She spoke to us from her office in Sydney.

Key Insights

• Danny Long believes the best auditions happen when actors stop performing perfection and lean into authentic, truthful choices.
• Self tapes have transformed casting, giving actors more control while still requiring strong instincts, genre awareness, and emotional honesty.
• Successful casting depends on collaboration, empathy, and extensive global searches to discover fresh talent and underrepresented voices.

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A lot of casting directors start as actors, and there’s 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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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, “Oh shit, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

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.

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

It’s 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.

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

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

Well, [Dylan O’Brien 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.

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. 

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.

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 — 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.

Unicorn finder is a good reputation to have.

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.

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.

It’s a completely different stress to wide searches.

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?

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.

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, “What? What just happened there?”

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

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

Actress Christina Villa, studied acting at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York and learned first-hand what it takes. She has since relocated to Los Angeles, but that New York mentality never left her. 

It’s that mentality that has led to her casting in the 2025 Dolph Lundgren action Netflix film Wanted Man, as well as the sci-fi thriller Spark, currently playing on Amazon Prime. She still carries the lessons she learned in New York, lessons that have served her well.

She spoke to us from her home in LA. 

Key Insights

• Building an acting career in New York requires persistence, community, and a willingness to consistently put yourself in the room.
• Christina Villa credits her growth to intense craft training, continuous self-development, and learning directly from working actors and casting professionals.
• Success came not from one breakthrough moment, but from years of networking, showcases, self-tapes, and showing up professionally at every opportunity.

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What first got you into acting?

My mom was a singer, and so she would perform at local venues and stuff. Sometimes she would have us come on stage with her. I was actually a pretty shy kid, but there was something different about performing. [I said to myself], “‘Oh, I have to do what mom’s doing,’ which is, ‘Don’t get nervous, and don’t be shy, and just do it.’” My mom eventually stopped singing, and I put it aside around middle school age. 

I went to [college] in Austin, at UT. I got my degree in communications, specifically PR, and I just started seeing people actually be artists as they’re in their lives, and going to different improv shows, and there’s music venues everywhere. Upon graduation, I was just not excited about becoming a publicist.

When I was interning, I would sometimes be on commercial sets and think, I want to be that person in front of the camera.

What changed?

I took my first acting class, and I just loved it. I loved being on set. Then I just decided I’m gonna pursue this. I don’t come from money or anything, so I have to support myself. I’ll keep working with a full-time job, and while I’m doing that, I’ll also do theater.

I found a book called Breaking Into Acting for Dummies, and that’s where I learned what a demo reel was and what a casting director was. I knew I could do student films to get footage for my reel, and I need to go do theater so that I can sharpen my skills.

I started doing that, acting any way that I could, wherever I was, and that eventually led me to applying to grad school in New York, and I got my MFA there in acting at the Actors Studio. 

Was there more to your education?

It’s definitely an industry where you can’t do it by yourself. You have to have community and reach out to people and ask questions and just be out there knocking on doors. Whenever I met somebody doing what I wanted to do, I’d invite them for coffee, ask them how they got their start, where they’re going and what they’re doing, and just learning along the way. It’s really been one foot in front of the other.

Why the Actors Studio?

When I started taking acting classes and actually learning the craft of it — Strasberg, Stanislavski, Stella Adler, Meisner, they all originated in New York. That lit a little bit of a match there. It really culminated for me when I saw Al Pacino speak at the Plaza Classic Film Festival in El Paso.

I reached out to an acting teacher that I had in Austin, Amber DuPuy, who gave me a list of schools that she thought I could do well at. One of them was Pace University, and I saw that they had the Actors Studio Drama School. 

Once you got to New York, what was that experience like?

I was focused on my studies. I did a couple of little student films here and there, just to start developing my reel. But that program was very intense. It wasn’t something you could just phone in. You had to immerse yourself, and then I was also working part time. I started to realize that the students doing the best were the ones constantly working.

After class, I was constantly booking studio space so that I can go and take my two-hour block to create different elements of whatever scene I was working on. The method gets misconstrued, but what it’s really about is basically building a house.

You have to have a good foundation. You have to know who your character is, but also building from the outside in, too. You had to put a lot of time into your work, and that’s definitely laid down a foundation for me.

When you finished the program, did you find representation?

Yeah, so I when I graduated, I found that I had to really look within and say, “How bad do you want this?” Because I wasn’t one of the students that got called into a meeting after our showcase. That realization, that everybody was getting calls, and I wasn’t, knocked the wind out of me.

