When it comes to creating the unforgettable, chaotic world of The Boys, it all starts with the cast. And behind every twisted superhero and unhinged villain, are the careful eyes of a casting directors Robert Ulrich and Jackie Davies. In this interview, they share how they helped bring the show’s outrageous characters to life.
From their thoughts on standout self-tapes to the importance of trust in the audition process, Ulrich and Davies offer a look at what it takes (and took) to land a role in one of television’s boldest shows. They discuss casting challenges, memorable auditions, and what actors can do to stay on a casting director’s radar. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. For the full interview, watch the video above or check out our YouTube page.
Is it hard to find actors who are able to play roles that are sort of out there and heightened but still kind of grounded in the reality that the show is in?
Robert Ulrich: I don’t think it’s hard at all because the writing is so good and I think it makes it very easy, again, because the writing is so good.
Jackie Davies: Yeah, I think the only note we usually give is the world is heightened. You can be grounded. You don’t need to push it. The things you’re saying and doing are probably crazy but keep it real.
Robert Ulrich: Eric Kripke leans to the very real and the very simple more than the broad as far as acting.
Jackie Davies: Actors have always been game to go for it. I don’t think anyone’s too shy when they’re auditioning because they know what they’re getting into. We try and be very clear and give them all the information they need when joining us for one of our crazy roles.
When New Actors Surprise the Casting Team
Did any actors completely surprise you and sort of reshape an idea for the character that you originally had going in?
Jackie Davies: Our two new series regulars from season four, Susan Hayward and Valerie Curry, I think both nailed the character. Susan’s Sister Sage was a little more elusive and then seeing her kind of embody it made the role clearer for me at least.
Robert Ulrich: Yeah, I agree with that.
Jackie Davies: It made it like, ‘oh, this makes sense.’
Nathan Mitchell, he was originally Black Noir. Did you guys know going into season four that he was going to be the new version of that character?
Jackie Davies: Yeah, and inkling because of our season three flashback where you see the character out of costume and it wasn’t Nathan. In a way, we were like, “We never see his face. Why aren’t we using him anyway?” And they’re like, “There’s plans.” Season four, we kind of knew it was coming, so we were so excited for him.
Were you guys able to tell him that and see how happy he was?
Robert Ulrich: No, unfortunately. That’s the drag of being a casting director, you don’t. The good part is you don’t share in the sorrow when they don’t get a part, but the bad part is that you don’t really share in that kind of joy, usually. I mean, in the olden days when there was in-person network and studio sessions for series regulars, you would occasionally see the actors when they got the job. Although even that was rare because they often wouldn’t be alerted till later.
Jackie Davies: Shooting in Toronto, we don’t get to see him as much. I mean, we saw him after he got it in season one and he happened to be in town.
Robert Ulrich: And we got to meet him and he was awesome.
Jackie Davies: But otherwise, it’s just us kind of emailing with their agents and them being like, “They’re having so much fun.” We love to hear that when we get reports like that.
Anthony Starr and Jesse Usher’s ‘Terrible’ Auditions
Antony Starr and Jesse Usher both said that they thought their initial auditions were terrible. They hated them. Obviously, they weren’t, but what did you guys see in those auditions that stood out?
Robert Ulrich: Well, in Antony’s case, he did it, I believe, from a trailer. He was shooting an indie movie or something and it was just bad quality, not his audition, but the tape was bad quality. So we had to have him do it again.
And he’s just so special. But, even I did not know how genius I think he is in that role, how he would develop.
Jackie Davies: Jesse, he was shooting a movie too. I think he nailed it, but again, I think with the self-tape and not being there, he just wanted to tweak it just a touch. I think if he was in the room and wasn’t out of town, it would have been a one and done.
Robert Ulrich: Because on the pilot we did all or the majority of in-room auditions, it wasn’t zoom because it was all before COVID.
Jackie Davies: I think them not being in the room with Eric and the team probably made them doubt it. But when we all watched it, we knew and we just had to get those right tapes.
With self-tapes, is life easier for you guys now? Or do you prefer zoom auditions where you can actually talk to the actors and re-direct if they need it?
Robert Ulrich: I was so opposed to the whole idea of zoom auditions because to me, my favorite part in those days was interacting with the actors. But what I think that the whole zoom situation has done is allow us to see so many more people and give so many more people opportunities. Because in those days you might bring in six to eight, maybe 10 people per role. So you’d be a little nervous to take chances. Now we’ll see hundreds per role.
Jackie Davies: I’m kind of in the same boat. I miss being able to give direction, especially when you see a tape and the actor’s great. Maybe their take wasn’t exactly and depending on the turnaround time, it’s like, do we have time to ask them to go back and tape? You have to communicate it to the reps and then they have to re-tape and then it comes back to you.
So, it’s not just like when you’re in the room, “Hey, let’s try it again this way,” and you immediately get it.
But you do get introduced to so many more people. You have time and you can have someone take a risk. I think Zoom’s a nice balance.
I mean, sometimes the tech isn’t perfect, but at least you get to meet with the actors because that’s kind of the best part and getting to know them. And it’s with producers too, when they’re like, ‘we’re signing all these people to year-long contracts and we’ve never met them in person.’ So, it’s taken trust on everybody’s end to make it work. But we have been.
