Stars Sharon Bialy Theo Park Lucinda Syson See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo Top cast And then, Sherry, you redirected me to do something. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. Robin Bartlett, we have cast many times and she is, kind of in my brain, there was nobody else for it. After appearing in two films, Loving (1970) and Rio Lobo (1970), Sherry decided to leave the acting field. For Lady Sherlock series publicity inquiries (media coverage, review copies, and interviews), please contact Tara O'Connor at Penguin Random House ST: I think thats one of the reasons we love to be in the room with actors and why right now it is really hard with the world of COVID. Natalie [Morales] was someone [showrunner Liz Feldman] had in mind from the beginning, but she was working on a movie. I think we got to try. And she says, You feel really passionately about it. But honestly, I had no idea how well Jane could sing., I knew she could sing because she had been on Broadway, and she just brought such a fun element to the show, says Ulrich of the Gilmore Girls and Parenthood vet, who made her Broadway debut in a 2009 revival of the musical comedy Guys and Dolls; Graham plays Zoeys boss. And at that time, there were not vaccination mandates in place. When you work in television and when you work with really great material, you do get excited for this time of year. And from there, we would have further discussion or conversation. Our approach to that is a direct line of communication. After first meeting the Massachusetts native a Masshole as she calls it you may feel as if youve known her for much longer. Elaine Doremus. We really relied on people that we have cultivated relationships with over a period of time as casting directors do. He was pursuing editing work on the side. We are very passionate about not pigeonholing actors. Showing all 1 wins and 28 nominations. 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. Aug. 21, 2020 2 PM PT. 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 . ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. And it happens. 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. Its also an emotional drama. She created a book this big between her read with casting and her read with Bruce, of her story as the character. 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 . You learn what you want to change moving forward. She came in and was so natural, so funny. 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. Mindy did, probably, because she had her on The Mindy Project. I think in this particular project that Georgia [Pritchetts] writing was incredible, and the tone was on the page, but still it helped. Thank God. 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. 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. We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. Liz responds to actors who arent hitting the jokes but have a sense of humor, not typical sitcom, playing-to-the-audience types you might see on traditional multi-camera shows. We wanted to see her because we were such huge fans from all the things that shes done, especially The Night Of. 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. But it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. 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. And thanks for sharing about the magic of working with the person who not only co-created the show, but who also produces, writes, directs, and stars in it. But then she had also read with us on Danny McBrides Vice Principles. I was doing a virtual Pilates class when I got a text from Christina that said, Congrats lady! We put out the offer, and he was on board. In the case of Lawrence Gilliard, that role was. But what the self-taping does is give so many more people opportunities because we can see 25 actors for a role. 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. ST: Our goal will always be to safely get back in the room with actors. 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. A lot of it is having support. RS: We went through that entire process and read a lot of people. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. Bruce and Lizzie were thrilled with him. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. Thats what I did back in 2012 after my second daughter was born. He just had a great rawness and innocence., As Sams older brother Craig, Corey had not had any experience. And then when I did it, you kind of jumped up in your chair. We were like, Wait, did we just see somebody who literally has zero acting experience and was that great? says Brett Greenstein. 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. Her role in "Barry" came about thanks to its casting director, nine-time Emmy nominee Sherry Thomas, as well as the Hollywood satire's dedication to meta humor. RS: A lot of times those small roles are the hardest to cast. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. Five seasoned entertainment journalists predict the shows and performances the Television Academy will honor with Emmys; do you agree with their picks? TV casting directors receiving multiple nominations include Alexa L. Fogel (The Politician, . Sherry Thomas: If a reader is really distracting, its not about the reader, its about the actor. Craig Fincannon (Location Casting Director) 2010 Nominee Artios Award: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama Breaking Bad (2008) Shared with: Sharon Bialy. She is known for Breaking Bad (2008), Barry (2018) and The Handmaid's Tale (2017). What she did to prepare for that role was incredible. Sherry Thomas Lane is on Facebook. 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 recently got a perm, Sherry, and its been a real challenge. Sherry Thomas: Good reader whos not too close to the camera and not trying to audition for themselves. When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. At the time, there wasnt really a choice you had to prove yourself at work by being at your desk. 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. 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. Instagram Icon We were really happy with the outcome of that! Then he went to dinner with Regina and came back and said, Why didnt I just I feel so ashamed. Because here, on a plate, is this great actress. . Shes the real deal.. I dont see it. Sherry Thomas: Fortunately, I feel like everybody did a little bit of research, which was interesting. 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. Sharon Bialy: I think thats the exciting thing about casting, and Ill speak for my partner. I mean, that had to have been completely It was all brand new. ST: Not at all! 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Your email address will not be published. Jonathan [Masons employer], was the first one. At some point Sherry suggested Katey Sagal. And I said, Yeah, I really feel like it could be really cool, and okay, great. What is the craziest audition story that you have? Christina Applegate has done amazing dramatic work on the show, but she has largely been known as a comedic actor. And he even was like, Im not right for this, but Im here. Sherry Thomas (I) Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sherry Thomas was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA. His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. They also discuss what its like to be casting directors in the middle of a pandemic and if they think their profession is permanently changed by it. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? RS: It was a very extensive search. Thats me, Thomas says. Thomas adds that they sometimes develop relationships with actors, calling them in time and again for reads. And my sister has had her own salon for about 35 years now its called the Hairspace Salon in Easthampton, Massachusetts. 