July/August 2023 | CASTING STORIES | THE ZINE

CASTING CASTING STORIES STORIES

FFERN ERN CCHAMPION HAMPION

AReflectiononHer ExtensiveCareer

SUMMER MOVIES! SUMMER MOVIES! PART II PART II

HearfromtheCasting TeamsBehindThis Summer'sMost AnticipatedMovies

INTERCONTENENTAL CONNECTION INTERCONTENENTAL CONNECTION

EuropeanChapterBoardof GovernorsPresidentCassandra HanSpeakswithWendyKurtzman!

11 QUESTIONS WITH REGIONAL BOARD MEMBERS REGIONAL BOARD MEMBERS

11 QUESTIONS WITH

Gettoknowtwoof thenewestCSA

Boardmembers

BeccaMcCracken+ TiffanyMak

Editor's Note

As we sit here in the midst of these historic SAG and WGA strikes, we can only think of our members and how we can be there for each other through this time We are seeing tremendous changes in our jobs, careers, and ultimately our business as a whole Not since 1960 has SAG and WGA been on strike at the same time This moment can only bring a change that has been much needed and will effect us as an organization as well In these uncertain times, we are all trying to find the positive and look forward to a quick and fruitful outcome for us all

So on to some good news!

We are welcoming in some new CSA board members this summer. Welcome Casting Director Felicia Fasano (co-VP Communications and co-editor of the newsletter), Associate Casting Directors Becca McCracken (Secretary), Zachary Spiegel (co-VP Events), and newly appointed Board Member, Tiffany Mak. We are so excited to throw a spotlight on our regional casting professionals this issue as well. It has been great to hear from them about their perspectives and unique points of view amidst the current state of the industry.

The summer is here and the heat is finally here as well for LA, and after 4 months of rain and cold, we are happy for the heat and what summer months bring!

We have a great watchlist of summer movies in this month’s Zine and can’t wait to hear from you all on how you are spending your time this summer Tag us in your projects on social media as we are happy to help promote our members and their projects

Lastly, we want to encourage you to reach out to CSA if you are interested in joining a committee or learning more about our committees and goals Whether your interest is advocacy, strengthening the pipeline into the career of casting, mentorship or being a part of educating the world on the important, artistic role of the casting director in our industry, there is probably a committee for you!

Have a wonderful summer, and please take care of yourself during this time,

Tiffany Little Canfield & Felicia Fasano

co-VPs of COMMUNICATIONS

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FELICIA FASANO

Editor-in-Chief

VP OF COMMUNICATIONS

TIFFANY LITTLE CANFIELD

Editor-in-Chief

VP OF COMMUNICATIONS

ELIZABETH BERRA

Copy Editor

VP GOVERNANCE OF CASTING SOCIETY

DESTINY LILLY

PRESIDENT OF CASTING SOCIETY

CANDIDO CORNEJO, JR

Contributor

CASTING SOCIETY BOARD MEMBER

WENDY KURTZMAN

Contributor

CASTING SOCIETY BOARD MEMBER

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KATRINA WANDEL GEORGE

Contributor TRAINING & EDUCATION COORDINATOR

ERICA ARVOLD

Contributor

CASTING SOCIETY MEMBER

PORTIA BLACK

CASTING SOCIETY ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

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ISABEL WYNNE

CASTING SOCIETY ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

LAURA ADLER

CASTING SOCIETY ADMINISTRATOR

C A S T I N G S O C I E T Y C A S T I N G S O C I E T Y

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Pretty Much Everyone Was Dying to GuestStar on The Bear

SHERRY THOMAS

ERIC DAWSON

SUSIE FARRIS

GEOFF JOSSELSON

JAZZY COLLINS

ERIN TOMASELLO

JOHN PAPSIDERA

RICHARD HICKS

Meet your 2023 -24 CSA Board of Directors!

Destiny Lilly, President Steven Tylor O'Connor, Treasurer

Becca McCracken, Secretary Elizabeth Berra, Governance

Danielle Pretsfelder Demchick, Advocacy

Felicia Joseph, Advocacy

Tiffany Little Canfield, Comms

Wendy Kurtzman, Membership

Felicia Fasano, Comms

Sujotta Pace, Events

Zachary Spiegel, Events

Rachel Reiss, Tech

Julie Tucker

Candido Cornejo, Jr.

Erica A. Hart Tiffany Mak

Erin Tomasello

Daniel Cabeza

Kimberly Ehrlich Zora DeHorter

Meet

your 2023

-24 CSA

European Chapter Board of Governors!

Cassandra Han, President Gillian Hawser, Vice President

Olissa Rogers, Secretary

Claudia Blunt, Treasurer

Louise Kiely Maria Lainas

Harika Uygur

WANTTOBEAPARTOFTHE CSACOMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE?

CONTACT

YOUR CSA ADMIN TEAM

INTERCONTINENTAL CONNECTION

European Chapter Board of Governors' New President Cassandra Han sat down with Board Member and European Chapter Liaison, Wendy Kurtzman to discuss her journey into casting and her experience working in the European market.

Wendy: Why don’t we start with you just telling us a little bit about yourself?

Cassandra: I grew up in California, the daughter of a Chinese immigrant father and a mother from a coalmining town in the Appalachian Mountains My mom was 22 years older than my dad, and mixed marriages were even illegal in her hometown back then – so I ended up learning how to bridge cultural differences and variants in generational thinking at quite a young age I lived in Japan right out of high school, and then in New York for a very long time Now I’ve been living in Europe for almost 20 years In my immediate nuclear family, we have native speakers of English, German, Italian and Dutch So that “multiculti” thing is clearly continuing into the next generation

W: Tell me about your journey into casting and what kind of projects you predominantly work on.

C: I sort of fell into casting back in the early 90s, when I worked for a Broadway producer on a show that had a number of national tours going After that, I did background on a feature film that Sheila Jaffe and Georgianne Walken were casting and they sort of took me under their wing I eventually started doing my own projects, and then it was off to the races – until I moved to Europe in 2003 It took me about a decade to figure out that I could also cast in Europe, and now I actually work much more than I did in New York I found a really interesting niche, which is all about crossing markets A lot of American producers, for example, have a hard time navigating the European landscape–

C cont'd: and European producers also find it difficult to work smoothly with American or British agents. My main markets are Italy and Germany – due to my language skills, family history, physical location and knowledge of the talent pool

W: Do you notice big differences between the US and Europe when it comes to casting?

C: Of course the actual process of auditioning is quite similar. But beyond that, I feel like there are more differences than similarities First and foremost, the European mechanism of public funding removes commercial pressure to a large extent, especially in cinema. Most of the time, nobody expects to make any money at all in box office receipts, which can of course give more artistic freedom For certain auteurs, world sales doesn’t even need any bankable names to get a project off the ground But then, at the same time, the funding bodies almost always want some territorial effect and/or names that please broadcasters, so sometimes you end up with cast marching orders like: We need one Austrian who lives in Vienna, two Bavarians, an Italian star, a French-speaking Belgian, and the rest of the cast has to live in Berlin I’m exaggerating (sort of) but you get the point It can make the casting process feel a bit like painting by numbers Secondly, standards and practices can be wildly different, even between European countries. I spend a lot of my time explaining those variations to all parties involved, sometimes dealing with very startled, confused or angry people It is a bit of a minefield when we assume that everyone works like we do – which is unfortunately very often the case, actually.

W: What would you say is the biggest challenge European casting faces right now?

C: One thing that we discuss a lot over here is how terrible it is that the practice of agenting and casting simultaneously is so insidiously rampant in some markets The producers don’t want to pay for casting directors so they have agents do it, only paying them if “their” actors are cast. I’ve had producers really attack me, saying that the whole idea of casting is just made up, a way to cheat filmmakers out of money Above and beyond the practically criminal conflict of interest that this dual function obviously creates, it also completely blocks off actors who are not on the rosters of those particular agent-CDs from working I was shocked when I found out how prevalent that practice is, and how difficult it is to stop it from happening. Even a lot of CDs who seem to be above-board have quiet practices going on… so I always warn people to be really attentive and ask around among the actors

W: What about your biggest challenge?

C: I am feeling the effects of Brexit very strongly at the moment American actors can’t do most European projects anyway because the majority of producers over here get so intimidated by the idea of signing a SAG-AFTRA GR1 contract

C cont'd: (Actually, I can’t tell you how many times a European producer has told me that they have this or that American actor attached to their project When I say, “Oh, so you’re going SAG/AFTRA?” they look at me, perplexed –not a clue what I am talking about) Anyway, due to the lengthy process of getting work visas for UK actors, I am now very often limited to native English-speaking actors living in Europe, which is not a huge pool, as you can imagine That’s new, of course, and very challenging

W: Is it hard working in another culture… or, rather, several other cultures simultaneously?

C: It was really difficult at first I had to do so much research at the beginning, not to mention catching up on so much content! I was a bit obsessed, always with IMDb open on my phone when I was watching a series or film. My husband would say, “Can you just watch this one episode without looking up actors?” But now I hardly have to look anyone up anymore It was also a long process developing good relationships with all the agents – and that’s where the etiquette and methods can be drastically different –but I feel really accepted now, with mutual understanding and respect for each others’ philosophies The only thing I have to be careful about is accents: I won’t necessarily hear a very subtle regional twang in German, or say an accent from Verona I can hear strong ones like Berlin or Rome or Naples But I always run tapes by a native speaker to be 100% sure

W: We have BFA and MFA programs in the US. Where do actors get their training in Germany and Central Europe?

C: There are a number of very high level conservatories in Europe, and the training is very similar to a BFA or MFA program One difference in most European countries is that you have to pass a state exam to graduate, which is kind of like possessing a “license to act” if you will Of course we can still cast actors who don’t have that formal state approval, but having it is a big deal.

W: Where do you see yourself a few years down the road?

C: Is it cheesy to say that I’m really happy doing what I’m doing? Of course, like anyone, I’d love for the projects that come my way to be always bigger and more exciting And I have to admit that it’s super fun when I get to cast in English – which isn’t so often, actually. But I love the industry over here in Europe, and feel really good about continuing to bridge cultures like I’m doing now

BY ERICA

ARVOLD

Erica Arvold is a film/tv casting director and multi-hyphenate screen artist. She recently won an Artios Award and was Emmy nominated for the limited series Dopesick. Erica’s been nominated five additional times for Artios Awards and has contributed to over 150 films and 90 episodic projects throughout her 33 years in casting.

