Press Esc to cancel. Primetime Emmy Awards. 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.. I dont see it. In a COVID and post-COVID world do you think youre job will permanently change? Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series And my sister has had her own salon for about 35 years now its called the Hairspace Salon in Easthampton, Massachusetts. In person its almost distracting how gorgeous she is, says Ingram. 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. Hes not afraid to try things. Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas 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. You guys cast this while everything was locked down. Luckily he did. But then she had also read with us on Danny McBrides Vice Principles. 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. When we got the initial call we looked at each other, and were like Isnt he dead? We didnt want someone who would be instantly recognizable to the world. [Tatiana is] someone we really believed in and highly recommended to Tim and the producers., [Gayle was] the only one who read, Thomas says. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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. At some point Sherry suggested Katey Sagal. Okay. It was really about getting Devi and her mother cast, as they are the heart of the story, says Greenstein. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. 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. 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. Did it make your job easier or was it challenging having actors come in with a preconceived notion of what the show should be? ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. 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. She is known for Breaking Bad (2008), Barry (2018) and The Handmaid's Tale (2017). As long as the work doesnt suffer, why cant we also participate in the lives of our kids? 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. By Vinnie Mancuso 12/30/15 10:00am. 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. I get told all the time that I remind people of Melissa McCarthy. From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. All of the shows we do from The Walking Dead to Better Call Saul to The Righteous Gemstones are all over the country. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys So now, if I leave at one oclock today [at time of interview] to go pick up my kids from camp, its OK. You really want to buy into that environment. Its about finding complex and compelling actors that can bring nuance even to comedy. 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. Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. AppleTV+ Casting Director Panel with Lucinda Syson, Theo Park, Sherry Sharon Bialy: I think thats a really good note. All Rights Reserved. Hes daring. 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 wrote a brief commentary of why there was only one Emily Dodson [mother of kidnapped boy]. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He was a great audition, for sure, but he also really interested Luca as a person. Hes a very soulful actor and person, and his craft is unbelievable. It was fun to be able to draw on somebody that I had thought was so talented for so long.. 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. A lot have to be able to do comedy, drama, all of it.. Hes coming in this week. . Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys 1 win & 41 nominations total Photos Known for Rudy 7.5 Casting Director 1993 The Handmaid's Tale 8.4 I would own my own version of a Drybar. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The 2020 Emmys are closer than you think. Sherry Thomas Lane is on Facebook. 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. Type above and press Enter to search. 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. So, I love self-tapes. 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 had to make sure all of the players were lined up, and from there, it was a lot of immediate yess. 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. You always want to work with people who inspire you and who you can learn from, and Bill is one of those people. 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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. Yahya took a leap of faith. 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. Twitter Icon And before we wrap, can you share your secret for managing work/life balance? Then there are recent series like Vanessa Bayers I Love That for You and Danny McBrides The Righteous Gemstones. Its going to be hard for us because we love to be in the room with them. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. If its a co-star role and its one scene, a few lines, two takes. But oddly enough, on this show, because on others, we have done producer callbacks over Zoom, we didnt do any. No, but it made me feel like just more confident. Sherry Thomas. 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. We needed him to feel younger than the other boys, other than Jack. Shes just perfect. He is so wonderful. Im fully vaxed. Boom. 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. The second it became Alex, I ran with it, pushed it, said its a way to really enlighten the world. Creator Katori Hall made a short film of her intended pilot that featured several castmembers, but the search still encompassed thousands of auditions and extensive chemistry reads. Was that hard at all? 