Toothpicks and blue jeans. But going into the second season, the world knows the show, and we dont have to explain what it is. 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. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. Bruce and Lizzie were thrilled with him. I think she had auditioned for Rocky Horror Picture Show several years before, so I knew she could sing. Get our L.A. And at that time, there were not vaccination mandates in place. And when they feel that support, they just blossom right in front of the camera. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaid's Tale may first come to mind. Let me try it. Oscars 2023: Preview and Predictions + Contest! AD: The biggest addition of the second season was the character of Michelle, who is played by Natalie Morales. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. Twitter Icon Instead its all of the supporting players, the day players, because you have to have great actors, the majority of who are in scenes with Christina and Linda. You were also nominated for your work on the third season of The Handmaids Tale. Sharon and I have been business partners for 25 years, and were very inserted in each others lives at this point. He was the heart of the show the first season., Andrew is absolutely hilarious. We were trying to find the perfect person that would excite Liz to the point where she would want to continue writing for if the character came back. Sherry Lansing. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. That was a very, very challenging role, Thomas says of the eager young econowife character who comes to learn just how divorced love and marriage are in the Gilead dystopia. There was something she found the strength in that character, the fearlessness in her eyes., We werent identifying what roles would be people of color, adds her colleague Sherry Thomas. It might help for other projects more so than this, just to get a sense of it when youre in the room with us. Sherry Thomas: But everybody was generous and kind. 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. Hes coming in this week. . Elarica leads more with vulnerability, and Brandee leads more with strength. Sherry Thomas: Ive been a longtime fan of Casey. 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. Sherry Thomas: Theres an energy. And then they would audition and then we would present the people that we really felt were the most right for it. 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. But I dont believe she had ever been a series regular before. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. We didnt want someone who would be instantly recognizable to the world. Those interested in learning more about the stacked list of TV and film titles on her rsum can find them listed on IMDb. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. And from there, we would have further discussion or conversation. Its when I really first started, when I was having a lot of autonomy with Sharon. 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. If life begins at conception, why aren't Republicans making sure that the men who cause pregnancies take any responsibility? Natalies name came up at the very beginning, and she is someone who Liz liked but we were originally told she wasnt available. Part of our journey is the process of learning about the actor, says Bialy. Shes the real deal.. 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? She had to go to some places and the work was beautiful. Okay. When you guys watch a self-tape, how long do you spend on it until you move on. She and Bialy relied on their stable of talent from decades in the profession. Often times we are reading more people for those roles than anything else. Stars Sharon Bialy Theo Park Lucinda Syson See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo Top cast 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. We had to make sure all of the players were lined up, and from there, it was a lot of immediate yess. 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. 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. You really need to find actors who can do all of those things which can be challenging. To say I was enthused was another thing. You guys cast this while everything was locked down. 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. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaids Tale may first come to mind. At some point Sherry suggested Katey Sagal. If we cant connect its very hard to do our jobs. [Showrunner Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, but if he cant really explain it, hell know it when he sees it. [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. I personally just do my best to be as organized as possible and stay present in the moment, taking it one day at a time. 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. Its OK because now youll get great volume when you blow dry it. But Id love to work with her, so let me just say shed be my choice. Despite the mega success of "Breaking Bad" at the Emmys -- including three acting wins for Bryan Cranston, a pair for Aaron Paul and one for Anna Gunn -- casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry . 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. Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? 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. 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.. Were they names you wanted from the beginning, and did you go out of your way to reunite Katey and Christina Applegate? 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. [Niccos] brilliant, says Hopkins. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? After first meeting the Massachusetts native a Masshole as she calls it you may feel as if youve known her for much longer. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. 2023 Oscar Predictions Who Are the Oscar Voters? Top Gun: Maverick, Banshees of Inisherin, All Quiet on the Western Front Win at MPSE. We started back in February of 2020, right before everything shut down, so Covid added some new challenges and parameters that we had to work within. We can explain things like tone. And sometimes the sides are fake. 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. And I said, Yeah, I really feel like it could be really cool, and okay, great. 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. That openheartedness that Gidget needed to have, Skyler innately has., J. 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. Sharon Bialy: I mean, I watch the whole thing. 2023 Casting Networks, LLC. If its a co-star role and its one scene, a few lines, two takes. Christina Applegate has done amazing dramatic work on the show, but she has largely been known as a comedic actor. And also, it was shot in LA, in Los Angeles, so everything is large and on a big scale. One of their latest shows, the wonderful The Shrink Next Door, just finished its run on Apple+ and the pair took some time out of their busy schedule to talk about casting the show, their thoughts and advice on self-tapes and much more! She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. He hadnt done anything either. A lot have to be able to do comedy, drama, all of it.. I mean, I was still completely nervous, but I felt more comfortable in that sort of nervousness. We are very, very excited for season three. 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. And then, Sherry, you redirected me to do something. That makes sense. Stacia Kimler, Casting . You also have to believe that that actor is capable of things you havent seen them do before. And thats part of our job is to continue education. 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. For Season 2 of Handmaids, we were surprised with Sydney Sweeney [as Eden]. He is fantastic. 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. When you read that someone is meant to be beautiful, what does Luca think beautiful is? says Cuba. RS: A lot of times those small roles are the hardest to cast. That is such a skill, and one I wish I had. 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. We all miss it. This weekend, we'll hear from three more guilds: the ACE (Eddie Awards), the ASC, and the WGA. 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. Sign up to get must-read entertainment headlines and audition advice delivered to your inbox every weekday. We had readings for that part. So theres some benefits to both. Learn how your comment data is processed. So he was intrigued. Personnel: Sharon Bialy, Casting Director. We put out the offer, and he was on board. Natalie Morales, left, joined the cast of Dead to Me in Season 2 as the love interest for Linda Cardellini. 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. [Tim] talks about the spirit and the soul of the actor marrying with the spirit and the soul of the character, says Thomas. While leaving no stone unturned in his search for the perfect San Francisco enclave, Ulrich ended up with more than a few recognizable names of both stage and screen in key roles. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It was the biggest casting search weve ever done in our career, says Daniel. 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. Jeremy O. Harris was cast in a small role in FXs What We Do in the Shadows. Co-showrunner Jemaine Clement then wrote an episode just for him. Her emotional depth and ability, in the scene, to always find the deepest but most surprising way to play it, is amazing and then to be able to sing on top of it. Sharon Bialy: I think thats the exciting thing about casting, and Ill speak for my partner. I dont have to deal with traffic or anything like that, but being in the room, I totally miss. There would be years where people would be like, Where did you get all these drug addicts? . And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles. Production was able to move around a lot of stuff, he says. It was really sort of a meeting of the minds and people coming together on the choices. I mean, its just, its incredible. RT: Can we just put Rhea Seehorn in here? And thanks for sharing about the magic of working with the person who not only co-created the show, but who also produces, writes, directs, and stars in it. It was fun to be able to draw on somebody that I had thought was so talented for so long.. Once we started to figure out that it was Jordan [Kristine Seamn], Ben was a perfect match. Its also an emotional drama. Weve been bringing him in and casting him for some time, so he was somebody right from the start. AD: Except for Emmy voters for whatever frustrating reason.