As the strikes continue, screen artists in the Southeast region have been actively picketing, meeting, coming together in community, supporting, and standing in solidarity with WGA and SAG-AFTRA.

I've had the opportunity to reflect on not only the vital importance of writers and actors, but also what I, as a casting director, bring to the table for both studio and independent projects. I began to ask myself, what is the superpower of a casting director? Why are we so very essential to the process of filmmaking?

I don'’t want to assume that every casting professional feels the same way I do, but I’ll put it out there knowing that we are probably more aligned than not. I’m going to use ‘we’ throughout this piece because it just feels weird to say ‘I’ especially as we are all in this together

That said, I believe the essential superpower of casting directors is shapeshifting. And, this precise and practiced skill is gonna get us through this strike, and whatever else comes our way

Shapeshifter quality #1. We are able to become the person needed in different situations. Let me clarify, a zillion situations. We morph throughout the day and certainly throughout a project, filling the shoes of an actor, a director, a producer, a writer, an AD, a coach, an editor, a negotiator, a lawyer, a mentor, a time-keeper, a referee, a confidant, an advocate, an entrepreneur, and a creative collaborator We have the skills of a crisis negotiator, and those come in very handy when needed Especially now

Shapeshifter quality #2. Our muscles are agile, all the time. While juggling multiple balls in the air, our brains are able to discern, with lightning speed, which one of our muscles is needed to work at any specific moment Whether it is providing the time and space for creativity to emerge, facilitating a nuanced chemistry read with an actor and a precise director, or navigating a last minute frantic call about a schedule change that requires an actor be cast and on set in only a couple of hours, we handle all of these things, easily. It’s a dance. And that is why casting is an art form. It’s also why it takes so many years to mature into a full casting director. When I was little, my dad used to say, either you find something where you have to do many things, or you’re not going to be happy. I found a place where I am happy.

Shapeshifter quality #3. We’re smart. We are forced to be technical wizards whether we want to be or not. To do our jobs, we have to understand the basics of software, cloud storage, camera equipment, lighting setups But, the amount of technology we have been presented with in the last decade that ‘helps’ our jobs requires us to understand the zeroes and ones and even a bit of programming to make things go smoothly And we DO keep up Because we shapeshift into technical wizards when needed We figure things out I have to admit some days I really want to go back in time to my giant circular rolodex of cards and a push button phone next to an electric typewriter. Alas, time travel is not a shapeshifter quality…yet.

Shapeshifter quality #4 We are nurturers Some of us, like me, by default. And in our own independent style, confirming that we are artists. Our mark on the screen comes through nurturing the vision of a project. We nurture our staff, our clients, and every actor who walks through the door (virtually or in-person). Some of us even nurture writers and AD’s and series regulars who come and hang out in our offices. These days, we are only occasionally housed in the production office, but I remember fondly the days of in-person casting offices well Many times a showrunner or actor would stop by, plop down in a chair in my office, and sit to just get away from it all and think In silence, we are nurturing, holding space, and using our superpowers

Shapeshifter quality #5. We listen to our gut That’s what has guided my casting and my art all of these years. And that’s the most important thing I aim to share today, here, in this Zine article with you. We are a collective of gut-listening artists. We are casting professionals. We cannot do our jobs any other way. We see potential, we see the future, we see charisma and connection and chemistry. We can’t help it, and it’s wonderful.

Casting isn’t just a skill, it’s an art form. It’s as necessary to the filmmaking and streaming industry as it is for our fellow artists, writers and actors, whom we stand with, in solidarity

SUSANNE

SCHEEL

Casting Director

PAST LIVES

JUNE 23, 2O23

"Ellen Chenoweth and I worked on this film for almost three years due to Covid and a few other unforeseeable delays. We call this film 'the little movie that could.'

We all knew it would eventually find its way into the world because of Celine Song's (writer/director) steadfast commitment and vision for the film. We had the opportunity to audition hundreds of Korean actors, musicians, artists, writers, and poets in the search for the lead role of Nora. It was truly a magical process. I would wake up every morning to dozens of emails from all over the world from incredibly creative beings from different areas of the arts. The time difference from NY to South Korea also meant a lot of late nights. I would look forward to those quiet, dark hours in my apartment totally focused on discussing and finding the roles of Nora and Hae Sung.

The three main roles were based on people in Celine's life so it made the process incredibly specific. We really focused on making the trio work. You see Nora and Hae Sung and then Nora with Arthur together primarily but then you also see all three of them together to open and close the movie. The balance of the three characters and how they affected each other was always top of mind. We had discussed John Magaro several months before we actually were able to cast him because we first needed to know that he worked well with who was chosen for Nora and Hae Sung Luckily, he was the perfect completion of the trio once we knew Nora was Greta Lee and Hae Sung was Teo Yoo."

JOYRIDE JOYRIDE JOYRIDE

JULY 7, 2O23

RICH DELIA

Casting Director

KARA EIDE & KRIS WOZNESENSKY

Location Casting Directors

"The process was actually quite a "joy ride" in itself. Since the film mostly takes place in China and Korea we had to search beyond our usual network of submissions to find the supporting cast. It was imperative to find Mandarin speaking Chinese performers as well as Korean speaking Korean performers Not everyone in Vancouver is bilingual, so we worked with translators to give tonal notes to performers who did not speak English. What seemed like a daunting task at first, became a very special memory in our career.

We met so many new performers who were able to sparkle in their own authentic way. "

"The chemistry reads that we did with the four main actors were truly incredible. To watch them all riff off of each other and improv together was a true joy. They all jelled instantly and kept raising each others game with each take. Honestly it was hard to keep a straight face because we were all laughing so hard. In a lot of my favorite comedic performances, actors bring an element of themselves to the character which can help lift it off the page and transform it into something even more specific and grounded. Each of the actors in Joy Ride took the brilliance of Adele, Cherry and Teresa’s script and truly made it their own, infusing their own quirks, vulnerabilities and comedic talents into the roles to make them even more deliciously funny. "

ALLY CONOVER

Casting Director

IINSIDIOUS: NSIDIOUS: THE RED THE RED DOOR DOOR

JULY 7, 2O23

"It was an honor to work with Patrick Wilson on his feature directorial debut. He's incredibly intuitive and so kind to the actors. We were thrilled that the original family (Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, and Andrew Astor), along with Lin Shaye who reprised her iconic role of Elise, were all available to return for the 5th and final Insidious film. We were also incredibly proud of the new cast members - Hiam Abbass, Sinclair Daniel, and Peter Dager.

Casting a role like David Call's was very difficult. The role required really specific physicality and duality - he had to play a relatable, sympathetic human (Ben Burton) and a monster (Smash Face). He also had to make the monster somewhat relatable and human for the storyline to really work. He played the role brilliantly. We were so happy with his performance and how that part of the film came to life through him.

SUSANNE SCHEEL Casting Director

This genre has extraordinary stakes, so it's always a challenge to find actors who understand and possess the range necessary to make the extraordinary circumstances in the film, particularly the supernatural elements, feel real. We needed actors who were both incredibly grounded and natural but also could handle comedy. Sinclair is a beautiful example of this. She is a classically trained actress who has fantastic, natural comedic instincts Her range as an actress is so impressive."

KRISTIAN

CHARBONIER

Casting Director BERNARD

TELSEY

Casting Director

THEATRE CAMP

JULY 14, 2023

"Our team had many great moments while casting THEATER CAMP. Having our Miranda Casting Fellowship members Steven Gutierrez and Miles Kight on the project with us as assistants throughout the entire process was the greatest part of this experience. Through this journey, they were introduced to film casting from the ground up and were able to experience the entire film casting process from start to finish. Because so much of the script was influenced by the talent playing the roles, it was incredibly exciting to find so many immensely talented young actors who were so inventive and honest. All of the talent we saw for the film had us laughing for days on our Zoom callbacks with their wit and comedic chops.

This film was cast completely over Zoom so getting to know the young talent during the audition process was important to us and to the filmmakers as the talent would inform so much of the script. We aimed to create a space for the talent to feel comfortable when auditioning so we could get the best performances from them and so they could feel at the top of their ability. Since there were many young roles to cast, it was important to find young talent who could be earnest and simultaneously know how to hit the comedic mark. But most importantly, we were were looking for young talent who brought their whole selves to the process as their energy and being would ultimately make the characters and the film what it became."

BARBIE BARBIE

JULY 21, 2023

"Working with Greta, comedy casting genius Allison Jones, and Margot, a brilliant producer as well as the perfect BARBIE. There was a lot of collaboration on both sides of the pond.

Actors were willing to throw their hat in the ring, because it was such a brilliant script by Greta and Noah. They wanted to be part of it. We also loved casting the smaller roles; all the civilians reacting in the real world; Will Merrick and Zheng Xi Yong popping up behind the desk in Mattel, Ptolemy Slocum, Annie Mumolo at school, Deb Hiett the doctor. Allison and I, along with Olivia Grant and Emily Buntyn who work with us, had a great time casting these beautifully written roles. It’s all in the detail."

OLIVIA GRANT

LUCY BEVAN Casting Director Associate Casting Director

THEY CLONED THEY CLONED

TYRONE TYRONE

JUNE 21, 2O23

KIM TAYLORCOLEMAN Casting Director

REBECCA CARFAGNA & MEAGAN LEWIS Location

Casting Directors

"They Cloned Tyrone was the first new project we started casting when we returned to work at the end of 2020 Anything we thought would be challenging in the pivot from live-in person auditions to Eco-Cast Live and self-tapes in our home offices became less of an obstacle when we focused on square one. At square one was a wildly intelligent and remarkably hilarious script written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier with bold characters that jumped off the page. As a director, Juel Taylor’s enthusiasm for each role made the project so fun to cast. We were excited with the casting of Leon Lamar in the role of Frog, the prophetic neighborhood vagabond Leon has been a mainstay in the Southeast for decades… talented, unwavering dedication, and no one forgets a smile like his"

"I had a blast casting this film back in 2018. Juel Taylor's science fiction fantasy masterpiece had us all laughing, crying, thinking... so many emotions would hit you at once. Actors wanted to be a part of the film because the script was so fresh, smart and unique ( thanks to Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier). Seeing so many actors come in with their own interpretations of the characters was just plain fun I learned so much from actors I knew and other actors I wasn't so familiar with. I was so proud of all the actors who auditioned because they all really showed so much versatility and passion They all came in swinging. Casting the right trio was very important. Jamie, John & Teyonah crushed it. They had to have the right chemistry, deliver comedy and drama and have the audience still root for them. The supporting cast J. Alphonse Nicholson/Isaac, Trayce Malachi/ JuneBug and Tamberla Perry/Biddy were 3 actors I had cast before so I wanted to put them in front of Juel and team. Rounding out the cast with Kiefer Sutherland, the amazing David Alan Grier was icing on the cake Juel was a joy to work with He had a vision and stuck to it. He is definitely a filmmaker to watch. I can't wait to see what's next."

