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. We were finding choices and some incredible singers, but it just clicked when it became Alex. And say, Lets try them for this.. We got so many emails from agents asking, Where did you find these actors? Everybody was blown away, says Greenstein. She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. We really kind of leave it up to the actor. Sorry I had to jump in because he is very humble! The second it became Alex, I ran with it, pushed it, said its a way to really enlighten the world. 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. When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. 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. 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. Im pretty sure Im the loudest, so I think whoevers the loudest wins, joked Thomas. Shes just someone Ive been watching. Contact To get in touch with Sherry, use the contact form below or send her an email at sherry @ sherrythomas.com (w/o spaces). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. . It all kind of comes together. 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. He goes right to the edge, and it works. 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. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. DEAD TO ME - Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Sharon Bialy, Alyssa Morris (Associate) Casting Directors From 'Never Have I Ever,' 'Zoey's Extraordinary Everybody knows he is a wonderful actor. For Perry Mason (originally set to star Robert Downey Jr., who serves as executive producer with his wife, Susan), casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas discussed their suggestions for each role with director and executive producer Timothy Van Patten. Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Shes just perfect. She came in for Mo [Zoeys neighbor, played by gender-fluid actor Alex Newell], and everybody remembered her when we were casting [Zoeys sister-in-law] Emily, says Ulrich. Thats how we kept bringing up Natalie Morales. Everything was requested self-tapes, so we would discuss ideas with them for the series regulars, our main players in the piece. And I said, Yeah, I really feel like it could be really cool, and okay, great. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. We rely so heavily on the loudness, and the shoutiness, and the calling out ideas and really kind of collaborating in that way. These casting directors pull back the curtain on the process And it happens. [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. Primetime Emmy Awards. 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. 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. 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. Sherry Lansing. ST: I think this year is so off kilter. Unsurprisingly, the series' casting directors are Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have each been nominated for seven Emmy Awards for casting. Daisy Jones & the Six becomes the first fictional band to hit No. 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. That is such a skill, and one I wish I had. 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. Alice Lee was just a discovery. As an art form, acting is often viewed as a personal endeavor. And it isnt so much that we only do dramas, we love comedies. 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. Natalie Morales, left, joined the cast of Dead to Me in Season 2 as the love interest for Linda Cardellini. Shes the real deal.. This is my first experience with Luca, so the process involved me figuring out how he defines a lot of the things in the script. Your email address will not be published. She and Bialy relied on their stable of talent from decades in the profession. 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. 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. I recently got a perm, Sherry, and its been a real challenge. 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. 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. 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. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The 2020 Emmys are closer than you think. ST: Not at all! When you read that someone is meant to be beautiful, what does Luca think beautiful is? says Cuba. Matthew Dodsons father is not a role he typically plays. You really want to buy into that environment. 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. She had to go to some places and the work was beautiful. Sherry Thomas: Yeah, it was. So, I love self-tapes. Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. AD: The second season also featured two major guest stars in Frances Conroy and Katey Sagal. 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 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. Alphonse is truly an incredibly skilled actor, Ingram says. That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. But if it is a more substantial role with several scenes, two is fine to send to us. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. She created a book this big between her read with casting and her read with Bruce, of her story as the character. 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. 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. 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. And, speaking from first hand experience, they are the best people to audition for. 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. Casting Networks is a registered trademark of Casting Networks, LLC. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. NORTHAMPTON When she was growing up in Florence, Sherry Thomas You guys cast this while everything was locked down. Join Facebook to connect with Sherry Thomas Lane and others you may know. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. Victoria Thomas, who is nominated this year for casting both Insecure (with Matthew Maisto) and Watchmen (with Megan Lewis), said the latter had unusual secrecy concerns: There were dummy sides or fake names on a breakdown. He fell in love with doing the show. Sign up for emails from Casting Networks News. Was that something you were both conscious of when originally casting him? 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. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. I dont think it took an hour for every creative to say, Shes perfect. , The most exciting thing is taking that actor everybody sees one way and flipping expectations, Bialy says. 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. So, there you have it. Defying past portrayals of female friendship on television, Dead To Me enamoredaudiences with its unexpected casting choices of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. It was a surprise to us. Then there are recent series like Vanessa Bayers I Love That for You and Danny McBrides The Righteous Gemstones. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. 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. 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. 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.. I wrote a brief commentary of why there was only one Emily Dodson [mother of kidnapped boy]. AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? We put out the offer, and he was on board. 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. Bialy/Thomas & Associates - Casting Director | Backstage But filling the role of a Sherman Oaks-grown teenager of South Asian heritage proved harder than expected. Sharon Bialy: What a nice way to start the day. I want to get a sense of who they are, and how they handle text, and what they bring to the table in terms of choices, well watch it the whole way through because were educating ourselves. You might look at the character of Lil Murda and think you know this person, but you dont. It is how we really modulate a performance. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Like with Colins office mates; they have like one line here and there and Jemaine said, I need them all back. You dont see loyalty like that a lot.. 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. 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. If life begins at conception, why aren't Republicans making sure that the men who cause pregnancies take any responsibility? Well, Russell was able to work with production to make it happen, adds Thomas. AD: The biggest addition of the second season was the character of Michelle, who is played by Natalie Morales. Hes a very soulful actor and person, and his craft is unbelievable. Were they names you wanted from the beginning, and did you go out of your way to reunite Katey and Christina Applegate? Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas - casting directors HBO: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 2: Cindy Tolan - casting director Amazon: Russian Doll: Season 1: Christine Kromer - casting director Netflix: Veep: Season 7: Dorian Frankel and Sibby Kirchgessner - casting directors HBO: 2020s. And when they feel that support, they just blossom right in front of the camera. Every time we had a conversation or auditioned actresses that werent a perfect fit, Russell would get on the phone and see if her availability changed. Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. But then she had also read with us on Danny McBrides Vice Principles. The Shield was my favorite show at the time, and its still in my top five. Weve been bringing him in and casting him for some time, so he was somebody right from the start. 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. 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. Stacia Kimler, Casting . So, you give each actor more of an opportunity to really get the role in some ways. We are very passionate about not pigeonholing actors. We had readings for that part. 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. Id actually liken it to the audition process. 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. If we cant connect its very hard to do our jobs. 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. Was that hard at all? What can you tell us about the process of assembling the cast for its long-awaited third season? He is so wonderful. Thats what I did back in 2012 after my second daughter was born. But what the self-taping does is give so many more people opportunities because we can see 25 actors for a role. Producer: Indecent Proposal. Gohar Gazazyan, Casting Director. We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. Sherry Thomas: And the show director, Jesse Peretz, just really kind of took everybody and, everybody shines. Sherry Thomas: But everybody was generous and kind. 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.. Im always thrilled when stunt casting works, because people immediately feel a sense of connection by knowing somebody from the past, he says. Shes amazing with hair, and I have a love for it, too. From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. Unless it is really not Theres a couple things going into play. 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. Sherry Thomas: I think it is a little bit of both. 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 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. 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. We didnt want someone who would be instantly recognizable to the world. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Robin Bartlett, we have cast many times and she is, kind of in my brain, there was nobody else for it. Sherry Thomas Says Casting Directors Are Therapists, Too Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas Explain The Art of Casting Exclusive: AMCs Emmy episode submissions for Breaking Bad & Mad Men, Even though Breaking Bad is over, Bialy and Thomas are still involved in that universe thanks to their casting of the spin-off series Better Call Saul. However, Bialy warns us, I cant tell you anything about Better Call Saul. Were sworn to secrecy! Theyre also keeping busy casting Halt and Catch Fire, which just ended its first season on AMC, Foxs upcoming comic-book series Gotham and TVs biggest ratings hit The Walking Dead., Hey, whats with all the dark shows on their resumes? So, even though they might be doing under five lines, theyve got to be able to hold their own. My wife is my reader and shes terrible. 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. 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). Someone was really good when they read for Better Call Saul, a drama, but theres something there. If its a co-star role and its one scene, a few lines, two takes. Once we started to figure out that it was Jordan [Kristine Seamn], Ben was a perfect match. He was pursuing editing work on the side. She had a feeling I was going to end up in casting, but I wasnt so sure at the time. 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. 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. 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? The vampire mockumentary series was a surprise Emmys 2020 comedy series nominee, but dont look for hidden meaning behind the fun, say its writers. ST: Not for us particularly. 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. 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. 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. 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. Thanks, and Ill add that working from home with your kids during the pandemic really shows you what youve been missing out on. Weve been able to give multiple women over a certain age really complex material. Let me try it. Back in 2019, Jones played. And I said, Yeah, I think its going to be really cool and really interesting. Sharon Bialy: I think actors often think, Oh, they only think of me for this. It was fun to be able to draw on somebody that I had thought was so talented for so long.. 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. For Season 2 of Handmaids, we were surprised with Sydney Sweeney [as Eden]. Sherry Thomas: Yep. Do you think you guys will rely on that still? That has been nice because so many of these shows are aged for younger women. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. Sign up to get must-read entertainment headlines and audition advice delivered to your inbox every weekday. But Id love to work with her, so let me just say shed be my choice. In this case, its Jane, only in the fact that the public did not know that she was a singer. She came in and was so natural, so funny. Sherry Thomas - Managing Director, Global Strategic Advisory - Guy 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. After appearing in two films, Loving (1970) and Rio Lobo (1970), Sherry decided to leave the acting field. And one of the first things that we did together as Bialy/Thomas was The Unit with Shawn Ryan and David Mamet and Eric Haney. He was the heart of the show the first season., Andrew is absolutely hilarious. Samira Wiley plays Moira in The Handmaids Tale, a performance that has brought her a third supporting actress Emmy nomination. 'Perry Mason' Casting Directors Reveal the Casting - Daily Actor I have no history with her. Learn more about how we use cookies. 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 Id read about her ability, Ulrich says of the Oscar winner, a prolific singer-songwriter. I had the highest hopes and no idea that he could sing as well as he could sing. Hes daring. Will Dominion-Fox News lawsuit be different? 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. Sharon Bialy - IMDb 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]. So weve always cast in a broad, worldly way. Sherry Lansing - Biography - IMDb Mindy did, probably, because she had her on The Mindy Project. 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. Thats what it is all about. When we got the initial call we looked at each other, and were like Isnt he dead? A lot have to be able to do comedy, drama, all of it.. I feel like I get him. Now, I would never assume that Melissa McCarthy would be so interested in my life that she would say yes to playing me in a series about it. So, I was working with Shawn Ryan and Sharon was working with David Mamet, I mean, it was like a big deal. 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. We were really happy with the outcome of that! I mean, its just, its incredible. 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. He felt just perfect for Bruce. Sherry Thomas is represented by the brilliant Kristin Nelson of . Apple TV+ Casting Director Panel with Lucinda Syson, Theo Park, Sherry For Lady Sherlock series publicity inquiries (media coverage, review copies, and interviews), please contact Tara O'Connor at Penguin Random House We also share information about your use of our website with our social media and web analytics partners. She was kind of in my head when I read it. Sherry Thomas: Fortunately, I feel like everybody did a little bit of research, which was interesting. AD: One of the reasons the show has become so popular is because of the way it straddles this really thin line between comedy and drama in ways we rarely see on television. 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. Keep reading for a window into everything from how she works including her Emmy-nominated casting of Barrys third season to what shed be doing if her chosen profession werent an option. Quickly send your headshot and resume to hundreds of casting directors, agents, and managers. 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. 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