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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. Specialties: Catastrophe Modeling<br>Portfolio Management<br>Reinsurance Pricing | Learn more about Sherry Thomas's work experience, education, connections & more by visiting their profile on LinkedIn The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. Closing out the conversation we were joined by their casting partner Sharon Bialy to discuss their second nomination of the year for their work on The Handmaids Tale. I think Chris Meloni brought so much value to that role. The vampire mockumentary series was a surprise Emmys 2020 comedy series nominee, but dont look for hidden meaning behind the fun, say its writers. 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. 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. Oscars 2023 Voting Begins Dear Oscar, Hear My Plea, Why Steven Spielberg Deserves to Win His Third Best Directing Oscar. 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. Do you guys prefer two takes on the self-tape? You guys cast this while everything was locked down. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. We had readings for that part. After appearing in two films, Loving (1970) and Rio Lobo (1970), Sherry decided to leave the acting field. Even Nate said, I cant believe Im in this part. He tapped into the soul of [kidnapped sons father] Matthew Dodson., He was in that initial conversation with Tim it was just determining which role, says Thomas of Patrick. Casting Networks is a registered trademark of Casting Networks, LLC. 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.. And he even said, coming in, I dont really know why Im here. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. The theater is located at 38 Commerce Street between Barrow and Bedford Streets in the West Village neighborhood of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City.The Cherry Lane Theatre contains a 179-seat main stage and a 60-seat studio. Its also a thriller. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. 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. We put out the offer, and he was on board. Year Program Casting Network Casting Yvonne Strahovskis mother, we needed someone who could be formidable. 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. Lets try it. Im getting goosebumps right now just thinking about it. But it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. 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? 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. Primetime Emmy Awards. Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. 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? Join Facebook to connect with Sherry Thomas Lane and others you may know. Shifting gears again, I have a true get-to-know-you question. Thats a fantastic pick! Hes daring. So, we really didnt do any producer sessions over Zoom. He was the heart of the show the first season., Andrew is absolutely hilarious. Sherry Thomas, Casting Director. John Lithgow, for E.B. So, you have to just be mindful of the process or the questions and anticipate what theyre going to ask, the producers or the director. The Cherry Lane Theatre is the oldest continuously running off-Broadway theater in New York City. She is known for Breaking Bad (2008), Barry (2018) and The Handmaid's Tale (2017). Russell Scott, Casting Director. And sometimes the sides are fake. 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. The external is not whats important to him. The main cast may seem only six actors deep, but to the casting directors, the world was expansive. And, Id imagine, completely challenging. It was really about getting Devi and her mother cast, as they are the heart of the story, says Greenstein. 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. 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. Thomas says, His agent called me: Oh my God, Vicky, we just learned who he was! and they screamed. After a 2007 surgery that required general anesthesia, Steenburgen, who plays Zoeys mother, Maggie, began hearing original music in her head. I mean, that had to have been completely It was all brand new. A naturalistic performance, I think, is what was required in The Shrink Next Door. Matthew Dodsons father is not a role he typically plays. 2023 Casting Networks, LLC. TV casting directors receiving multiple nominations include Alexa L. Fogel (The Politician, . My mom passed away when I was young, but she used to be a very successful hairdresser back east. She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. Im in LA. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. That helps give me the essence of what Bill has in mind, and then as I get him going, hell just start going into the characters dialogue in a voice that reflects how he hears it in his head. Its interesting, because I think what happens to actors often happens to casting directors, Bialy explained. And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. Sherry Thomas: Fortunately, I feel like everybody did a little bit of research, which was interesting. We were like, Wait, did we just see somebody who literally has zero acting experience and was that great? says Brett Greenstein. And also, it was shot in LA, in Los Angeles, so everything is large and on a big scale. So find somebody who really is going to, give you a little bit of something to play off of, but not try to sort of make it about them, because thats not what theyre there for. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. 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. Im not saying he is like Fraser, because that was never our feeling. Sherry Thomas: They called him, pitched him and Sharon says, huh. Thanks, and Ill add that working from home with your kids during the pandemic really shows you what youve been missing out on. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for. And as a casting director, it feeds my soul to get to go through the whole collaborative process of finding that person who just pops in a role. I really hope the industry is changing to be better in that area, especially for women who want to work and also be moms. Casting director Sherry Thomas (The Righteous Gemstones, Better Call Saul) explains if she has any tells when auditioning actors and how she wants them to fe. And our associate, Alyssa Morris, did the same with the smaller roles. As a casting director, the joy is in discovering talent, says Ulrich. And it worked! This story first appeared in a January stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Back in 2019, Jones played. For Austin Winsbergs musical extravaganza, Ulrich was asked to put together a cast that could sing, dance and pretend none of it is really happening. Casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have worked on "Better Call Saul" and "The Walking Dead," say: "You tell where casting directors are making the effort. She was the lead casting director on this one and what she did was really take actors that are known for one thing and respect them and the breath of their talent and say, Im going to try something else here. It seems that reboots are a dime a dozen these days. The cast of Gotham. 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. Bruce and Lizzie were thrilled with him. Kay says, I met with [showrunners Jemaine Clement and Paul Simms] in the beginning, and they were like, You know, just bring us good faces. Sharon Bialy: I mean, I watch the whole thing. 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. Now in the shows 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. Its definitely a world that were extremely interested in.. 2006 2023 Oscar Predictions Who Are the Oscar Voters? We have to experience the duality of his life, and that heartbreak, and the choices he makes., I remember in the audition process, the actors had to say to Mississippi how they could take care of her abusive boyfriend, Ingram recalls. For the vampire mockuseries What We Do in the Shadows, nominees Gayle Keller, Jenny Lewis and Sara Kay find themselves looking for actors who dont look like typical actors. Fuck yeah!. Through conversation and through hearing about what the role is about in detail and where it will go, the list gets smaller and smaller. 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. We actually hit the limit of how many emails Gmail can accept in a day. After Kaling posted the open call on her social media and more than 13,000 submissions poured in, the duo discovered Toronto-based, then-17-year-old Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. Unsurprisingly, the series' casting directors are Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have each been nominated for seven Emmy Awards for casting. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. Hes coming in this week. . Sharon Bialy: I think theres going to be a hybrid. Luca was intrigued [by Alice] and it seemed like a great match. Sherry Thomas: Well, its crazy. Everybody knows he is a wonderful actor. I think she had auditioned for Rocky Horror Picture Show several years before, so I knew she could sing. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? So, there you have it. Being in the room with actors is so exciting, especially when youre discovering talent. I started exploring acting once I got to LA and met a casting director named Victoria Burrows, who kind of took me under her wing. He once told me, Youre weird too. . 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. AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? 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. Bradley Whitford @BradleyWhitford 10 months ago. Were just gonna shove everybody out of the way! Theres a lot of complexity to the role and we needed someone funny. It was really sort of a meeting of the minds and people coming together on the choices. 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. Sauls Rhea Seehorn was one they called in many times before she booked the key Kim Wexler role. I dont have to deal with traffic or anything like that, but being in the room, I totally miss. Hes being very humble right now, but it took a lot of strategizing and basically producing. I knew that Mary could sing. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. Yahya took a leap of faith. She was channeling her own mother, is what she told us. He just had a great rawness and innocence., As Sams older brother Craig, Corey had not had any experience. You were also nominated for your work on the third season of The Handmaids Tale. 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. After appearing in two films, Loving (1970) and Rio Lobo (1970), Sherry decided to leave the acting field. Our approach to that is a direct line of communication. Weve been able to give multiple women over a certain age really complex material. She was kind of in my head when I read it. All Rights Reserved. Toothpicks and blue jeans. And thats part of our job is to continue education. But then she had also read with us on Danny McBrides Vice Principles. For the full interview, check out the video below or on YouTube. Oftentimes you have to stay on your leading guy because other actors cant hold [their own]., The challenge is getting that first person of well-known stature to say yes, then you build from there, says Thomas. Did it make your job easier or was it challenging having actors come in with a preconceived notion of what the show should be? Learn how your comment data is processed. When we got the initial call we looked at each other, and were like Isnt he dead? Like everyone else on the planet we love her. Its going to be hard for us because we love to be in the room with them. 