the same for us.\n\n\n\nIt must be enormously rewarding to not only do something you love, but to be part of creating something that actually helps people.\n\n\n\nWhen it’s hard, or when I’m frustrated or exhausted, at the end of the day I can say I’m helping to put something into the world that makes a difference, and whether that difference is just encouraging them that day, or providing a pathway for something for them to explore, or helping them feel like they can accomplish something, or that God’s just there and cares about them, for me, that matters.\n\n\n\nWith all that in mind, what piece of advice would you give to someone coming in to see you?\n\n\n\nDo your research ahead of time. Look up the filmmakers. What are the kinds of projects they do? Understand the kinds of stories that they tell. I don’t want people necessarily to come in and feel like they have to clean themselves up or abide by a bunch of parameters. We just want the most honest, truthful performance. \n\n\n\nI don’t want people to feel like they have to be something they’re not. We’re not looking for perfect people. We’re not looking for perfect Christians. We’re looking for great actors who resonate with the story and who resonate with the characters in an honest way, and who see value in the stories we’re telling and are willing to be a part of it and respect it. The rest we will figure out along the way.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKey Takeaways\n\n\n\n\nResearch the filmmakers and project before auditioning so you can align your performance with the tone and intent of the story.\n\n\n\nFocus on delivering an honest, grounded performance rather than trying to guess what casting wants.\n\n\n\nApproach every role with respect, curiosity, and genuine engagement, because passion for the material is often what sets actors apart.\n\nThe post Casting Director Beverly Holloway\u2019s Advice to Actors: Be Authentic, Prepared, and Story-Driven appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-03-27T09:44:24-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T12:03:54-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Copy-of-CD-1.png", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=312462", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/how-to-start-acting-career-outside-la-new-york/", "title": "How to Launch an Acting Career Outside LA and NYC: Smart Strategies from 5 Booming Markets", "content_html": "\n

If you\u2019re looking to get started as an actor and don\u2019t live in New York or Los Angeles, take heart. It\u2019s never been a better time to find your place in show business. 

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\u201cLos Angeles isn\u2019t even Los Angeles anymore,\u201d says Florida-based casting director and podcaster Rose Rosen. \u201cMost productions happen elsewhere. The system that we have in place for films and TV is incentive-based. Wherever there is an incentive, that\u2019s where the work is.\u201d

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Key Insights

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We talked to casting directors in five of the hottest markets outside the two majors, and each chimed in with some solid advice, though there were a few common themes. For one, local theater is always a great way to get rolling, as oftentimes, local agents will not only see their own clients there, but also because they will use the forum as a scout for new talent. 

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Another common theme: classes. Find a local acting teacher who speaks to you, and, as Rosen advises, \u201cis not abusive,\u201d and work with them. That will help you hone your craft and get you to a place where you can be reliably employable.

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FLORIDA

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Rosen observes that \u201cthe self-tape situation has expanded our borders. The system that we have in place for films is incentive-based wherever there is an incentive. That\u2019s where the work is. Now, [in] Florida specifically, you can work out of the gate. You could go and do commercials and make a lot of money and really hone your craft. You can learn how to be on set. You can learn how to deliver a good line.\u201d

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Rosen is a big proponent of using social media. Both your own, and participating with others\u2019. \u201cHalf of my submissions come from the public billboard and half came from agents. So definitely make sure you have at least a free profile at Casting Networks.

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In fact, do the free membership everywhere they have one. Keep putting your profiles up, follow all the billboards, and keep track of the social media of any entity that is advertising work. If you don’t have an agent, that\u2019s your first move.\u201d 

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Rosen\u2019s podcast is a primer on how to get started, \u201cfrom beginning to end,\u201d but more than that, it\u2019s about educating yourself. \u201cListen to all the podcasts. Every bit of free information is out there for you to absorb. You have to put the work in, in order to get to wherever you want to go.\u201d

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NEW ORLEANS

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Ryan Glorioso observes there is an influx of films happening right now. \u201cSo I\u2019m seeing a lot of things happening for people. A lot of actors are booking jobs and it feels good to see.\u201d

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Glorioso advises that while getting an agent is obviously very important, find one who has good local relationships. \u201cWe have a good handful of talent agencies in the state and in the surrounding region that cover the Southeast. Now, someone who’s based in Louisiana is probably going to have a stronger footprint in Louisiana.

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If you\u2019re looking to work more heavily in the Atlanta market, you\u2019re going to want to make sure that agent has good relationships with casting directors in the markets that you want to work in. So I think when looking for a local agent, actors should not just be interviewed by the agent, but also interview them to know what their reach is.\u201d 

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Essentially, just as you would do research for a role, you should also do it to further your career, especially when it comes to finding an agent. \u201cLook into what some of their actors on their roster are booking,\u201d he says.

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\u201cSee who those casting directors are that these agents are working in close proximity with. So that\u2019s important to have a local agent, because most of us see the actors through the agents.\u201d 

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CHICAGO

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Sarah Cayce observes that the Windy City has more of a variety of opportunities than any other city outside of the Big Two. \u201cYou really can do a little bit of everything if you want to have a career on stage, whether that’s doing improv or stand-up or being on at the Goodman Theatre or even storefront,\u201d she says.

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\u201cI mean, there are folks who make their living just on stage, all the way to folks who do industrials out the wazoo. It\u2019s such a big commercial town that [you\u2019ll find] everything from national spots that are conceived and shot in Chicago, to industrials that might be boring, but golly Moses do they pay the bills.\u201d

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The film incentive in Illinois just improved markedly in 2026, which means there\u2019s going to be a lot more work in both Chicago and the southern half of the state, but that also means that when you\u2019re out there selling yourself to potential employers, you have to know what it is you\u2019re selling.