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. Stacia Kimler, Casting . That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. Its going to be hard for us because we love to be in the room with them. 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. One day, Damon said, Hey, theres this guy, Yahya! I went, Yeah. #LucindaSyson #TheoPark #SherryThomas SharonBialy #CastingDirectorsQ&A with casting directors from several Apple TV+ series; Lucinda Syson (Foundation), Theo. Sharon Bialy: There are always challenges, but this season there were a couple of roles that caused some particular challenges. The others laugh a little. 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. Did it make your job easier or was it challenging having actors come in with a preconceived notion of what the show should be? But he also, as himself, has a real confidence and a unique and very modern feel, which I think really lends itself to Fraser. 2023 Gold Derby Media, LLC. You might look at the character of Lil Murda and think you know this person, but you dont. 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 love it you all sound like youre very close casting partners! Twitter Icon Oscars 2023: Preview and Predictions + Contest! It seems that reboots are a dime a dozen these days. For Dead to Mes second season, Scott said the main task was finding the new love interest for Linda Cardellinis character. We thought wed cast an unknown. Thats how we kept bringing up Natalie Morales. 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. Watch our video interviews with top awards contenders: directors, producers, below-the-line artisans and , Watch our lively predictions slugfests with Experts and Editors. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. 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.. Three if theres one in there that you just want to give it a shot. How did you guys bring her on? 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? This weekend, we'll hear from three more guilds: the ACE (Eddie Awards), the ASC, and the WGA. Shifting gears again, I have a true get-to-know-you question. Casting Networks acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land throughout Australia. We can explain things like tone. Jonathans secretary. 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. Thats what it is all about. He was a great audition, for sure, but he also really interested Luca as a person. 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. RS: With Katey, we wanted someone who is very special because there is a lot to unpack there with Lindas mother being in prison. 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. Its an amazing collaboration, and the work is very gratifying and just so much fun. But oddly enough, on this show, because on others, we have done producer callbacks over Zoom, we didnt do any. Sherry Thomas is represented by the brilliant Kristin Nelson of . Were they names you wanted from the beginning, and did you go out of your way to reunite Katey and Christina Applegate? Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. Often times we are reading more people for those roles than anything else. For 'The. I obviously knew of him, but he was a friend of Austins, so he suggested him, and he is so great on the show., John I also knew because he was in What/If. But if you feel like you want to give it a shot. 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. 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.. This website uses cookies. Toothpicks and blue jeans. She gets it. 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. No. 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. Sharon Bialy: I think thats a really good note. Alice Lee was just a discovery. 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. You can see a number of actors for an audition before that one person comes in, and everything just clicks. Quickly send your headshot and resume to hundreds of casting directors, agents, and managers. Sherry Lansing. We really needed someone for that role who would be able to come in and immediately keep up with Linda, Christina, and James who had already gelled. Unless it is really not Theres a couple things going into play. ST: Not for us particularly. 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, we really didnt do any producer sessions over Zoom. 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. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. But I dont believe she had ever been a series regular before. Wiley plays the rebellious Moira on Handmaids and has one Emmy win in three nominations for the role. 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? ST: I dont think any character was as challenging as Natalies. Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? 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. She was channeling her own mother, is what she told us. 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. WEBN Reporter Ali Inglese sat down with "Breaking Bad" Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Being in the room with actors is so exciting, especially when youre discovering talent. It was a surprise to us. 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. It was fun to be able to draw on somebody that I had thought was so talented for so long.. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. I think she had auditioned for Rocky Horror Picture Show several years before, so I knew she could sing. 2006 I had the highest hopes and no idea that he could sing as well as he could sing. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for. I started exploring acting once I got to LA and met a casting director named Victoria Burrows, who kind of took me under her wing. She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. She gave so much more than was even on the page [in the role of Mercedes mom], Ingram says. All Rights Reserved. I dont have to deal with traffic or anything like that, but being in the room, I totally miss. He is so wonderful. Learn more about how we use cookies. Its when I really first started, when I was having a lot of autonomy with Sharon. And I write on something next to me, I had Michael Imperioli in my head. 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 Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Once I opened that door, though, there was no going back. 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. 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. 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. Luca is a director whos interested in the rawness and the grounding of truth., Because of City of God, [Alice] is somebody Ive always looked at and always been really curious about, says Cuba of the actress, who plays one of protagonist Frasers mothers, both in the military. In person its almost distracting how gorgeous she is, says Ingram. We had lots of auditions. I get told all the time that I remind people of Melissa McCarthy. 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. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. And when they feel that support, they just blossom right in front of the camera. 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. But filling the role of a Sherman Oaks-grown teenager of South Asian heritage proved harder than expected. You do a drama and they say you can only do drama. Im always thrilled when stunt casting works, because people immediately feel a sense of connection by knowing somebody from the past, he says. Sherry Thomas: Yep. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles.