Once I opened that door, though, there was no going back. So, I was working with Shawn Ryan and Sharon was working with David Mamet, I mean, it was like a big deal. In some hypothetical situation in which you had to choose a different career, what would your profession be? ST: Vice versa for Linda Cardellini, who has typically been known for drama to come in and wow everyone with her great sense of timing and comedic skills without ever making it too big. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. Now, I would never assume that Melissa McCarthy would be so interested in my life that she would say yes to playing me in a series about it. Luca was intrigued [by Alice] and it seemed like a great match. So theres some benefits to both. Fuck yeah!. She had to go to some places and the work was beautiful. Learn how your comment data is processed. Defying past portrayals of female friendship on television, Dead To Me enamoredaudiences with its unexpected casting choices of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. So, I get an idea for the cadence and tone of the role, which I add to what I already have about it on paper. They met and he loved him, and that was that., There is no shortage of star wattage in the dark origin story of the legendary defense lawyer, but there is an art to combining such talent. Casting Networks is a registered trademark of Casting Networks, LLC. Part of our journey is the process of learning about the actor, says Bialy. 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. Sometimes the nomination day is like Christmas morning, but this year we completely forgot. Stacia Kimler, Casting . From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. I feel like this is not in my wheelhouse, or Im not right for this at all, but wanted to come and meet you guys.. Its been a long time coming and were very proud of it., 9 Emmy nominees you didnt know were already on Netflix: Breaking Bad, Scandal, , If they do win the Emmy, they arent worried about getting kicked off the stage if their acceptance speech lasts too long. Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. What kind of challenges are there for a show like that where you are three seasons in already? Its so much more fun when youre doing a musical, because people are singing and your days suddenly better, says Robert J. Ulrich. It is one of our most rewarding jobs., [John McEnroe] was in the original script, and I remember nobody was dealing with it. As long as the work doesnt suffer, why cant we also participate in the lives of our kids? In this case, its Jane, only in the fact that the public did not know that she was a singer. We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. But I dont think that it is ever more important than having the right person. Of course, the greatest discovery of this musical comedy is its lead, Jane Levy, best known to viewers for her comedic skills on the ABC series Suburgatory. 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.. Its great for the world to see his story; something that youre certainly seeing more and more television, which is wonderful, but that you dont see every day., When putting together an ensemble in which one star cannot shine brighter than the others, theres a key to getting it right: You need strong people all around, people who can match each other talentwise, says casting director Billy Hopkins. I love her performances and everything she does, and Luca felt the same way., Jack has a lot of experience in movies and TV, so he had a flexibility as far as craft goes, Cuba says. She read the whole book in like 48 hours. And I said, Yeah, I really feel like it could be really cool, and okay, great. She has been nominated for eight Emmys (The Handmaid's Tale, Barry, Breaking Bad) and 19 CSA nominations. When people used to ask us, I used to say, Oh, our reward is working with Vince Gilligan every day, which we continue to do and thats still true, Bialy told Gold Derby during our recent webchat (watch below). This interview has been edited and condensed. Okay. Send it to the producers. Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sharon Bialy is known for Rudy (1993), The Handmaid's Tale (2017) and Barry (2018). For Season 2 of Handmaids, we were surprised with Sydney Sweeney [as Eden]. If life begins at conception, why aren't Republicans making sure that the men who cause pregnancies take any responsibility? Listen, come to my office and Ill do your hair youll be fine. AD: The second season also featured two major guest stars in Frances Conroy and Katey Sagal. Luca was definitely familiar with his music [as Kid Cudi] and loves it. If you have one weak link, it becomes obvious. According to Ashley Ingram, who also served as casting director on the show, an added challenge of populating the struggling Mississippi Delta strip joint was the desire for authenticity over recognizability. In Season 1, says Keller, Harvey Guilln, who costars as Guillermo, familiar to one of the vampires, starts talking to this other familiar at a party, and it was a very nondescript part. What are some self-tape tips that you have? So, I knew Id have a paycheck once I arrived and took my two weeks vacation to make the trip over and get settled. So now, if I leave at one oclock today [at time of interview] to go pick up my kids from camp, its OK. 