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\u201cBe specific about what you want to do. You\u2019re just like any other department head or small business owner,\u201d she says. \u201cHelp us understand who you are and what you’re good at. Assume that once we trust you, we will expand into other things.

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Let’s say that someone moves to Chicago because they really want to work on Chicago P.D. If they come here and start taking a ton of improv and commercial classes and get a commercial agent, they\u2019re telling us something very different than their goals.\u201d

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Additionally, know who it is you\u2019re targeting. Do research on local casting directors. Make sure you’re approaching the right place.

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\u201cLots of us make it easy, all the way to submitting to us. Almost all of us have a website that tells folks exactly what we do, what we’re good at, and our awards. So you know exactly what what to expect from us. God forbid you start reaching out to a bunch of casting offices without having any idea who you are, trying to pitch something and you don’t know what that pitch is.\u201d

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OKLAHOMA

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Chris Freihofer has been working as a casting director in Oklahoma for 22 years, and has had a front-row seat for the explosion in film production there. \u201cI used to do maybe one movie a year,\u201d he says, \u201cbut lately it\u2019s been 10 to 12, and I\u2019m already doing my third one this year.\u201d 

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Freihofer is also big on classes and to \u201cget trained,\u201d recommending the state\u2019s website as a starting place. But he also recognizes that this is only part of the answer.

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He recommends getting on his mailing list (you can sign up on his website), which is where he posts 90 percent of the the work he\u2019s doing, and while he gets much of his submissions from agents, there are plenty of unrepresented people sending in their tapes as well.

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\u201cHaving an agent expands your opportunities for sure,\u201d he explains, but also points out that \u201cbackground casting is a great way for people to get in and see how it works.\u201d

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He also talks about how close Dallas, Austin and Kansas City are from Oklahoma, and with the impressive incentives on both the state and municipal level (combining them often improves a film\u2019s financial incentive even more), how much of a draw the Sooner state is for actors in neighboring states.

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This does come, however, with pet peeves. \u201cI don’t think I\u2019m alone in this by saying that just simply following the submission instructions goes a long way to success,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd when something says no phone calls, we mean no phone calls. Man, just send an email, we\u2019ll probably answer it.\u201d 

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Additionally, understand that there\u2019s a process to everything, and that if you\u2019re getting into the business, you need to grasp that.

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\u201cThere\u2019s sometimes an expectation of people who are an extra a few times, and they\u2019re ready for that principal role. They think that’s an easy step, but,\u201d he adds with a laugh, \u201cI think people sometimes don’t realize that you can\u2019t be a dentist just because you\u2019ve sat in a dental chair.\u201d

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NEW MEXICO

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There is something uniquely New Mexican about Shayne Hartigan\u2019s advice for local actors: \u201cnetwork.\u201d During the COVID-19 pandemic, production in New Mexico was booming. While it has since slowed a bit, the result is a DIY approach that fits into the New Mexico ethos.

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\u201cI’ve noticed we\u2019ve got all these groups that have come up there, like New Mexico Women in Film, and the Background Actors Association, and they host monthly get-togethers, whether it\u2019s cocktails or fundraisers or bingo nights.

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As production started to slow down a bit, you\u2019d get these new ecosystems of filmmakers that say, \u2018Hey, well, work is slow, let\u2019s just make our own project.\u2019\u201d 

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The result is a near constant sprouting of indie film and TV work, some as small as low five figures or as high as the million-dollar range, that employs actors who had come together when there were more larger productions happening in state. 

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\u201cPeople got really lucky here,\u201d he continues, \u201cbecause there isn\u2019t necessarily a huge pool of talent, so background actors were getting seen and promoted to series regulars. On top of that, people came together and joined these groups and it led to opportunities across the board.\u201d

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While the standard advice goes for people in New Mexico as well, the extra layer of putting yourself out there and getting to know fellow professionals, both experienced and less so, will be just as helpful in a way that it might not be in other places. 

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\u201cWe\u2019re seeing that expand and blow up and then filter down into the commercials market,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat they\u2019ve done is, some of these little pods have split off and said, \u201cOkay, well, film is slow, but we have a bunch of local businesses and a bunch of big local businesses that moved to New Mexico. Let’s start doing commercials for them.\u201d

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Now those pods are making regular full-time work by producing commercials and still being involved in the industry. People just want to work and create, and that\u2019s so special.\u201d