RICH DELIA Casting Director

TEENAGE TEENAGE

MUTANT NINJA MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: TURTLES: MUTANT MUTANT MAYHEM MAYHEM

AUGUST 4, 2023

"Being able to cast authentic teenage boys as the Turtles for the first time was such an exciting and fun experience. Their enthusiasm for the franchise, having grown up with it, was infectious and the youthful and specific energy they brought to the characters really made the scenes pop. Working on iconic roles is always a challenge, but approaching it from this new lens was definitely a highlight and we learned to lean in and trust the actors instincts as they were usually spot on.

These characters see each other as brothers so the chemistry amongst the boys was paramount. Although the film is animated, the team really wanted the actors personalities to shine though in press interviews as well as on screen. Because of this sometimes the moments in between the scene work where they were just chatting with each other was equally informative and enlightening. We were looking at what they were bringing to the roles, but also how they were interacting and getting along personally."

KHARMEL COCHRANE

Casting Director

GRAN TURISMO GRAN TURISMO

AUGUST 11, 2023

"The process was as high octane as the sport. Working with Mary and Raylin was a really wonderful collaborative process and I think we nailed it in terms of working together across multiple time zones and countries. I think the highlight for me was being able to hold in person callbacks with Neil and watching his process. We had Jacques Jouffret (DOP) in the session with us and everything felt elevated and really special.

I knew very little about the game coming on to the project and definitely didn't know how popular it is. It was great to be able to meet the real life Jann Mardenborough. We were able to ask him in depth questions about his family and life, which added another layer to the casting process. Having the wonderful Ashley Marks (Sony) to work with was also really great and I think helped the casting process immeasurably. We ended up casting real GT gamers as well as some really special cameos."

CHELSEA ELLIS BLOCH

Casting Director

BLUE BEETLE BLUE BEETLE BLUE BEETLE

AUGUST 18, 2O23

"We were fortunate enough to do in-person chemistry reads (after proper testing of course) for the roles of the family members. Being able to witness the interaction and chemistry between the various actors and watching them take shape as a family was a very special moment in our casting process With Blue Beetle being DC’s first Latino superhero to come to the big screen, we knew we had to get the casting just right in order to make the DC fans, and more importantly, the Latino community proud. We read a lot of actors and we were proud to cast Mexican and Mexican American talent including George Lopez to play this Mexican American family. During these reads, we also had the opportunity of watching our lead, Xolo Maridueña, take on and find himself in the role of Jaime Reyes He really put in the work and it was beautiful to watch him find all of the nuances of the character throughout the casting process. We are so proud of him and can’t wait for audiences to see him in the Blue Beetle suit!

3 3

MARISOL RONCALI Casting Director

One thing we learned was to always keep an open mind, regardless of how the role may be written. Unless there’s a specific plot point that needs an actor of a certain gender, age, ethnicity, etc , when you read a script, it’s our job to cast the best actor for the role For one role in particular, it was originally written as a male character but after discussing with our creative team, whom were all very collaborative and supportive, the character was tweaked to be rewritten as female. That change not only gave the story an even more modern feel, but gave us the opportunity to bring the legendary Susan Sarandon to the cast! Being able to think and cast outside the box is something we as Casting Directors relish in Everyone loves superheroes so casting for this genre really brings you back to being a child, when we were free to dream and imagine those dreams would come true. It was amazing to hear from so many actors who came in to audition their knowledge about the Blue Beetle comics and how excited they were to see it was having the opportunity to become its own franchise Aside from sharing their excitement of potentially being a part of the DC film universe, it was important for us to find actors that felt grounded and relatable and who could embrace the heart and humor, which were key components of the Reyes family’s journey in this superhero universe. "

FINCH,TIGHLMAN, & OXFORD LEWIS

AUGUST 18, 2O23

"As the casting team responsible for the human elements, not the voices for the pups, we enjoyed working with director Josh Greenbaum casting Strays. We love seeing the comedy range from actors who we see for dramatic projects and Strays was a great opportunity to audition performers from Atlanta’s stand-up, sketch, and improv comedy scenes too. It was fun to improvise with actors so they would be prepared for the unexpected.

Callbacks with Josh were over Zoom, of course. In a live callback directors are usually sitting in our peripheral vision, but on Zoom Josh’s reactions were front and center. His face softened so delightfully during Mikayla Rousseau’s callback and it was clear that she was our Riley. We can’t wait to get back into a room with actors and directors, but that moment was very special."

CD a.k.a. Casting Dog

Becca McCracken, CSA is a casting director for the 2022 Tony Award winning Court Theatre in Chicago and also casts independently for theatre, film and television Specializing in the Chicago Market and a magician when it comes to a search or local casting, some notable projects include Somebody Somewhere, Empire, Chicago Fire & PD, Contagion, Divergent and West Side Story at The Lyric Opera of Chicago She received the Artios Award for her work casting The Lyric Opera's Carousel With 19 years in her market, she celebrates the Chicago actors every day and is passionate about mentoring earlier career casting professionals and luring regional theatres, national tours, networks and studios to Chicago to experience this deep talent pool

WHERE WERE YOU BORN: Chicago, IL

WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW AND FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE:

Elmhurst! A suburb of Chicago Been here long enough to make some good friends but short enough to still feel at home in the city

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR CITY: Our Theatres. Our Lake. Our Cubbies.

WHAT’S THE ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU OR WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU:

I'm an award winning events producer! Lead Producer on the Grand Opening Gala for the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. It was spectacular!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING A CASTING DIRECTOR:

I love people I love that my job is to love people, to know people and to celebrate people I am the luckiest

QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS WITH WITH WITH BECCA BECCA BECCA

MCCRACKEN MCCRACKEN MCCRACKEN

WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANTED A LIFE IN THE ARTS:

When Michael Cavanaugh, the lead on Billy Joel's Movin' Out, agreed to let me build and run his fanclub while I was an undergrad. It caused me to take a sharp turn from pre-law to casting!

WHAT IS YOUR SUPERPOWER?

Connecting people and being a working mom... there is no stronger superpower than that!!

IF YOU COULD BE A PART OF ANY FILM, TELEVISION SERIES OR PLAY IN ALL OF HISTORY... WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY:

I already am working on a dream project, HBO's Somebody Somewhere with Nicole Arbusto! Theatre bucket lists for me include ONCE and SWEPT AWAY... and if Swept Away is made into a film... I would do anything to work on it! After casting Million Dollar Quartet for 10 years and loving every second of it... I have the stamina for finding incredible actor musicians!

WHAT IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED:

"Becca made us a family!" (A toast from the cast of The Adventures of Augie March, David Auburn World Premier) My heart exploded as I worked ridiculously hard to put that cast together, wanting to make sure that they weren't just the right artists to tell the story, but also had the right chemistry for becoming a family

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOARD GAME:

Azul or anything my friends/family are willing to play with me! I'm a competitive extrovert so I love some friendly competition!

WHAT’S THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR?

Getting to be mentored by Tiffany Little Canfield and elected to the CSA executive board!!

QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS

WITH WITH WITH TIFFANY TIFFANY TIFFANY MAK MAK MAK

WHERE WERE YOU BORN:

Winnipeg, Manitoba (a couple of hours north of North Dakota!)

WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW AND FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE: Vancouver, British Columbia since 1998

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR CITY:

The variety of cuisine.

WHAT’S THE ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU OR WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOU: I have a meticulously curated and inventoried purse collection.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING A CASTING DIRECTOR:

Collaborating with actors to help tell a story.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANTED A LIFE IN THE ARTS:

Grade 2, a group of classmates put together a class play and wouldn't let me join So I wrote my own play (about the dangers of talking to strangers!), cast my other classmates and myself, and put it on!

WHAT IS YOUR SUPERPOWER?

I always say what I lack for in physical stamina, I make up for in mental stamina - 20-hour work days, no problem, but don't make me take the stairs!

Tiffany Mak is a Canadian film and television casting director based in Vancouver. She has been nominated seven times for the Casting Society of America’s Artios Awards (with three wins), three times for British Columbia's Leo Awards (with one win), and for a Daytime Emmy for outstanding casting in 2022.

Her feature credits include "Fresh", "The Adam Project", "Welcome To Marwen" & "To All The Boys I've Loved Before". Her TV credits include "Virgin River", "Alaska Daily", "The Baby-Sitters Club" and "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies".

IF YOU COULD BE A PART OF ANY FILM, TELEVISION SERIES OR PLAY IN ALL OF HISTORY... WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY: Breaking Bad or Succession - I'm in awe of the ensembles that their casting departments (including locations casting!) found - I hope they give themselves high fives every day.

WHAT IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED:

I'm too neurotic to remember the compliments, only the criticisms!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOARD GAME: Monopoly, because it's easier to buy Boardwalk than to buy a home in Vancouver!

WHAT’S THE BEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU THIS YEAR?

Hopefully the best is yet to come!

ONE ON ONE WITH ONE ON ONE WITH MATTHEW SEFICK MATTHEW SEFICK

Tiffany: When did you start casting?

Matthew: As I was finishing graduate school, I had the opportunity to work for a producer named Matt Williams, who was directing a movie called Walker Payne. He started out as a writer and actor on The Cosby Show and I spent a large portion of the summer watching him work with actors. My studies focused on production management and I thought that is what I wanted to do until I began working professionally. I decided that summer I would rather work with actors. I started in the casting offices of Lifetime’s Army Wives in 2008 and have been doing it ever since.