Well? What did you do?

I had to hit the pavement on my own and just figure it out. I bumped into some walls, but it was really just Actors Connection, One on One, The Actor’s Green Room, doing all those things to get to know casting directors, doing showcases.

I did plenty of showcases. I worked full time at a mattress store on East 60th, and that’s how I was able to fund all these different things, but I was able to meet agents and casting directors by doing everything I could.

So it was just always saying yes, anything that got you in front of people, got you on stage, and it might get you in front of the right person who’s going to notice you and put you in something? 

I was called in for FBI for a costar [role] and Jonathan Strauss’ office was casting. [Casting director] Alexis Atkinson was there for my audition, and I got a callback. I didn’t get the part, but I got an email from her asking if I would be interested in working with her.

She’d check out my headshots, my reel, and then we’d work on self tapes together, because at the time I had an agent that I submitted to, and she would get me auditions. It really was just one foot in front of the other.

This person giving me a tip over here, this person over here a referral. I definitely was not shy about asking for help. I feel New York was definitely planting all the seeds.

How did you get the agent?

I had seen that somebody booked a costar [role] on one of those procedural shows. I thought, “Well, I fit that world, because I’ve been called into that world, so let’s see who their agent is.” I submitted to their agent, and she got back to me within minutes. She was looking for my type.

I think that serves as such a good example for anyone who might be reading this, about doing research and pounding the pavement.

Yeah, and sometimes you feel overwhelmed because you’re not sure and think, “Well, what do I do?” It’s not linear. Again, put that foot in front of the other, and then just see what happens. If you’re doing something and it’s right for you, then the door will open, and if it’s not, the door will close, and then you’ll just have to walk down the hall and see if any doors open over there.

There’s no formula where it’s A plus B equals C. I’m still trying to meet more people and knock on more doors, but it’s helpful that now others are willing to go to bat for me with the people that they know, and I think that’s something to really keep in mind, is that when people go to bat for you, you need to be able to show up.

Somebody who’s on time, somebody who does their part, and who’s constantly working on their craft.

Do you still find you think of yourself as a New York actress?

I think I always will. It has community. People were always so open to lend a hand. Just reach out and say, “Hey, why don’t you come to this workshop with me?” Or, “Can you come to this event with me?” So I try to make sure that I pay that forward as well. I think a big aspect of being a New York actor is really desiring and creating community in artistic spaces.

When somebody is your friend in New York, they’re really your friend, and that’s super valuable. And obviously in New York, you can go into a small theater and see amazing work, and I think that’s just something to always strive for, that you’re working at that level, no matter where you’re at.

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The post Acting in New York: What You Need to Know to Succeed appeared first on Casting Networks.

Starring Jason Bateman and Jude Law, the show follows a restaurateur who sees everything he’s 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.

Fogel spoke to us from her home in Maine.

Key Insights

• Alexa Fogel prioritized authenticity and emotional specificity over nationality, casting actors based on the essence they brought to each role.
• Black Rabbit blends emerging talent with seasoned character actors to create a grounded, layered world across the show’s many intersecting social circles.
• The casting process emphasized collaboration, chemistry, and tone in roles involving sign language and highly specific character dynamics.

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

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. 

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

The world is my oyster. (Laughs)

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?

I went into Oz and The Wire with that idea. Idris Elba and Eamonn Walker and Dominic West. For a long time, I’ve 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. 

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

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.

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.

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’s American accent was really good. (Laughs)

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

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

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.

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

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.

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. 

Did you know Forrest before? 

I didn’t, and he’s wonderful. It’s 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.

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

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’ve cast many times. He’s so seasoned and he’s so generous, and they were really partners in this.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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. 

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

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.

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.

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

She joins Season 2 of Beef following the show’s 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.

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

Key Insights

• Jeanie Bacharach says successful casting always starts with finding the humanity and relatability within even the darkest characters.
• The massive success of ‘Beef’ Season 1 helped attract top-tier talent like Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, and acclaimed Korean actors to Season 2.
• Bacharach believes the best creative collaborations happen when directors, studios, and casting teams stay open to unexpected actors and bold casting choices.

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

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. 

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. 

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

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’s as well. 

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

Yeah, they’re just dream actors and I can’t 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. 

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.

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

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.

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

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’ve worked with are open to it, but you have a studio and a network that are, as well.

Aren’t we seeing more of that from creators? The willingness to see things outside of what they’d envisioned?

