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TV AUDITIONS 101
ANTHONY MACKIE, AMY AQUINO, AND SEBASTIAN STAN ON “THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER”
Casting directors behind “Mare of Easttown,” “The White Lotus,” and more on how actors can book television work
Behind each of our favorite television series is a talented casting team, finding the perfect actors to bring the story to life. For performers interested in screen work, there’s never been a better time to join the ranks of television’s finest. Read on for advice from the CDs responsible for some of the year’s biggest shows.
Felicia Fasano
“Kevin Can F**k Himself”
Television offers more opportunities for new actors than film, in that they are often hired to join an already established ensemble for guest arcs and recurring characters. When an actor is auditioning for one of these jobs, Fasano says that preparing the sides is only half of the equation. The CD, who cast “Kevin Can F**k Himself,” starring “Schitt’s Creek” Emmy winner Annie Murphy, advises, “If it’s a show that’s on the air, watch the show so you have an idea of the tone. I can’t tell you how many times [actors will] come in and have no idea, and that’s not right. You had time; you could have checked out 15 minutes.”
By Matthew Nerber
Sarah Finn
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Hawkeye”
Finn, the CD behind the SAG Award–eligible “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and “Hawkeye,” reminds actors of the many factors outside their control when auditioning for a role. “There’s no trying to figure it out,” she says. “Just trust that we have your best interests at heart, and we’re listening to our directors and our producers and our screenwriters, and we [have] the job of putting this all together.” Finn adds that if an actor loses out on a role, that doesn’t mean they won’t be cast in the future. “Our job really is to take the long view and remember people and what their talent and creativity is.”
Avy Kaufman
“The Chair,” “Dopesick,” “Mare of Easttown”
Kaufman recommends that actors learn as much as they can about the process on both sides of the table. Casting internships and audition-reading jobs are great opportunities for actors to learn more about the inner workings of building an ensemble. “Keep your ears open and your mouth closed, and pay attention,” she advises. Being a reader, in particular, allows actors “to walk into a room and see what the process is like, and see who gets a job and why they get the job.” You can put that knowledge to use next time you’re called in for a role.
Anne McCarthy
“Midnight Mass”
McCarthy, who recently cast Netflix horror hit “Midnight Mass,” knows that filming self-tapes can make you feel like you’re pouring your heart out and sending the contents into the
RAHUL KOHLI ON “MIDNIGHT MASS”
void. But she says that her team watches every tape that comes in, even those from unrepresented actors. “You never know where you’re going to find a diamond in the rough, so we have actors reaching out to us directly all the time,” she says. When casting “The Haunting of Hill House” for Netflix, she remembers seeing about 3,000 tapes. “Sometimes, with the volume of it, they may not hear back; but we do watch everything, and we do keep specific feedback so we remember everyone,” she says. When it comes to direction for self-tapes, it’s important to her that actors have all the information they need to succeed. “We usually give them very specific instructions when they’re going on tape so that they’re not operating in a vacuum,” she says. “We give them very specific character breakdowns and direction on what to do so that they’re not handicapped.”
Meredith Tucker
“The White Lotus”
Tucker is the CD for one of this year’s most talked-about shows, HBO’s “The White Lotus,” from creator Mike White. She says that while it’s important for actors to have a handle on the audition process, they shouldn’t wait for someone else to give them permission to start working. “It’s always hard to get your foot in the door, but I think the thing that’s great now is that there are so many means to make your own product if you have a digital camera,” she says. Tucker also recommends that actors take smaller gigs before setting their sights on more high-profile jobs, even suggesting that they keep their “eyes open for nonunion stuff on Backstage.”