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. So, I got that part covered. Defying past portrayals of female friendship on television, Dead To Me enamoredaudiences with its unexpected casting choices of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. I think we got to try. And she says, You feel really passionately about it. He hadnt done anything either. When you work in television and when you work with really great material, you do get excited for this time of year. Listen, come to my office and Ill do your hair youll be fine. Kids is the movie that made me recognize that this was something I could do, and the first movie I did on my own as a casting director was a movie called Bully, which was by the same director as Kids [Larry Clark]. And thats part of our job is to continue education. Theyre opposite sides of a coin., Skyler has an exuberance that is hard to describe, Ingram says. For 'The. And then when I did it, you kind of jumped up in your chair. Sherry Thomas: Fortunately, I feel like everybody did a little bit of research, which was interesting. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. Backstage provides its members with the best tools to grow their careers in the performing arts. 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. 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. 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. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. She even officiated when my husband and I were married. A lot of times in these teenage parts, you have 20-year-olds playing 15, and that wasnt the case, says Cuba, who wanted the coming-of-age roles to be occupied by fresh faces. Get ready with our TV viewers guide, Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, The Buzzmeter: Our experts predict the 2020 Emmy winners - and so can you, The secret to What We Do in the Shadows success? You also have to believe that that actor is capable of things you havent seen them do before. He felt just perfect for Bruce. One day, Damon said, Hey, theres this guy, Yahya! I went, Yeah. Casting Yvonne Strahovskis mother, we needed someone who could be formidable. 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. Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. Oscars 2023: Just How Many Oscars Will Everything, Everywhere All at Once Win? 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. And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) But going into the second season, the world knows the show, and we dont have to explain what it is. Bialy, Thomas and Russell Scott are nominated twice this year, for Dead to Me along with Handmaids Tale. Another of their shows, Better Call Saul, now has 11 acting nominations. He fell in love with doing the show. Everybody knows he is a wonderful actor. We had readings for that part. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. We rely so heavily on the loudness, and the shoutiness, and the calling out ideas and really kind of collaborating in that way. 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. His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. With Tyler as Diamond, when you see him experience that, you dont question whether or not thats his truth., We all loved [Harriett] from the beginning. It sounds like you didnt look back after the job found you. Were lucky., I was a giant fan of Janes for many, many years, from Suburgatory, Robert J. Ulrich says of the lead actress whose Zoey can see and hear what others are feeling via fantasy musical numbers. And he even was like, Im not right for this, but Im here. She was kind of in my head when I read it. Often times we are reading more people for those roles than anything else. 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. I recently got a perm, Sherry, and its been a real challenge. We will never, ever be an office that is strictly self-taped. Someone was really good when they read for Better Call Saul, a drama, but theres something there. 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. Sharon Bialy & Sherry Thomas Q&A: 'Breaking Bad' casting And also, it was shot in LA, in Los Angeles, so everything is large and on a big scale. Natalies name came up at the very beginning, and she is someone who Liz liked but we were originally told she wasnt available. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. Our job is to connect with people to bring out the best performance. Sherry Thomas Says Casting Directors Are Therapists, Too Casting Directors From 'Never Have I Ever,' 'Zoey's Extraordinary Casting just felt right for me. Back in 2019, Jones played. 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. 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. You can see a number of actors for an audition before that one person comes in, and everything just clicks. And I write on something next to me, I had Michael Imperioli in my head. Photo Credit: Deanna Baldwin Boyd, courtesy of Sherry Thomas. She cites the scenes with Mark Proksch as energy vampire Colin Robinson in his workplace. Stacia Kimler, Casting . In this case, its Jane, only in the fact that the public did not know that she was a singer. She had to go to some places and the work was beautiful. 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. Sherry Thomas, Casting Director. But I dont believe she had ever been a series regular before. #LucindaSyson #TheoPark #SherryThomas SharonBialy #CastingDirectorsQ&A with casting directors from several Apple TV+ series; Lucinda Syson (Foundation), Theo. Thats what I did back in 2012 after my second daughter was born. Sherry Thomas - Awards - IMDb Im always thrilled when stunt casting works, because people immediately feel a sense of connection by knowing somebody from the past, he says. Hes being very humble right now, but it took a lot of strategizing and basically producing. 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. 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. ST: I think this year is so off kilter. 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. Once we started to figure out that it was Jordan [Kristine Seamn], Ben was a perfect match. We are very, very excited for season three. Sherry Thomas - IMDb Survivor Users Leaderboard Coming Soon! But filling the role of a Sherman Oaks-grown teenager of South Asian heritage proved harder than expected. We can explain things like tone. What can you tell us about the process of assembling the cast for its long-awaited third season? AD: Except for Emmy voters for whatever frustrating reason. It was a surprise to us. He doesnt necessarily work with people twice in a row, so we didnt immediately go to Regina, says Thomas. 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. Jonathan [Masons employer], was the first one. I think within that the process will change a bit. We ultimately will probably only send one take, unless were really questioning We dont edit it ourselves too much sometimes because the producers could come back and say, You know, theyre missing a moment, and thats exactly what was in the other take. And I said, Yeah, I think its going to be really cool and really interesting. In the case of Lawrence Gilliard, that role was. 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 feel like I get him. He goes right to the edge, and it works. Like everyone else on the planet we love her. I forgot to mention Casey Wilson. 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. We put out the offer, and he was on board. 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. 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.. Sauls Rhea Seehorn was one they called in many times before she booked the key Kim Wexler role. ST: Not at all! But if you feel like you want to give it a shot. Shes the real deal.. Let me try it. Liz Feldman has a great knowledge of actors and comedic actors. But it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. 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. So, theres support at every turn, but balancing a family and a career isnt easy. (photo: Mark Seliger/FOX) Welcome to tvDownload's " Ask a Casting Director ," a new series in which we talk to the men and women . ST: Not for us particularly. Sometimes our job is basically that of a casting director/producer. It was the soul of the actor and what [showrunner Bruce Miller] was looking for.. Get our L.A. Casting Directors Help Achieve Diversity in Hollywood - Variety Producer: Indecent Proposal. I knew that Mary could sing. Part of our journey is the process of learning about the actor, says Bialy. Being in the room with actors is so exciting, especially when youre discovering talent. I was doing a virtual Pilates class when I got a text from Christina that said, Congrats lady! 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. 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. 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). We were so touched that people were really moved by the show and actually watched it. Sharon Bialy is on Instagram 782 posts on their profile Sherry Lansing - Biography - IMDb Luca was definitely familiar with his music [as Kid Cudi] and loves it. Bruce and Lizzie were thrilled with him. Sharon Bialy: I think thats the exciting thing about casting, and Ill speak for my partner. Its interesting, because I think what happens to actors often happens to casting directors, Bialy explained. In the meantime, make your predictions for Best Drama Series below the interview using our easy drag-and-drop menu. 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 . And, Id imagine, completely challenging. She was channeling her own mother, is what she told us. Sherry Thomas Lane (@sherrythomaslane) - Instagram Through conversation and through hearing about what the role is about in detail and where it will go, the list gets smaller and smaller. But what they don't realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might . I dont have to deal with traffic or anything like that, but being in the room, I totally miss. But what they dont realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might actually be looking straight into the actors souls. As continuing shows, all three series have established universes and tones, says Thomas. Send it to the producers. 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. You were also nominated for your work on the third season of The Handmaids Tale. The age had to be appropriate so there would be chemistry with Linda. The driving force was that this world felt real, [that] we could see these people living here, Ingram says. When you guys watch a self-tape, how long do you spend on it until you move on. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. 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. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. She gets it. Find out if Bialy and Thomas can win their very first Emmy for Breaking Bad when the Creative Arts Emmys are announced August 16. Then he was totally game to be in the last episode in front of the camera., After co-creator and executive producer Mindy Kaling tweeted an open casting call for series lead Devi Vishwakumar, the casting directors discovered newcomer Ramakrishnan. RT: I looked for her name before I even looked for ours. So he was intrigued. 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. That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. 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. We really kind of leave it up to the actor. New to Casting Networks? It is how we really modulate a performance. She created a book this big between her read with casting and her read with Bruce, of her story as the character. 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 was really sort of a meeting of the minds and people coming together on the choices. Sherry Lansing. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. She has been nominated for eight Emmys (The Handmaid's Tale, Barry, Breaking Bad) and 19 CSA nominations. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. Ask a Casting Director: Sherry Thomas and Gohar Gazazyan of - Observer We would give a little context of the tone. Thomas says of the then-not-so-well-known Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, I kind of always knew Yahya was it. 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.
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