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Key Takeaways

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The post How to Launch an Acting Career Outside LA and NYC: Smart Strategies from 5 Booming Markets appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "If you\u2019re looking to get started as an actor and don\u2019t live in New York or Los Angeles, take heart. It\u2019s never been a better time to find your place in show business. \n\n\n\n\u201cLos Angeles isn\u2019t even Los Angeles anymore,\u201d says Florida-based casting director and podcaster Rose Rosen. \u201cMost productions happen elsewhere. The system that we have in place for films and TV is incentive-based. Wherever there is an incentive, that\u2019s where the work is.\u201d\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nFilm and TV production now follows tax incentives, meaning actors can find real opportunities and income in emerging regional markets.\n\n\n\nBuilding a career starts locally through theater, classes, and casting platforms, which help actors gain experience and visibility without an agent.\n\n\n\nSuccess depends on treating your career strategically by researching agents, targeting the right casting directors, and clearly defining your personal brand.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWe talked to casting directors in five of the hottest markets outside the two majors, and each chimed in with some solid advice, though there were a few common themes. For one, local theater is always a great way to get rolling, as oftentimes, local agents will not only see their own clients there, but also because they will use the forum as a scout for new talent. \n\n\n\nAnother common theme: classes. Find a local acting teacher who speaks to you, and, as Rosen advises, \u201cis not abusive,\u201d and work with them. That will help you hone your craft and get you to a place where you can be reliably employable.\n\n\n\nFLORIDA\n\n\n\nRosen observes that \u201cthe self-tape situation has expanded our borders. The system that we have in place for films is incentive-based wherever there is an incentive. That\u2019s where the work is. Now, [in] Florida specifically, you can work out of the gate. You could go and do commercials and make a lot of money and really hone your craft. You can learn how to be on set. You can learn how to deliver a good line.\u201d\n\n\n\nRosen is a big proponent of using social media. Both your own, and participating with others\u2019. \u201cHalf of my submissions come from the public billboard and half came from agents. So definitely make sure you have at least a free profile at Casting Networks. \n\n\n\nIn fact, do the free membership everywhere they have one. Keep putting your profiles up, follow all the billboards, and keep track of the social media of any entity that is advertising work. If you don’t have an agent, that\u2019s your first move.\u201d \n\n\n\nRosen\u2019s podcast is a primer on how to get started, \u201cfrom beginning to end,\u201d but more than that, it\u2019s about educating yourself. \u201cListen to all the podcasts. Every bit of free information is out there for you to absorb. You have to put the work in, in order to get to wherever you want to go.\u201d\n\n\n\nNEW ORLEANS\n\n\n\nRyan Glorioso observes there is an influx of films happening right now. \u201cSo I\u2019m seeing a lot of things happening for people. A lot of actors are booking jobs and it feels good to see.\u201d\n\n\n\nGlorioso advises that while getting an agent is obviously very important, find one who has good local relationships. \u201cWe have a good handful of talent agencies in the state and in the surrounding region that cover the Southeast. Now, someone who’s based in Louisiana is probably going to have a stronger footprint in Louisiana. \n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking to work more heavily in the Atlanta market, you\u2019re going to want to make sure that agent has good relationships with casting directors in the markets that you want to work in. So I think when looking for a local agent, actors should not just be interviewed by the agent, but also interview them to know what their reach is.\u201d \n\n\n\nEssentially, just as you would do research for a role, you should also do it to further your career, especially when it comes to finding an agent. \u201cLook into what some of their actors on their roster are booking,\u201d he says. \n\n\n\n\u201cSee who those casting directors are that these agents are working in close proximity with. So that\u2019s important to have a local agent, because most of us see the actors through the agents.\u201d \n\n\n\nCHICAGO\n\n\n\nSarah Cayce observes that the Windy City has more of a variety of opportunities than any other city outside of the Big Two. \u201cYou really can do a little bit of everything if you want to have a career on stage, whether that’s doing improv or stand-up or being on at the Goodman Theatre or even storefront,\u201d she says. \n\n\n\n\u201cI mean, there are folks who make their living just on stage, all the way to folks who do industrials out the wazoo. It\u2019s such a big commercial town that [you\u2019ll find] everything from national spots that are conceived and shot in Chicago, to industrials that might be boring, but golly Moses do they pay the bills.\u201d\n\n\n\nThe film incentive in Illinois just improved markedly in 2026, which means there\u2019s going to be a lot more work in both Chicago and the southern half of the state, but that also means that when you\u2019re out there selling yourself to potential employers, you have to know what it is you\u2019re selling. \n\n\n\n\u201cBe specific about what you want to do. You\u2019re just like any other department head or small business owner,\u201d she says. \u201cHelp us understand who you are and what you’re good at. Assume that once we trust you, we will expand into other things. \n\n\n\nLet’s say that someone moves to Chicago because they really want to work on Chicago P.D. If they come here and start taking a ton of improv and commercial classes and get a commercial agent, they\u2019re telling us something very different than their goals.\u201d\n\n\n\nAdditionally, know who it is you\u2019re targeting. Do research on local casting directors. Make sure you’re approaching the right place. \n\n\n\n\u201cLots of us make it easy, all the way to submitting to us. Almost all of us have a website that tells folks exactly what we do, what we’re good at, and our awards. So you know exactly what what to expect from us. God forbid you start reaching out to a bunch of casting offices without having any idea who you are, trying to pitch something and you don’t know what that pitch is.\u201d\n\n\n\nOKLAHOMA\n\n\n\nChris Freihofer has been working as a casting director in Oklahoma for 22 years, and has had a front-row seat for the explosion in film production there. \u201cI used to do maybe one movie a year,\u201d he says, \u201cbut lately it\u2019s been 10 to 12, and I\u2019m already doing my third one this year.\u201d \n\n\n\nFreihofer is also big on classes and to \u201cget trained,\u201d recommending the state\u2019s website as a starting place. But he also recognizes that this is only part of the answer. \n\n\n\nHe recommends getting on his mailing list (you can sign up on his website), which is where he posts 90 percent of the the work he\u2019s doing, and while he gets much of his submissions from agents, there are plenty of unrepresented people sending in their tapes as well.\n\n\n\n\u201cHaving an agent expands your opportunities for sure,\u201d he explains, but also points out that \u201cbackground casting is a great way for people to get in and see how it works.\u201d \n\n\n\nHe also talks about how close Dallas, Austin and Kansas City are from Oklahoma, and with the impressive incentives on both the state and municipal level (combining them often improves a film\u2019s financial incentive even more), how much of a draw the Sooner state is for actors in neighboring states.\n\n\n\nThis does come, however, with pet peeves. \u201cI don’t think I\u2019m alone in this by saying that just simply following the submission instructions goes a long way to success,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd when something says no phone calls, we mean no phone calls. Man, just send an email, we\u2019ll probably answer it.\u201d \n\n\n\nAdditionally, understand that there\u2019s a process to everything, and that if you\u2019re getting into the business, you need to grasp that. \n\n\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s sometimes an expectation of people who are an extra a few times, and they\u2019re ready for that principal role. They think that’s an easy step, but,\u201d he adds with a laugh, \u201cI think people sometimes don’t realize that you can\u2019t be a dentist just because you\u2019ve sat in a dental chair.\u201d\n\n\n\nNEW MEXICO\n\n\n\nThere is something uniquely New Mexican about Shayne Hartigan\u2019s advice for local actors: \u201cnetwork.\u201d During the COVID-19 pandemic, production in New Mexico was booming. While it has since slowed a bit, the result is a DIY approach that fits into the New Mexico ethos. \n\n\n\n\u201cI’ve noticed we\u2019ve got all these groups that have come up there, like New Mexico Women in Film, and the Background Actors Association, and they host monthly get-togethers, whether it\u2019s cocktails or fundraisers or bingo nights. \n\n\n\nAs production started to slow down a bit, you\u2019d get these new ecosystems of filmmakers that say, \u2018Hey, well, work is slow, let\u2019s just make our own project.\u2019\u201d \n\n\n\nThe result is a near constant sprouting of indie film and TV work, some as small as low five figures or as high as the million-dollar range, that employs actors who had come together when there were more larger productions happening in state. \n\n\n\n\u201cPeople got really lucky here,\u201d he continues, \u201cbecause there isn\u2019t necessarily a huge pool of talent, so background actors were getting seen and promoted to series regulars. On top of that, people came together and joined these groups and it led to opportunities across the board.\u201d\n\n\n\nWhile the standard advice goes for people in New Mexico as well, the extra layer of putting yourself out there and getting to know fellow professionals, both experienced and less so, will be just as helpful in a way that it might not be in other places. \n\n\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re seeing that expand and blow up and then filter down into the commercials market,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat they\u2019ve done is, some of these little pods have split off and said, \u201cOkay, well, film is slow, but we have a bunch of local businesses and a bunch of big local businesses that moved to New Mexico. Let’s start doing commercials for them.\u201d \n\n\n\nNow those pods are making regular full-time work by producing commercials and still being involved in the industry. People just want to work and create, and that\u2019s so special.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKey Takeaways\n\n\n\n\nChoose your market intentionally and align with agents and casting directors who have strong local relationships where you want to work.\n\n\n\nStay proactive by using casting platforms, social media, and community networks to access opportunities even without representation.\n\n\n\nCommit to training, professionalism, and patience, understanding that career growth happens step-by-step rather than through quick leaps.\n\nThe post How to Launch an Acting Career Outside LA and NYC: Smart Strategies from 5 Booming Markets appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-03-26T09:33:02-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T12:05:34-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Neil Turitz", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/neil-turitz/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/824/824ad122ece0f64119671fbf606465d3x512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/iStock-1394017851.jpg", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=312167", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/peaky-blinders-casting-performances-the-immortal-man/", "title": "How \u2018Peaky Blinders\u2019 Built a Lasting Legacy: Casting, Collaboration and Character Evolution", "content_html": "\n