TLC: Where are you casting? Is this your home town?

MS: I work in what I consider the greater Southeast region. I cast season 7 of Homeland in Richmond, VA, have cast multiple projects in New Orleans/Baton Rouge including Queen of the South, and have worked on projects in several markets between those areas, most frequently in Atlanta. My family was originally from the South, but I grew up in Omaha, NE, and finally returned to the Southeast for college. I now spend the majority of my time in Charleston, SC.

TLC: This issue is spotlighting Regional Casting….what is something you think all CDs should know about regional casting.

MS: Great question. It is not one I have been asked before. As we all know Los Angeles and New York CDs are going to take the lead and set the tone. While we certainly want our regional actors to do well, we understand it is not a competition and want to help find the best actor for the role. If regional CDs are performing our job properly, we are supplementing and complementing the work LA/NY offices are doing. It is an essential role for a project shooting outside of LA/NY and one that is very rewarding in its own right.

TLC: We had the good fortune of working with you on a comedy that shot in Atlanta. I don’t think people think of comedies shooting outside of Los Angeles. What has your experience been with comedy?

MS: Yes! Working with your office on the second season of Single Drunk Female was a pleasure! Such a lovely group of producers, actors and crew. Well, we definitely do not have a lot of episodic comedies that shoot in the region. In fact, that was my first. Previously, the comedy genre work I had done was all feature length projects. SDF was a lot of fun work because it was a large number of roles, many with humorous elements.

TLC: Is there anything different about the process for finding talent for comedy regionally?

MS: I would say the main difference for any genre is the depth of the talent pool when you are working regionally. When a breakdown goes out in LA/NY, the number of agency submissions is going to be significantly higher than what I am working with. A number of years ago when I was meeting with Meg Liberman at CBS, we were talking about how I prefer to work on one show at a time, when possible. She found that interesting and told me she always felt she was a better CD when she was working on multiple projects at the same time. I did not have a great response dialed up (it did not hit me until the car ride afterwards - of course…). In LA and NY the sheer number of actors means it would be unrealistic to see all actors audition who could potentially be right for a role. In the Southeast, because I am working with a smaller group, I can not only make time to see all of the actors who could be right for a part, but in most cases I can consider some who might not have as deep of a resume and give them the opportunity with the material as well (which can lead to occasional nice surprises). Basically, I can cover the market in one pass and would only need to go back out if the demographics or tone of the role changes.

FERN, BABY, FERN!

By Candido Cornejo

The Mask, Troop Beverly Hills, Mortal Kombat These were some of my favorite movies growing up and had major inspiration for the start of my filmmaking journey. When my casting career began; little did I know that I would work with the casting titan and idol behind those films, the amazing Fern Champion.

These aren’t the only titles that Fern is known for Fern is known for her eclectic career and for discovering or elevating many to who they are today. People like Carla Gugino, David Spade, Cameron Diaz, and the Sprouse twins. Memorable titles like Up In Smoke, The Police Academy, The Naked Gun, Texas Rising, and most recently The Gray House; are just a few of the iconic projects that Fern has cast And I would be lucky enough to work with her.

I was a casting assistant in my second year coming from two casting offices. I was experienced enough to cast on my own with a few short and student films and was a recent film school graduate My work with actors was recognized by my previous mentors, and when the call came in, I was ecstatic.

“I see you worked with a really good friend of mine, Ronnie Yeskel,” Fern said. “Can we meet this Thursday?”

“Absolutely,” I said. I immediately opened up IMDB and looked up her name. When the familiar film titles popped up, my heart stopped. This was the person responsible for my entire childhood. From running around in my mother’s heels pretending to be Cameron Diaz, to wearing a long black wig and purple eyeshadow calling myself Queen Sindel, and even asking to be part of the girl scouts when I didn’t know any better; Fern had found all my childhood heroes, and I was about to meet her

Thursday came and I didn’t know what to expect I sat nervously sipping my coffee with my resume in hand I looked at my pink polo shirt and thought ‘Is this too much?’ And when I saw her, it was exactly like a scene in the movies She strut through the café in red high heels, a matching strapless off-the-shoulder shirt, red hair, sunglasses, and perfectly manicured French tip nails. She was on the phone with a director and politely asked if I could give her a minute before she hung up and gave me the iconic “Hi there!”

It was the interview that would change everything. I’d worked hard to be prepared for that exact moment. Her former associate had been with her for years, so the expectation was tremendous I knew I needed a chance, and I wanted it

We talked about my work experience, and my former responsibilities, and suddenly she stopped She stared at me and I immediately thought, did I say something wrong? When she pointed at me up and down and said, “Look at you, don’t you look gorgeous!” I exhaled heavily and thanked my gods. It was like a huge weight had been lifted. She asked me what was wrong and I responded “Honestly, I was scared you would think I was too much.” And she said “Are you kidding me? You’re gorgeous!” We then began talking about each other’s outfits and shoes. We talked about casting and what we were currently watching. Who was on what show and what did you think of the season finale of True Blood? Most importantly, we discovered that we both agreed on our love for actors, and theatre

“We’d both done West Side Story, she played Anita and I played Bernardo “I think we’re going to get along great ” She finally said

With that, my new job began at Champion Casting The first week would consist of me moving in and transitioning to my new desk and office. A few projects were already lined up, so we hit the floor running. I would arrive early and brew our favorite pumpkin spiced coffee, I’d print out our session sheets, and update our master lists, I began building her project binders with all the necessary paperwork for the day. The updated books would be ready on her desk alongside her coffee by the time she would get there and say, “Hello gorgeous” and sit at her desk Sipping her coffee, she would open her books and review the materials, and our day would begin

The following months would be crucial I’d sit in many casting sessions with Fern where I would watch her work with actors, and she’d teach me how to adjust them, how to take notes, and what her expectations were. She hired me because of my knowledge of working with actors, but she would teach me how to perfect the craft, and how to manage time efficiently. I’d put all the skills to use that I learned as a casting assistant, but this was a true elevation to the definition of a High-Level Assistant. These were bigger projects, the workflow and amount of information were bigger, and the people she trusted me to speak to were tremendous. I’d landed my dream job, but I knew I had a lot to learn still, and I needed to learn quickly

This article is continued on Page 47.

Fern interviewed at the Emmy's.

On Location

YOUR VACATION DESTINATION GUIDE FROM MEMBERS WHO #CASTLOCAL

COMPILED BY PORTIA BLACK + ISABEL WYNNE

Thea McLeod CSA, CGA President CGA (Casting Guild of Australia)

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

Melbourne, Australia has been my home for the majority of my life Before settling back in Australia, I spent 11 exciting years in the wonderful city of London, where my casting career began However, for the last 15 years, I have been happily running my casting company McLeod Casting back in Australia and loving casting Australia-wide TV and Film productions.

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city/country or is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

Australia’s culinary landscape is extremely diverse so we are really spoiled for choice! My personal favourite is Vietnamese food Authentic and mouthwatering Vietnamese dishes are easy to find here thanks to Melbourne’s vibrant Vietnamese community

What’s the best time of year to visit?

Australia is a beautiful and vast landscape, so anytime of the year is a great time to visit! You are always guaranteed sunshine somewhere, even in Winter You can go skiing in Victoria’s stunning snowy mountains, or check out the beaches on the coast of Queensland. If you prefer warmer weather, come during our Summertime (around Christmas). Summer is a great time to explore the major cities like Melbourne and Sydney as they have a really fun, social buzz! The Daintree Rainforest in far north Queensland you could also visit anytime, it is one of my all-time favourite places on the planet

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city /country?

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is a highlight of my year - it’s a beautiful celebration that never fails to captivate The sheer diversity of international and Australian films showcased at MIFF is nothing short of brilliant, a testament to the outstanding calibre of the film industry in Australia

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

Over the years, I've had the pleasure of casting some really special films and TV shows so it’s difficult to single out one favorite project However, Neighbours holds a special place in my heart, having been the casting director for over a decade now Continually discovering fresh new talent on a weekly basis is an exhilarating process that I never tire of The list of careers launched by Neighbours is staggering; including the likes of Margot Robbie, Jesse Spencer, Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, and the most recent sensation, Felix Mallard The impact of Neighbours on the entertainment industry is profound, and I'm thrilled to cast this production that helps shape the next generation of talent, paving the way for their success on an international scale

HONOLULU

Katie Doyle & Rachel Whitley

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

KD: Honolulu, Hawaii for 30+ years

RW: I’ve been living in Honolulu, Hawaii since 1999 and working in Casting since 2002!

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

KD: SASHIMI (or any fresh seafood at almost any restaurant or food truck you find (and my son says everyone has to try a Spam Musubi - preferably one purchased at any 7-11 on any of the islands

RW: All the food in the Islands is amazing! Kahuku superette on the North Shore has the best poke Mud Hen Water in Kaimuki has the best farm to table The best fine dining is either Orchids or La Mer at the Halekulani Hotel. And for the best Malasadas it’s Leonards on Kapahulu. Diamond Grill on Monseratte is great for plate lunch as is Bogarts for brunch! And Rainbow Drive Inn has classic Hawaiian plates.

What’s the best time of year to visit?

KD: There truly is no "bad time" to visit our incredible state but the Central Pacific hurricane season runs from June 1 - Nov 30.

RW: Summer is great if you like hot beach weather Winter is amazing if you don’t mind cooler temps and some occasional rain..plus the surf on the North Shore is fantastic that time of year.

Rachel Whitley

Katie Doyle + Gertie Lou (Pig)

HONOLULU

Katie Doyle & Rachel Whitley

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

KD: If the lava is flowing, a hop to Volcanoes National Park at night can be life changing (it's pretty powerful to realize you are standing near what is LITERALLY the newest place on earth); at the risk of sounding like a Hawaii Visitor's Bureau ad, there are vistas and venues and festivals everywhere you look that cannot be replicated anywhere & each of the islands have their own unique properties and geographical wonders (Haleakala at sunrise; the Ne Pali Coast; Humpback Whales breaching during birthing season; the Waianae Coast from a zodiac boat; Kalaupapa; the King Kamehameha Day Parade; the rodeo in Waimea; etc etc etc) And MUSIC. Any chance to hear our local musicians perform is one you don't want to miss.

