In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. But, just like any other season, we got the scripts and then talked with [co-creator/star] Bill [Hader] and [co-creator/showrunner] Alec [Berg] to hear what they were identifying within the new characters. The Robert Downey Jr. -produced HBO series Perry Mason -which places the famed criminal defense lawyer played by Matthew Rhys in the era he debuted in literature, the 1930s-features a stellar cast. The Envelope spoke with some of TVs top casting directors about their part in helping stories get told and actors get Emmy nominated. After first meeting the Massachusetts native a Masshole as she calls it you may feel as if youve known her for much longer. 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. Get our L.A. He doesnt necessarily work with people twice in a row, so we didnt immediately go to Regina, says Thomas. Two different ways? I brought in this guy from New York, hes actually a playwright, his name is Jeremy O. Harris. The vampire mockumentary series was a surprise Emmys 2020 comedy series nominee, but dont look for hidden meaning behind the fun, say its writers. Sharon Bialy: Right. ST: It is a challenge when there are so many components beyond Are they a great actor? and Are they right for the part? The age had to be right so that it felt right appropriate for Diana. It feels like thats not as much of a requirement anymore, though, and I want to help fully facilitate that change for the next generation of women. Sharon Bialy: Sometimes well know somebody really well and have them read and literally in two lines, Im like, thats it, shes the one. Sherry Thomas: I think it is a little bit of both. It was really sort of a meeting of the minds and people coming together on the choices. You can see a number of actors for an audition before that one person comes in, and everything just clicks. Michael Ordoa covers film and television for the Los Angeles Times. Sharon Bialy: I think thats a really good note. Id imagine that at this point, after collaborating with Hader since the first season of Barry, you all are very familiar with how you work together. The driving force was that this world felt real, [that] we could see these people living here, Ingram says. Mindy did, probably, because she had her on The Mindy Project. You dont have to drive an hour and a half to two hours for an audition when youre getting the pages two or three days before. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The 2020 Emmys are closer than you think. I was doing a virtual Pilates class when I got a text from Christina that said, Congrats lady! Sherry Thomas: Yeah, it was. I appreciate that insight into collaborating with such a talented multi-hyphenate. We are very passionate about not pigeonholing actors. She was shooting a movie here in LA. You really want to buy into that environment. gofund.me/2fffe14f Posts Reels Videos Tagged Search Log In Sign Up So, I got that part covered. RS: We went through that entire process and read a lot of people. 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? Thank God. RS: It was a very extensive search. And I said, Yeah, I think its going to be really cool and really interesting. Seriously. Our job is to connect with people to bring out the best performance. 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. All rights reserved. He is fantastic. ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. And my sister has had her own salon for about 35 years now its called the Hairspace Salon in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Casting just felt right for me. Those things are leaps of faith, right? I mean, I was still completely nervous, but I felt more comfortable in that sort of nervousness. I think actors dont think it happens, and it does. Having her name value in that role grounded the whole office., For Skylars role, we auditioned lots and lots of great people, says Ulrich of the co-worker character with romantic potential. 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 . When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. Samira Wiley plays Moira in The Handmaids Tale, a performance that has brought her a third supporting actress Emmy nomination. 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. 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. A lot of it is having support. Did you specify that in the breakdowns or did you have to redirect people? I get told all the time that I remind people of Melissa McCarthy. If life begins at conception, why aren't Republicans making sure that the men who cause pregnancies take any responsibility? It sounds like you didnt look back after the job found you. Lets try it. So that bar was set very high., She had been finishing up something and was not available, Thomas says of the actress who plays E.B. He fell in love with doing the show. 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. Were just gonna have a great time.. 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. Our job is to hopefully bring her people that she doesnt know yet. Elarica leads more with vulnerability, and Brandee leads more with strength. However, theres a great deal of team Read More, Two in five Australians between the ages of 16 and 85 experience a mental disorder at some time in Read More, From college basketball tournaments to St. Pattys Day, the new month is synonymous with more than a few events. Read More, I believe there is some anxiety in the air over the expectations for commercial self tapes. At the time, there wasnt really a choice you had to prove yourself at work by being at your desk. Luca was definitely familiar with his music [as Kid Cudi] and loves it. (photo: Mark Seliger/FOX) Welcome to tvDownload's " Ask a Casting Director ," a new series in which we talk to the men and women . But Thomas and Scott have been able to channel their passion into rounding out the ensemble of the second season with big name guest stars from Frances Conroy and Katey Sagal to utilizing some of the best character actors working today. 