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. You also have to believe that that actor is capable of things you havent seen them do before. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. Interview: Jeremy Davis on Playing Olaf in Frozen, Costume Mishaps and Making the Role His Own, Interview: Casting Director Kim Coleman on Five Days at Memorial, Self-Tape Tips and Portraying Real People, Interview: David Christopher Wells on His Role in To Kill a Mockingbird, Being an Understudy and Getting His MFA, Interview: Clifton Collins Jr. and Molly Parker on Jockey, Research and Bad Auditions, Ted Lasso Star Phil Dunster on How He Got the Role of Jamie Tartt, Theres No Such Thing As Chemistry In Acting. Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. So weve always cast in a broad, worldly way. Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. [Tatiana is] someone we really believed in and highly recommended to Tim and the producers., [Gayle was] the only one who read, Thomas says. It is one of our most rewarding jobs., [John McEnroe] was in the original script, and I remember nobody was dealing with it. I get told all the time that I remind people of Melissa McCarthy. 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. For Season 2 of Handmaids, we were surprised with Sydney Sweeney [as Eden]. (photo: Mark Seliger/FOX) Welcome to tvDownload's " Ask a Casting Director ," a new series in which we talk to the men and women . 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. And he even was like, Im not right for this, but Im here. So, you give each actor more of an opportunity to really get the role in some ways. She had a feeling I was going to end up in casting, but I wasnt so sure at the time. A lot have to be able to do comedy, drama, all of it.. One thing I love about casting this show is that its not just a lot of offers. And tonally, youd had to have both here. It felt like he was going to be her enemy the whole time, Greenstein says of Lewisons character, Ben Gross. 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. From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. ST: I think this year is so off kilter. We had lots of auditions. 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. 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. If someone made a series about your life story, which actor would you cast to play the role of Sherry Thomas? We would give a little context of the tone. She had to go to some places and the work was beautiful. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. Sorry I had to jump in because he is very humble! I can tell you that after 22 years of covering the Oscars that they are mostly meaningless. When Breaking Bad started, we really rebelled and kept looking for stand-up actors. I think we got to try. And she says, You feel really passionately about 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. We knew her, but I wouldnt say that a lot of people knew her, Greenstein adds. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. With Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd attached to it, if I went in for an audition, Id automatically think, this was like a more comedic sort of thing. For 'The. And it isnt so much that we only do dramas, we love comedies. 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 Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. We wanted the fans to believe this, too, like, Oh my God, hes so cute. All rights reserved. Its all so seamless, though, that you cant see any of those divisions in his performance. Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. And I think you can do that because you have more time, youre at home. Seriously. But filling the role of a Sherman Oaks-grown teenager of South Asian heritage proved harder than expected. Listen, come to my office and Ill do your hair youll be fine. It has this sense of urgency that I love and the tangible aspect of running a business, but then theres also the creative side of it. I love it you all sound like youre very close casting partners! But what the self-taping does is give so many more people opportunities because we can see 25 actors for a role. And if an actor does the wrong choice and they come in the room, you can easily give them direction and play with it and get them more relaxed and support them. Thomas says of the then-not-so-well-known Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, I kind of always knew Yahya was it. I think a lot of people have made that shift in their mentality. John Ennis is a character actor weve known for a long time and he was amazing as the exterminator. 2023 Gold Derby Media, LLC. RT: Can we just put Rhea Seehorn in here? Sherry Thomas (I) Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sherry Thomas was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA. DEAD TO ME - Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Sharon Bialy, Alyssa Morris (Associate) Jonathan [Masons employer], was the first one. I appreciate that insight into collaborating with such a talented multi-hyphenate. I think in this particular project that Georgia [Pritchetts] writing was incredible, and the tone was on the page, but still it helped. And now jumping to present day, congrats are in order regarding the recent Emmy nomination you received with Sharon Bialy for your teams work casting Barry. Im fully vaxed. Boom. Gohar Gazazyan, Casting Director. But he also, as himself, has a real confidence and a unique and very modern feel, which I think really lends itself to Fraser. The testing was very rigorous and I think production did such an amazing job with what they had to accomplish in the way that they had to accomplish it. Jonathans secretary. The Shield was my favorite show at the time, and its still in my top five. 