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. But not even Thomas and Lewis knew who the character, a nice guy married to Regina Kings vigilante character, would later be revealed to be. Skylar is obviously a name, but hes also just a real standout, an extraordinary singer and actor., Michael Thomas Grant, who plays [rival coworker] Leif, I knew from The Glee Project, says the casting director. She works constantly in New York, but she was this undiscovered gem to the rest of the world, and now everybody knows who she is., To populate Luca Guadagninos vision of an American Army base in coastal Italy, casting director Carmen Cuba knew she had to build her cast out from the kids at the center of the story. A lot of casting people their choices have shifted to self-tapes and some of them only self-tapes, but for us our choice will always to be in the room with actors. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. What she did to prepare for that role was incredible. Hes not afraid to try things. 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I think we will all be more mindful of that process, but I also dont want to be in a room with an actor with a giant piece of plexiglass between us. Sharon Bialy: I think theres going to be a hybrid. Sherry Thomas: But everybody was generous and kind. And especially for kids, dont try that hard in the slate to be liked and all of that, its just, Hey, Im Lance Carter, Im five foot 10. Alyssa Morris is our associate on this project and it was really, honestly the first time were working on a project where all of us are not together. We received a lot of calls from agents and managers who loved the show with their clients who would love to be a part of it. He was the heart of the show the first season., Andrew is absolutely hilarious. 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. Natalie Morales, left, joined the cast of Dead to Me in Season 2 as the love interest for Linda Cardellini. She came in and was so natural, so funny. Through conversation and through hearing about what the role is about in detail and where it will go, the list gets smaller and smaller. We had readings for that part. For Perry Mason (originally set to star Robert Downey Jr., who serves as executive producer with his wife, Susan), casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas discussed their suggestions for . I think we got to try. And she says, You feel really passionately about it. Sherry Lansing. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. Elarica leads more with vulnerability, and Brandee leads more with strength. gofund.me/2fffe14f Posts Reels Videos Tagged Search Log In Sign Up Hes being very humble right now, but it took a lot of strategizing and basically producing. Gohar Gazazyan, Casting Director. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Thats a fantastic pick! Sherry Thomas: If a reader is really distracting, its not about the reader, its about the actor. He once told me, Youre weird too. . But Cornell Womack, hes a pro, we know him. Co-Owner Bialy Thomas & Assoc. I grew up thinking that acting was going to be my path in life, so when I was 22, I packed up my car and drove cross-country to LA with just 150 bucks in my pocket. And I write on something next to me, I had Michael Imperioli in my head. When we started out, I was her associate for about two years, and then we became partners. Sign up for emails from Casting Networks News. I brought in this guy from New York, hes actually a playwright, his name is Jeremy O. Harris. What can you tell us about the process of assembling the cast for its long-awaited third season? 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) Casting Networks uses cookies to analyze our traffic and to personalize content and ads. Sherry Thomas Lane is on Facebook. That is such a skill, and one I wish I had. All Rights Reserved. She was kind of in my head when I read it. AD: Im sure you cant say anything about the final season, but Im curious if you have a dream guest actor that you think would fit perfectly into the world of the show? Sherry Thomas: Yep. When we circled back, I remember looking at the date and I was like, Holy shit, I think shes available. , Theres an assuredness to Sister Alice that the audience has to buy because she believes [her evangelism] so strongly, Bialy says. I mean, that had to have been completely It was all brand new. Its going to be hard for us because we love to be in the room with them. Michael Ordoa covers film and television for the Los Angeles Times. In the case of Lawrence Gilliard, that role was. And thats part of our job is to continue education. Livin' the dream. I think Chris Meloni brought so much value to that role. It was fun to be able to draw on somebody that I had thought was so talented for so long.. TV casting directors receiving multiple nominations include Alexa L. Fogel (The Politician, . How do you like the way casting is right now? Sometimes our job is basically that of a casting director/producer. We were so touched that people were really moved by the show and actually watched it. We were like, Wait, did we just see somebody who literally has zero acting experience and was that great? says Brett Greenstein. No, but it made me feel like just more confident. We really needed someone for that role who would be able to come in and immediately keep up with Linda, Christina, and James who had already gelled. Elaine Doremus. And so I said, Oh my God, oh my God, Michael Rispoli is going to be in town from New York and we need to get him in. Sherry Thomas: Theres an energy. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for. Shes amazing with hair, and I have a love for it, too. Its an amazing collaboration, and the work is very gratifying and just so much fun. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. He was a huge part of why we got her it was a lot of working out schedules; we dont just get to read in a room with actors all the time. Did Scott have to break some legs to get it done? I didnt know anyone here, but was a manager at The Gap at the time and got transferred to an LA location of the store. Sharon Bialy: I mean, I watch the whole thing. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. 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. ST: Not at all! I remember going in for you guys a couple times and unlike a lot of rooms, you guys made it so comfortable, and it was just so warm. The Shield was my favorite show at the time, and its still in my top five. He felt just perfect for Bruce. But Luca is very connected to the human side of actors, so I think he connected with her., Chlo [as Frasers other mother] is someone I have loved from the beginning. Three if theres one in there that you just want to give it a shot. He was shooting a really naturalistic portrait of this group, and so much of this was about how these kids are as themselves: How are they when theyre not doing the scene? What sets this young cast apart from many other series starring young adults is the actors age range. But who to play the enigmatic Dr. Manhattan? We can explain things like tone. As part of our inaugural BackstageFest, longtime casting directors Theo Park ("Ted Lasso," "Master of None"), Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas ("Perry Mason," "The Comey Rule," "The. So, theres time to do a little bit of research and we tried to educate people as much as possible that this was based on the podcast based on a true story. I obviously knew of him, but he was a friend of Austins, so he suggested him, and he is so great on the show., John I also knew because he was in What/If. Toothpicks and blue jeans. Better Call Saul, were not even allowed to give you anything. She gets it. 2023 Gold Derby Media, LLC. I really hope the industry is changing to be better in that area, especially for women who want to work and also be moms. A naturalistic performance, I think, is what was required in The Shrink Next Door. Did it make your job easier or was it challenging having actors come in with a preconceived notion of what the show should be? You can see so many more people for a role, because you can take chances because you dont have to slot people in to 15-minute time periods with the producers. And it worked! 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. Being in the room with actors is so exciting, especially when youre discovering talent. Top Gun: Maverick, Banshees of Inisherin, All Quiet on the Western Front Win at MPSE. Thomas adds that they sometimes develop relationships with actors, calling them in time and again for reads. We went back to our theatre brains, and Laila Robins is someone I had seen over 25 years ago doing The Real Thing opposite Jeremy Irons. And also sometimes not having all the producers in the room gives the actor, even on a zoom call back with us, we can play with them more and theyre not trying to please everybody, theyre just concentrating on the work. All of a sudden were like, Guys, shouldnt we make sure he wants to do this? recalls Collin Daniel of the role that was part narrator, part Voice of God, and all affectionate snark. Our job is to hopefully bring her people that she doesnt know yet. I dont have to deal with traffic or anything like that, but being in the room, I totally miss. From Thomas passion for her work to her passion for her family, this has been a candid look into the person behind all the casting credits. Sherry Thomas (I) Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sherry Thomas was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA. Do you guys prefer two takes on the self-tape? Every time we had a conversation or auditioned actresses that werent a perfect fit, Russell would get on the phone and see if her availability changed. And he even said, coming in, I dont really know why Im here. We will never, ever be an office that is strictly self-taped. Wiley plays the rebellious Moira on Handmaids and has one Emmy win in three nominations for the role. Natalies name came up at the very beginning, and she is someone who Liz liked but we were originally told she wasnt available. Alice Lee was just a discovery. I appreciate that insight into collaborating with such a talented multi-hyphenate. We thought wed cast an unknown. THE PHIL SPECTOR BIOPIC (HBO Movie): David Mamet, Writer-Director Barry Levinson, Michael Hausman, Exec Producers Starring: Al Pacino, Helen Mirren, Jeffrey Tambor, Chiwetel Eji of or (HBO) WIDOW DETECTIVE (pilot): Carol Mendelsohn, David Hubbard, Julie Weitz, Davis Guggenheim, Exec Producers I can tell you that after 22 years of covering the Oscars that they are mostly meaningless. Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. RS: It was a very extensive search. AD: The biggest addition of the second season was the character of Michelle, who is played by Natalie Morales. She gave so much more than was even on the page [in the role of Mercedes mom], Ingram says. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. Slowly they realized that Maitreyi and Jaren have this really great chemistry, so it naturally evolved into this love triangle, which was really fun to see., Finding stars for a show that centers entirely on musical numbers is not the daunting task one imagines especially if you were the casting director of Glee and have an enormous roster of singing actors at your disposal. The vampire mockumentary series was a surprise Emmys 2020 comedy series nominee, but dont look for hidden meaning behind the fun, say its writers. We were really happy with the outcome of that! You were also nominated for your work on the third season of The Handmaids Tale. I truly love doing hair and have always told people that if I somehow just sh-t the bed and was no longer able to be in casting, I would do hair instead. We wanted to see her because we were such huge fans from all the things that shes done, especially The Night Of. Its hard to pick just a handful of credits that cover the breadth and depth of Sherry Thomas casting rsum. This story first appeared in a January stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. . 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. So we can say, No, this is the Bob Odenkirk character youre reading with. And its like, oh, a light bulb goes off, but we cant in email. ST: Our goal will always be to safely get back in the room with actors. 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. I love it you all sound like youre very close casting partners! Did you specify that in the breakdowns or did you have to redirect people? 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. Sherry Thomas is represented by the brilliant Kristin Nelson of . You believed everything that was coming out of her mouth., We did an open call for Kamala and I feel like [Richa Moorjani] came in pretty early on. As a freelance writer for me at Modern Luxury, NS magazine, Sherry pitched and wrote creative . Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. Our job is to connect with people to bring out the best performance. 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. If we cant connect its very hard to do our jobs. DEAD TO ME - Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Sharon Bialy, Alyssa Morris (Associate) Im not saying he is like Fraser, because that was never our feeling. Finding actors that can understand the unique tone of the show, one that balances gut-wrenching trauma with unexpected comedy, is an intricate task. I think within that the process will change a bit. Its interesting, because I think what happens to actors often happens to casting directors, Bialy explained. So he was intrigued. And whats exciting for us in casting, and it keeps us 23 years later together excited about things is to try new things, and to see an actor as a whole. But Id love to work with her, so let me just say shed be my choice. And thats exciting when were able to do that. John Ennis is a character actor weve known for a long time and he was amazing as the exterminator. Twitter Icon I dont know if theres a generic answer that fits every person when it comes to managing work/life balance, though. Personnel: Sharon Bialy, Casting Director. Sometimes Clement will become inspired by the actors. When Breaking Bad started, we really rebelled and kept looking for stand-up actors. Sherry Thomas, Casting Director. The Commander that Christopher Meloni played [Commander Winslow] was challenging because often times the first script doesnt tell you what the journey is going to be. Everything was requested self-tapes, so we would discuss ideas with them for the series regulars, our main players in the piece. 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. [Showrunner Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, but if he cant really explain it, hell know it when he sees it. Im fully vaxed. Boom. You can see a number of actors for an audition before that one person comes in, and everything just clicks. Sherry Thomas: Well, its crazy. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaid's Tale may first come to mind. But it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. And I think that people know her in one lane and it was very exciting. But if it is a more substantial role with several scenes, two is fine to send to us. Press Esc to cancel. Sherry Thomas retweeted. But even with such a rsum, the highly sought-after casting director came across as nothing short of a grounded, down-to-earth individual when she sat down with Casting Networks via Zoom. How did you guys bring her on? We were able to find actors like Ericka Kreutz who played Shandys mother, and you had Adora Bricher who played Shandy who is amazing as the dark, dark little girl. Casting just felt right for me. RS: With Katey, we wanted someone who is very special because there is a lot to unpack there with Lindas mother being in prison. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. Liz Feldman, Christina Applegate, Jessica Elbaum, and all of our producers fell in love with working with him and figuring out a complex way to bring him back. You really need to find actors who can do all of those things which can be challenging. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Burrows eventually recommended Thomas for her first paying job in the industry, working as an assistant to the location casting director the person charged with hiring extras for movie and TV . [Laughs] Sharon always says that she spends a lot of money to get her hair done for special events like the Emmys, only to ultimately wind up at my house so I can fix it. Women of that level and age arent coming in to read at that point in their careers, so we kept combing through this huge list.