The long-running British period gangster series Peaky Blinders is getting the movie treatment. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, directed by Tom Harper from a screenplay by Steven Knight, is a continuation of the show, which ran from 2013 to 2022.

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Cillian Murphy returns in the central role of powerful gangster Thomas Shelby, joined by a returning ensemble cast that includes Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy, Packy Lee, Ian Peck and Stephen Graham, as well as newcomers Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Jay Lycurgo and Barry Keoghan.

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The film, which began streaming on Netflix on March 20, sees Shelby now self-exiled. When he hears that his estranged son (Keoghan) is embroiled in a Nazi plot, he returns to Birmingham to save his family and the nation.

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A lot has happened between the time the series ended and the film\u2019s release. Murphy won an Oscar for Oppenheimer, and Stephen Graham won three Emmys, for acting, writing and producing on Adolescence, the Netflix limited series.

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Throughout the Peaky Blinders\u2019 run and subsequent film, British casting director Shaheen Baig (Black Mirror) has been the one behind the series. Her relationship also extends to Knight\u2019s film A Thousand Blows, which also starred Graham. In fact, Graham turned to Baig when casting Adolescence, which earned her an Outstanding Casting Emmy win.

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At a press conference for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Knight told Casting Networks that he initially hired Baig because both of them have roots in Birmingham, which is also the setting of the show. Over the years, as one accumulates the creatives that become part of the core team, Baig has become one of them.

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\u201cShe\u2019s one of the best there is,\u201d said Knight. \u201cShaheen is one of those people who really understands the fabric of Peaky. She\u2019s always completely spot on.\u201d

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He recalls how Baig brought in Irish actor Packy Lee for one line in the show\u2019s first season.

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\u201cHe did it in such a way that I said, \u2018We\u2019ve got to keep him,\u2019 and he\u2019s been in ever since.\u201d

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Keoghan may be a new addition to the Peaky team with The Immortal Man, but he is no stranger to Baig. \u201cShe cast me in my first movie in England,\u201d the actor said. Baig cast him in the short film Norfolk, and then later the 2019 feature film Calm With Horses.

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In fact, throughout his career, Keoghan has been well aware of Baig\u2019s connection to Peaky. \u201cI\u2019ve asked Shaheen over the years, \u2018How can I get in there?\u2019\u201d before jokingly adding, \u201cI\u2019ve had the haircut for about ten years in my personal life!\u201d [The classic Peaky look: shaved sides, longer on top.]

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So when the opportunity came to play Tommy Shelby\u2019s son, Duke, Keoghan did not hesitate one bit, leaning into his own personal family dynamics. The Irish actor has long been open about growing up in foster care, as his own mother battled with, and ultimately died from, drug addiction.