Ideally in a collaborative relationship, you can say, “I’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, “Interesting thought,” or, “Nice, but it doesn’t work for A, B or C reasons,” or, “Yeah, 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.”

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

When do you think that started happening?

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.

But I’d like to think that people who are making things want to be open to it. It’s 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.

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. 

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

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’t gotten to do that maybe they are capable of, but no one’s given them the opportunity to explore.

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

The post Jeanie Bacharach on Casting Netflix’s ‘Beef’ Season 2, Korean Talent, & Creative Risk-Taking appeared first on Casting Networks.

The odds of her earning another Emmy nod this year are pretty high, judging from her work on HBO’s Task. Created by Mare of Easttown’s 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.

Kaufman talked to us from her New York office.

Key Insights

• Casting decisions are driven less by credits and more by whether an actor feels authentic and fully “molds” into the role.
• Kaufman emphasizes trust on both sides, believing actors know when to take risks, pass on roles, or step outside their type.
• Access, persistence, and communication matter, as seen in her relentless push to get Tom Pelphrey to read for Task.

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Let’s start with [your decision to cast] Tom Pelphrey as Robbie.

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.

What was it that made you so relentless about him?

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. 

Do you find there are more actors now who won’t read? Or are reluctant to?

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’s taking care of the talent to have a good conversation.

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

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

I had seen Alison in two British shows, and at first I was like, “Wait, is that the same person?” 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.

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.

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

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. 

Emilia Jones plays something I hadn’t seen her do before, which is always good to see from an actor. 

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.

You never know what it’s going to be like, y’know? 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, “God, I don’t remember that character … ” (Laughs) 

Should actors be trying as many new things as possible?

It’s 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.

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!

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

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

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

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.

And the kids? Especially Ben Lewis Doherty as Sam.

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.

These are tough roles for a kid. Sam, especially because, to be kidnapped? But kids … it’s about love. I think, hopefully, [with]  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.

I think that applies to acting in general.

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

The post Audition Preparation Tips from Avy Kaufman: Inside ‘Task’ and Her “Relentless” Push for Tom Pelphrey appeared first on Casting Networks.

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, “Be Consumed”), Angela and Lou Heesom are the “go-to girls” for all things happening in Australia’s southern state. 

Key Insights

• Self-taping has shifted power toward actors, offering more creative control while expanding access and opportunity across the industry.
• Luck opens doors, but only actors who are consistently prepared and deeply invested in their craft are ready to walk through them.
• Great acting isn’t about flashy choices but about work that feels fully alive, emotionally transparent, and impossible to ignore.

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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? 

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

Mortal Kombat came to us through the legendary producer E. Bennett Walsh. This man’s 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.

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

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

I think that, in many ways, it’s the talent-based philosophy that has been the universal thread in all three productions we’ve 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.

You don’t 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’ve been able to cast actors in key supporting roles who, at the time of auditioning, had nomajor film or television credits. 

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 — working, stretching and deepening your craft. And do it not for the credits or fame, but for the pure joy of the work.

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’s all coalescing inside of you, that’s what sets your work on fire when the big moment arrives. 

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? 

It’s subjective, but for me personally, I don’t 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.

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’s always about how the actor brings themselves to the part and expresses this in artistic terms. 

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’re at the casting stage, they’ve spent years honing the language.

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. 

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

Casting wasn’t an industry sector in South Australia before my mom, Angela Heesom, created it over thirty years ago. I’ve 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. 

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.

That was our lifeblood — 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. 

Yet we can’t 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’m not limited by the time available in the room.

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’m truly grateful for the power of that. 

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’m constantly marveling at how actors arrive at such precise and imaginative interpretations of the material. It’s wild watching a great creative force be creative.      

Similarly, you’ve mentioned that simply being “good” just isn’t enough. In your eyes, what separates the good actors from the great? 

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

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’ve inserted to make their work stand out, but because the work is so organically alive. It breathes. There’s an emotional translucence and an energetic undercurrent that makes you hear the material anew. 

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 “cut,” but I’ve completely stopped breathing. Literally. Because the actor has me so fully suspended in that moment, I’ve forgotten that there’s a script and we’re just two people in a room reading a scene.

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

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

I wish there were a secret sauce! If there is one, it’s the actors themselves. I’m 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.

At the same time, they’re 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’s a high-pressure environment, so my focus is always on keeping the actor open and accessing their best work.

There isn’t space to dismantle what they’ve prepared, even if something isn’t fully serving the material, because in that moment the actor tightens and I lose access. In the masterclass, we’re given the rare gift of time. 

