She was the lead casting director on this one and what she did was really take actors that are known for one thing and respect them and the breath of their talent and say, Im going to try something else here. When you guys watch a self-tape, how long do you spend on it until you move on. She came in and was so natural, so funny. I was doing a virtual Pilates class when I got a text from Christina that said, Congrats lady! Hes often the heavy for this, he was a father who had a lost son., We cast Chris in Gotham but have known him for years, says Thomas. Id imagine that at this point, after collaborating with Hader since the first season of Barry, you all are very familiar with how you work together. I forgot to mention Casey Wilson. Having her name value in that role grounded the whole office., For Skylars role, we auditioned lots and lots of great people, says Ulrich of the co-worker character with romantic potential. The Commander that Christopher Meloni played [Commander Winslow] was challenging because often times the first script doesnt tell you what the journey is going to be. ST: Russell worked very, very hard on that. That helps give me the essence of what Bill has in mind, and then as I get him going, hell just start going into the characters dialogue in a voice that reflects how he hears it in his head. Sometimes Clement will become inspired by the actors. All Rights Reserved. RS: With Katey, we wanted someone who is very special because there is a lot to unpack there with Lindas mother being in prison. "I've known and worked with Sherry in different capacities over the past 7 years. So find somebody who really is going to, give you a little bit of something to play off of, but not try to sort of make it about them, because thats not what theyre there for. 2006 No, but it made me feel like just more confident. The Robert Downey Jr. -produced HBO series Perry Mason -which places the famed criminal defense lawyer played by Matthew Rhys in the era he debuted in literature, the 1930s-features a stellar cast. So he was intrigued. But not even Thomas and Lewis knew who the character, a nice guy married to Regina Kings vigilante character, would later be revealed to be. So, theres time to do a little bit of research and we tried to educate people as much as possible that this was based on the podcast based on a true story. I think Chris Meloni brought so much value to that role. We all miss it. A lot of casting people their choices have shifted to self-tapes and some of them only self-tapes, but for us our choice will always to be in the room with actors. She was kind of in my head when I read it. Sherry Thomas is represented by the brilliant Kristin Nelson of . She created a book this big between her read with casting and her read with Bruce, of her story as the character. AD: This wasnt your only nomination this year. She needed the right role to be able to show that shes not just someone whos gorgeous, and Mississippi allows her to do that., Elarica [as dancer Autumn Night] has a very openhearted vulnerability that comes forward when you just look in her eyes, says Ingram. Its all so seamless, though, that you cant see any of those divisions in his performance. And at that time, there were not vaccination mandates in place. Stacia Kimler, Casting . Instead its all of the supporting players, the day players, because you have to have great actors, the majority of who are in scenes with Christina and Linda. There was somebody we just couldnt hire recently that is absolutely not known for comedy. Matthew Dodsons father is not a role he typically plays. He is so wonderful. He fell in love with doing the show. Its interesting, because I think what happens to actors often happens to casting directors, Bialy explained. But what they dont realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might actually be looking straight into the actors souls. You also have to believe that that actor is capable of things you havent seen them do before. I didnt know anyone here, but was a manager at The Gap at the time and got transferred to an LA location of the store. ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. He was pursuing editing work on the side. So, you have to just be mindful of the process or the questions and anticipate what theyre going to ask, the producers or the director. And from there, we would have further discussion or conversation. If someone made a series about your life story, which actor would you cast to play the role of Sherry Thomas? Her role in "Barry" came about thanks to its casting director, nine-time Emmy nominee Sherry Thomas, as well as the Hollywood satire's dedication to meta humor. We actually hit the limit of how many emails Gmail can accept in a day. After Kaling posted the open call on her social media and more than 13,000 submissions poured in, the duo discovered Toronto-based, then-17-year-old Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. Then, I go through my notes and consider actors that I love, as well as some new actors. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? Thats why the character [club owner Uncle Clifford] is so exciting and real because Nicco is willing to take those risks., Shannon [as dancer Keyshawn] is shockingly gorgeous. Let me try it. Was that hard at all? Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaid's Tale may first come to mind. Part of our journey is the process of learning about the actor, says Bialy. That has been nice because so many of these shows are aged for younger women. And our associate, Alyssa Morris, did the same with the smaller roles. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. Oscars 2023 Voting Begins Dear Oscar, Hear My Plea, Why Steven Spielberg Deserves to Win His Third Best Directing Oscar. [Niccos] brilliant, says Hopkins. Now in the show's second season, casting directors Sherry Thomas and Russell Scott were tasked with the challenge of expanding on that world and filling out an ensemble that were able to keep up with Applegate and Cardellini. The others laugh a little. Exclusive: AMCs Emmy episode submissions for Breaking Bad & Mad Men, Even though Breaking Bad is over, Bialy and Thomas are still involved in that universe thanks to their casting of the spin-off series Better Call Saul. However, Bialy warns us, I cant tell you anything about Better Call Saul. Were sworn to secrecy! Theyre also keeping busy casting Halt and Catch Fire, which just ended its first season on AMC, Foxs upcoming comic-book series Gotham and TVs biggest ratings hit The Walking Dead., Hey, whats with all the dark shows on their resumes? Its definitely a world that were extremely interested in.. Now, I would never assume that Melissa McCarthy would be so interested in my life that she would say yes to playing me in a series about it. Sharon Bialy: What a nice way to start the day. I mean, I was still completely nervous, but I felt more comfortable in that sort of nervousness. She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. We really relied on people that we have cultivated relationships with over a period of time as casting directors do. Facebook Icon. And I said, Yeah, I think its going to be really cool and really interesting. I really hope the industry is changing to be better in that area, especially for women who want to work and also be moms. She had to go to some places and the work was beautiful. And as a casting director, it feeds my soul to get to go through the whole collaborative process of finding that person who just pops in a role. We ultimately will probably only send one take, unless were really questioning We dont edit it ourselves too much sometimes because the producers could come back and say, You know, theyre missing a moment, and thats exactly what was in the other take. Sometimes our job is basically that of a casting director/producer. At the time, there wasnt really a choice you had to prove yourself at work by being at your desk. Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sharon Bialy is known for Rudy (1993), The Handmaid's Tale (2017) and Barry (2018). Unless it is really not Theres a couple things going into play. Sherry Thomas: Fortunately, I feel like everybody did a little bit of research, which was interesting. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. And thanks for sharing about the magic of working with the person who not only co-created the show, but who also produces, writes, directs, and stars in it. Closing out the conversation we were joined by their casting partner Sharon Bialy to discuss their second nomination of the year for their work on The Handmaids Tale. Name one of your favorite television shows and its a sure bet that Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas were the casting directors for at least one of them. But what they don't realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might . For Dead to Mes second season, Scott said the main task was finding the new love interest for Linda Cardellinis character. We knew her, but I wouldnt say that a lot of people knew her, Greenstein adds. I mean, its just, its incredible. You dont have to try to crack jokes and just be yourself. Mindy did, probably, because she had her on The Mindy Project. 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) The process when we started of course is making lists. A lot have to be able to do comedy, drama, all of it.. Were lucky., I was a giant fan of Janes for many, many years, from Suburgatory, Robert J. Ulrich says of the lead actress whose Zoey can see and hear what others are feeling via fantasy musical numbers. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Creator Katori Hall made a short film of her intended pilot that featured several castmembers, but the search still encompassed thousands of auditions and extensive chemistry reads. AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? Its also an emotional drama. We are very passionate about not pigeonholing actors. With larger roles, you have time to build an arc, but with something so small, the challenge is how to make it memorable. A lot of offices have become that even prior to pandemic, to COVID, but thats just never been the way that we like to generate the work. So theres some benefits to both. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. She had been around and doing guest star work, but to get a series regular gig was a big step for her., Poorna has for most of her career been a dramatic actress, and she was like, I never get to come in on comedies because nobody thinks Im funny, says Greenstein about the role of Devis mother for Jagannathan. And I think you can do that because you have more time, youre at home. She cites the scenes with Mark Proksch as energy vampire Colin Robinson in his workplace. Its been a long time coming and were very proud of it., 9 Emmy nominees you didnt know were already on Netflix: Breaking Bad, Scandal, , If they do win the Emmy, they arent worried about getting kicked off the stage if their acceptance speech lasts too long. I truly love doing hair and have always told people that if I somehow just sh-t the bed and was no longer able to be in casting, I would do hair instead. Our approach to that is a direct line of communication. She gets it. Theres a lot of complexity to the role and we needed someone funny. Russell Scott, Casting Director. Its good to be (Regina) King: The Oscar winner might win her fourth Emmy for her portrayal of Angela Aybar/Sister Night in Watchmen., The Doctor is in: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was a surprise choice to play Dr. Manhattan in HBOs Watchmen.. While eager to gather a diverse troupe for Mindy Kaling and Lang Fishers series, casting directors Collin Daniel and Brett Greenstein quickly realized that until they had nailed down their series leads, there was no ensemble to assemble. Top Gun: Maverick, Banshees of Inisherin, All Quiet on the Western Front Win at MPSE. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. My wife is my reader and shes terrible. Weve always requested self-tapes and explored actors from all over the world. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaids Tale may first come to mind. Sherry Lansing. And say, Lets try them for this.. We can be a force of nature in our career and still want to spend more than an hour and a half with our newborn baby. The storylines and arcs are massive, and youre also in a period piece, so it was important to make sure that each actor [remained] defined within their own self, even if the character wasnt around all the time, says Thomas. I think within that the process will change a bit. Keep reading for a window into everything from how she works including her Emmy-nominated casting of Barrys third season to what shed be doing if her chosen profession werent an option. What can you tell us about the process of assembling the cast for its long-awaited third season? It was the biggest casting search weve ever done in our career, says Daniel. Pros from five of the years newest dramas and comedies including 'Perry Mason' and 'We Are Who We Are' also reveal the surprising obstacles they hurdled before production began. Were in a very different time and our priorities are a little different, but it doesnt take away from the pride of it and the love and passion we have for it. Its when I really first started, when I was having a lot of autonomy with Sharon. He felt just perfect for Bruce. Its about finding complex and compelling actors that can bring nuance even to comedy. ST: I think thats one of the reasons we love to be in the room with actors and why right now it is really hard with the world of COVID. You are known for bringing in people who are looked at one way, and then you sort of have given this whole new sort of light, this new career almost to them. Alice Lee was just a discovery. I dont want to make it sound so righteous, but I think it was just a good, interesting, and different way to go. Sharon Bialy: Sometimes well know somebody really well and have them read and literally in two lines, Im like, thats it, shes the one. From encouraging this writer about her questionable hair choices to estimating how many times shes forgotten to pick her kids up from school, Thomas candor in our interview provided an intriguing look into the person behind all the casting credits. Learn how your comment data is processed. In a COVID and post-COVID world do you think youre job will permanently change? We went back to our theatre brains, and Laila Robins is someone I had seen over 25 years ago doing The Real Thing opposite Jeremy Irons. Of course she would have a crush on him. Darren was somebody who had this quality that was a little mysterious, obviously very handsome and surprisingly funny., We never really expected there to be a love triangle, because in the pilot Devi and Ben are just so nasty and mean toward each other. Michael Ordoa covers film and television for the Los Angeles Times. Sherry Thomas: If a reader is really distracting, its not about the reader, its about the actor. But I dont believe she had ever been a series regular before. The actors dont care that they come in 10 times and didnt get the part, because they know that one time with us they will., Once you have Matthew Rhys, you want to make sure whoever is opposite isnt wiped off the screen, says Bialy of their lead. Weve read her over the years and have been a fan of hers, says Daniel of the role Moorjani eventually landed, as the cousin who initially inspires envy in Devi. We didnt want someone who would be instantly recognizable to the world. Alyssa Morris is our associate on this project and it was really, honestly the first time were working on a project where all of us are not together. Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas - casting directors HBO: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 2: Cindy Tolan - casting director Amazon: Russian Doll: Season 1: Christine Kromer - casting director Netflix: Veep: Season 7: Dorian Frankel and Sibby Kirchgessner - casting directors HBO: 2020s. You can see so many more people for a role, because you can take chances because you dont have to slot people in to 15-minute time periods with the producers. In this case, its Jane, only in the fact that the public did not know that she was a singer. Hes like 6-foot-5, hes got this huge fro. Sauls Rhea Seehorn was one they called in many times before she booked the key Kim Wexler role. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. I knew that Mary could sing. We got so many emails from agents asking, Where did you find these actors? Everybody was blown away, says Greenstein. We always want to be readily available to talk as they prepare their tapes so that there is that sense that weve been in the room with them. They tell the story of when they had to call Margolis in New York and ask him to put himself on tape, despite the fact that his character had no lines. Personnel: Sharon Bialy, Casting Director. Interview: Jeremy Davis on Playing Olaf in Frozen, Costume Mishaps and Making the Role His Own, Interview: Casting Director Kim Coleman on Five Days at Memorial, Self-Tape Tips and Portraying Real People, Interview: David Christopher Wells on His Role in To Kill a Mockingbird, Being an Understudy and Getting His MFA, Interview: Clifton Collins Jr. and Molly Parker on Jockey, Research and Bad Auditions, Ted Lasso Star Phil Dunster on How He Got the Role of Jamie Tartt, Theres No Such Thing As Chemistry In Acting. We needed him to feel younger than the other boys, other than Jack. And he even said, coming in, I dont really know why Im here. But if you feel like you want to give it a shot. Now in the shows second season, casting directors Sherry Thomas and Russell Scott were tasked with the challenge of expanding on that world and filling out an ensemble that were able to keep up with Applegate and Cardellini. Lets try it. His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. Oscars 2023: Preview and Predictions + Contest! Sharon Bialy: I mean, I watch the whole thing. I get on the phone with agents, and the casting process goes on from there. Did you specify that in the breakdowns or did you have to redirect people? Hes daring. He was playing a husband. He was kind of signing on to play the girl part., As to King (she and Abdul-Mateen II are nominated, along with costars Jovan Adepo, Louis Gossett Jr., Jeremy Irons and Jean Smart), the Oscar winner and three-time Emmy winner who worked on Lindelofs The Leftovers wasnt a slam dunk precisely because shed worked on Lindelofs The Leftovers.. Christina Applegate has done amazing dramatic work on the show, but she has largely been known as a comedic actor. And then, Sherry, you redirected me to do something. Do you think you guys will rely on that still? Two different ways? Thats what I did back in 2012 after my second daughter was born. Finding actors that can understand the unique tone of the show, one that balances gut-wrenching trauma with unexpected comedy, is an intricate task. Watch our video interviews with top awards contenders: directors, producers, below-the-line artisans and , Watch our lively predictions slugfests with Experts and Editors. I get told all the time that I remind people of Melissa McCarthy.