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\u201cIt was the absence I leaned into, and the experience I have in some similar ways to my absence of my dad, and the echoes I’ve heard of him and the kind of figure I’ve made him to be and how I molded him,\u201d Keoghan said. \u201cIt sort of humanizes Duke for me to show those vulnerabilities. Obviously, the kid\u2019s going to be an absolute live wire and violent. But they\u2019re all reactions, they\u2019re all cries for help,   not to justify each and every one. There\u2019s an animalistic thing of the cub looking for its Dad.\u201d

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For Murphy\u2019s part, research wasn’t really necessary at this point.

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\u201cThe luxury of having played him for so long is that all the research is kind of done,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got 13 years of it there. You\u2019ve lived it alongside him and also aged alongside him.\u201d

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Ferguson plays a mysterious Romani medium whose late twin sister is Duke\u2019s mother. It\u2019s a role she said Murphy personally asked her to take on. The actress felt \u201chonored\u201d to be trusted to \u201cbring something new to something that is already shaped.\u201d

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She also admitted it was nerve-wracking to walk into an environment that was already so established. \u201cYou can smell it, and you can taste it nearly,\u201d Feguson said. \u201cIt\u2019s all so alive and sizzling and then [you\u2019re] trying to figure out who you are in this environment.\u201d

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Ferguson explains how she had a Zoom call with director Tom Harper and Murphy because she had some thoughts and questions.

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\u201cYou could sense straight away that these people are open to creating something wonderful and being open for any ideas,\u201d she gushed. \u201cIt felt very safe and fun. They\u2019ve created a family, and we were welcomed in.\u201d

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Key Takeaways

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The post How ‘Peaky Blinders’ Built a Lasting Legacy: Casting, Collaboration and Character Evolution appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "The long-running British period gangster series Peaky Blinders is getting the movie treatment. Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, directed by Tom Harper from a screenplay by Steven Knight, is a continuation of the show, which ran from 2013 to 2022.\n\n\n\nCillian Murphy returns in the central role of powerful gangster Thomas Shelby, joined by a returning ensemble cast that includes Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy, Packy Lee, Ian Peck and Stephen Graham, as well as newcomers Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Jay Lycurgo and Barry Keoghan.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nLong-term creative partnerships, like Steven Knight and Shaheen Baig, are foundational to maintaining a consistent and authentic storytelling voice.\n\n\n\nStrategic casting, including both returning actors and carefully chosen newcomers, strengthens continuity while expanding narrative depth.\n\n\n\nActors who draw from personal experience can add emotional realism that deepens audience connection to complex characters.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe film, which began streaming on Netflix on March 20, sees Shelby now self-exiled. When he hears that his estranged son (Keoghan) is embroiled in a Nazi plot, he returns to Birmingham to save his family and the nation.\n\n\n\nA lot has happened between the time the series ended and the film\u2019s release. Murphy won an Oscar for Oppenheimer, and Stephen Graham won three Emmys, for acting, writing and producing on Adolescence, the Netflix limited series.\n\n\n\nThroughout the Peaky Blinders\u2019 run and subsequent film, British casting director Shaheen Baig (Black Mirror) has been the one behind the series. Her relationship also extends to Knight\u2019s film A Thousand Blows, which also starred Graham. In fact, Graham turned to Baig when casting Adolescence, which earned her an Outstanding Casting Emmy win.\n\n\n\nAt a press conference for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, Knight told Casting Networks that he initially hired Baig because both of them have roots in Birmingham, which is also the setting of the show. Over the years, as one accumulates the creatives that become part of the core team, Baig has become one of them.\n\n\n\n\u201cShe\u2019s one of the best there is,\u201d said Knight. \u201cShaheen is one of those people who really understands the fabric of Peaky. She\u2019s always completely spot on.\u201d\n\n\n\nHe recalls how Baig brought in Irish actor Packy Lee for one line in the show\u2019s first season.\n\n\n\n\u201cHe did it in such a way that I said, \u2018We\u2019ve got to keep him,\u2019 and he\u2019s been in ever since.\u201d\n\n\n\nKeoghan may be a new addition to the Peaky team with The Immortal Man, but he is no stranger to Baig. \u201cShe cast me in my first movie in England,\u201d the actor said. Baig cast him in the short film Norfolk, and then later the 2019 feature film Calm With Horses.\n\n\n\nIn fact, throughout his career, Keoghan has been well aware of Baig\u2019s connection to Peaky. \u201cI\u2019ve asked Shaheen over the years, \u2018How can I get in there?\u2019\u201d before jokingly adding, \u201cI\u2019ve had the haircut for about ten years in my personal life!\u201d [The classic Peaky look: shaved sides, longer on top.]\n\n\n\nSo when the opportunity came to play Tommy Shelby\u2019s son, Duke, Keoghan did not hesitate one bit, leaning into his own personal family dynamics. The Irish actor has long been open about growing up in foster care, as his own mother battled with, and ultimately died from, drug addiction.\n\n\n\n\u201cIt was the absence I leaned into, and the experience I have in some similar ways to my absence of my dad, and the echoes I’ve heard of him and the kind of figure I’ve made him to be and how I molded him,\u201d Keoghan said. \u201cIt sort of humanizes Duke for me to show those vulnerabilities. Obviously, the kid\u2019s going to be an absolute live wire and violent. But they\u2019re all reactions, they\u2019re all cries for help,   not to justify each and every one. There\u2019s an animalistic thing of the cub looking for its Dad.\u201d\n\n\n\nFor Murphy\u2019s part, research wasn’t really necessary at this point.\n\n\n\n\u201cThe luxury of having played him for so long is that all the research is kind of done,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got 13 years of it there. You\u2019ve lived it alongside him and also aged alongside him.\u201d\n\n\n\nFerguson plays a mysterious Romani medium whose late twin sister is Duke\u2019s mother. It\u2019s a role she said Murphy personally asked her to take on. The actress felt \u201chonored\u201d to be trusted to \u201cbring something new to something that is already shaped.\u201d\n\n\n\nShe also admitted it was nerve-wracking to walk into an environment that was already so established. \u201cYou can smell it, and you can taste it nearly,\u201d Feguson said. \u201cIt\u2019s all so alive and sizzling and then [you\u2019re] trying to figure out who you are in this environment.\u201d\n\n\n\nFerguson explains how she had a Zoom call with director Tom Harper and Murphy because she had some thoughts and questions.\n\n\n\n\u201cYou could sense straight away that these people are open to creating something wonderful and being open for any ideas,\u201d she gushed. \u201cIt felt very safe and fun. They\u2019ve created a family, and we were welcomed in.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKey Takeaways\n\n\n\n\nBuild a trusted creative team early to ensure continuity and cohesion across long-running projects.\n\n\n\nUse casting not just to fill roles but to evolve the story with intention and fresh energy.\n\n\n\nEncourage performers to connect personally with their roles to unlock more compelling, human storytelling.\n\nThe post How ‘Peaky Blinders’ Built a Lasting Legacy: Casting, Collaboration and Character Evolution appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-03-25T09:49:17-07:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T12:09:43-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Zorianna Kit", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/zorianna-kit/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/beb/beb229407b4d16d50760c4f6dbf3273cx512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Zorianna Kit", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/zorianna-kit/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/beb/beb229407b4d16d50760c4f6dbf3273cx512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/peakyblinders.jpg", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] }, { "id": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/?p=306134", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/casting-director-dan-jackson-actor-audition-advice/", "title": "Inside the Audition Room: Casting Director Dan Jackson\u2019s Advice For Actors", "content_html": "\n

