The pair’s latest project is Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor The Great, starring June Squibb, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Erin Kellyman and Jessica Hecht. A big hit at both the Cannes and Toronto International Film Festivals this year, the drama about a 94-year-old widow who tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own, opens nationwide September 26. They spoke to us from their New York office. 

Key Insights

1. Longstanding relationships shape opportunities – Ellen Lewis’ decades of industry experience and prior connection with Scarlett Johansson helped secure her involvement in Eleanor The Great.
2. Casting blends intuition with timing – Ejiofor’s pivotal role was secured through fortunate timing, while Erin Kellyman emerged from a mix of instinct and standout auditions.
3. Authenticity enhances storytelling – Rita Zohar, a Holocaust survivor, brought profound depth to her role, demonstrating how lived experience can elevate character work, even when not a requirement.

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How did you first get on the project? It must’ve been a big gamble, working with a first-time filmmaker with no on-set experience.

Ellen Lewis: (Laughs) We had worked on Fly Me to the Moon for Greg Berlanti, but of course I’ve known Scarlett over many, many years, even from the time when I was Juliet Taylor’s associate and assistant, and Scarlett was a kid. But definitely Fly Me to the Moon was what really connected us, because her producers also were producers on that. And this was a lovely script, so I was really thrilled that she asked us to do it. 

Kate, how long have you been working with Ellen? 

Kate Sprance: I’ve been working with Ellen for 13 years. Our first shared credit was Bad Education, but I’m just always grateful to work with her, no matter what my position is. So long as she wants to have me.

Well, it certainly seems like it’s a good team. Was June on board when you came on? 

EL: She already was attached, which was fantastic. Obviously, we’re huge fans, and when I was Juliet’s assistant and associate for many years, I met June in the office. She would come in for things, and then when I went out on my own, I cast June in Scent of a Woman, and she’s wonderful in that fantastic scene with all the students there and such. I cast her in small things over the years, and hers is just a wonderful career for actors, to see someone who’s always been a fantastic actor and now getting well known in her late 80s and now into her 90s? I mean, it can happen at any time. You [never]  know. 

Chiwetel Ejiofor’s role was interesting to me, because it didn’t seem like there was a lot to it for most of the movie. Then of course he has this fantastic speech at the end and it all makes sense. Was that a challenging role to cast?

EL: It really was. There were other people in discussion, and then, as can happen in the casting process, you’re waiting to hear from people, and luckily, the producers were in touch with Sony Pictures, and knew that suddenly he became available. It’s one of those kismet moments where the perfect person gets cast in the film.

Speaking of perfect, what was the process of bringing Erin Kellyman on board?

KS: When we were reading the script and thinking of people for the dad, our associate, Leah, and I thought of her at the same time. I had seen her in a non-musical version of Les Miserables, and remembered [her] from that. Then I recently watched Willow, and she just popped in my head. She did really beautiful auditions. 

EL: But yes, that is a role where you cast a wide net, but then, just as Kate’s saying, [she’s] such a gifted actress that Kate and Leah knew and loved, and was just so perfect for this part. It’s really thrilling seeing her on screen. She’s so gorgeous in every way.

Her chemistry with June is amazing. Is that a situation where you had the two of them in a room before you cast Erin? Or did you just put them together and hope for the best?

EL: That’s correct, we just put them together. We just recently met Erin. We hadn’t even met her in person.  

That’s interesting. Do you find that your job is harder or easier with the way the work has changed recently?

EL: I think it’s different, and maybe easier. As much as actors might complain about this process of Zoom or self taping, it gives so many more actors an opportunity than they would have had where we’ve seen people in person, because you’re not going to necessarily see 60 people for a role.

Rita Zohar is not somebody I recognized, but she is wonderful as Bessie. 

KS: We put a breakdown out and requested tapes. She was an actual Holocaust survivor. She was born in one of the camps and then went to Israel and had a wonderful film career there. We were just so lucky that she was submitted by her agent, and then gave a beautiful, beautiful reading. We’re grateful that she is in it. 

Were you looking for someone who might have been a survivor? 

EL: We weren’t. That was not a stipulation at all in the description of the character. I think the agent  made a note when they submitted her so that we knew when we were reading her that she was, but it wasn’t a requirement. There were wonderful actors actually submitted for that role, but obviously there was an authenticity to Ms. Zohar, and she’s a phenomenal actress. The wonderful thing about acting and actors is that careers can span many decades, as we talked about with June.

Another example of that kind of actress is Jessica Hecht, who has been doing great work for a very long time.

EL: She’s an actress that we admire so much. She’s here in New York, obviously, and she does theater as well as film, and we just couldn’t be happier that she is playing June’s daughter in this movie. I admire Jessica so much. 

KS: Scarlett had worked with her before. They had done the Broadway play together, A View From the Bridge.

Do you find that these projects are special because you’re able to work with character actors or people that you’ve known for years, and give them great roles? Or does that not factor in? 

EL: No, I think that no matter what we’re working on, the most important thing with any project, no matter the size or what it is, is starting afresh every time, as if you don’t know people and you’re opening your mind to whatever the world is that the piece is about, or that the director is looking to collaborate with us on. As you know, after the script, we’re really the first people brought on to a project, and it’s just very important to be able to work with a director to understand what their vision is of it, and keep our minds open to people we know, as well as new people. Because you are introduced to new people all the time, and that’s one of the most exciting things about casting.

When you finish a job like this, and you clearly do it really well, do you allow yourself to appreciate it and give yourself a pat on the back? Or is it more, “Okay, on to the next?”

EL: I don’t think it’s ever, “We did it, on to the next.” You have to realize that we started a project at the beginning, and then months go by while something is being shot and edited and released. So we are on to our next project, because that’s the nature of our job. What’s so fulfilling is when something is completed and a director is happy with what they’ve created, and other people are happy with the piece. That’s one of the most exciting things about our job. But it’s many months after work we have done, because we’re at the very beginning.

First ones in, first ones out.

EL: Yeah, exactly.

KS: We hopefully have done our part, and then you never know what’s going to turn out. Later on, we get to see the magic of the movie, and you get to revisit it and say, “Oh, this is so exciting to see all the people come to life and the characters in front of us.” So it’s always a fun thing later. 

So you get the bonus of finishing a job feeling good, then however long later, you get to experience it and get the joy again the second time around. 

EL: (Laughs) That’s a good way to put it.

Key Takeaways

1. Strong collaborations between casting directors and filmmakers set the foundation for authentic, resonant storytelling.
2. The rise of self-taping and remote auditions has broadened access for more actors, increasing opportunities and diversity in casting.
3. Great roles can come at any stage of an actor’s career, highlighting the importance of perseverance and openness in the industry.