RW: Pearl Harbor is a wonderful park. The north shore of Oahu and Haleiwa town are awesome. Haunama Bay for snorkeling.

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

KD:Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins (led by Mary and her team at Betty Mae Casting) WHAT A RIDE! Replicating Western & American Samoa AND finding a culturally appropriate cast most of whom needed to play soccer at a (quasi) professional level (Fox/Searchlight -finally premiering in Toronto Nov 23!)

RW:Hard to pick a favorite but 10 years of Hawaii 5-0 was definitely an amazing run!

VANCOUVER

Tiffany Mak

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

Vancouver, BC, Canada I've lived here since the late '90s!

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

You can't beat the quality of the seafood in Vancouver, and the Japanese and Chinese food is some of the best outside of Asia Sushi Hil is my favorite sushi spot, and the word of mouth is spreading so it's going to be harder to get a reservation. Also, St. Lawrence for upscale but unpretentious Quebecois cuisine.

What’s the best time of year to visit?

I love the fall; the leaves change colors and Vancouverites transition from our fancy Lululemons to our fancy Uggs for the colder months Mid summer is a good time to visit too, for our two-weeklong fireworks festival in August!

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

In Vancouver, Bard on the Beach is an opportunity to see our best theatre actors do a variety of Shakespeare productions and other plays in repertory, with a beautiful waterfront backdrop In Canada, the Montreal Grand Prix is some of the most fun I've had (also the food in Montreal is incredible - get the poutine and smoked meat sandwich!).

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

I'm really proud of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies for Paramount - we got to showcase a lot of talented Vancouver actors in prominent roles. And also the To All The Boys I've Loved Before film trilogy for Netflixit made a star of local girl Anna Cathcart, and it was also my first Artios win!

SANTA FE

Angelique Midthunder

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

Santa Fe, New Mexico I moved there from LA 18 years ago

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

For local food, you have to order New Mexican food (regional cuisine and different than Mexican food) and get it “smothered” (in chile sauce) When asked “red or green” say “Christmas” and you will get half and half of each style of sauce Truly ordering like a local! Where the locals eat: El Parasol (get the tacos and/or frito pie, Santa Fe is where frito pie was invented;) & Pasqual's Cafe near the plaza (farm-to-table local cuisine) A couple of great contemporary local chains are Flying Star and Vinaigrette.

Upscale: Sazón, Geronimo, and The Compound.

What’s the best time of year to visit? Spring or fall for the best weather Winter to ski/snowboard and enjoy the hot springs / spas.

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

Cannot miss Indian Market and Gathering of Nations. The largest gatherings of Native Americans in the world Each event happens annually and draws thousands of Indigenous creatives from hundreds of tribes. Perfect for indigenous casting & talent scouting. ;)

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

Hard to say just one!

Past: Captain Fantastic, Priceless & Georgia O’Keeffe

Current: How to Blow Up A Pipeline, Americana, You Sing Loud I Sing Louder

Upcoming: The Curse (A24/Showtime), American Primeval (Netflix), Rez Ball (Netflix)

CHICAGO

Becca McCracken & Lauren Port

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

BM: Chicago, IL, USA - born and raised!

LP: Chicago, IL, USA - 4 years

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

BM: In all honesty, I'm not much of a foodie - but I LOVE atmosphere and ambiance. My favorite restaurant is a tiny one on the north side called Gather. It is farm-to-table in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood.

LP: Deep dish pizza (Lou Malnati's is my fave). SO many must have reservations -Chicago is a great town for foodies.

What’s the best time of year to visit?

BM: JUNE!!!! You can't beat Chicago in June!!!

LP: Summer -- unless you thrive in the cold, in which case, you can visit basically from October to June, ha!

Becca McCracken

Lauren Port

CHICAGO

Becca McCracken & Lauren Port

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

BM: JUST ONE?! I'd say, coming to Court Theatre and letting me buy you a drink! But also - my happy places include Wrigley Field (GO CUBS!), Montrose Beach (near a bird sanctuary and a dog beach!) but there are so many wonderful neighborhoods to explore and city life to experience. It is truly My Kind of Town. :) Happy to share a longer must-see list if you reach out!

LP: This is an impossible task! But, the one thing I take every single visitor to do while in Chicago is an architecture boat tour. Such an incredible way to see the city from the river and learn about the city's history and some of Chicago's most famous architecture.

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

M: I love collaborating with other offices as a local expert. Most recently, I have LOVED working with Nicole Arbusto on Somebody Somewhere. This has been a career highlight for me. I also feel like the luckiest CD on the planet to work for Court Theatre. The thoughtful, intentional and engaging work that Court is invested keeps my mind and heart active daily. I think my favorite project to date has been The Adventures of Augie March - a huge casting challenge, so naturally, a blast to work on.

LP: That would be like picking my favorite child. A couple standouts for me include (all at Goodman) our production of School Girls or the African Mean Girls Play, which was the last show on our stages before COVID and the first to re-open our theater, Bob Fall's production of The Cherry Orchard this past spring, our LIVE series during the height of COVID...the list goes on.

MONTREAL

Andrea Kenyon

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

I'm based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and moved here 52 yrs ago, in 1971 (from Detroit, Michigan where I was born)

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

When visiting Montreal, I'd recommend that people eat at Milos - a wonderful Greek restaurant that remains a favorite of many international visitors, including Roland Emmerich, who has filmed in Montreal several times over the years And a favorite of Celine Dion (and me) DAOU [Faillon branch] - a middle eastern restaurant near our office and casting facility!

What’s the best time of year to visit?

In my opinion, the best time of year to visit Montreal is Summer and early Fall (May through September), unless you absolutely love the snow and winter sports (and then you'd want to visit in December & January) Summer is beautiful and there are various cultural and entertaining festivals and events that bring the city to life. Residents are known to go from parkas to shorts and flip flops overnight!!

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

The Notre Dame Basilica. Other things that cannot be missed:

The scent and chewy bites of fresh Montreal Bagels

- Fairmount or Saint Viateur

Montreal's world famous Smoked Meat at Scwartz's Deli

The International Jazz Festival of Montreal

Tons of wonderful restaurants and hidden gem bars & clubs

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

Some of my favorite projects that we cast are:

White House Down (directed by Roland Emmerich)

The Recruit Season 1 (cast in conjunction with Joseph Middleton & Team)

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Season 1 (cast in conjunction with April Webster & Team)

They are favorites because of the enjoyable and strong collaborations with the creatives (from the casting teams to the Director and Producers)

Andrea Kenyon & Randi Wells

MASSACHUSETTS

Lisa Lobel & Melissa Morris

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

LL: Boston MA, USA. Been here my whole life, 56 (cringe) years.

MM: Based in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. I’ve lived in this area for 7 years and bought a house here in 2019

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

LL:Must eat Lobster / Lobster roll and clam chowder The hot reservation is Contessa, great food with roof top views of the city.

MM: My favorite Worcester restaurant is called Pasta Mani; their handmade pasta and grilled octopus is unbelievable. They are located inside the public market and have one dining table so I definitely recommend getting a reservation!

What’s the best time of year to visit?

LL: The fall, our foliage is top notch

MM: New England is nice because you experience all four seasons! My favorite time is the fall So many farms and orchards to visit.

Lisa Lobel

Melissa Morris

MASSACHUSETTS

Lisa Lobel & Melissa Morris

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

LL: Probably a Red Sox game, Fenway is one of the oldest ballparks (if not the oldest) and it’s in the heart of the city. If it’s not baseball season, and you love food, start in Fanueil Hall and walk to The North End

MM: Worcester recently opened a beautiful minor league baseball stadium, Polar Park It’s my favorite place to go: can’t beat a $9 ticket, amazing local food and drink and a sunset baseball game

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

LL:There are so many, but I’m going with Sound of Metal. Our local cast was made up of mostly all deaf actors It was a thrill to see such a small passion project make its way to the Oscars.

MM: Without a doubt, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers. The experience from start to finish was so enjoyable and they filmed a winter wonderland scene in Downtown Worcester (Catch it in theaters November 10th!!)

RICHMOND

Anne Chapman

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

Richmond, Virginia - 25 Years

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a musthave restaurant reservation?

Stella's - But, honestly Richmond is such a foodie town that it is hard to get a bad meal here We have many award winning chefs and restaurants and great sandwich shops, some lists even say we are the best burger town, who knew right?! Richmond is a great place to eat!

What’s the best time of year to visit?

Virginia in the fall is magical The fall is also brimming with film festivals, The Virginia Film Festival, The Richmond International Film Festival and The Middleburg Film Festival take place in September/October.

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

There is so much history in Virginia that I would be remiss if I chose just one. We are also a festival town! The Richmond Folk Festival likely being the most well known

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

Loving hands down, Loving - Lincoln & Big Stone Gap were special as well, but seriously, the tiny local indie projects and VCUarts Cinema student films that I have the pleasure of working on are my sweet spot!

ASHEVILLE

Erica S. Bream

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

I'm based in Asheville, North Carolina and work as a Casting Director all over the Southeast region We've been here since 2017

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

Our hot restaurant is Chai Pani, an award-winning Indian street food spot that is SO GOOD. But Asheville is best known as a craft beer town. We are second, behind Portland, in the number of breweries per capita

What’s the best time of year to visit?

Everyone will tell you to come in the fall, but I love Asheville in the summertime Summer is filled with abundant farmers' markets full of fresh, local produce, wild berries you can find alongside trails, hiking to refreshing water holes, and festivals galore.

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

Leaf season in the mountains is spectacular When the colors change on the trees, Asheville is unquestionably the spot to be

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

I have SO MANY favorite projects that I've worked on down here Two recent ones that stand out: Panhandle (comedy series, filmed in Savannah, GA) was full of hysterically funny, quirky super-fun-to-cast characters and The Supremes at Earl's All You Can Eat (upcoming feature, filmed in Wilmington, NC) is a project near and dear to my heart where I felt the local and regional actors were really given a chance to shine

ATLANTA

Amanda Lenker Doyle

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

I moved with my husband and daughter from Los Angeles, CA (after 14 years) to Atlanta, GA in January 2021!

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a musthave restaurant reservation? Ooooo! The food here is fantastic. Some fav's include The Optimist, Forza Storico, Muchacho and Slutty Vegan!

What’s the best time of year to visit? AVOID ATL IN THE SUMMER. It's called HOTlanta for a reason.