Like a lot of casting directors, Dan Jackson started as an actor before he transitioned to behind the camera. The Scottish professional lucked out when he first made the move, connecting with fellow Scot Kahleen Crawford, with whom he has now worked for years. The two still collaborate, but Jackson has established a pretty badass solo career as well, with help from his associate, Ross Barratt.

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He\u2019s possibly the busiest casting director in Glasgow, working on local productions like the long-running TV show River City, and the Scotland-set Paramount+ drama series Cold Water, starring Andrew Lincoln, now streaming. He\u2019s also got the indie film Borges and Me coming out later this year. He chatted with us from his office in Glasgow.

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How did you get into casting in the first place? 

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I was an actor. Yeah, it’s one of those. I think now, actually, there are really great courses in the UK where you can go straight into casting, and you come out ready to take the next step. But I didn’t really know anything about casting. I left school wanting to do something in this field, and the only thing really would be acting.

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I applied for what was called the Royal Scottish Academy, and it’s now called the Royal Conservatoire. I got in, studied there for three years, got an agent, and I guess I was fairly successful in the way that I was a [working] actor. I did some really lovely work, and have made friends that I’m still friends with now, moved to London, of course. But it wasn’t really feeding my soul. 

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How did you transition out of that into casting? 

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It got to the point where, about 2006 or 2007, I had become quite friendly with a few of the casting directors who would always get me in, and I would land jobs with them. I got a job at [UK casting platform] Spotlight, and a casting director would come and say, \u201cOkay, this is what we’re casting for today.\u201d I would get all the sheets. I would have to hand them out to the actors. They’d have to put their address, their phone number, take a Polaroid picture, all of that stuff.

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Because I was working part time, I got to know some other casting directors, and would just let them know, \u201cI’m here. I’m willing to work, get coffee, whenever.\u201d I just immediately enjoyed being behind the camera. I found it fascinating, and, at that point, wanted to leave London. I’d done almost 10 years, I was pretty much done, and just a happy coincidence, as I was moving back to Glasgow, I got a meeting with Kahleen. 

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I\u2019ve talked to Kahleen a couple times. She\u2019s the best.

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Yes! I heard through a friend that she was maybe looking to find somebody to work with after she and her previous partner went their separate ways. That was 2007, and we\u2019ve been working together ever since.

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You said that acting wasn\u2019t feeding your soul. What was it about casting that did?

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To go back slightly, I think with acting, and this isn’t any fault of my agent, but I was going for roles in shows that are probably things I wouldn’t watch. TV dramas that weren’t really my taste, necessarily. So I wasn’t feeling passionate necessarily about the jobs I was getting, which is fine.

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I wasn’t going to complain about it, because a lot of actors weren’t even getting those parts. But there was a slight crossover where I was still going up for acting roles, and the light bulb moment was when I got offered a role where I had to then choose to stay with Kahleen and work on my casting career, or go off and do this job, which was going to be a semi- or regular role in a TV show, which would have been more money.

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I chose to stay with Kahleen, and something clicked inside me, where I realized I’m just more comfortable behind the camera. The process of starting on ground level with a project, of getting a script very early on, starting from that ground level and and seeing it to completion, really just fascinated me.

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I would think you’d still get the creative outlet of acting by being able to read with people, by being able to talk through performances, giving notes, that kind of thing. 

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Exactly that. That really, really helped me, being able to sit behind the camera and give the actors auditioning good reads, give them something back while they were in the room auditioning, giving them notes and having empathy. I know how they feel when they come into the room. I know how to talk to them, help them relax, and hopefully, relate to them in a way that helps them in their audition process.

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Do you think that background gives you an advantage as a casting director?

