ST: Not for us particularly. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. 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. 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. Sorry I had to jump in because he is very humble! Bradley Whitford @BradleyWhitford 10 months ago. 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. But who to play the enigmatic Dr. Manhattan? This story first appeared in a January stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Learn more about how we use cookies. You also have to believe that that actor is capable of things you havent seen them do before. Sometimes Clement will become inspired by the actors. But Id love to work with her, so let me just say shed be my choice. Thats what I did back in 2012 after my second daughter was born. We got so many emails from agents asking, Where did you find these actors? Everybody was blown away, says Greenstein. When we got the initial call we looked at each other, and were like Isnt he dead? 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. Backstage provides its members with the best tools to grow their careers in the performing arts. 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. And tonally, youd had to have both here. Fuck yeah!. With self-tapes and zoom callbacks. You dont have to drive an hour and a half to two hours for an audition when youre getting the pages two or three days before. RS: We went through that entire process and read a lot of people. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. The process when we started of course is making lists. We really kind of leave it up to the actor. We wanted to see her because we were such huge fans from all the things that shes done, especially The Night Of. She has been nominated for eight Emmys (The Handmaid's Tale, Barry, Breaking Bad) and 19 CSA nominations. And I said, Yeah, I really feel like it could be really cool, and okay, great. How did you end up finding her for the role? As long as the work doesnt suffer, why cant we also participate in the lives of our kids? 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. We had to make sure all of the players were lined up, and from there, it was a lot of immediate yess. 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. 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. As a freelance writer for me at Modern Luxury, NS magazine, Sherry pitched and wrote creative . 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. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. Type above and press Enter to search. 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. 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 Thomas have been mysteriously overlooked by the TV Academy year after year. Better Call Saul, were not even allowed to give you anything. He is fantastic. 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. 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. In the case of Lawrence Gilliard, that role was. You guys cast this while everything was locked down. 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. Sharon Bialy: I think thats the exciting thing about casting, and Ill speak for my partner. Its not recent, but it is really funny. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. For the full interview, check out the video below or on YouTube. Sherry Thomas: Fortunately, I feel like everybody did a little bit of research, which was interesting. 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) And I said, Yeah, I think its going to be really cool and really interesting. That has been nice because so many of these shows are aged for younger women. 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. Luckily he did. Mercedes is the one who draws all the crowds into The Pynk, so you have to have someone that has this magnetism about them., Oh, what can you say? Sauls Rhea Seehorn was one they called in many times before she booked the key Kim Wexler role. But it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. If someone made a series about your life story, which actor would you cast to play the role of Sherry Thomas? Toothpicks and blue jeans. Hes daring. Alice Lee was just a discovery. Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. Robin Bartlett, we have cast many times and she is, kind of in my brain, there was nobody else for it. If its a co-star role and its one scene, a few lines, two takes. It's a game A Tale of Two Cities One City: The BAFTA voters chose to give just one award to Everything, Everywhere All 2023 Golden Reel Award Sound Editorial Winners Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing Feature Dialogue / ADR The Banshees of 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme. 2023 Oscar Predictions Who Are the Oscar Voters? 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. 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. He was the heart of the show the first season., Andrew is absolutely hilarious. 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. Sometimes the nomination day is like Christmas morning, but this year we completely forgot. And he even was like, Im not right for this, but Im here. Natalie [Morales] was someone [showrunner Liz Feldman] had in mind from the beginning, but she was working on a movie. 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. However, theres a great deal of team Read More, Two in five Australians between the ages of 16 and 85 experience a mental disorder at some time in Read More, From college basketball tournaments to St. Pattys Day, the new month is synonymous with more than a few events. Read More, I believe there is some anxiety in the air over the expectations for commercial self tapes. It was the soul of the actor and what [showrunner Bruce Miller] was looking for.. Elarica leads more with vulnerability, and Brandee leads more with strength. He goes right to the edge, and it works. Send it to the producers. 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. So, I didnt necessarily find casting it found me. We are very, very excited for season three. 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. One thing I love about casting this show is that its not just a lot of offers. Hes being very humble right now, but it took a lot of strategizing and basically producing. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. Once we started to figure out that it was Jordan [Kristine Seamn], Ben was a perfect match. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Thats a fantastic pick! Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. 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. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. [Showrunner Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, but if he cant really explain it, hell know it when he sees it. Instagram Icon Thats why the character [club owner Uncle Clifford] is so exciting and real because Nicco is willing to take those risks., Shannon [as dancer Keyshawn] is shockingly gorgeous. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. Sherry Thomas Lane is on Facebook. 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? 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. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. Stacia Kimler, Casting . 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. 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. 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. 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. Get our L.A. Its OK because now youll get great volume when you blow dry it. Do you think you guys will rely on that still? Its great to virtually meet you, Sherry, and lets kick things off right at the beginning of your career. Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sharon Bialy is known for Rudy (1993), The Handmaid's Tale (2017) and Barry (2018). Id read about her ability, Ulrich says of the Oscar winner, a prolific singer-songwriter. 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. But Cornell Womack, hes a pro, we know him. I feel like I get him. 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! Press Esc to cancel. 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. Shes just perfect. 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. He was pursuing editing work on the side. 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But what they dont realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might actually be looking straight into the actors souls. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. At that point, I feel like Ive got it I know who the character is. You do a drama and they say you can only do drama. At the time [we started casting], she was working with one of my best friends on What/If, and I was hearing a lot about her and how she would sing karaoke. What is the craziest audition story that you have? And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles. 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. Your email address will not be published. That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. Find out if Bialy and Thomas can win their very first Emmy for Breaking Bad when the Creative Arts Emmys are announced August 16. We went back to our theatre brains, and Laila Robins is someone I had seen over 25 years ago doing The Real Thing opposite Jeremy Irons. Sherry Thomas. Sharon Bialy: I think actors often think, Oh, they only think of me for this. She and Bialy relied on their stable of talent from decades in the profession. I mean, that had to have been completely It was all brand new. And from there, we would have further discussion or conversation. Look, I think Bill Hader is in a category all his own. We didnt want someone who would be instantly recognizable to the world. Thomas says, His agent called me: Oh my God, Vicky, we just learned who he was! and they screamed. RT: I looked for her name before I even looked for ours. Our approach to that is a direct line of communication. Our job is to connect with people to bring out the best performance. And I have now grown to see what a great dramatic actor he is, in the role of Zoeys brother, says Ulrich. ST: I think this year is so off kilter. She created a book this big between her read with casting and her read with Bruce, of her story as the character. 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. 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. Craig Fincannon (Location Casting Director) 2010 Nominee Artios Award: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama Breaking Bad (2008) Shared with: Sharon Bialy. 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. 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. Let me try it. Wiley plays the rebellious Moira on Handmaids and has one Emmy win in three nominations for the role. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Hes a very soulful actor and person, and his craft is unbelievable. So, we really didnt do any producer sessions over Zoom. A lot have to be able to do comedy, drama, all of it.. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 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. Sherry Thomas: Ive been a longtime fan of Casey. [Laughs] I love them, as well as my husband, and we all have fun together. Those things are leaps of faith, right? When you work in television and when you work with really great material, you do get excited for this time of year. The others laugh a little. My wife is my reader and shes terrible. Thomas says of the then-not-so-well-known Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, I kind of always knew Yahya was it. Its interesting, because I think what happens to actors often happens to casting directors, Bialy explained. And then, Sherry, you redirected me to do something. RS: A lot of times those small roles are the hardest to cast. 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. 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 . We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. Michael Ordoa covers film and television for the Los Angeles Times. It was really sort of a meeting of the minds and people coming together on the choices. Sharon Bialy: There are always challenges, but this season there were a couple of roles that caused some particular challenges. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. 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. And also, it was shot in LA, in Los Angeles, so everything is large and on a big scale. We needed him to feel younger than the other boys, other than Jack. WEBN Reporter Ali Inglese sat down with "Breaking Bad" Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. And I write on something next to me, I had Michael Imperioli in my head. We all miss it. 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. Russell Scott: The show is a comedy, but tonally it is pretty tricky because its also a mystery. What kind of challenges are there for a show like that where you are three seasons in already? Casting Networks uses cookies to analyze our traffic and to personalize content and ads. Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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? Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. Sharon Bialy: I think thats a really good note. She was channeling her own mother, is what she told us. 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. Shes just someone Ive been watching. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. I get on the phone with agents, and the casting process goes on from there. So he was intrigued. Sherry Thomas: They called him, pitched him and Sharon says, huh. When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. Wow. [Niccos] brilliant, says Hopkins. Were just gonna have a great time.. 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. Sharon Bialy: I mean, I watch the whole thing. Do you guys prefer two takes on the self-tape? Oscars 2023 Voting Begins Dear Oscar, Hear My Plea, Why Steven Spielberg Deserves to Win His Third Best Directing Oscar. Showing all 1 wins and 28 nominations. How do you like the way casting is right now? ST: It is a challenge when there are so many components beyond Are they a great actor? and Are they right for the part? The age had to be right so that it felt right appropriate for Diana. [Tim] talks about the spirit and the soul of the actor marrying with the spirit and the soul of the character, says Thomas. And before we wrap, can you share your secret for managing work/life balance? Oscars 2023: Preview and Predictions + Contest! 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? Im fully vaxed. Boom. Natalie Morales, left, joined the cast of Dead to Me in Season 2 as the love interest for Linda Cardellini. Yahya took a leap of faith. 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. Twitter Icon Its good to be (Regina) King: The Oscar winner might win her fourth Emmy for her portrayal of Angela Aybar/Sister Night in Watchmen., The Doctor is in: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was a surprise choice to play Dr. Manhattan in HBOs Watchmen.. 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. Bruce and Lizzie were thrilled with him. 2023 Casting Networks, LLC. You learn what you want to change moving forward. 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. 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. 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. So, I knew Id have a paycheck once I arrived and took my two weeks vacation to make the trip over and get settled. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? I would own my own version of a Drybar. We had readings for that part. We have been very lucky on this show. We would give a little context of the tone. We also share information about your use of our website with our social media and web analytics partners. 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. 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. Thats me, Thomas says. 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. 2006 Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. He is so wonderful. I knew that Mary could sing. For Season 2 of Handmaids, we were surprised with Sydney Sweeney [as Eden]. In this case, its Jane, only in the fact that the public did not know that she was a singer. I hope she never sees us. As a casting director, the joy is in discovering talent, says Ulrich. Sharon and I have been business partners for 25 years, and were very inserted in each others lives at this point. Hes coming in this week. . AD: Before we jump into the new characters of the second season, I wanted to talk about the shocking twist at the beginning of the season; the return of James Marsden with a new character. 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. And my sister has had her own salon for about 35 years now its called the Hairspace Salon in Easthampton, Massachusetts.