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. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. 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. Weve been bringing him in and casting him for some time, so he was somebody right from the start. Get our L.A. You really want to buy into that environment. RT: I looked for her name before I even looked for ours. Id read about her ability, Ulrich says of the Oscar winner, a prolific singer-songwriter. Russell Scott: The show is a comedy, but tonally it is pretty tricky because its also a mystery. The process when we started of course is making lists. I think actors dont think it happens, and it does. We thought wed cast an unknown. Sharon Bialy: Also, because sometimes youre only getting a couple of pages, so you have to guess and when youre in the room, we can give you context. I would own my own version of a Drybar. The Emmys may be in September but its never too early to look out for potential nominees, including Succession, Schitts Creek and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Facebook Icon. I hope she never sees us. Our job is to hopefully bring her people that she doesnt know yet. 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. 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 think thats a really good note. Then, I go through my notes and consider actors that I love, as well as some new actors. And I have now grown to see what a great dramatic actor he is, in the role of Zoeys brother, says Ulrich. Photo Credit: Deanna Baldwin Boyd, courtesy of Sherry Thomas. Wow. And then they would audition and then we would present the people that we really felt were the most right for it. Natalies name came up at the very beginning, and she is someone who Liz liked but we were originally told she wasnt available. So youll see Breaking Bad is peppered with stand-up guys doing their first drama., Join the fiery discussion of Breaking Bad in our forums, Thomas added, But really what we just love to do is great material and hire really interesting actors. Production was able to move around a lot of stuff, he says. And were really fing funny! And at that time, there were not vaccination mandates in place. 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? Mindy did, probably, because she had her on The Mindy Project. A lot of it is having support. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. A lot of offices have become that even prior to pandemic, to COVID, but thats just never been the way that we like to generate the work. It has all come down to this, friends. But this is definitely a collaboration between Jack and Luca, and who teenagers are today, in this moment., [The character of Sam Pratchett] was really about mixing and matching with whoever [would be playing his girlfriend] Caitlin. We are very passionate about not pigeonholing actors. Craig Fincannon (Location Casting Director) 2010 Nominee Artios Award: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama Breaking Bad (2008) Shared with: Sharon Bialy. Theyre opposite sides of a coin., Skyler has an exuberance that is hard to describe, Ingram says. AD: The second season also featured two major guest stars in Frances Conroy and Katey Sagal. 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. #LucindaSyson #TheoPark #SherryThomas SharonBialy #CastingDirectorsQ&A with casting directors from several Apple TV+ series; Lucinda Syson (Foundation), Theo. Sharon and I have been business partners for 25 years, and were very inserted in each others lives at this point. And I said, Yeah, I really feel like it could be really cool, and okay, great. Unless it is really not Theres a couple things going into play. He is fantastic. Sometimes Clement will become inspired by the actors. It was the biggest casting search weve ever done in our career, says Daniel. 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.. But now that the show has cooked its last batch of blue meth and said goodbye to the Albuquerque sunset, Bialy and Thomas finally heard their names called on nominations morning, along with Kiira Arai, in the Best Drama Casting category. I dont see it. ST: Our goal will always be to safely get back in the room with actors. Natalie Morales, left, joined the cast of Dead to Me in Season 2 as the love interest for Linda Cardellini. What is the craziest audition story that you have? 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. Its hard to pick just a handful of credits that cover the breadth and depth of Sherry Thomas casting rsum. 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. Did you specify that in the breakdowns or did you have to redirect people? 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. Thats what it is all about. And then there were some people that we redirected and from the day players up to our more significant roles that were prominent in the piece. We had read her for The Handmaids Tale one season, and we had read her for an independent movie that was a really deep and layered character. 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. I have no history with her. That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. As an art form, acting is often viewed as a personal endeavor. 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. Christina Applegate has done amazing dramatic work on the show, but she has largely been known as a comedic actor. Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sharon Bialy is known for Rudy (1993), The Handmaid's Tale (2017) and Barry (2018).