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

Ponce City Market, Piedmont Park, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Little Five Points and if you ' re an antiquer like me, Motherlode, and Kudzu Antiques!

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

I recently jumped into my first local casting job on an independent feature that shot in Savannah! I worked closely with SCAD and loved every second of the experience. There are INCREDIBLE actors on the ground here!

TAMPA

Rose Rosen

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

Tampa, Florida, US 35 years!

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a musthave restaurant reservation? Bern's Steakhouse is a must do when coming here. Reserve early!

What’s the best time of year to visit? Any season but Summer is great weather here.

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

The Clearwater Jazz Fest is incredible! I go every year and have seen everyone from Tony Bennett to Gladys Knight to Sheryl Crow All under the stars with the sea breezes flowing. It's truly magical.

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area? That would have to be Edward Scissorhands!

LONDON

Shakyra Dowling

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

London, England - I’ve been here since 1989

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a musthave restaurant reservation?

J. Sheekey

What’s the best time of year to visit? May is usually the best month! Not hot or cold and not usually any rain!

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city?

The Tate Modern - one of the best galleries in the world in my opinion West End Theatre - there is so much on! Best book in advance for the popular shows but there are always last minute deals to be had and rush tickets at the door on the day if you can risk it

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

Wolf directed by Natalie Biancheri

MUNICH

Cassandra Han

Where are you based and how long have you lived there?

Munich, Germany I actually moved to Munich only two years ago, but I've lived in Europe for almost 20 years.

What would you recommend that people eat when they come to your city, is there a must-have restaurant reservation?

A good beer garden is an absolute must for anyone who visits Bavaria It's central to social life in Munich: our local Women in Film just met up in a beer garden yesterday. The atmosphere is always really festive, and there's usually live music. One thing I like about it is that people of all ages relax and enjoy life together

What’s the best time of year to visit?

Summer is probably the best time: there's a feeling of exuberance on the streets, as everyone emerges from the long grey winter, often inhibited by rain in the spring. There are a lot of pedestrian areas and the Old Town is quite compact, so summer feels like a big, ongoing party.

What’s the one thing you CANNOT MISS in your city? Well, I think Oktoberfest is the compulsory answer to that question! I was a bit skeptical at first, I have to admit, imagining hordes of drunk people wearing dirndls and lederhosen, stomping through muddy tents But it's not actually "tents" even though that's the translation of the German word they use: Zelten But they actually build huge, really comfortable structures to eat in, and it's a great atmosphere. Our kids love the rollercoasters, and it's like a huge, old-fashioned state fair.

What’s your favorite project that you cast or worked on in your area?

It didn't actually shoot here, but the producer is based in Munich: a series called One Trillion Dollars by Wiedemann & Berg (Leonine) for Paramount+ We really had a dream team and I love, love, love every single actor in the cast. Coming soon!

Philip Froissant & Cassandra Han

WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE OUR EMMY NOMINATED MEMBERS!

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

ABBOTT ELEMENTARY

Wendy O’Brien

THE BEAR

Jeanie Bacharach

Jennifer Rudnicke

Mickie Paskal

AJ Links

JURY DUTY

Susie Farris

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING

Bernard Telsey

Tiffany Little Canfield

Destiny Lilly

TED LASSO

Theo Park

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A LIMITED/ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE

BEEF

Charlene Lee

Claire Koonce

DAHMER - MONSTER: THE JEFFREY DAHMER

STORY

Robert J Ulrich

Eric Dawson

Carol Kritzer

DAISY JONES & THE SIX

Justine Arteta

Kim Davis-Wagner

FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE

Laura Rosenthal

Jodi Angstreich

WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY

Wendy O’Brien

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

BAD SISTERS

Nina Gold

THE CROWN

Robert Sterne

THE LAST OF US

Victoria Thomas

Corrine Clark

Jennifer Page

SUCCESSION

Avy Kaufman

THE WHITE LOTUS

Francesco Vedovati

Barbara Giordani

YELLOWJACKETS

Junie Lowry Johnson

Libby Goldstein

Corinne Clark

Jennifer Page

OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM

LOVE IS BLIND

Donna Driscoll

QUEER EYE

Quinn

Jessic

RUPA

Golok

Ethan

TOP C

Ron M

THE T

Erin T

Jazzy

There were many things I didn’t know that the casting director did, and Fern was generous enough to teach me There were lists to be made; who can play leads? Who was on what show? How to talk to agents, how to pitch, how to negotiate; these were all important elements and I had the best teacher “I will teach you Candido ” She would say “Come on, get on the phone with me ” And I would listen and take notes As I sat there and listened in, I would watch her work her magic and I knew, I want to be her one day.

I asked myself. How did Fern’s journey begin? I would look back and look at all the incredible credits behind her, and I knew there was a plethora of epic tales to be told. So, I would ask her. “How was it working for so and so, or that movie or that project?” And it would always be an amazing story. Over prosecco and fried calamari at La Boheme, she would tell me her story

Fern Champion was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Sid and Florence Bauman Sid owned a restaurant and nightclub on 62nd and York in New York Florence was a top fashion model that would travel all over the world Florence enjoyed the theatre and would take Fern to Saturday matinees from the age of 6, introducing her to her love for performance at a very young age.

“My Mother took me to theatre and Broadway at a very young age. And I grew to love acting and all the actors.” Fern says. “She taught me makeup. My mom told me ‘Never walk out of this house without makeup on. Never.’ My mom taught me to walk tall. She taught me that it’s just as easy to look good as it is to look sloppy She may not have been the PTA Mom, but she taught me that female prowess Which I still use to this day ”

Indeed, Fern is known for that Hollywood female prowess It’s a trait that I love and admire as a female in the industry My favorite memories working with her have always been walking into our director sessions and meetings, the restaurants, and the cafes; and even though she meant business, she was and always is looking sensational. I admired how she would enter a room and present herself, and gain people’s admiration and respect. I would tell myself ‘Do it like Fern’.

FERN, BABY, FERN! CONT'D

“I don’t think I ever became that tough, ‘I don’t care how I look, I’m just doing the job’ type,” Fern says “No I work I’m still going to dress up I’ll still wear my heels And I’ll still do a magnificent job as a casting director ”

And she would bring (up) a great point Just because we are female leaders in the business, does not mean we cannot dress to impress. We do the job because we are good; our knowledge of actors and business and politics exceeds what we wear. We simply wear the female suit with the creative hats, and we know how to wear it well.

I ask Fern to paint me a picture of her parents and her growing up in Brooklyn. And we’re immediately taken back to a magical era.

“My mother was 5’8,” Fern says “Red hair Green eyes

A great pair of legs that you can attest to that I have She would wear her pink polka dot silk raincoat and matching umbrella, and she would pick me up from school in her thunderbird She had a potty mouth but boy she had the looks She looked like Lucy! And she was a pistol Funny The boys would look at me amazed and go ‘Are you kidding me? That’s your mother?’ She was a head-turner. And then when she wasn’t there, they would ask me ‘Where is your mother?’ And she’d be in Rome modeling.

Fern's Mother.

Every Saturday night she would show up at my father’s restaurant dressed to the nines; flowing dresses, makeup, and heels, and my father would wear silk suits and open ties They were stunning together My father during those days didn’t want ladies to wear pants. He wanted ladies in skirts. And my mother looked incredible in them. So, I was brought up with a Damon Runyon existence, Studio 54, and fashion, and my brother on the news. My brother was an Emmy awardwinning news commentator. It was just inherent. Growing up as a Jewish kid who knew the city, and went to summer camps, I had all the leads in the plays, so naturally, I was entitled, to be in this business I really enjoyed it And I was very proud of my parents ”

“So how did casting come about?” I ask “What made you get into casting?”

“I wanted to be an actor,” Fern says “I had a boutique I was already putting together ensembles, and if you think about it, that’s what casting is. And I didn’t know how to reject rejection. Actors need to know how to do that. I didn’t. I was a city rat, and I didn’t want to live with that hurt. But I still wanted to be with my actors. So, I decided I wanted to pass judgment versus being judged.” She says with a smile. We both laugh.

“Gil Champion, my former husband, had a movie. And he said, ‘We’re doing the background people and the oneliners would you come and work the set?’ And I said ‘Work the set?’ And he said ‘You know, get to know the actors Talk to them ’ And you know what? For me it was a party I was on a set I was friendly with all the background players because that’s who we had hired It was truly amazing But most importantly, I was still with my actors I found something that I could do, with the people I love ”

“What was the project?” I ask.

“The original Stepford Wives. I was a puppy; I was 18 or 19 years old. It was Katherine Ross and Paula Prentiss. And I realized that I loved it. One of the other ladies that worked in Gil’s office was Joy Todd. When we both left that set we looked at each other and said ‘You know, we can do this (pointing at each other) ’ And I thought why not?

And so, a man by the name of Sidney Lumet was doing a little movie called Network with Faye Dunaway, William Holden, and Peter Finch And he brought us on That’s really where I learned Sidney Lumet took Joy and me by our hands and said ‘You two are going to help me cast. I want you two to learn from these people.’ Sidney believed in teaming people who were on the rise with the people that knew. He wanted them to learn so they could skyrocket. And I was very fortunate because from there it started to snowball.

“Gil and I went our separate ways. But Joy and I didn’t. We did very small shows, one after another, and then Robert Stigwood was doing this movie called Saturday Night Fever (She says with a smile ) There was somebody else that was originally hired but was fired along with the director "

And John Badham came in And Badham and I adored each other So, I came on to work with John And it was Donna Pescow, who I’m still very close with. We shot in Brooklyn, and I brought John Travolta over to my mom and dad’s house at 4 a.m. with white castle hamburgers. That truly was the beginning of something fantastic.

“Stigwood then approached me and asked, ‘Will you come to California?’ and I said ‘No!’ (makes a cross with her fingers) ‘No! I live in New York, I’m not going to California!’ And he then said ‘What if I give you a movie? Will you come out with a movie?’ And I went ‘What movie?’ He said Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band “

With that, my mind immediately raced to perhaps one of the greatest musical soundtracks in cinematic history The Bee Gees with “Here Comes The Sun", “Carry That Weight”, “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles, “Come Together” by Aerosmith and so many more.