What’s been the trickiest part for you guys to cast?
Robert Ulrich: Oh, that’s always a tough question. I don’t think this particular show has had any really. I mean, if you ask about other shows, I can tell you the trickiest roles, but this is a show that, first of all, everyone wants to do. And so, we have that luxury of having a lot of wonderful talent, because people love the show.
Jackie Davies: I think back in the day, maybe Frenchie (Tomer Capone) was tough because we had to find someone who felt European enough and could do the accent and all that. He was maybe the toughest. But the writing is so good, it’s honestly fun to watch auditions because everyone’s good. It makes our job a little tougher when you have so many people, but it’s fun.
I want to go back to Antony Starr really quick. There are points in the show when he doesn’t say anything and the camera kind of lingers on his face and he goes through like 8 million emotions in like 15 seconds. And it’s just, sometimes I rewind it just to watch that just because it’s so great to watch.
Robert Ulrich: He is so good.
Jackie Davies: Just the control he has over like every angle of his face is amazing.
How long, how long had you known him and his work prior to him getting cast?
Robert Ulrich: Very little. Banshee, but I barely watched it, I think once or twice. So, his casting was really off his tape. And he wasn’t necessarily the physical type that we were looking for, but he now has conveyed that physical type. But that was all I knew him from, and I don’t think I’d ever auditioned him.
If you guys just totally love an actor, how do you advocate for them to like Eric Kripke or other showrunners, to sort of put them into their head?
Robert Ulrich: Luckily, I’ve worked with Eric now for 20 years, I did Supernatural, so there’s a shorthand and there’s a trust that has been built. If I really believe in someone, I’ll text Eric and just say, ‘this is what I think.’ And Eric is so wonderful and open that he’ll at least take it into consideration. And it may not be ultimately who gets it, but there’s that comfort level, which is something that usually only comes with time.
Jackie Davies: Yeah, it’s definitely trust and communicating with your producers. Because there’s times when they’re like, ‘well, who do you guys like the most?’ But I think they also know we’re not going to send them someone we don’t believe in 100%.
Is there somebody that you guys did this for on the show?
Jackie Davies: Oh, I don’t think there’s one on this. I feel like everyone we’ve gotten, everyone’s known that they’re the one.
Robert Ulrich: It’s been, it’s been very unanimous for the most part, which is wonderful.
Jackie Davies: When it clicks, it clicks.
Tips for Actors Submitting Self-Tapes
How can an actor make a strong impression on their self-tape?
Robert Ulrich: The only thing I ever think an actor should be is prepared. I don’t care how the self tape looks at all, as long as you can hear it and see it.
I mean, it’s nice when you get these gorgeous self-tapes that are shot in studios and everything, but it doesn’t make any difference in determining who we send. I don’t care where it’s shot.
I know it’s not easy to do. It’s not easy to have auditions and have to do a self-tape, you may not have the opportunity, maybe you’re on vacation. You just have to do it when and where you can do it.
So, I think it just has to be a self-tape that can hear and see, and then that they’re prepared. That’s all I really look for.
And then again, because the writing’s so good, the talent almost always rises to the occasion. We ended up looking for the people that just pop and that’s something you can’t describe.
How to Stay on a Their Radar
For somebody who’s auditioned for you, how can they keep on your radar?
Robert Ulrich: Well, that’s much more difficult nowadays without offices but I can attest that they do. I get hundreds of emails; my email must be posted everywhere.
Jackie Davies: I think we also take really good notes when we watch tapes together. So it’s like, even if they’re not right we take a quick note about what we liked about them and like what they could be right for. So, we’re also keeping track.
Robert Ulrich: Oh, yeah. We remember people, but what they can do above that is tough and I’m not exactly sure.
There is a new thing that I subscribe to that Seth Colton does, which is a thing with digital postcards because actors used to send postcards, and I go look at that every week. But I think that it’s more that it’s our knowledge and our memory of people. And like Jackie said, she takes incredible notes.
I always tell people that if you send me to go somewhere, I don’t know the left from right, but I can remember what somebody wore in third grade, so I don’t forget an actor that I like.
Jackie Davies: I think we just try and be super organized on our end about who we love and keeping them in mind.
And sometimes in The Boys, we don’t have the most roles, because this deep into the season, it’s a lot of recurring, so there’s not a ton of new actors every week.
When actors are like, ‘Oh, I’ve auditioned for this one 10 times,’ it’s because we like you.
Jackie Davies: If we keep bringing you back, we’re not doing it to be nice. We believe in your talent.
Robert Ulrich: That is such an important thing because I can remember we did CSI and somebody came in so many times and they’re like, ‘they just must hate me.’ He’d been in 15 times. The 16th time he booked a great part. The casting director is bringing you back because they like you and believe in you. Not like Jackie said, not just to be nice.
Jackie Davies: We’re not trying to waste your time.
Robert Ulrich: We like you if you’re coming back over and over. And then when the role is right and everything is perfect, you’ll get it.