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I think so. Especially in Scotland, which is a village. It really is tiny, and I think most people who come in to audition probably knew me from when I was an actor. So I definitely had that language with them, of one actor to another.

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You live and work in Scotland, but you also cast projects all over the place. Do you find it easier to work locally, as opposed to globally?

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It’s a trade off, I think. For something like Cold Water, for example, where it’s set in Scotland and we’re filling out this fictional village with all these characters, and a lot of them are Scottish, I think if a casting director is good at their job, they’re going to know the right people for those roles.

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Whether they’re still based locally, or they’ve made the move down to London or whatever, we will have seen them, followed their career from drama school, we will have gone to their grad shows, know who their agents are, if they have an agent, or if we have cast them in something previously.

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So whether they’re local or not, if a casting director is worth their salt, they should probably know the talent. I think we pride ourselves, especially in Scotland, of having a really good grasp on local talent. We know who they are, so they shouldn’t really feel that they’re missing out.

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Since you mentioned Cold Water, it\u2019s a perfect segue to talk about the opportunity to potentially give jobs to people you\u2019ve worked with, maybe actors who you\u2019ve wanted to hire, and now, with this big local production, you get the chance.

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Exactly. It is fun and exciting, and yeah, you have these people who you love, and who are great, and they just need that break. That little push from somebody, somebody to believe in them, and something like Cold Water, or indeed, the Marc Turtletaub film we did, Borges and Me, where you can just say, \u201cTrust me, I have somebody who’s great.

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They just need that little break. Cast them. They’re going to be amazing.\u201d For something like Cold Water, you can fill the fictional town with this ensemble of a Scottish community. Quite a lot of the time, the production team or the execs or producers may not be from Scotland, so they may not know the landscape of the actors as well as we do. So being able to work together and educate them on some great talent is a great thing.

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That feels like another good segue to my last question. What piece of advice or wisdom would you give to an actor coming in to see you?

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We, casting directors, are not the enemy. When you walk into that room, and I’m sure I was 100% guilty of this when I was an actor because nobody told me otherwise and I wasn\u2019t smart enough to figure it out myself, but we are absolutely on your side and willing you to get this job.

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Part of that is selfish, though, right?

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(Laughs) It makes our job easier, sure, because then we can move on to the next role, but we are not a hurdle for an actor to get over to get to the next stage. We are on your side, willing you to be great, and want you to be great. We’ll hopefully do everything we can in in order to enable that to happen in the room.

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We’re not sitting there going, \u201cWell, come on then, show us what you can do. Prove it, then. impress me.\u201d (Laughs) We’re not like that. It’s more like, \u201cOh my God, please be good.\u201d We hope you’re great. We hope this is the one. I think if I had thought like that as an actor before going into a lot of casting rooms, I would have felt a lot better.

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Key Takeaways

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The post Inside the Audition Room: Casting Director Dan Jackson’s Advice For Actors appeared first on Casting Networks.