You may also like:

• The Long Walk Casting Spotlight: Cooper Hoffman & David Jonsson Lead Stephen King Adaptation
• Casting Insights: Angelique Midthunder on Casting ‘Opus’
• My Casting Story: Dan Jablons on ‘The Out-Laws’

The post Casting Insights: ‘Eleanor the Great,’ Ellen Lewis and Kate Sprance appeared first on Casting Networks.

What You’ll Find in This Article

• You Need to Know a Little Something About Everything
• It’s About Managing People
• You Have Less Control Than You Think
• You Will Have to Be the Advocate
• Communicating Your Vision Means Speaking Their Language

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You Need to Know a Little Something About Everything

The more you know about every aspect of the production, the more effectively you’ll be able not only to ask for what you need, but also to advocate for it. Directing on set or stage is a massive part of the job, but so many conversations and decisions happen behind the scenes, from pre-production through post-production.

The more you understand the intricacies of each department, the better armed you are. You’ll have more power as a problem-solver, and you’ll know when you need to compromise versus when to push back on something.

It’s About Managing People

Along with knowing something about everything, directors have to know something about everyone. When you’re able to build strong rapport across multiple teams, people will be more willing to go the extra mile for you. This means you may get caught between artists or crew members who disagree, and you have to be able to make decisions and move things forward without alienating either party.

You Have Less Control Than You Think

While much of the blame or credit will come to rest on the director’s shoulders, the bigger the project, the less control you’ll have. There will be producers, executives, regulations and endless input from avenues you never dreamed of. That input must be weighed against your budget, your time and available resources.

You Will Have to Be the Advocate

Even when you don’t hold all the power, you will be looked to to set the tone of the production. That means if someone is being mistreated, that’s a problem for you to solve, whether or not you had any hand in the situation. Speak up for the folks who have less power and access than you do.

Communicating Your Vision Means Speaking Their Language

Having a clear, beautiful vision for the work may feel like the core of the job, but the vision is only as good as the execution.

You have to be able to communicate the vision so that many people in different positions can execute it. The tricky part is that everyone is going to have different needs and different styles of communication.

Start taking note early of who needs what. Some folks respond better to positive reinforcement, some need blunt delivery, some prefer technical explanations, and some work better with visual imagery. Being able to adjust quickly and remain flexible in your communication keeps morale and productivity high.

With every surprise challenge, there are so many artistic highs that come along with directing. It calls on a vast array of skills and more trial and error than is comforting. When you know better, you do better. The more you are committed to listening and learning, the better you’ll be able to lead.

Final Takeaways

Directing is a multifaceted challenge that goes far beyond calling “action.” It demands a broad understanding of the entire production, skillful people management and constant advocacy.

For actors stepping into this world, embracing these realities early can make all the difference in how you navigate the process and contribute meaningfully.

• Learn the basics of every department involved so you can communicate and collaborate more effectively.
• Build strong relationships with cast and crew; trust and respect open doors when conflicts arise.
• Accept that you won’t control everything—adaptability and teamwork will be your greatest assets.
• Be prepared to speak up for others and help maintain a fair, respectful environment on set.
• Tailor your communication to fit different personalities and roles to keep the production running smoothly.

You may also like:

• Polishing Your Comedy: Tips and Tricks for Effective Bits
• Actor/Filmmaker Amy Redford Talks Casting Actors With Famous Last Names in ‘What Comes Around’
• Walking and Talking the Company Line

The post 5 Things No One Tells You About Directing appeared first on Casting Networks.

Over the last 14 years, her work at Disney has helped to make stars out of dozens of actors, while bringing to life some of the most beloved cinematic stories of recent memory. Every now and then, she casts one of these movies herself. Such is the case with the highly anticipated sequel Freakier Friday, which she cast with Lyberti Evans. The movie hits theaters everywhere on August 8.

Stars of the 2003 original film, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, return as Tess and Anna Coleman, alongside rising star Julia Butters as Tess’ daughter Harper, and newcomer Sophia Hammons as her soon-to-be stepdaughter Lily. Also joining the cast are Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray and Stephen Tobolosky, all of whom starred in the first film, as well as newbies Manny Jacinto, Vanessa Bayer and Chloe Fineman, among a host of others. Hiller spoke with us from her office in LA.

Insights from Randi Hiller

• Develop strong comedic skills and a unique presence since casting often favors those who can bring genuine humor and emotion quickly.
• Prepare to take direction and adapt on the spot. Casting directors value actors who can take notes and show versatility during auditions.
• Stay persistent and visible over time. Casting directors remember talent from past auditions and may consider you for future roles even if you initially didn’t get the part.

Thinking about joining Casting Networks? Sign up for a free trial today!

Normally, when I talk to somebody about a specific project, I ask how they ended up working on it. This is a little different, so instead I’ll ask how you came to your position at Disney in the first place.

It was a long road. I started as an intern at a talent agency in New York, and then, when I graduated from college, they offered me an assistant job. I couldn’t really afford to live in New York at the time, and LA was so much cheaper, so I moved out here.

I floated at that talent agency for a while, and a desk opened up in the comedy department. I had to go to comedy clubs four or five nights a week and submit paperwork to my bosses.

I didn’t want to be an agent. I worked another job the whole time, for a production company. They were doing a sketch comedy pilot for PBS, and I started recording people I knew from the comedy circuit. They were like, “We have no money. Why don’t you just cast this?” I cast that show, and said [to myself], “Oh my God, this is what I love.” 

I got a job working for two of the biggest casting directors at the time, and I was lucky enough to work for a bunch of different people. Then I had my own company, and I was doing pretty well as an independent casting director. I got really busy, and I brought in Sarah Finn to work with me, then I got a call from Disney. I didn’t know that I would be good at this, but it’s been almost 14 years. 

You don’t often get to cast things yourself, though. What leads to those instances?

I think it’s so important to just keep your finger on the pulse, and you get a different reading of when you’re in a room with an actor or on a tape with an actor than just watching tapes of other people meeting with them.

We tend to work a lot in-house, but if a director has somebody they work with, we don’t interrupt those relationships. If it’s going to be a massive search that’s going to take a long time, it’s usually us. Sometimes it’s just the budget, since we’re already paid for. If the budget is smaller, we don’t increase the budget.

Sometimes a filmmaker just wants to work with us, so it varies on a lot of topics.

There aren’t a lot of people who do what you do, acting as both administrator and casting director. Can that get complicated?

I think both are beneficial. There are so many casting directors with just amazing, amazing taste, but also so much of what we do is just [going with] your gut. Sometimes you meet somebody in a movie or a TV show, and five years later, you’re like, “Oh my God, they’d be great.” Or, the person who didn’t get that job is right for this.