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

What’s the best way for emerging actors to get on the Heesom Casting radar? 

Knowing good actors is a casting director’s currency. We’ve always got an ear to the ground! 

However, I also don’t 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’t get nearly enough thanks for what they do, or the hours they work. They work harder than anyone in this industry.

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’m 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. 

If you don’t have an agent, however, it’s 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. 

Be reassured that if you’re doing good work, you will get noticed. It’s 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’s a game of luck, perseverance, passion, preparation and opportunity.

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. 

Amen! Finally, any films or series you’ve seen lately that should be on every actor’s watchlist? 

I’ve actually been revisiting some old classics and am into the final season of The Sopranos. But I’m obsessed with the Brazilian film I’m 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.

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. 

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? 

This interview has been edited and condensed. 

Special thanks to Lou Heesom for her time.

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

Key Insights

• Ian Bender’s acting background shapes his casting approach, keeping the actor experience central to every audition and decision.
• He actively looks beyond traditional “type” and values unexpected, creative choices that challenge assumptions.
• Casting blends creativity and logistics, requiring both artistic instinct and strong organizational discipline.

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How did you get into casting in the first place?

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. 

Yeah, no kidding. 

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

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

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

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?

Absolutely. It’s your superpower, really.

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

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.

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?

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’ve done a good job. I used to have the worst nerves going into audition rooms. Anytime I’d 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’s the biggest thing, too. Make interesting choices.

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

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.

Key Takeaways

• Preparation and authenticity matter more than perfection—actors should focus on doing the work and trusting it in the room.
• Making a bold or unconventional choice is often more impactful than playing it safe.
• An actor’s uniqueness is their greatest asset, even when it doesn’t seem to fit the role at first glance.

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

It was at least partially due to her vision that we’ve 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.

Key Insights

• Casting director Beverly Holloway emphasizes that actors don’t need to share the same beliefs as a project, but must genuinely respect and connect to the story.
• Preparation goes beyond memorization, as understanding the filmmakers and their work can give actors a meaningful edge.
• Authenticity consistently outperforms trying to fit a perceived mold or “perfect” version of a character.

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How did you get into casting?

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

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. 

Okay, so then how did that transition into casting?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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’t tend to get the same level of respect as other genres, it’s incredibly lucrative and you never stop working.

Yeah, that’s true.

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

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.

It just grew, and the films grew. I’m 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. 

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

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’t get awards for them. But I was passionate about it, so I became a champion for it in the agency talent world.

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. 

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Key Takeaways

• Research the filmmakers and project before auditioning so you can align your performance with the tone and intent of the story.
• Focus on delivering an honest, grounded performance rather than trying to guess what casting wants.
• Approach every role with respect, curiosity, and genuine engagement, because passion for the material is often what sets actors apart.

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

“Los Angeles isn’t even Los Angeles anymore,” says Florida-based casting director and podcaster Rose Rosen. “Most productions happen elsewhere. The system that we have in place for films and TV is incentive-based. Wherever there is an incentive, that’s where the work is.”

Key Insights

• Film and TV production now follows tax incentives, meaning actors can find real opportunities and income in emerging regional markets.
• Building a career starts locally through theater, classes, and casting platforms, which help actors gain experience and visibility without an agent.
• Success depends on treating your career strategically by researching agents, targeting the right casting directors, and clearly defining your personal brand.

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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. 

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

FLORIDA

Rosen observes that “the 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’s 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.”

Rosen is a big proponent of using social media. Both your own, and participating with others’. “Half 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.

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’s your first move.” 

Rosen’s podcast is a primer on how to get started, “from beginning to end,” but more than that, it’s about educating yourself. “Listen 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.”

NEW ORLEANS

Ryan Glorioso observes there is an influx of films happening right now. “So I’m seeing a lot of things happening for people. A lot of actors are booking jobs and it feels good to see.”

Glorioso advises that while getting an agent is obviously very important, find one who has good local relationships. “We 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.

If you’re looking to work more heavily in the Atlanta market, you’re 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.” 

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. “Look into what some of their actors on their roster are booking,” he says.

“See who those casting directors are that these agents are working in close proximity with. So that’s important to have a local agent, because most of us see the actors through the agents.” 

CHICAGO

Sarah Cayce observes that the Windy City has more of a variety of opportunities than any other city outside of the Big Two. “You 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,” she says.