\n", "content_text": "Like a lot of casting directors, Dan Jackson started as an actor before he transitioned to behind the camera. The Scottish professional lucked out when he first made the move, connecting with fellow Scot Kahleen Crawford, with whom he has now worked for years. The two still collaborate, but Jackson has established a pretty badass solo career as well, with help from his associate, Ross Barratt. \n\n\n\nHe\u2019s possibly the busiest casting director in Glasgow, working on local productions like the long-running TV show River City, and the Scotland-set Paramount+ drama series Cold Water, starring Andrew Lincoln, now streaming. He\u2019s also got the indie film Borges and Me coming out later this year. He chatted with us from his office in Glasgow.\n\n\n\nKey Insights\n\n\n\n\nMany casting directors, including Dan Jackson, began as actors, giving them firsthand empathy for the nerves and pressures actors feel in the audition room.\n\n\n\nStrong casting comes from deep knowledge of talent, often built through years of watching actors\u2019 careers develop and maintaining relationships across the industry.\n\n\n\nCasting directors often advocate for actors they believe in, sometimes pushing productions to take a chance on performers who simply need the right opportunity.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Get access to thousands of high-quality roles.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n JOIN FREE TODAY \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow did you get into casting in the first place? \n\n\n\nI was an actor. Yeah, it’s one of those. I think now, actually, there are really great courses in the UK where you can go straight into casting, and you come out ready to take the next step. But I didn’t really know anything about casting. I left school wanting to do something in this field, and the only thing really would be acting. \n\n\n\nI applied for what was called the Royal Scottish Academy, and it’s now called the Royal Conservatoire. I got in, studied there for three years, got an agent, and I guess I was fairly successful in the way that I was a [working] actor. I did some really lovely work, and have made friends that I’m still friends with now, moved to London, of course. But it wasn’t really feeding my soul. \n\n\n\nHow did you transition out of that into casting? \n\n\n\nIt got to the point where, about 2006 or 2007, I had become quite friendly with a few of the casting directors who would always get me in, and I would land jobs with them. I got a job at [UK casting platform] Spotlight, and a casting director would come and say, \u201cOkay, this is what we’re casting for today.\u201d I would get all the sheets. I would have to hand them out to the actors. They’d have to put their address, their phone number, take a Polaroid picture, all of that stuff. \n\n\n\nBecause I was working part time, I got to know some other casting directors, and would just let them know, \u201cI’m here. I’m willing to work, get coffee, whenever.\u201d I just immediately enjoyed being behind the camera. I found it fascinating, and, at that point, wanted to leave London. I’d done almost 10 years, I was pretty much done, and just a happy coincidence, as I was moving back to Glasgow, I got a meeting with Kahleen. \n\n\n\nI\u2019ve talked to Kahleen a couple times. She\u2019s the best.\n\n\n\nYes! I heard through a friend that she was maybe looking to find somebody to work with after she and her previous partner went their separate ways. That was 2007, and we\u2019ve been working together ever since.\n\n\n\nYou said that acting wasn\u2019t feeding your soul. What was it about casting that did?\n\n\n\nTo go back slightly, I think with acting, and this isn’t any fault of my agent, but I was going for roles in shows that are probably things I wouldn’t watch. TV dramas that weren’t really my taste, necessarily. So I wasn’t feeling passionate necessarily about the jobs I was getting, which is fine. \n\n\n\nI wasn’t going to complain about it, because a lot of actors weren’t even getting those parts. But there was a slight crossover where I was still going up for acting roles, and the light bulb moment was when I got offered a role where I had to then choose to stay with Kahleen and work on my casting career, or go off and do this job, which was going to be a semi- or regular role in a TV show, which would have been more money. \n\n\n\nI chose to stay with Kahleen, and something clicked inside me, where I realized I’m just more comfortable behind the camera. The process of starting on ground level with a project, of getting a script very early on, starting from that ground level and and seeing it to completion, really just fascinated me.\n\n\n\nI would think you’d still get the creative outlet of acting by being able to read with people, by being able to talk through performances, giving notes, that kind of thing. \n\n\n\nExactly that. That really, really helped me, being able to sit behind the camera and give the actors auditioning good reads, give them something back while they were in the room auditioning, giving them notes and having empathy. I know how they feel when they come into the room. I know how to talk to them, help them relax, and hopefully, relate to them in a way that helps them in their audition process.\n\n\n\nDo you think that background gives you an advantage as a casting director?\n\n\n\nI think so. Especially in Scotland, which is a village. It really is tiny, and I think most people who come in to audition probably knew me from when I was an actor. So I definitely had that language with them, of one actor to another.\n\n\n\nYou live and work in Scotland, but you also cast projects all over the place. Do you find it easier to work locally, as opposed to globally?\n\n\n\nIt’s a trade off, I think. For something like Cold Water, for example, where it’s set in Scotland and we’re filling out this fictional village with all these characters, and a lot of them are Scottish, I think if a casting director is good at their job, they’re going to know the right people for those roles. \n\n\n\nWhether they’re still based locally, or they’ve made the move down to London or whatever, we will have seen them, followed their career from drama school, we will have gone to their grad shows, know who their agents are, if they have an agent, or if we have cast them in something previously.\n\n\n\nSo whether they’re local or not, if a casting director is worth their salt, they should probably know the talent. I think we pride ourselves, especially in Scotland, of having a really good grasp on local talent. We know who they are, so they shouldn’t really feel that they’re missing out.\n\n\n\nSince you mentioned Cold Water, it\u2019s a perfect segue to talk about the opportunity to potentially give jobs to people you\u2019ve worked with, maybe actors who you\u2019ve wanted to hire, and now, with this big local production, you get the chance.\n\n\n\nExactly. It is fun and exciting, and yeah, you have these people who you love, and who are great, and they just need that break. That little push from somebody, somebody to believe in them, and something like Cold Water, or indeed, the Marc Turtletaub film we did, Borges and Me, where you can just say, \u201cTrust me, I have somebody who’s great. \n\n\n\nThey just need that little break. Cast them. They’re going to be amazing.\u201d For something like Cold Water, you can fill the fictional town with this ensemble of a Scottish community. Quite a lot of the time, the production team or the execs or producers may not be from Scotland, so they may not know the landscape of the actors as well as we do. So being able to work together and educate them on some great talent is a great thing.\n\n\n\nThat feels like another good segue to my last question. What piece of advice or wisdom would you give to an actor coming in to see you?\n\n\n\nWe, casting directors, are not the enemy. When you walk into that room, and I’m sure I was 100% guilty of this when I was an actor because nobody told me otherwise and I wasn\u2019t smart enough to figure it out myself, but we are absolutely on your side and willing you to get this job.\n\n\n\nPart of that is selfish, though, right?\n\n\n\n(Laughs) It makes our job easier, sure, because then we can move on to the next role, but we are not a hurdle for an actor to get over to get to the next stage. We are on your side, willing you to be great, and want you to be great. We’ll hopefully do everything we can in in order to enable that to happen in the room. \n\n\n\nWe’re not sitting there going, \u201cWell, come on then, show us what you can do. Prove it, then. impress me.\u201d (Laughs) We’re not like that. It’s more like, \u201cOh my God, please be good.\u201d We hope you’re great. We hope this is the one. I think if I had thought like that as an actor before going into a lot of casting rooms, I would have felt a lot better.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKey Takeaways\n\n\n\n\nRemember that casting directors are on your side and genuinely want you to deliver a great audition.\n\n\n\nApproach auditions as a collaborative creative space rather than a test you must pass.\n\n\n\nStay open to direction and conversation in the room, as casting directors may offer notes that help bring out your best performance.\n\nThe post Inside the Audition Room: Casting Director Dan Jackson’s Advice For Actors appeared first on Casting Networks.", "date_published": "2026-03-05T08:58:54-08:00", "date_modified": "2026-05-22T12:16:23-07:00", "authors": [ { "name": "Steffanie Bradley", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/steffanie-jensen/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/3e8/3e8ce2e7f86b5a07c0aef6d0a90ffd6cx512.jpg" } ], "author": { "name": "Steffanie Bradley", "url": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/news/author/steffanie-jensen/", "avatar": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/wphb-cache/gravatar/3e8/3e8ce2e7f86b5a07c0aef6d0a90ffd6cx512.jpg" }, "image": "https://www.castingnetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dan-Jackson-CD.png", "tags": [ "Casting Directors", "Interviews" ] } ] }