There’s something different about when you’re the one giving the note and seeing it take action, and you’re on the front line of it. When you’re watching someone else’s tape, or even in the self tape, you’ll think, “Wow, was that a choice they made? Can they take that note? Can they not take that note?” You don’t know what that note is, necessarily, unless you happen to be in the room.

Let’s talk about casting Julia Butters, who is a child star like Lindsay Lohan was.

I think, all in all, for both [teen] roles, we saw about 800 people. I had auditioned Julia for another movie when she was younger. She ultimately didn’t get that movie, but she made me laugh so hard; there was something magical about her.

I used to watch her on American Housewife when she was probably, like, six, and then after that, she did Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood. I called her manager and said, “Can we get her on tape?” I targeted a small group of people.

Julia is so funny, with her observational humor, and she’s a really solid actress. I think she was 14 when we started, and Lindsay is playing a mom of a teenager. Theoretically, she can play the mom of a teenager, but she looks so gorgeous and fantastic.

What about Sophia, who hadn’t done much before this?

She hadn’t done a lot. We had six or eight weeks to cast this, and that wasn’t enough time for us to get a visa for anybody from the UK, so we needed somebody to also do an English accent. We just hit the ground running.

She was in Colorado and came in on a self tape, and then we brought her back several times. To her credit, she worked so hard on that accent. She had less than two months to nail it. It was her first lead in a movie.

With a great attitude and a great will to work, she just stepped up to the plate.

What’s that process like, narrowing down such a huge number of submissions to something more manageable?

We watch everything and take notes on everything. Of those that submitted, sometimes people are way out of the age range.

Sometimes, something draws your eye to certain people. They create emotion right on the spot. They have something, a quality that inhabits the character.

I think, if you see 1,000 people, probably the first 800 are easy to narrow down. The last 200 start getting harder, and then the last 25 is where it gets into play.

Quite often, a lot of those people could be in the movie; it’s just which version of the movie you’re making. Once you get specifically to the final five, it’s not that anybody is untalented or bad; it’s just a different movie than the way the director views it.

Beyond the search for the two kids, which is arduous and enormous, what are some of the larger challenges of casting a sequel like this?

You have to rule out the expectation. That was the stuff of the Marvel movies, and I oversaw some Star Wars things and everything.

When there’s such a huge fan base, it’s easy to get paralyzed by what everybody wants. You just have to focus on the qualities of the character. In this case, did people make you laugh? Did you believe them in that role? We laughed a lot during the audition process for this.

When you finish a job like this, and you’re happy with the results and it’s clear that you did your job well, do you allow yourself to enjoy it? Do you appreciate your work?

The first time I saw anything, I couldn’t focus on the movie at all. I’m just too busy looking for everybody and seeing how they did and being hyper-analytical of it all. Then the second time I see it, I can relax and enjoy it.

Every once in a while — not in this movie at all — but every once in a while, there’s one role that you’re like, “I could have done better on this or that.” There’s a bunch of voices that go into it as well.

I think this movie is really fun. It’s not a movie that’s necessarily made for me. I was too old when the first one came out, but I still laughed and enjoyed it and loved it, which for me was a win. I came out of it feeling really good and happy.

I think people who see it are going to feel good and happy, and you know, the way the world is right now, who doesn’t want to feel happy? Who doesn’t want to just be sheerly entertained for a little bit of time?

Final Takeaways

Breaking into acting takes patience, adaptability, and a keen sense of what casting directors are looking for. Randi Hiller’s experience shows that talent combined with a strong work ethic and the ability to connect with a role can make all the difference. Here are a few practical tips for new actors navigating auditions and casting processes.

• Hone your comedic timing and emotional authenticity to stand out in auditions.
• Be ready to take direction and adjust your performance quickly when given notes.
• Keep building relationships and stay memorable; casting directors often recall actors from past auditions.
• Prepare thoroughly and bring your own unique energy to each role you pursue.
• Be persistent and patient. It’s completely normal to have multiple auditions before landing the right part.

You may also like:

• The Casting of ‘Monsters,’ with Tiffany Little Canfield and Josh Einsohn
• John Papsidera Gives Insights on the Casting of ‘Superman’
• The Best Audition Advice from Casting Directors

The post Randi Hiller on the Casting of ‘Freakier Friday’ appeared first on Casting Networks.

At the most basic level and simplest of terms, I venture to guess you thought being an actor meant majoring in acting in college and taking classes from established acting coaches in the field to build your foundation, which would be followed by the process of auditioning for roles.

However, once you begin working as an actor, you quickly realize that the profession is far more complex than it first appears. Let’s take a trip down this rabbit hole and explore what it truly takes to become a successful actor.

What You’ll Find in This Article

• Learning the Craft
• Auditions
• Callbacks
• Booking
• Patience
• Running Your Own Business
• Mental Resilience
• Building a Reputation

Thinking about joining Casting Networks? Sign up for a free trial today!

Learning the Craft

It is necessary to learn the basics of acting. However, when you start venturing out into the working world, you discover there are many genres of acting. These consist of drama, comedy, film, TV, theater and voiceover.

To take this a step further, each of these categories has its complexities and nuances.

Auditions

Your first audition will almost always be a self tape. To audition competitively, you have to be able to deliver a good self tape. This consists of the right equipment and other materials.

For self tapes, you’ll need a phone, computer, backdrop and proper lighting. In addition, you’ll need to be familiar with expected formats, which take very minimal editing. There are many workshops offered where you can learn how to do all of this.

Callbacks

Callbacks come with their own set of complexities. To have a successful callback, you need to know how to deliver variations of the read that initially got you called back.

At most callbacks, the director will stretch you in different directions to get a better sense of your range. As there are usually last-minute ideas or changes on the shoot day, the director will need to feel confident that your acting ability is flexible enough to stand up to the task.

Booking

My producer clients often tell me they like working with talent who can offer multiple variations on a role. On the other hand, they’ll sometimes say an actor is difficult to work with if they can only perform the role one way.

Patience

Patience is a virtue. I’ve watched actors starting their careers, and in hindsight, I see how much patience it truly takes.

Actors are facing disappointments, losing out on roles, struggling to secure representation, building their résumés from smaller to larger roles, and taking parts that may not pay off until years later, when these relationships can grow into bigger opportunities.

Running Your Own Business

Acting is your own business. Develop a support team that may consist of an agent, manager, accountant and even a photographer you like.

Think of your Casting Networks profile as part of your support team. Make sure your profiles are up to date.

Figure out a budget for your expenses. Obvious expenses are classes, photos, casting platforms and self-taping equipment. Build in a separate budget for unexpected costs. 

Mental Resilience

Staying mentally strong is key. This career can challenge your confidence, so protecting your well-being is as important as honing your skills.

Develop a strong support system. Know who you can go to when you are feeling a little low. Also be aware of places, reading materials, podcasts and anything else you can turn to for inspiration and guidance.