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? Listen, come to my office and Ill do your hair youll be fine. Send it to the producers. Our approach to that is a direct line of communication. We can be a force of nature in our career and still want to spend more than an hour and a half with our newborn baby. Its also an emotional drama. Oscars 2023: Just How Many Oscars Will Everything, Everywhere All at Once Win? 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. We were finding choices and some incredible singers, but it just clicked when it became Alex. When you work in television and when you work with really great material, you do get excited for this time of year. 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. Thomas says, His agent called me: Oh my God, Vicky, we just learned who he was! and they screamed. In this case, its Jane, only in the fact that the public did not know that she was a singer. Personnel: Sharon Bialy, Casting Director. So, I love self-tapes. They tell the story of when they had to call Margolis in New York and ask him to put himself on tape, despite the fact that his character had no lines. Although the self Read More, Your email address will not be published. She created a book this big between her read with casting and her read with Bruce, of her story as the character. Once I opened that door, though, there was no going back. Deadline Media, Get our free, urgent prediction updates and news, 9 Emmy nominees you didnt know were already on Netflix: , Leaderboards: See All Past Prediction Accuracy Scores, Leaderboards: Best Prediction Accuracy Scores for Film, TV and Music Awards, Leaderboards: Best TV Show Predictions by Gold Derby Users, Find a User or Expert / Download Gold Derbys Free, New App. You guys cast this while everything was locked down. Name one of your favorite television shows and its a sure bet that Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas were the casting directors for at least one of them. Five seasoned entertainment journalists predict the shows and performances the Television Academy will honor with Emmys; do you agree with their picks? Sign up for emails from Casting Networks News. My wife is my reader and shes terrible. In a COVID and post-COVID world do you think youre job will permanently change? The process when we started of course is making lists. Oscars 2023: Preview and Predictions + Contest! Sorry I had to jump in because he is very humble! Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas Cat Elliott August 2, 2022 It's hard to pick just a handful of credits that cover the breadth and depth of Sherry Thomas' casting rsum. 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. Sharon Bialy: I think thats the exciting thing about casting, and Ill speak for my partner. This story first appeared in a January stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To see somebody with natural comedic timing who really got the nuances of the scenes and really got the multidimensional character she wasnt just reading lines. I think we got to try. And she says, You feel really passionately about it. She needed the right role to be able to show that shes not just someone whos gorgeous, and Mississippi allows her to do that., Elarica [as dancer Autumn Night] has a very openhearted vulnerability that comes forward when you just look in her eyes, says Ingram. 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. casting director Casts for Film, TV, Theatre, New Media California About Sharon Bialy Sharon Bialy is an award winning Casting Director for television, film and theater. Fuck yeah!. That makes sense. ST: Russell worked very, very hard on that. And then, Sherry, you redirected me to do something. No. Sherry Thomas: And the show director, Jesse Peretz, just really kind of took everybody and, everybody shines. 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.. In some hypothetical situation in which you had to choose a different career, what would your profession be? Everything was requested self-tapes, so we would discuss ideas with them for the series regulars, our main players in the piece. ST: We hadnt discussed the idea in general, probably because of the previous relationship with Christina, and we didnt want to pull anybody out of it. AD: This wasnt your only nomination this year. I think Mindy had said she ran into him at a Vanity Fair party and said something to him. 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. Im pretty sure Im the loudest, so I think whoevers the loudest wins, joked Thomas. Hes daring. The second it became Alex, I ran with it, pushed it, said its a way to really enlighten the world. Id actually liken it to the audition process. Casting Networks acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land throughout Australia. He did come in and audition and just blew everybody away., The most fun bit of casting was the fact that Mo was written as a woman. And at that time, there were not vaccination mandates in place. Sometimes Clement will become inspired by the actors. 