Casting Directors Sherry Thomas & Gohar Gazazyan Discuss Casting ‘Gotham’, Self-Taped Auditions and More
“We look for somebody who can elevate the material, which is very important when you’re looking at so many actors for a specific role.”
‘The Good Wife’ Casting Director Mark Saks on What He Looks For in Auditions and Mistakes Young Actors Make
Mark Saks, the casting director for ‘The Good Wife’, speaks about what he looks for in actors he casts for the show and mistakes he frequently sees at auditions, especially those made by young actors
‘X-Files’ Casting Director Rick Millikan: “What you’re ultimately looking for is that person who brings a real quality to the character”
“I look for somebody who brings a real quality to that character, something within their own person projected out on to the screen.” – Casting Director Rick Millikan
Watch: A Conversation with Casting Directors Eyde Belasco (‘Transparent’) and Tracy Lilienfield (‘Grace and Frankie’)
Belasco and Lilienfield speak about the details behind casting decisions and also share anecdotes about casting the two series they are nominated for
How an Extra in ‘The Big Short’ Ended Up in a Supporting Role Opposite Ryan Gosling
The Baton Rouge resident heard that The Big Short was being shot in New Orleans and was told by a friend working on the film that the production was looking for extras.
‘Ant-Man’ Director Peyton Reed’s Advice to Actors
The director of Ant-Man, Peyton Reed, was recently asked on Quora to give some advice to upcoming actors.
Michael Shannon on Acting: “Just pay attention. That’s the chief principle. Pay attention all the time”
“I mean honestly I look at acting like it’s my job to disappear. The best acting is invisible.” – Michael Shannon
Former Hollywood Agent Dishes Out Advice For All Actors in this Reddit “Ask Me Anything”
“You can’t compare yourself to your friends as every actor is different. Every role is different. With that being said, you need to brand yourself.”
Youth Talent Agents Increasingly Discovering Talent Digitally
Some top agents of young talent speak about how social media has revolutionized the way they discover new talent
Interview: Casting Director Jessica Daniels On Finding New Talent and Self-Taped Audition Tips
“I worked on 12 pilots this year and most of the series regular roles went to working actors who auditioned.” – Casting Director Jessica Daniels
Chris Pratt Reveals His “Awesome Techniques for Acting”
Pratt then placed orange post-it notes around the set, out of shot. “Then,” he says, “it would catch my attention halfway through the scene, and it would affect me emotionally underneath.”
Interview: Gary Marsh on Breakdown Services, Why Actors Shouldn’t Get Them and Tips on Using Actors Access
“As an actor, you have competition and not just a couple people, hundreds. So, you better be damn true to who you are and what you can play” – Breakdown Services Gary Marsh
SXSW Casting Directors Panel: Why Acting Ability May Only Account for 7% of Why An Actor Lands a Role
The casting directors spoke about filing away a talented actor’s tape if they knew he or she had talent, but didn’t have a project for that particular actor at the moment.
Casting Director Jen Rudin Talks Online Content, Agents and What Actors Need to be Realistic About
“Focus, don’t stretch yourself too thin, and be realistic about the roles you are right for” – Casting Director Jen Rudin
Casting Director Ellen Lewis on Finding the Right Actors and Working with Martin Scorsese
“There are so many cooks involved now in decisions and it can dilute the creative process” – Casting Director Ellen Lewis on the new realities of casting
Interview: Casting Director Robert Ulrich on Discovering Unknown Actors and Tips on Self-Taping Auditions
“Even if I know the character well, I pre-read fifty people or at least a great deal of people, sometimes even for a one line role” – Casting Director Robert Ulrich
Actress Caitlin Benya Has a Great Tip For Memorizing Lines
Caitlin shares an acting tip she learned in her time at the British American Drama Academy in London!
Watch: Michael Keaton Talks About ‘Birdman’, His Career and Has Some Great Advice for Everyone
Though Michael Keaton has denied that Birdman is a semi-autobiographical role, it’s hard not to see parallels between Keaton’s character Riggan Thomson in Birdman and his actual career. In this career retrospective interview with DP/30, Keaton covers all the ground that he covered on the way to stardom, including his
Casting Directors Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee on Chadwick Boseman, Discovering Jennifer Lawrence and Helping Actors Realize Their Dreams
There are tons of articles out there for actors learn effective ways to crack into the entertainment business, but other jobs in the industry are a well-kept secret. Now, two casting directors are offering their advice to learn their trade. Paul Schnee and Kerry Barden, who cast the James Brown
Ralph Fiennes and Christoph Waltz Explain Why They Hate Auditions
Both Ralph Fiennes and Christoph Waltz are award-winning actors who received plenty of acclaim in their own countries before finding even more success in Hollywood. Variety put the pair together for its Actors on Actors feature, and asked them about auditions. Being that they are actors who have directed in