All Rights Reserved. We started back in February of 2020, right before everything shut down, so Covid added some new challenges and parameters that we had to work within. We sent the audition, and Jemaine fell in love with him: We have to have him! And the next season, they wrote an episode for him, but he couldnt do it. There were large party scenes, and large office scenes, and so you had to be very, very careful. That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. She had been around and doing guest star work, but to get a series regular gig was a big step for her., Poorna has for most of her career been a dramatic actress, and she was like, I never get to come in on comedies because nobody thinks Im funny, says Greenstein about the role of Devis mother for Jagannathan. Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas Explain The Art of Casting While eager to gather a diverse troupe for Mindy Kaling and Lang Fishers series, casting directors Collin Daniel and Brett Greenstein quickly realized that until they had nailed down their series leads, there was no ensemble to assemble. Good lighting is typical, and shooting from the right angle, and just be yourself in the slate. They also discuss what its like to be casting directors in the middle of a pandemic and if they think their profession is permanently changed by it. After a 2007 surgery that required general anesthesia, Steenburgen, who plays Zoeys mother, Maggie, began hearing original music in her head. Our job is to connect with people to bring out the best performance. Toothpicks and blue jeans. He was playing a husband. He was kind of signing on to play the girl part., As to King (she and Abdul-Mateen II are nominated, along with costars Jovan Adepo, Louis Gossett Jr., Jeremy Irons and Jean Smart), the Oscar winner and three-time Emmy winner who worked on Lindelofs The Leftovers wasnt a slam dunk precisely because shed worked on Lindelofs The Leftovers.. We always want to be readily available to talk as they prepare their tapes so that there is that sense that weve been in the room with them. We were so touched that people were really moved by the show and actually watched it. So he was intrigued. I think she had auditioned for Rocky Horror Picture Show several years before, so I knew she could sing. Oscars 2023: Preview and Predictions + Contest! 2023 Gold Derby Media, LLC. Jonathans secretary. At that point, I feel like Ive got it I know who the character is. Its a visceral feeling, says Ingram, when you see an actor who you really know should be in a role., [Brandee] really had the strength and the forcefulness and chutzpah that [lead dancer] Mercedes needs, Hopkins says. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Liz Feldman has a great knowledge of actors and comedic actors. Press Esc to cancel. I think Mindy had said she ran into him at a Vanity Fair party and said something to him. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. Natalies name came up at the very beginning, and she is someone who Liz liked but we were originally told she wasnt available. ST: Not for us particularly. He just had a great rawness and innocence., As Sams older brother Craig, Corey had not had any experience. Do you think you guys will rely on that still? I think we all miss being in the room with actors and I think a lot of the actors miss it as well, because theres something that you just get from being in the room with someone and the ability to play. The thing that Luca seemed to be connecting to is a real combination of, could they do the material, but also could he engage in real dialogue with them about what it means to be their age in this moment and incorporate that into the vision that he had., Jordan didnt even have an agent. Im not just saying that because hes my boss Im saying that because Ive had the privilege of watching the dailies [raw, unedited footage shot during a filming day] for Barry and have gotten to see his work from all angles. Were just gonna shove everybody out of the way! She then added, To be perfectly honest with you, I think that were all in the reality that there are several other huge nominees in there, and so were blessed and honored to be there. Sherry Thomas: I think it is a little bit of both. Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. And from there, we would have further discussion or conversation. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. The others laugh a little. There would be years where people would be like, Where did you get all these drug addicts? . He once told me, Youre weird too. . Contact | Sherry Thomas Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? Mercedes is the one who draws all the crowds into The Pynk, so you have to have someone that has this magnetism about them., Oh, what can you say? We checked in on her, and the challenging part was convincing producers to take a chance on an actor that youre very familiar with but they might not be. I get told all the time that I remind people of Melissa McCarthy. Every actor that comes in, even if they dont get the job, we keep a lot of notes . Well often write notes like, Remember for BCS because theres a naturalistic approach to the acting on the show; its not showy at all. Sharon Bialy: I mean, I watch the whole thing. We talk about what hes looking for, and I like to ask if he has any prototypes dead or alive for the characters. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys 1 win & 41 nominations total Photos Known for Rudy 7.5 Casting Director 1993 The Handmaid's Tale 8.4 And it worked! RT: I looked for her name before I even looked for ours. SB: It will change, but we are hoping once this is over to be able to go back to that mixture of in-person and self-tapes. Bialy, Thomas and Russell Scott are nominated twice this year, for Dead to Me along with Handmaids Tale. Another of their shows, Better Call Saul, now has 11 acting nominations. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. Weve been bringing him in and casting him for some time, so he was somebody right from the start. Were they names you wanted from the beginning, and did you go out of your way to reunite Katey and Christina Applegate? When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. Often times we are reading more people for those roles than anything else. The actors dont care that they come in 10 times and didnt get the part, because they know that one time with us they will., Once you have Matthew Rhys, you want to make sure whoever is opposite isnt wiped off the screen, says Bialy of their lead. Creator Katori Hall made a short film of her intended pilot that featured several castmembers, but the search still encompassed thousands of auditions and extensive chemistry reads. Like everyone else on the planet we love her. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. The Cherry Lane Theatre is the oldest continuously running off-Broadway theater in New York City. You dont have to try to crack jokes and just be yourself. Its an amazing collaboration, and the work is very gratifying and just so much fun. As for the ladies favorite guest stars over the years, they bring special attention to Charles Baker (Skinny Pete), Matt Jones (Badger) and Daniel and Luis Moncada (the Cousins), but they admit that Emmy nominee Mark Margolis may be their favorite casting scoop for the show. Thats what it is all about. You always want to work with people who inspire you and who you can learn from, and Bill is one of those people. Were in a very different time and our priorities are a little different, but it doesnt take away from the pride of it and the love and passion we have for it. Name one of your favorite television shows and it's a sure bet that Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas were the casting directors for at least one of them. Bruce and Lizzie were thrilled with him. AD: I imagine one of the more interesting challenges of that character is finding someone who can believably portray someone who has both dated Ana (Diana-Maria Riva) and Judy. We were finding choices and some incredible singers, but it just clicked when it became Alex. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. We really relied on people that we have cultivated relationships with over a period of time as casting directors do. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? It was really about getting Devi and her mother cast, as they are the heart of the story, says Greenstein. I was doing a virtual Pilates class when I got a text from Christina that said, Congrats lady! Sauls Rhea Seehorn was one they called in many times before she booked the key Kim Wexler role. Back in 2019, Jones played. The Shield was my favorite show at the time, and its still in my top five. Sherry Lansing - Biography - IMDb It sounds like you didnt look back after the job found you. Learn more about how we use cookies. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas There was something she found the strength in that character, the fearlessness in her eyes., We werent identifying what roles would be people of color, adds her colleague Sherry Thomas. Well, Russell was able to work with production to make it happen, adds Thomas. The parameters of that character were a tall order to fill. Facebook Icon. Weve been able to give multiple women over a certain age really complex material. And, speaking from first hand experience, they are the best people to audition for. The storylines and arcs are massive, and youre also in a period piece, so it was important to make sure that each actor [remained] defined within their own self, even if the character wasnt around all the time, says Thomas. The cast of Gotham. I want to get a sense of who they are, and how they handle text, and what they bring to the table in terms of choices, well watch it the whole way through because were educating ourselves. How do you like the way casting is right now? His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. Theyre opposite sides of a coin., Skyler has an exuberance that is hard to describe, Ingram says. Now in the show's second season, casting directors Sherry Thomas and Russell Scott were tasked with the challenge of expanding on that world and filling out an ensemble that were able to keep up with Applegate and Cardellini. Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. RS: It was a very extensive search. 2023 Oscar Nominee: Director Santiago Mitre on Why the Message Behind Argentina, 1985 Remains More Relevant Than Ever, 2023 Oscar Nominee Fire of Love: How Editors and Co-Writers Erin CasperandJocelyne Chaput Crafted the Krafft Love Story, Double Oscar Nominee & Producer Shane Boris Talks What Fire of Love & Navalny Have in Common, Inaugural Television Publicity Executives Committee (TPEC) Submissions Are Now Open, Amazons Daisy Jones and the Six is the First Great Limited Series of 2023, Melissa Rauch On Presiding Over a New Night Court Era, 'The Morning Show' Director Mimi Leder on Why Cable is Better for Female Characters. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for. I think actors dont think it happens, and it does. We are very passionate about not pigeonholing actors. Q&A with casting directors from several Apple TV+ series; Lucinda Syson (Foundation), Theo Park (Ted Lasso) and Sherry Thomas and Sharon Bialy (The Shrink Next Door). With self-tapes and zoom callbacks. If its somebody that we have known for a long time and we just say, not sure if its right, but just want to see if there is something there that connects the spirit of the actor to the spirit of the character, but its not right, then we can sort of move on and with respect because we know its not the perfect fit. It all kind of comes together. And one of the first things that we did together as Bialy/Thomas was The Unit with Shawn Ryan and David Mamet and Eric Haney.