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. I dont know if theres a generic answer that fits every person when it comes to managing work/life balance, though. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Those interested in learning more about the stacked list of TV and film titles on her rsum can find them listed on IMDb. And were really fing funny! From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. How did you end up finding her for the role? She and Bialy relied on their stable of talent from decades in the profession. Its not recent, but it is really funny. Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. sherrythomaslane Follow 284 posts 5,086 followers 587 following Sherry Thomas Lane Casting Director / Owner @ Bialy Thomas & Associates Blue collar Northampton, MA native who is Livin' the dream. ST: Not for us particularly. 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. I had the highest hopes and no idea that he could sing as well as he could sing. I mean, its just, its incredible. She cites the scenes with Mark Proksch as energy vampire Colin Robinson in his workplace. Bialy says, For Better Call Saul, we have an inside joke in the office that theyre a Vince-Peter type of an actor [co-showrunners Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould]. Once the lead was in place, the other puzzle pieces of this ethnically and neuro-diverse cast started to land. After appearing in two films, Loving (1970) and Rio Lobo (1970), Sherry decided to leave the acting field. 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. Im just blown away with how Bill can be in a scene, fully connected to it as an actor, even when I know his eye as the director and ear as the writer are simultaneously at work. Russell Scott: The show is a comedy, but tonally it is pretty tricky because its also a mystery. Required fields are marked *. ST: I think thats one of the reasons we love to be in the room with actors and why right now it is really hard with the world of COVID. I dont have to deal with traffic or anything like that, but being in the room, I totally miss. That openheartedness that Gidget needed to have, Skyler innately has., J. You always want to work with people who inspire you and who you can learn from, and Bill is one of those people. Christina Applegate has done amazing dramatic work on the show, but she has largely been known as a comedic actor. She even officiated when my husband and I were married. In the meantime, make your predictions for Best Drama Series below the interview using our easy drag-and-drop menu. At some point Sherry suggested Katey Sagal. Twitter Icon Learn more about how we use cookies. 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. Thomas says, Damon tried to give me a hint: He should be a little unusual. My associate, Elizabeth, who knows the comics very well, she guessed it.. 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. Sharon Bialy: There are always challenges, but this season there were a couple of roles that caused some particular challenges. 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. I knew that Mary could sing. We got so many emails from agents asking, Where did you find these actors? Everybody was blown away, says Greenstein. Pros from five of the years newest dramas and comedies including 'Perry Mason' and 'We Are Who We Are' also reveal the surprising obstacles they hurdled before production began. You were also nominated for your work on the third season of The Handmaids Tale. For Season 2 of Handmaids, we were surprised with Sydney Sweeney [as Eden]. But in a series that tonally feels more like an independent feature, not just any teenagers would do. 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. Did you experience a lot of actors who struggled to nail the specific tone and how did you help them get there in the audition room? Survivor Users Leaderboard Coming Soon! 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. Instagram Icon More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys We didnt want someone who would be instantly recognizable to the world. Michael was one of those extraordinarily talented people who did not make it onto the show, but I kept in mind and saw him in stage productions and For the Record. There were large party scenes, and large office scenes, and so you had to be very, very careful. Part of our journey is the process of learning about the actor, says Bialy. Speaking with Awards Daily, the 2020 Emmy nominees walked us through the challenges of the second season from chasing down Natalie Morales as the second seasons biggest addition to a number of high-profile cameos. It is one of our most rewarding jobs., [John McEnroe] was in the original script, and I remember nobody was dealing with it. Was that hard at all? Look, I think Bill Hader is in a category all his own. Sometimes the nomination day is like Christmas morning, but this year we completely forgot. Literally, we were all just howling because she just got it., We needed a Jake from Sixteen Candles, someone brooding and obviously swoon-worthy and somebody that Devis going to have a mad crush on, Greenstein says of the protagonists love interest, Paxton Hall-Yoshida. At that point, I feel like Ive got it I know who the character is. Good lighting is typical, and shooting from the right angle, and just be yourself in the slate. But it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. 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. Thomas called Sweeney wise and mature beyond her years. Learn how your comment data is processed. His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. We will never, ever be an office that is strictly self-taped. 