Building a Reputation

Not only do you have to build your reputation in the craft of acting, but you also need to establish a strong professional reputation with the people you interact with. Casting directors, producers, directors, agents and fellow actors all take note of how you conduct yourself.

You want to be known as likeable, reliable, and easy to work with, as well as someone who takes direction well, shows up on time, is prepared, and brings a positive attitude to set or auditions. 

Word travels in this business, and one bad interaction can affect future opportunities just as quickly as a good one can open doors. Your talent may get you in the room, but your reputation often determines whether you’re invited back. Building strong relationships and consistently demonstrating professionalism is just as important as your acting skills. 

Final Takeaways

Starting your acting career is more than just learning lines and performing. It’s about mastering the craft, navigating auditions and building a professional reputation while managing your own business.

Success in acting comes not just from your skill but from your ability to navigate the industry thoughtfully and professionally every step of the way. The path requires patience, resilience and versatility both on and off the stage or screen.

Here’s a quick recap of the key steps to help you thrive in this complex industry:

• Invest in good equipment (phone, lighting, backdrop) and learn the proper formats to create polished self tapes.
• Be ready to adapt your performance with different variations. Flexibility shows directors your range and professionalism.
• Treat acting like a business by assembling a support team, budgeting for classes and materials, and keeping your casting profiles updated.
• Cultivate a strong support system and find sources of inspiration to maintain confidence through inevitable setbacks.
• Show up prepared, be reliable and easy to work with, and always maintain a positive attitude.

You may also like:

• Why Do Casting Directors Consider So Many Options?
• How to Analyze Voiceover Copy
• The Best Audition Advice from Casting Directors

The post The Challenges and Complexities of Pursuing an Acting Career appeared first on Casting Networks.

All the casting directors who work with Bernie Telsey possess a certain level of excellence. It leads to loads of Artios and Emmy nominations, and, one would think, soon Oscar nods as well, now that there’s going to be a Casting category starting in 2026.

Two stalwarts of this group are Tiffany Little Canfield and Josh Einsohn, who each earned an Emmy nod this year for their work on the Ryan Murphy series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. It is Canfield’s eighth nomination (she is also recognized this year for Only Murders in the Building) and Einsohn’s first.

The show stars Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny as José and Kitty Menendez, and newcomers Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch as Lyle and Erik, respectively. Bardem, Sevigny and Koch also earned Emmy nods for their work. Canfield and Einsohn chatted with us from Los Angeles about their experiences casting Monsters, which Telsey also worked on. 

Insights From Tiffany Little Canfield and Josh Einsohn

• Develop versatility to play complex characters that can be both sympathetic and monstrous. This range is crucial for layered storytelling.
• Focus on building chemistry with scene partners during auditions. Strong ensemble dynamics can significantly impact casting decisions.
• Choose roles that offer nuanced perspectives to explore different facets of a character and showcase their depth.

Thinking about joining Casting Networks? Sign up for a free trial today!

How did you connect with Ryan Murphy in the first place?

Tiffany Little Canfield: The old-fashioned way. Our wonderful studio exec, Stephanie Levinson at 20th Century Fox, asked us if we wanted to meet.

Josh Einsohn: Matchmaking. (Laughs)

He is a very prolific guy, which must be nice when you connect with a producer like that, knowing that there’s going to be a constant flow of work.

TLC: We felt so lucky, especially this last year, when so many of our peers are in a very different boat. We have been grateful.

JE: The shows that he produces are fun, we like working on them and people want to come and be in them. We are in an incredibly lucky place right now. We’re constantly grateful for what we get to work on and who we get to work with. 

Speaking of who you get to work with, this is the first time Javier Bardem is doing TV, and while he’s not the actual star of the show, he’s the star of the show. How did you land him?

TLC: We did start with a list, and we knew that our two Menendez brothers would be unknowns. We wanted to discover those roles.

Ryan was very intentional about wanting the cast to be balanced. When you look at the role of José Menendez, Javier is beyond perfect in every single direction. I had the opportunity to work with him in The Little Mermaid, and he was so fantastic, so special. This could have just been a paycheck, but he brought his artistry to it.

I think we’re in a similar position here, where he’s the right artist, because José Menendez is a really difficult role in the sense of, “Is he a monster?” We’ll never fully know what happened, but I think you need to have an artist who can look past the surface, to see beneath, to understand the real relationships and the real power dynamic of what was going on. Luckily, Ryan has a relationship with him, so they were able to have a phone conversation about it. 

JE: Because Ryan had a history with Javier, there was a trust there. I know that while Javier was exploring joining us for the role, as part of his process, he and Ryan spoke about the character and the way that Ryan was going to tell the story this season from a bunch of different angles, and not knowing whose perspective you’re always getting.

I think that was part of the appeal to Javier. Maybe [José] is a monster, maybe he’s not. Maybe there are other monsters. I think that was why he was so intrigued by the process. You can see it clearly in the ways that he explores José throughout the season, which vary from episode to episode. 

It must have been fascinating putting together a cast where you’re not sure who the monsters are.

JE: We had to have actors who would be able to play both monster and sympathetic, depending on where you are in the story. If you don’t have them being able to do what we’re talking about, and being both sympathetic and monsters, it falls apart.

I want to talk about Chloë, but I think you’ve given me the perfect entree to talk about Cooper and Nicholas. I’m curious about the process of identifying them and matching them to the roles.

TLC: We knew it was a search. You start out reaching out to the colleges, checking in with the theater scene, who’s coming out of it, who’s been doing well in auditions.

You can’t just go off someone’s résumé. There are so many aspects to it, and when you’re searching, you’re open. You’ve got one of the three things we’re looking for. Let’s see what you’ve got.

That process was a lot of auditions, but Cooper and Nicholas stood out right from the beginning. Not just because of the physical resemblance, although that’s certainly part of it. They felt right for it upon first impression, and then their work popped out.

When you find unknowns like this, it’s such a great match. Do you celebrate? Give each other a high-five? A pat on the back? Or just move on to the next thing? 

JE: Not so much a high-five. It’s such a collaborative process, especially with Ryan, that it’s not like the two of us sitting in a room [where we] solved the problem and that was it. I think being in the room for Nicholas and Cooper’s chemistry read with Ryan [was the win].

It was the tail end of the pandemic and it was the first time that we’d been in a room with Ryan physically. Knowing we had it was an amazing feeling. Knowing how good it was going to be, seeing the two of them together, and how quickly they worked well together. They had just met, and what they did in the room was phenomenal.

TLC: I wouldn’t say we pat ourselves on the back. I feel like what we do is get excited for what’s next for them.

With such young actors, you’re weighing all these different elements of the role, and that chemistry read was special. It almost felt, dare I say, dangerous, because the stakes are so high.

