But oddly enough, on this show, because on others, we have done producer callbacks over Zoom, we didnt do any. You learn what you want to change moving forward. When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. Primetime Emmy Awards. Sherry Thomas: Yeah, it was. Jonathan [Masons employer], was the first one. At the time, there wasnt really a choice you had to prove yourself at work by being at your desk. 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. Its also a thriller. Were just gonna have a great time.. We were so touched that people were really moved by the show and actually watched it. Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. Our job is to connect with people to bring out the best performance. Moderated by Mara Webster, In Creative Company. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The 2020 Emmys are closer than you think. 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 . Sharon Bialy: There are always challenges, but this season there were a couple of roles that caused some particular challenges. 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. Join Facebook to connect with Sherry Thomas Lane and others you may know. [Tatiana is] someone we really believed in and highly recommended to Tim and the producers., [Gayle was] the only one who read, Thomas says. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. The others laugh a little. Our job is to hopefully bring her people that she doesnt know yet. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? ST: Russell worked very, very hard on that. WEBN Reporter Ali Inglese sat down with "Breaking Bad" Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Quickly send your headshot and resume to hundreds of casting directors, agents, and managers. Michael Ordoa covers film and television for the Los Angeles Times. That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. Im always thrilled when stunt casting works, because people immediately feel a sense of connection by knowing somebody from the past, he says. Theyre opposite sides of a coin., Skyler has an exuberance that is hard to describe, Ingram says. 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. Sometimes the nomination day is like Christmas morning, but this year we completely forgot. We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. I think Mindy had said she ran into him at a Vanity Fair party and said something to him. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. By Vinnie Mancuso 12/30/15 10:00am. Im not saying he is like Fraser, because that was never our feeling. If life begins at conception, why aren't Republicans making sure that the men who cause pregnancies take any responsibility? 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. 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. Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sharon Bialy is known for Rudy (1993), The Handmaid's Tale (2017) and Barry (2018). It was the biggest casting search weve ever done in our career, says Daniel. 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. She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. We got so many emails from agents asking, Where did you find these actors? Everybody was blown away, says Greenstein. RS: We went through that entire process and read a lot of people. He once told me, Youre weird too. . Im in LA. 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. As continuing shows, all three series have established universes and tones, says Thomas. We were finding choices and some incredible singers, but it just clicked when it became Alex. When we circled back, I remember looking at the date and I was like, Holy shit, I think shes available. , Theres an assuredness to Sister Alice that the audience has to buy because she believes [her evangelism] so strongly, Bialy says. With self-tapes and zoom callbacks. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. Finding actors that can understand the unique tone of the show, one that balances gut-wrenching trauma with unexpected comedy, is an intricate task. Learn how your comment data is processed. Casting Yvonne Strahovskis mother, we needed someone who could be formidable. And he even was like, Im not right for this, but Im here. My partner Sherry Thomas, who casts the show with me, and I have a history of colorblind casting, so we're always looking for the best actor. 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 think thats a really good note. Production was able to move around a lot of stuff, he says. After appearing in two films, Loving (1970) and Rio Lobo (1970), Sherry decided to leave the acting field. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. 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. RS: It was a very extensive search. 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]. And thats part of our job is to continue education. And I also just love her as a person. We really kind of leave it up to the actor. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. The second it became Alex, I ran with it, pushed it, said its a way to really enlighten the world. 2023 Gold Derby Media, LLC. 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. For the full interview, check out the video below or on YouTube. I dont want to make it sound so righteous, but I think it was just a good, interesting, and different way to go. 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. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. Like everyone else on the planet we love her. They have to be funny and in the moment with so few lines, and that is such a hard thing to do. And I think you can do that because you have more time, youre at home. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. But what they don't realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might . So, I didnt necessarily find casting it found me. 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. I was doing a virtual Pilates class when I got a text from Christina that said, Congrats lady! In the meantime, make your predictions for Best Drama Series below the interview using our easy drag-and-drop menu. 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. Casting Director. Sharon Bialy: And it was the hardest thing in the world to not be hysterical, laughing when she wrote, I meant Michael Imperioli. And then we had to go through the audition and Im biting my lip so that I laugh. He just had a great rawness and innocence., As Sams older brother Craig, Corey had not had any experience. Sherry Thomas is represented by the brilliant Kristin Nelson of . The bar has been set and we set it for ourselves as creative people with high standards. And, Id imagine, completely challenging. 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. 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. Year Program Casting Network Sign up to get must-read entertainment headlines and audition advice delivered to your inbox every weekday. 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. Being in the room with actors is so exciting, especially when youre discovering talent. It seems that reboots are a dime a dozen these days. Then, I go through my notes and consider actors that I love, as well as some new actors. RT: I looked for her name before I even looked for ours. Its not recent, but it is really funny. 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. [Niccos] brilliant, says Hopkins. The process when we started of course is making lists. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. What is the craziest audition story that you have? (photo: Mark Seliger/FOX) Welcome to tvDownload's " Ask a Casting Director ," a new series in which we talk to the men and women . We were like, Wait, did we just see somebody who literally has zero acting experience and was that great? says Brett Greenstein. Shes amazing with hair, and I have a love for it, too. Photo Credit: Deanna Baldwin Boyd, courtesy of Sherry Thomas. 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? There were large party scenes, and large office scenes, and so you had to be very, very careful. Required fields are marked *. ST: I think this year is so off kilter. 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. Thats what it is all about. 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. When you read that someone is meant to be beautiful, what does Luca think beautiful is? says Cuba. Oscars 2023: Just How Many Oscars Will Everything, Everywhere All at Once Win? 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. 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Stars Sharon Bialy Theo Park Lucinda Syson See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo Top cast She is known for Breaking Bad (2008), Barry (2018) and The Handmaid's Tale (2017). She cites the scenes with Mark Proksch as energy vampire Colin Robinson in his workplace. 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. Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? You might look at the character of Lil Murda and think you know this person, but you dont. All rights reserved. You really want to buy into that environment. 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? We thought wed cast an unknown. 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. It has all come down to this, friends. Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaid's Tale may first come to mind. 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. So, to be able to support her in a role like this, where she really gets to show what she can do as an actress and the layers and the levels that she has and that she is nuanced, is its exciting. The vampire mockumentary series was a surprise Emmys 2020 comedy series nominee, but dont look for hidden meaning behind the fun, say its writers. Russell Scott, Casting Director. Its great to virtually meet you, Sherry, and lets kick things off right at the beginning of your career. From encouraging this writer about her questionable hair choices to estimating how many times shes forgotten to pick her kids up from school, Thomas candor in our interview provided an intriguing look into the person behind all the casting credits. The cast of Gotham. 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. Thomas called Sweeney wise and mature beyond her years. 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. He doesnt necessarily work with people twice in a row, so we didnt immediately go to Regina, says Thomas. Shes the real deal.. And then they would audition and then we would present the people that we really felt were the most right for it. We wanted to see her because we were such huge fans from all the things that shes done, especially The Night Of. 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. John Lithgow, for E.B. Sharon Bialy: Sometimes well know somebody really well and have them read and literally in two lines, Im like, thats it, shes the one. [Tim] talks about the spirit and the soul of the actor marrying with the spirit and the soul of the character, says Thomas. AD: This wasnt your only nomination this year. 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. 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. 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) 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. Through conversation and through hearing about what the role is about in detail and where it will go, the list gets smaller and smaller. We rely so heavily on the loudness, and the shoutiness, and the calling out ideas and really kind of collaborating in that way. . Personnel: Sharon Bialy, Casting Director. 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.. And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. We knew her, but I wouldnt say that a lot of people knew her, Greenstein adds. Co-Owner Bialy Thomas & Assoc. 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. When Breaking Bad started, we really rebelled and kept looking for stand-up actors. I think she had auditioned for Rocky Horror Picture Show several years before, so I knew she could sing. He fell in love with doing the show. Weve been bringing him in and casting him for some time, so he was somebody right from the start. Christina Applegate has done amazing dramatic work on the show, but she has largely been known as a comedic actor. 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. 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. #LucindaSyson #TheoPark #SherryThomas SharonBialy #CastingDirectorsQ&A with casting directors from several Apple TV+ series; Lucinda Syson (Foundation), Theo. This website uses cookies. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. How did you guys bring her on? That is such a skill, and one I wish I had. Hes being very humble right now, but it took a lot of strategizing and basically producing. What she did to prepare for that role was incredible. RT: Can we just put Rhea Seehorn in here? 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. Livin' the dream. Weve read her over the years and have been a fan of hers, says Daniel of the role Moorjani eventually landed, as the cousin who initially inspires envy in Devi. That openheartedness that Gidget needed to have, Skyler innately has., J. 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. Deadline Media, Get our free, urgent prediction updates and news, 9 Emmy nominees you didnt know were already on Netflix: , Leaderboards: See All Past Prediction Accuracy Scores, Leaderboards: Best Prediction Accuracy Scores for Film, TV and Music Awards, Leaderboards: Best TV Show Predictions by Gold Derby Users, Find a User or Expert / Download Gold Derbys Free, New App. So, I was working with Shawn Ryan and Sharon was working with David Mamet, I mean, it was like a big deal. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. 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. 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). 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. Although the self Read More, Your email address will not be published. gofund.me/2fffe14f Posts Reels Videos Tagged Search Log In Sign Up Did you specify that in the breakdowns or did you have to redirect people? Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. 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. There was somebody we just couldnt hire recently that is absolutely not known for comedy. There would be years where people would be like, Where did you get all these drug addicts? . Were just gonna shove everybody out of the way! And I write on something next to me, I had Michael Imperioli in my head. AD: I imagine one of the more interesting challenges of that character is finding someone who can believably portray someone who has both dated Ana (Diana-Maria Riva) and Judy. AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? He was tied to a play in New York., Jemaine does that so much, says Kay. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. 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.
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