“I mean, there are folks who make their living just on stage, all the way to folks who do industrials out the wazoo. It’s such a big commercial town that [you’ll 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.”

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

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

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’re telling us something very different than their goals.”

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

“Lots 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.”

OKLAHOMA

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. “I used to do maybe one movie a year,” he says, “but lately it’s been 10 to 12, and I’m already doing my third one this year.” 

Freihofer is also big on classes and to “get trained,” recommending the state’s website as a starting place. But he also recognizes that this is only part of the answer.

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’s doing, and while he gets much of his submissions from agents, there are plenty of unrepresented people sending in their tapes as well.

“Having an agent expands your opportunities for sure,” he explains, but also points out that “background casting is a great way for people to get in and see how it works.”

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’s financial incentive even more), how much of a draw the Sooner state is for actors in neighboring states.

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

Additionally, understand that there’s a process to everything, and that if you’re getting into the business, you need to grasp that.

“There’s sometimes an expectation of people who are an extra a few times, and they’re ready for that principal role. They think that’s an easy step, but,” he adds with a laugh, “I think people sometimes don’t realize that you can’t be a dentist just because you’ve sat in a dental chair.”

NEW MEXICO

There is something uniquely New Mexican about Shayne Hartigan’s advice for local actors: “network.” 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.

“I’ve noticed we’ve 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’s cocktails or fundraisers or bingo nights.

As production started to slow down a bit, you’d get these new ecosystems of filmmakers that say, ‘Hey, well, work is slow, let’s just make our own project.’” 

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. 

“People got really lucky here,” he continues, “because there isn’t 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.”

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. 

“We’re seeing that expand and blow up and then filter down into the commercials market,” he says. “What they’ve done is, some of these little pods have split off and said, “Okay, 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.”

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’s so special.”

Key Takeaways

• Choose your market intentionally and align with agents and casting directors who have strong local relationships where you want to work.
• Stay proactive by using casting platforms, social media, and community networks to access opportunities even without representation.
• Commit to training, professionalism, and patience, understanding that career growth happens step-by-step rather than through quick leaps.

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

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.

Key Insights

• Long-term creative partnerships, like Steven Knight and Shaheen Baig, are foundational to maintaining a consistent and authentic storytelling voice.
• Strategic casting, including both returning actors and carefully chosen newcomers, strengthens continuity while expanding narrative depth.
• Actors who draw from personal experience can add emotional realism that deepens audience connection to complex characters.

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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.

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

Throughout the Peaky Blinders’ run and subsequent film, British casting director Shaheen Baig (Black Mirror) has been the one behind the series. Her relationship also extends to Knight’s 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.

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.

“She’s one of the best there is,” said Knight. “Shaheen is one of those people who really understands the fabric of Peaky. She’s always completely spot on.”

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

“He did it in such a way that I said, ‘We’ve got to keep him,’ and he’s been in ever since.”

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

In fact, throughout his career, Keoghan has been well aware of Baig’s connection to Peaky. “I’ve asked Shaheen over the years, ‘How can I get in there?’” before jokingly adding, “I’ve had the haircut for about ten years in my personal life!” [The classic Peaky look: shaved sides, longer on top.]

So when the opportunity came to play Tommy Shelby’s 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.

“It 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,” Keoghan said. “It sort of humanizes Duke for me to show those vulnerabilities. Obviously, the kid’s going to be an absolute live wire and violent. But they’re all reactions, they’re all cries for help,   not to justify each and every one. There’s an animalistic thing of the cub looking for its Dad.”

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

“The luxury of having played him for so long is that all the research is kind of done,” he said. “You’ve got 13 years of it there. You’ve lived it alongside him and also aged alongside him.”

Ferguson plays a mysterious Romani medium whose late twin sister is Duke’s mother. It’s a role she said Murphy personally asked her to take on. The actress felt “honored” to be trusted to “bring something new to something that is already shaped.”

She also admitted it was nerve-wracking to walk into an environment that was already so established. “You can smell it, and you can taste it nearly,” Feguson said. “It’s all so alive and sizzling and then [you’re] trying to figure out who you are in this environment.”

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

“You could sense straight away that these people are open to creating something wonderful and being open for any ideas,” she gushed. “It felt very safe and fun. They’ve created a family, and we were welcomed in.”

Key Takeaways

• Build a trusted creative team early to ensure continuity and cohesion across long-running projects.
• Use casting not just to fill roles but to evolve the story with intention and fresh energy.
• Encourage performers to connect personally with their roles to unlock more compelling, human storytelling.

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