The writing is so fun in this show, the layers of horror and humor and the stakes, and the boys showed up with that. They jumped right in, and they trusted each other, even though it got a little physical. I think we broke a chair. We were very scared of breaking a desk. (Laughs)

Conversely, this felt like a very Chlöe Sevigny type of role.

TLC: You mean, she’s perfect for it? I agree. (Laughs) 

If we’re looking at the actresses who have played this type of thing before and who have made it something of a specialty, Chloë is very high on the list of people that come to mind for somebody who can walk into a role like this and nail it.

TLC: I think we agree on that. We work on a big list, and you just look at it, and it’s clear who it is. Ultimately, we know very little about little Kitty.

There’s more information about José out there, whereas Kitty, I think, has enough mystery that you need someone who naturally has mystery and charisma [to help] you understand, how do they fit into the world of Beverly Hills? Chloë always has a mystery. Chloë is always idiosyncratic, and it was beautiful and chic. 

JE: It was fun to see her do the suburban mom thing, though, which is not something I felt like we had seen Chloë do before. In some ways, it was very much like she stepped right into a lane that she’s familiar with.

In other ways, the episodes where you saw her more as just the sweet suburban mom who was stuck at home and having quiet little damage, I thought that was a very different color than what we usually see from her.

It was nice, too, that she was recognized for it, because I felt like in the lead up to the Emmy nominations, there wasn’t a lot of conversation about her, which was sad for me, because she was so brilliant. To see that people recognize just how good she was in a role that, yes, of course, she can step into and just be amazing, was gratifying. 

A show like this only works if you surround the main cast with a really strong supporting cast. There’s Ari Graynor, Dallas Roberts, Jeff Perry, Leslie Grossman and Enrique Murciano, to name a few. Nathan Lane shows up briefly. This is a murderers’ row of skilled character actors.

TLC: We were in an unusual situation for the process on this one, because of the writers’ and actors’ strikes, which came right in the middle of our process. We had identified Javier, Chloë, Cooper and Nathan, but then had to pause on the offers because of the strikes.

I believe Ari came in to read the day before the strikes and everything had to stop, so we never even got to talk to Ryan about her. What we tried to do for ourselves was just take those strike months and percolate on who we imagined, so that we could hit the ground running. As soon as we were allowed to do anything, we had a really strong point of view.

JE: We had a lot of time sitting around to think about who we wanted. And … I want to be careful how I phrase this. Coming back after the strikes, everybody was available, because we were one of the very few projects going.

It was easy to assemble this incredible ensemble for so many reasons. Again, starting with Ryan Murphy’s reputation. The writing was fantastic. Everybody knew the subject matter of the season, and that was exciting to want to be a part of.

People were available and wanted to come and play in the world, too, so it wasn’t even like we were having to work around too many schedules at that point, either, which is often an obstacle to people who want to come and play and can’t because they’re stuck on another show.

Josh, this is your first Emmy nomination. What’s the reaction when you see that you’ve been recognized for your work?

JE: I wasn’t even looking. I got a text from [Telsey Office colleague] Destiny Lilly that said, “Can’t wait to see you at the Emmys!” That’s how I found out.

I have a toddler, and I was trying to get her ready to go to day care. I couldn’t even process it in that moment. I very much wanted to be “Emmy-Nominated Casting Director Josh Einsohn.” I know it was a selfish thing and a prideful thing, but I very, very much wanted that.

Once I got her to day care and was able to come back and sit down, it hit me that I had crossed that line, and how excited I was, and then to see the rest of the nominees and to be working with Tiffany and our team and the show and the actors, it was a really sweet, beautiful moment.

Whereas Tiffany, it’s your eighth nod. Is it old hat for you now? 

TLC: (Laughs) No, because each show is different. Anytime you get recognized, even if it’s a show that has been nominated many times in multiple seasons, like Only Murders in the Building, I’m still thinking about our guest cast from the season. The process to work there, and the directors we worked with, and the writers, and everyone.

This feels so specific to Monsters, which was such a special project for us, and so crazy with the strikes and everything, and also getting to discover the leads. That’s not always the case when you’re working on a show and feel like maybe you changed someone’s life by getting them on a show that you know people are going to watch. It never gets old hat. It’s always fun. 

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The post The Casting of ‘Monsters,’ with Tiffany Little Canfield and Josh Einsohn appeared first on Casting Networks.

Some of her clients include Maleah Joi Moon of Hell’s Kitchen on Broadway and the upcoming A Different World follow-up, Lovie Simone of Forever, and The Pitt’s Supriya Ganesh, all of whom are perfect examples of her work and how she develops talent.

Now a VP at the Buchwald agency, Talkovsky chatted with us about her career, her process and her love for the talent she represents.

Insights From Sheri Talkovsky

• Actors should focus on embracing and expressing their authentic selves rather than trying to appear perfect or overly polished in auditions and meetings.
• It is important to seek guidance from mentors or agents who understand the industry’s nuances and can help navigate challenges like imposter syndrome and market positioning.
• Building a career requires patience and resilience; actors should stay committed through setbacks and trust in steady personal and professional growth rather than expecting immediate success.

Thinking about joining Casting Networks? Sign up for a free trial today!

One of your specialties is finding BFA students and helping them shape their careers. What’s the origin of that path? 

That’s the path that I was on for many, many years. I grew up as a musical theater-loving child, doing all the plays, going to summer camp for theater. I went to a performing arts high school, and I ended up going to school for a BFA myself.

I think coming out of school, there’s just a lot that you don’t learn. A lot that you don’t get taught. I realized that without proper representation, I was looking at going from a non-union tour, then back to a babysitting gig, then doing a regional gig, and then back to a babysitting gig. That lifestyle just didn’t feel aligned with what I wanted, and I knew I wanted to be in this industry because it’s all I’ve ever known and all I’ve ever loved. 

How did the change occur when you made the switch from performing?

When I was in college, I interned at various places, including ABC Daytime. I interned at a bunch of marketing offices, casting offices, you name it. At the time, [my goal was] to be the smartest actor in the room.

When I came to the decision that lifestyle-wise, this isn’t what I want, I had to wonder, “What do I want?”

I realized that I wanted to be on the other side of the table, so to speak, but also be able to help guide people through this path that I felt I didn’t have someone to lead me through. There are just so many pitfalls when you come out of school if you don’t have the right person in charge.

How did you end up as an agent, though? I know that many casting directors used to be performers, but not as many agents, so I’m curious about the decision to go in this direction.

Casting directors can fall in love with actors, but it’s so project-specific. Their objective is to serve a project and to figure out the right people for that project. Through the course of time, they’ll learn the market, and they’ll learn actors that they love and they gravitate toward.