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. So, theres support at every turn, but balancing a family and a career isnt easy. This interview has been edited and condensed. He was tied to a play in New York., Jemaine does that so much, says Kay. Hes a very soulful actor and person, and his craft is unbelievable. Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. Among them, theyre responsible for five of the shows nominated for casting Emmys this year as well as a host of others that have received acting nominations in the past. Thomas adds that they sometimes develop relationships with actors, calling them in time and again for reads. And so, were sitting in the session, and he walks in and everybody says, hi. Hes a wonderful actor. Shes fantastic. But if you feel like you want to give it a shot. If we cant connect its very hard to do our jobs. 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. They have to be funny and in the moment with so few lines, and that is such a hard thing to do. I think in this particular project that Georgia [Pritchetts] writing was incredible, and the tone was on the page, but still it helped. He was a great audition, for sure, but he also really interested Luca as a person. And then they would audition and then we would present the people that we really felt were the most right for it. And, Id imagine, completely challenging. At the time [we started casting], she was working with one of my best friends on What/If, and I was hearing a lot about her and how she would sing karaoke. Luckily he did. Hes coming in this week. . We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. Did it make your job easier or was it challenging having actors come in with a preconceived notion of what the show should be? Elaine Doremus. RS: We worked through a lot of hard work and cooperation between our production and the movie because she is someone who really understood the tone of the show. 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. And sometimes the sides are fake. This cast is definitely a combination of people who Luca knew hed have to shepherd along. Of Seamn, whose outwardly confident Caitlin struggles with gender identity, Cuba adds, But its funny, because we thought this going in, and then Jordan turned out to somehow be a savant and know how to do everything, even though shed had no experience., I have auditioned [Scott] over the years for various things. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. I would own my own version of a Drybar. Its also a thriller. 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. Shes just perfect. I think within that the process will change a bit. Oh my God, this is completely the wrong actor that was in my head., And everybody was so nice and so lovely because hes a wonderful actor. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Let me try it. He felt just perfect for Bruce. Over the course of my daughters lives my oldest is going to be 12 in September and my youngest is 10 Ive probably forgotten to pick them up from school about 20 times. We were really happy with the outcome of that! The others laugh a little. We would give a little context of the tone. We discussed a bunch of people [for the role of Caitlins father, an Army lieutenant] and then it just felt natural for Scott and Luca to meet. 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. We wanted to see her because we were such huge fans from all the things that shes done, especially The Night Of. 1 on iTunes Charts, Jussie Smollett finally appeals his conviction stemming from 2019 hate-crime hoax, Gayle King surprises Angela Bassett with her Whats Love Got to Do With It dress, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Daisy Jones & the Six review: Riley Keough fronts a rock soap opera, Sweetie Pies alum Tim Norman gets life sentence for planned execution of nephew, Fox News finally reveals its kryptonite: the bottom line, Unlike Andor, Mandalorian is going all in on Star Wars lore. Sherry Thomas: Well, its crazy. The age had to be appropriate so there would be chemistry with Linda. Robin Bartlett, we have cast many times and she is, kind of in my brain, there was nobody else for it. So, I didnt necessarily find casting it found me. Weve been bringing him in and casting him for some time, so he was somebody right from the start. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. It was really about getting Devi and her mother cast, as they are the heart of the story, says Greenstein. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. RS: A lot of times those small roles are the hardest to cast. I really hope the industry is changing to be better in that area, especially for women who want to work and also be moms. It has all come down to this, friends. She was channeling her own mother, is what she told us. Stacia Kimler, Casting . For Lady Sherlock series publicity inquiries (media coverage, review copies, and interviews), please contact Tara O'Connor at Penguin Random House 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. ST: Not at all! So now, if I leave at one oclock today [at time of interview] to go pick up my kids from camp, its OK. Of course she would have a crush on him. Darren was somebody who had this quality that was a little mysterious, obviously very handsome and surprisingly funny., We never really expected there to be a love triangle, because in the pilot Devi and Ben are just so nasty and mean toward each other.