“So honestly, I came to California very lucky.” Fern continues. “Because I was coming off Saturday Night Fever and walking in with all these wonderful people like The Bee Gees, Peter Frampton, and George Burns who was Sgt Pepper And we found Strawberry Fields, and we found finding Lucy In The Sky, with music I was accepted in this town because I was with Stigwood He had RSO Records and managed The Bee Gees

They’d use their music for Saturday Night Fever and they were the leads in Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band I had it easy; I walked in with a big movie But what happens after? I stayed with Robert Stigwood in Los Angeles, and Joy Todd stayed with Sidney Lumet The rest was history.

“It was the 80’s and the 90’s. And I was skyrocketing. I was getting to know LA and going to all the various clubs. I wanted to see funny people. I went to [Upright] Citizens Brigade and the Comedy Store. I told myself, ‘I want to do comedy. I love comedy.’ And one night I went to go see Pee-Wee Herman at a midnight show, and these two stoners were there. One’s name is Tommy One’s name is Cheech And it was an instant love fest They were HILARIOUS And I became their casting person ”

“That must have been so fun, what was that experience?” I ask

“It was like flying without a net!” Fern laughs. “There were no scripts. We had total improv. And we hired everyone from The Groundlings. From Phil Hartman to Edie McClurg, Pee-Wee Herman, Susan Hahn; all the original members. It was dope humor. Sure, you had to get high, but it was funny. I wasn’t a weed smoker, but they really made me laugh. They would tell me ‘Yeah ok, in time you’ll learn. We got really good weed.’ (We both laugh) But listen, they were mavericks. They would give the studios these bs scripts And the suits would sit there and they would read the lines and be like (in a very funny voice) ‘Very good! Very good Tommy ’ But when the suits left, enter the improv team from the Groundlings, and it was all improvised And that’s where you learn on your feet And that’s why they hired me again, and again It was dangerous We tried it like this and tried it like that, but they truly made me laugh

To this day, I LOVE to laugh What ended up happening I was suddenly looked upon to cast comedies And what came in? The Police Academy “That’s how I began to shine I was at every comedy show, and I became the finder of David Spade and Bobcat Goldthwait and the like I was watching all these comics do other people’s materials. These guys were incredible. Steven Guttenberg wasn’t Guttenberg until The Police Academy. I became the comedy patron, and I was able to find a new person every time.”

Fern went on and cast all 5 Police Academy movies; each receiving tremendous success. She became known as the finder of comedians and granted many their debuts day views on the big screen. Following these successes, she landed The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad’ directed by David Zucker, WB’s Full House, and a personal favorite of mine, Troop Beverly Hills

“Could you tell me about Troop Beverly Hills?” I ask her “I used to watch that at sleepovers My parents would get mad that I attempted to build a tent in our living room and have fashion shows.”

“Oh my gosh!” Fern replies. “It was a ball! Chuck Fries was the producer of that film. And he was married to this wonderful woman, Ava Fries. Ava had this story because it was loosely based on her divorce. She was having her child taken away from her; because according to them she wasn’t fit to be a mother; because she was always shopping, because she was always with the girls. The husband was suing for custody So, Chuck got a hold of Ava, and they did eventually get married; she told him the story of how she turned the quartz around and made these little girls She took care of them in the troops of Beverly Hills and stood out from these other boring ladies in their beige and green outfits She had outfits made for her troops She would take them to Tiffany’s and show them how to pick out diamonds She would take them to the Beverly Hills Hotel, she would teach them how to make fondue. And everything that you saw in that film, Ava actually did. Not only that, in my casting sessions she would say to me ‘What do you think? Should we do finger sandwiches and Pellegrino?’ And I would say ‘For what?’ And she’d say, ‘Well they have to eat!’”

“Stop it!” I bust out laughing.

“Absolutely true,” Fern says. “She would take me to the Beverly Hills Hotel She would take me to the bungalows and say ‘Come on, we’re going stay overnight ’ And she would tell me what she used to do because she wanted me to get to know what she was doing

So by the time I was reading these little girls, one of them being Carla Gugino, I really knew where she was coming from I ended up with such a wonderful troop of girls I had finger sandwiches at callbacks! Are you kidding me?! Everything she did was for those girls. And if you think about it, it was true. You had these big people in Beverly Hills and none of those girls wanted to be girl scouts. But look at your troop leader! She’d say to those girls ‘Come on, we’re going out!’ And the fact that I was a part of this, was extraordinary. Come on Candido, if you were around then you and I would be like ‘Don’t even pay us! We just wanna hang out!’”

“That would be a dream!” I laugh “I’ve been looking for that red dress with the bird on the shoulder for ages ”

“The best outfits I’ve seen She would tell me ‘Meet me at the Polo Lounge ’ And she would hand me her card LOVED this woman It was truly a magnificent experience ”

“Speaking of magnificent.” I continue. “You were responsible for a great find. How did The Mask and Cameron Diaz come about?”

“I was interviewed by New Line because I was still sort of new. But I knew everyone in comedy. We did not have Jim Carrey for the lead at the time. He wasn’t what he is now. He was known as the white guy in ‘In Living Color’. We were going after Robin Williams. New Line wanted me to find a phenomenal female lead She needed to be beautiful and have humor I met Bob Shaye and Mike De Luca who was running this I was in And when I met my director, he told me ‘We have our female lead It’s Anna Nicole Smith I want Anna Nicole Smith ’ And deep inside I was like, really? Don’t get me wrong, she was beautiful But because I did The Naked Gun I knew she was auditioning for The Naked Gun 33 1/3. So, I sort of…. helped that along?” Fern says in a funny voice. “She was cast in that, and she wasn’t available for The Mask anymore and I just said (sarcastically) ‘Aww, too bad.’” We both laugh. “But Chuck (Russell) wasn’t really happy about Anna Nicole Smith. So we read a lot of ladies. From the likes of Stephanie Seymour and Salma Hayek who at the time was doing a lot of telenovelas in Mexico and Christie Brinkley We were reading every actress and supermodel, but this was big I was in the New Line building and a friend of mine there owned a modeling agency and she said to me ‘I’ve got this one girl here, but she has no desire to be an actress

The Mask.

She’s leaving for a tour, she’s part Latina. But she’s feisty.’ I said, ‘I like feisty!’ And this blonde, blue-eyed girl walked in, and I said, ‘You’re part Latina?’ And of course, that was my stupidity. I said ‘Really? They make them blonde and blue eyes?’ (We both laugh again) And she and I got along just like that. She told me ‘I don’t know what I’m doing. But give me the material.’ She was fearless. She had no fear. She read that thing and I called my friend and told her to get there immediately I told her ‘This is what we’re going to do We’re going to get her into dance immediately We’re going to get her prepared I don’t need her with a coach to work on lines, I’ll just work with her on timing ’ So by the time Cameron met Chuck, she was game ready Do you know what he told me?

He said, ‘Let’s keep looking ’ (Fern glares ) I said, ‘Not a problem ’ (Crosses her arms) You know my nostrils flared at that. We kept looking. Cameron went to do modeling. I finally told Mike (De Luca) ‘There’s a young lady. She’s modeling all over the world. Please, ask to see her.’ And he did. The first thing he said to me ‘She’s not booked yet?’ We showed her to Bob Shaye and I watched her convince them. Mike and I won. (Fern smiles). Cameron Diaz wiped the screen. And a star was born. Truly.

“In the interim, we lost Robin Williams to Dead Poets Society. We needed another person that could be Robin Williams The only other person that could be him and do all those expressions, was Jim Carrey Tom Shadyac, who was another comic, called me and said ‘Fern, are you watching Jim Carrey in ‘In Living Color’? He’s the white guy He’s in my movie He’s going to be a star ’ I introduced him to New Line, and he got the part Tom Shadyac’s movie was Ace Ventura That came out, then immediately The Mask came out, and BAM! History. Both he and Cameron were phenomenal. Cameron would then, be considered in my next movie Mortal Kombat, as Sonya Blade.”

We stopped immediately. I tell Fern, “Hold up.” And I order another prosecco. “You know how much I love Mortal Kombat, ” I tell her.

“Oh, I know you wanted to be Princess Kitana.” Fern smiles. “The way you twirl that fan of yours!”

Mortal Kombat could very well be my favorite franchise that Fern cast and the reason why I sent her my resume in the first place Not only was I playing with my mother’s makeup and heels as a child, but I was also outside in my backyard practicing roundhouse kicks in those heels, pretending to be Sindel and Kitana The only thing that I had in common with my straight cis male friends was, the countless hours we would spend on my Nintendo 64 playing ‘Mortal Kombat Trilogy’.

“How did you land Mortal Kombat?” I ask Fern.

“Well New Line was behind The Mask, and because I was coming off that they wanted me to do Mortal Kombat. Like I knew anything about Mortal Kombat? But you know something? I would not have gotten that if it weren’t for my sons, Sean and Spencer. They would spend hours on that game with their tongues hanging out It was crazy So I flew back home and sat with them and said ‘Ok guys, you REALLY have to show me who these characters are ’ And they showed me on the screen who Johnny Cage was, these ninjas, Scorpion and Sub Zero, one guy was made out of ice and the other was a thunder god, Raiden They showed me everything So when I went back to the meeting I told them ‘You cannot mess with your audience. They will get you in trouble and ban your movie if you don’t see these characters as these kids see them. If you start with the big names, it’s not going to work. You need phenomenal martial artists. Because that’s the game. I have an 8year-old and a 9-year-old watching these. Trust me, I know this game. And if you have them at home you cannot mess with them. They’d kill me! It would be like… what was that ‘Flawless Victory?’”

“More like ‘Fatality’,” I respond

“That’s right ”

“How was that process? You went from movies with phenomenal music to comedy and knowing all the comedians, to a huge martial arts franchise.”

“We had a stunt coordinator. And we would go to dojos. Very quickly not unlike with actors, you could see, who was shining, and who was not. I would watch my choreographer go through motions with them, like dancers, and I started to see who was great. Once I started to see that the martial arts were down, I needed to read them. If they didn’t read well, the martial arts didn’t matter

‘Unless they were background. It was quite a system. But you know they would take on these characters They knew who these people were! They were young And then I met Cary Tagawa as Shang Tsung I was scared of him! Everyone one of them really embraced it! It was phenomenal! I was like a kid in a candy store Why? Because I was challenged ”

Fern would audition multiple known martial artists for the film’s lead Liu Kang including Jason Scott Lee, Russell Wong, and Phillip Rhee. Ultimately, the role would go to Robin Shou. Other notable fighters cast were Keith Cooke Hirabayashi as Reptile, Chris Casamassa as Scorpion, and martial arts trainer Francois Petit as Sub-Zero. Cary Tagawa would land the legendary role of Shang Tsung. Other iconic cast members would be Christopher Lambert, Linden Ashby, Talisa Soto, and Trevor Goddard Cameron Diaz was set to play Sonya Blade but had injured her wrist during training and had to pull out Bridgette Wilson-Sampras would then step in and play the Sonya Blade we all know and love today

“I had to do a good job!” Fern says “My two boys would run around the house screaming ‘Your soul is mine!’ Shang Tsung was a hero in my home. I did it for them; my boys. It was important. And 2, I didn’t want to be pigeonholed. I think it’s important for us to not be restrained. I was doing comedies sure, but I was doing this big action movie that led to Annihilation and then Conquest. I wanted to do it all. That’s fun for me. If I were to teach, I would always say, ‘Try it all. Take what’s coming to you.’ Why not? Why would you wanna be put in a box? Take the challenge. Look at what you can accomplish ”

Cary Tagawa in 'Mortal Kombat'

"TAKETHE CHALLENGE. LOOKATWHAT YOUCAN ACCOMPLISH.”

Indeed, Fern would do it all throughout her career Her fast-growing reputation as a casting director icon landed her multiple titles that we know today. From action, and sci-fi series like Highlander and Babylon 5, to horror genres like the original Pet Sematary and two Friday the 13th films and series, and even the 36-hour hit classic mini-series War and Remembrance directed by Dan Curtis. She would give the Sprouse Twins their introduction into features with Just for Kicks in 2003, as well as Victoria Justice in Adventures in Appletown in 2006.

As we finished our drinks and left La Boheme, I would leave feeling inspired Fern’s journey demonstrates talent, vitality, adventure, class, and a fire that to this day, burns bright Her very words repeated in my mind ‘Take the challenge Look at what you can accomplish ’ And they would inspire me to be the best assistant I could be. She took me under her wing and showed me the works; she’d show me how to properly run a workshop, how to give actors something that they could leave with, how to ‘schmaltz’ up a room or conversation as she would say. And the challenges were the best learning points; she’d teach me to be quick and prepared.

Together we’d work on various independent projects, including ‘The Dark Prince’ and ‘Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn’ starring Jake T. Austin and Joel Courtney. Eventually, I’d become an associate, and she allowed my wings to expand With a watchful eye, of course, the expectations were high with the responsibility But with the work we were doing, I expected no less I found the world that I loved, just as she did at her first job in New York Eventually, a project would land on our laps, that would change the trajectory of Fern’s career, yet again Kevin Costner’s ‘The Hatfields and McCoys’ for A&E

It's hard not to think about ‘The Hatfields and McCoys’ without hearing The Silent Comedy’s ‘Bartholomew’, seeing the red carpets and award shows, and our amazing Jon Bloch that also joined our staff who Fern grew to lovingly call ‘Johnsie’. This mini-series boomed and elevated many to a new light.

“Look at all the people we brought back?” Fern says “And discovered We got Tom Berenger an award Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton Jena Malone Discovering Matt Barr and Boyd Holbrook This was huge!”

And huge it was. At this point, we’d taken over two offices and the conference room at Thinkfactory Media because we’d been so busy. Fern and Jon would read actors in the conference room, while an assistant and I handled another project and manned the phones. It was the busiest we’d ever been. The talent that we read, however, was stupendous. It was all invigorating.

The rush was immediately followed by her nomination for an Artios Award for Hatfields and McCoys, followed by her Emmy nomination Fern looked at us and said “Come on We’re going shopping ” And shopping we went

The adventures that followed were hard to believe. My first time walking the red carpet at the Emmys, my first time at the Artios, and the phone calls that followed. We did not win either the Emmy or Artios however, so a late-night trip to Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles was due We entered in the most extravagant beaded dresses and my famous Jimmy Choo shoes and ordered the muchneeded meal It was a blow, but we could not deny the fun and success involved with the project And I’d seen Fern at her best She handled multiple projects, enter the room after handling multiple phone calls, and begin our sessions and did it effortlessly. She thrived with the challenge. I would continue to watch and learn, and I knew how lucky I was. This casting legend eventually taught me how to be a casting director. I learned to let go of the fear and be confident. I was learning from the best. As she said about Cameron Diaz, ‘there was no fear’.

Fern would go on to cast Texas Rising after Hatfields and McCoys, another limited series with A&E with the same executive producer Leslie Greif, along with over 15 movies for Lifetime including Beaches with Idina Menzel, and Nia Long, Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart the Toni Braxton story along with casting director Leah DanielsButler, Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge, and Michelle and Girl In The Basement with Judd Scott, Stefanie Scott, and Joely Fisher.

I’d eventually land a TV job followed by a position at the network. Something that was always an interesting conversation with Fern.

“How is it at the network?” I’d ask Fern. I knew this conversation was a hard one, but for someone that was still learning and growing, I wanted to know what to expect Something that always hits an independent casting person is the fear of feast or famine “Is it more consistent at the network vs freelance?”

“In the career that I chose, I knew early on that I never wanted to head a studio or a network,” Fern said “That to me was not ‘me’ I wanted to keep it alive and different vs being in one place per se I was asked to do that. But it just wasn’t me. In choosing that you can have ‘feast or famine.’ And famine is scary. Scary in the sense that, like an actor, you’ll never work again. That’s it. It’s over. What are you going to do? So I chose to stay. I would wake up every morning and say ‘I can. I will. I’m doing the best I can.’

And I know this sounds silly but, I just put it out there. ‘I’m too good not to work again.’ And I’m not saying that necessarily now, but in the past. With the path that I chose. I wasn’t lucky. I think it’s because my track record was pretty great. And I was very eclectic in what I was choosing You need to know what you love and why you love it And as you know, I don’t like being pigeonholed I wanted to be able to fly and choose what I was doing And sometimes that is scary, but you have to believe in yourself God bless the people that can do the network and studio, they do a lot of the assigning I like to get the assignment ”

“When in your career did you get approached by the studios?”

“It wasn’t at the beginning of my career. It was after War and Remembrance. Did we see how many people? It was a lot. I originally told those producers when they handed me the scripts ‘Are you crazy?’ and they told me ‘Are you saying you can’t do it?’ I just looked at them and said ‘That’s not what I said.’ And I did it. And when people saw everyone on that show and saw my name, they were like ‘Who is she?’ And after The Mask and Mortal Kombat, was when they really wanted me It just wasn’t me It was also important to me to spend time with my sons They are my life ”

My career eventually took off, but I would take her teachings with me I’d walk down the hallways of the studios with paperwork in my hands, remembering the day’s objective. I’d remember the importance of presentation, how to navigate conversations, and how to treat and work with actors. I was selective with my work. I dared to think outside of the norm and challenge myself.

Fern and Bill Paxton.

Things were not just black and white, I needed to look at every color and every angle Most importantly, I always remember to laugh and find humor Occasionally I still peek in the mirror and look at my heels, and tell myself “You got this. Walk as she does. Take the day on.”

Meanwhile, Fern’s journey continued as epic and exciting as always. Her eye and taste for talent continue to demonstrate phenomenal expertise. She’d go on to cast Sun Records for CMT, Greenhouse Academy for Netflix, and films like Terror In The Woods and Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story. Fast forward, I reached out and said, “I’d be honored if I could write your story ” we sat down on a Zoom call, and it’s like nothing has changed She flicks her hair, I flick my hair She compliments my necklace, I give her a little shoulder She tells me “You look stunning!” And I smile I think back to the little boy that sat in the café during my first interview, nervous to finally meet her I think back and wish I could tell him ‘You will LOVE her Don’t worry darlin.’ We sit for hours and talk and laugh and remember all the wonderful memories shared. We talk about the many changes our industry has gone through, and how it continues to change. I see her healthy boys. And more importantly, I see she is well and happy.

“What do you have to say to the up-and-coming casting generation?” I ask her.

“Well first of all You see this thing?” She tells me while pointing at her cell phone “Pick up the phone and call Please ” I laugh “Seriously Get to know those assistants You’re going to be in it for a long time with them, you better get friendly with them Also remember, you’re going to grow with them Eventually, they will become agents or managers, and they remember We all do It’s a small town and we all talk But more importantly You have to love it. You have to love it and you have to have fun.”

“How do you stay so active and busy? Especially in such a weird time right now.”

“It really is relationships.” She says. “It’s very important. You have to maintain relationships. I’ve worked with many wonderful directors and producers, and they keep hiring me Yes, I’m good, but you have to care for them Again, this town is small And we’re too good to not be working ”

We near the end of the conversation, and I can’t help but smile

This amazing epic powerhouse of a woman, remarkable in all the ways, and a tremendous casting legend; is not only one of my mentors that taught me many things, but she is also someone I’m very proud to call a friend

“Any advice for our casting colleagues now during the strike?” I finally ask her

“Marry money?” She says I turn away from the screen and laugh “No but seriously We really need to support our actors As for us, we need to continue to watch movies. Watch the TV shows we didn’t have time to watch. And go to showcases if there are any.”

Fern’s most recent works are Disquite, Wifelike, and Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders for Paramount+, executive produced by Steven Paul, and the highly anticipated The Gray House produced by Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, and Leslie Greif. Her work on Confess also earned her an Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Short Form Series alongside casting director Sharon Lieblein Fern’s sons now both work in the industry, continuing her showbiz legacy; Sean is an executive at a studio, and Spencer is a member of the Teamsters

Do you still remember that phone call on your birthday?” Fern asks. “How can I not?!” I respond.

And with that, I’m taken back to perhaps one of the happiest birthday moments of my life We’d been insanely busy on one of my birthdays, and the phones wouldn’t stop When suddenly a very familiar eerie voice came on the other end “Is this Candido?” He asked “This is,” I responded And with his following words, my jaw immediately dropped, and I turned to a smiling Fern It was the one and only, Cary Tagawa, with the words, “Your soul…. is mine.”

Fern with her sons, Sean and Spencer.