As an agent, I’m signing up because I believe in someone. I want to walk them through every moment. I want to be that person to say, “Okay, this is the strategy that we have to go forward.” It’s about the breadth of the life of a performer, rather than the life of a project. 

Right. Whereas with casting directors I talk to, they feel exactly the opposite. 

For me, it became more interesting to say, “Well, these are all the things I would have wanted when I was coming out of school. I wish I could have someone walk me through [the industry]. Show me what this looks like, demystify what this industry looks like, what this person or casting director looks like or what this experience is like. Maybe I can do that for other people. “

I think that there are so many people on this planet who are wildly talented and just don’t necessarily get the right shots and the right opportunities. For me, the idea that I can believe in somebody and help facilitate creating those opportunities for them, or provide them, was very exciting. 

You mentioned the pitfalls and the obstacles that new talents run into when they’re coming in. What are some of them, and how do you help young talent navigate those issues?

There’s a lot. When you’re susceptible, you don’t know any better; it’s easy to get taken advantage of during that period. You don’t know how to advocate for yourself. You’re still learning what your voice is.

I think when you go through these BFA programs, they don’t necessarily teach you who you are in the marketplace right now. There’s a lot of discovering one’s own identity when they come out of school, as to how they fit into the broader marketplace, because they’re not taught that.

For a lot of people, I also think that there is this very deep-rooted imposter syndrome that comes into play, where they just don’t think they’re ready. If they don’t have credits under their belt, or they feel too green or too new, they don’t want to walk into a room to impress people, but rather just bring their authentic selves.

Sometimes they just need to be given permission to lean into who they are, lean into the artistry that they want to bring, and know that they’re no further or less far along the journey than somebody else. [It’s about] de-mystifying all of that and letting people embrace who their authentic selves are, letting that be something that they let shine through, rather than just trying to impress or do what they think is wanted.

How do you find your clients? Do you troll BFA programs? Do you look for people with a spark that you feel you can develop?

There are so many different components to it. Also, where I am now and how much time I have to develop my career versus when I first started are a little different. I guess the best way that I can call it across the board, whether you are an established actor or somebody fresh coming out of school, I call it an “actor crush.”

If you’re on a stage, or I see a self tape, or a manager sends me something or I see you on screen doing something that is so unique and feels super authentic to who you are. You’re just living your best life out there, or approaching something in a way I didn’t foresee; it just illuminates something.

If I feel like I would die to work with this person, I can then take that genuine feeling and go sell that.

What’s the process like? Let’s take Supriya Ganesh, who did fantastic work on The Pitt, as an example. How did you build her career?

We signed Supriya out of the ABC Discovery Showcase. I think it’s now [called] Disney [Television] Discovers. She just sparkled. The second that we saw her in that showcase, it was just like, “Yep, okay, got it.” She just had the “It Factor.”

Sometimes it’s being able to encourage somebody to keep going through really tough years, because we started to work together through a pandemic, then two actor strikes and had a lot of close calls where I think there was a lot of traction.

The Pitt for Supriya was just one of those things that was a total kismet moment. She took the MCAT and was tutoring (she loves science), and as soon as we saw this, we’re like, “There’s just no way that this isn’t Supriya, where she’s going to be able to flex all these beautiful muscles, but then fuse this with her complete cerebral side.”

It was something that we decided to chase all the way through for her, but building her to that point, so much of it is her personal growth and her journey. I think it’s always being that steady hand to lean on through those highs and lows, to encourage people to keep going; because sometimes it’s enticing to want to [throw in the] towel, or to get burned by a close call or to not feel valid until you have a booking or something to say, “Hey, you’ve made it.” 

It sounds like agenting is only part of your job. It’s also part therapist, part big big sister or mother, part shoulder to cry on, all of those things, in a way that I think a lot of agents aren’t.

One hundred percent. There are different styles of being an agent. I’m day in and day out, in my office, pitching, doing all the agent responsibilities.

There’s also an element of keeping that list tight, not taking on anybody that I’m not super all in on, because I do want to be able to have those conversations and be able to talk to my clients and validate their experiences and prepare them for certain things. It’s having that level of detail.

I speak “actor” because I was one, so I feel like I can break information down to a performer, or understand the vulnerabilities of a performer, and understand how much time you need to prepare something. What it means to find your way in, how to connect with the material and get that granular with it. It allows me to be more managerial, a little bit more involved in the process, rather than just cranking it through and being transactional.

I’m not a transactional type of agent. Sometimes clients don’t need that. It’s not a one-size-fits-all thing. When you’re first starting with someone, it’s very different than when somebody is on their third series as a regular and they’re a seasoned pro and don’t need that kind of hand-holding.

There’s something so all-encompassing about what you do. It must get exhausting. How do you manage?

I am very intentional with who I take on at this point. I have to feel it in my bones. Sometimes it takes a long time for someone to hit, so as long as I believe and I see that progress is happening, I want to ride those journeys through. I want people to have a fair shot at it.

I’m now a VP at Buchwald, so I have that going on, too. I’m also a mom, so I have to be very, very, very, very, very, very diligent with how I structure my time. It is exhausting, and I would lie to you if I said that I wasn’t ever overwhelmed. Sometimes it is overwhelming, but I have to operate from that deliberate intention to ensure that everybody is getting the service and the time they need.

I want to be able to go to bed at night, going, “You know what? I’m not going to let these people down. I’m doing what I need to do.”

What would you like to share with me about your work that I haven’t asked about?

How much we care. I think that people sometimes assume that agents are just these robotic creatures, trying to wheel and deal and just make money and whatnot. However, there are a lot of agents out there who invest in the people that they represent, and believe in them and truly, deeply care about their clients.

To me, those are the best agents because when they get on the phone and they talk about their clients, it’s coming from such a place of genuine passion. I don’t think that there’s a better way to sell than when you believe in what you’re selling. That’s where I get my joy.

There’s nothing better to me than being able to tell somebody that they can pay off their college debt. There’s no better conversation than me saying, “Hey, you’ve booked your first job.” Just being able to give somebody the validation of, “Hey, you’re on the right track.” Hearing how they receive that is part of why I do what I do.

Many young actors are featured on this site. What piece of advice would you give them, assuming they can’t get you as an agent?

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be human. When you come out of those schools, you want to present perfectly. You want to do everything right. You want to impress everybody. I think that the job of an actor is to connect.

That’s the beauty of the art form, that it’s a connection-based thing. All you need to do is walk into rooms and figure out how to connect to people from a very organic place. Sometimes that’s going to lead in an amazing direction.

Final Takeaways

Sheri Talkovsky’s journey from performer to agent is rooted in her deep understanding of the challenges actors face coming out of school. She focuses on nurturing talent, especially BFA graduates, by offering guidance that goes beyond traditional representation. Her approach blends career strategy with personal support, helping actors navigate the unpredictable nature of the industry.

• Sheri specializes in discovering and developing actors with strong BFA training, guiding them through the early pitfalls of their careers.
• She believes in signing clients she truly believes in and supporting them through both career highs and lows with a hands-on, personalized approach.
• Talkovsky emphasizes the importance of authenticity over perfection, encouraging actors to connect genuinely rather than try to impress.
• Agents should act as mentors and advocates, helping actors find their unique place in the marketplace while combating imposter syndrome.
• Building a sustainable acting career requires patience, resilience, and a supportive agent who is invested in the actor’s long-term journey.

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The post Buchwald VP Sheri Talkovsky Gives Career Building Advice for Actors appeared first on Casting Networks.

MacMillan, a former teacher inspired by her daughter’s journey, shares the story of the young agency’s origins, and the groundbreaking work it’s doing to make authentic representation a reality.

Insights From Katie MacMillan

• Actors should proactively submit for a wide range of roles, even if disability is not specified, to help normalize inclusive casting.
• Creating brief “video access guides” to communicate abilities and access needs can reduce stigma and clarify what accommodations are necessary.
• Seek out or build supportive communities and tailored training that address both acting skills and disability-specific challenges to grow your career effectively.

Thinking about joining Casting Networks? Sign up for a free trial today!

What led to the founding of Kello Inclusive?

Kello was founded in June 2022, so it was three years ago. My career has mainly been as a public school teacher, which I did for 15 years. 

My second daughter was born with some brain damage and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at about six months of age. She’s 15 now. When she was around 10, I wanted to get her involved in modeling because I thought that might be a cool niche. It was based on a Facebook post I saw. 

Someone had posted a picture of a Target magazine out of Australia, and there was a little girl using a pediatric walker that was the same as my daughter’s. I said, “Whoa, you never see mobility aids in fashion. That’s super cool!” 

I signed her with a local agency here that had never had a person with a disability on their roster. We had some experiences through that agency that were okay, but also left me feeling like this industry doesn’t know how to deal with disability, at least through the tiny window into it that I had. 

How did this moment inspire you to get started as a talent agent?

I wanted to get [my daughter] Kelty some updated headshots, thinking that maybe that was the key to unlocking her being booked for more things. As fate would have it, we booked headshots with a photographer, Tilly Nelson, who had done work with other clients with disabilities. 

She was originally from the United Kingdom and had done some headshot work for an agency over there that was relatively new, but focused on visible differences and disability. She mentioned that during the headshot session, and I was like, “There are agencies that focus on that?” I had no idea. 

I went looking in Canada, and there was really nothing that I could find that had that focus, and I was encouraged to just start an agency, which is crazy because again, I had no experience in the industry. The photographer in Vancouver was integral in supporting me. I reached out to her after that headshot session with this crazy long email that was like, “So, if I started an agency, would you want to help me?” 

We were in contact a lot over the last three years – she’s been very close to us. She’s done a ton of headshots for our talent and lots of projects. [Her help] was a really big step in getting this all going. 

What happened once Kello got off the ground?

Once the agency was established, the demand was … I want to say instantly, like within three months of being an agency. We got an email from a marketing agency in Paris that was looking to cast a disabled woman for a L’Oréal ad. We booked that job right away, which was crazy.

I thought it was spam when I first got that email. I was like, “There’s no way that they found us,” but we booked that, and then there were some other cool things that aligned, like the Docuseries Push  being filmed in Edmonton on one of the major prime networks here in Canada. CBC’s Push was following the lives of 10 wheelchair users. I happened to get to know almost all of the cast of that docuseries, and we signed them. There was some nice synergy and momentum with that as well.

It happened organically, and it blew up where people were coming to find us. Really big names,  like a casting director at Nickelodeon and Marci Phillips from ABC. Disney was a direct contact. I had no idea and learned who these people were, these major players that were going, “My God, I’m so excited to see an agency like this exist.” 

I have learned a lot in the last three years. The learning curve has been incredibly steep. I think sometimes not knowing anything about an industry can serve you well, and it can also set you back, but not knowing a lot made me kind of learn as we go. 

I also had a real window into what it means to have disability be part of your life. My current partner also has a spinal cord injury. He was one of the cast members of Push. That’s how I met him.

Disability is just part of my world, and Kello’s taken over my life. I’ve stepped away from teaching, and here we are three years later.

Who are some of your mentors, and what advice did they give you that still resonates today?

First, Tilly Nelson. If you look up her name, her website will tell you everything you need to know about her. She’s the photographer I mentioned and is based in Vancouver. 

She has been incredible in really supporting this whole journey, and [I’ve had a] lot of conversations with her early on. We don’t work as closely together now. We are in touch over certain projects, but in the beginning, [we] worked really, really closely. 

There’s also a casting director in Toronto, Andrew Deiters. He was one of the first, bigger, very experienced casting directors who connected with Kello and said, “Where have you guys been? We’re so happy to see an agency like this!” 

He’s been available for any questions that we’ve had along the way. He’s been great, [giving] and really willing to give insight into how the casting process works. 

I’m also working with a program at one of the major universities in the city I’m in. They have a mentorship program for startups, and we’ve got three mentors there who help us with the business strategy. 

Since Kello is a unique type of talent agency, what are some of the challenges that you see as it evolves?

The challenge is just this idea of authentic inclusion in general. I always use the comparison of, if you go back to the mid-’80s, all you ever saw were skinny white people in advertising, right? We’ve come a long way as far as inclusion goes with sexual orientation, body size diversity and gender diversity, but disability is, I would say, a good five to 10 years behind that.

I think there’s a long way to go in all of those categories — and we’ve come a long way — but disability seems to be lagging far behind. The biggest challenge is understanding that close to a quarter of the North American population self-identifies as disabled, not necessarily visible disability, but invisible as well. If a quarter of people identify that way, it should be reflected in our media. 

How do you advocate for more of that inclusivity, and how do you educate?

The first step is getting it out there. We always say we put our talent forward for any and all castings. We don’t just wait for a spec that’s requesting a wheelchair user or a spec that’s requesting someone with Down syndrome. 

If you’re casting a 25-year-old mom, what’s to say that mom couldn’t be a wheelchair user? I know quite a few moms who also happen to use wheelchairs, or dads, for that matter. If you’re casting a store clerk, why would they not be visually impaired? I know there are store clerks who are visually impaired. 

Put that forward and try to let casting know by saying, “You probably didn’t think about this when you wrote your brief, but what about a mom who’s a wheelchair user?” It’s about getting it out there, passing that into the booking phase, and answering questions that come up because they do come up. It’s about trying to reduce this stigma that it’s going to be way more of a hassle or be a bunch of extra work and money for production, because in many ways it’s not. 

What other ways are you helping propel that mission forward?

One of the more tactical things we’ve done is work with the Canada Media Fund. It’s an organization in Canada that has a screen sector development grant, which is trying to help better represent minority groups. We applied and just wrapped a big grant with them. 

They gave us $50K to do some work in this department to come up with resources that can support casting folks with disabilities. We put that together. They’re on our website. There’s a tab that says “Support Guidelines” that gives some general information about working with talent with various disabilities. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all thing. 

One of the things that came out of that was when we did a bunch of interviews with casting directors across the country, asking what would help them cast more inclusively. What would take the fear and stigma out of it? 

We came up with a guideline that would be what we were calling “video access guides.” In the same way that you would upload a slate or a demo reel with your audition, someone with a disability would upload a video access guide. 

We have a two-fold approach. One: a 30-second “about me” video. You might say, “Hi, I’m Stephanie. I’m a wheelchair user. I’m ambulatory. I can stand. I can sit. I love dogs and I’m great at blah, blah.” Just 30 seconds, here’s a little bit about me. 

If you just see a picture of a person who uses a wheelchair, you don’t know if they can stand up. You might make some assumptions or stereotypical implicit bias, but when you see somebody on camera, you’re like, “That could work for this project.” 

The second fold is if you book a job and you’re about to go into a project, you can send along a longer version of a video access guide that talks a little bit more specifically about some of your access needs. Maybe two to three minutes’ worth. The idea is to pull disability off the page – to see it and avoid stigmatic thinking that can arise from just a label or diagnosis.

What we’re hoping to do is standardize this so that when you’re casting, it wouldn’t be crazy to get a demo reel, slate, and an access guide uploaded when you submit an audition. That’s some of the kind of more hands-on work that we’ve been doing to try to get more inclusive practices happening across the industry.

That’s so cool. I saw the “Inclusive Consulting” area of Kello’s site, and wanted to know more about it because you won’t typically see that with an agency.

I told you the story of how I met Tilly. [Her team includes Reedan Thiessen, along with] the women who work with Inclusive Experiences, Shawna and Elizabeth, [who] were the consultants that we brought on for the project I was just talking about. Reedan is great. She’s had a lot of success as one of our talent who has booked some big jobs, and she also works with Tilly. Her stage name is Reedan Elizabeth.

As we were working through the project, we realized we have a whole area of expertise here. There’s Tilly from the photography side, we’ve got my lived experience as a parent and as a partner, and these women. One of them, Elizabeth, identifies as disabled. She’s limb different. 

Their whole business is trying to help organizations — not necessarily in the entertainment industry — become more inclusive, authentically inclusive. We thought we should have a page on our site that says, “If you’re doing a project and you have questions, we can help.” 

It’s not the primary focus of our business, but if someone contacts Tilly or Inclusive Experiences directly, they take that on. We just wanted to make sure people had a way to find that through our agency.

How do you balance the needs of your talents, and also how do you approach career growth for them?

It’s funny, because it’s so unique. The thing about our talent is that a lot of people come to us with great potential. Their résumés are not nearly as long as their non-disabled counterparts who have been doing this because a lot of them say, “I’d love to be an actor, but until recently I thought, ‘Oh, I’m disabled. I can’t be an actor,’” which is horribly stigmatic thinking. 

Since we don’t get submissions from people with a lot of experience, we’ve had to support that career growth, and we’ve done a few different things. We have a woman in Vancouver, Annika Chan, who’s an acting student. She’s not disabled, but she is our new talent support, and she’s done a lot of work with our roster. 

We’ve also done some workshops on the self tape, and we’re trying to come up with resources that are tailored for folks with disabilities. Something like how you frame yourself in a self tape is going to change depending on your access needs, the mobility aids you use, etc. We’re trying to tailor that a little bit while also bringing people up to speed on the general principles of acting. 

I’m not an actor, but we’ve tried to connect people with folks that, A: have the expertise, and B: are sensitive to the disabled experience itself. That has been cool because there’s been a bit of a community that’s been built. 

One of our more experienced talent, Reedan, has said, “If anybody has questions, I’ve had some experience now. I’ll talk to them. I can support them. Here’s my demo reel, here’s my self tape, here’s my access guide, use these as examples.” The community is trying to bridge that experience gap.

What are your current goals — both for yourself and for the clients you represent?

The ambitious side of me would love to say we want to grow and become this giant agency and take over the world, but truly, I think my main goal is to balance work and life. I have a child who’s disabled, and the more time I spend on work, the less time I spend with her. Balancing all of that, but also building a world where she sees herself reflected. 

That was the whole goal initially, so the more people we get out there in the world where you see somebody that you identify with, I think, is important work. Every project — Canadian or U.S. — that we book is a step forward in the right direction. 

Our [current] goal is just to keep doing more of that work, and as I said, making it more like where we are now with some of the other visible minorities in our world. I think we’re lagging five to 10 years behind in the disability space in that way. 

Final Takeaways

In a media landscape still catching up on authentic disability representation, Katie MacMillan’s Kello Inclusive is making waves as Canada’s first talent agency dedicated to actors with disabilities. Inspired by her daughter’s journey and fueled by a steep learning curve, MacMillan is breaking down barriers and changing industry perceptions. Here’s a quick look at how Kello Inclusive is reshaping inclusion in entertainment.

• Kello Inclusive was founded in 2022 to fill a gap in Canadian talent agencies representing actors with disabilities.
• Early success came quickly, with international bookings and partnerships on major projects like CBC’s docuseries Push.
• The agency promotes casting disabled talent for a wide variety of roles, not just those explicitly written for disability.
• They developed innovative tools like video access guides to help reduce stigma and clarify actors’ abilities and needs.
• Kello also offers tailored training and community support to nurture career growth for actors who often lack experience.

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• Talent Agent Brandi England Talks Prioritizing Mental Health, Industry Shifts 
• Stephanie Klapper’s Note to Actors: ‘We Believe in You’
• Kevin Reher Talks Why ‘Funny is Money’ in Animation

The post How Kello Inclusive’s Katie MacMillan Breaks Barriers For Disability Representation appeared first on Casting Networks.

She took time out of her busy schedule to share her passion for mental health, plus her thoughts on industry challenges and the future of the entertainment industry. 

Insights: Lessons From Brandi England

• Take breaks from acting and auditioning when overwhelmed, and seek agents and agencies that value your well-being and offer a safe, supportive environment.
• Learn to efficiently film, edit and upload self tapes according to each platform’s requirements to avoid technical delays and stand out to agents and casting.
• Stay updated on industry shifts (like AI and social media), build your personal brand and proactively create and upload your own projects to increase opportunities and visibility.

Tell me a little bit about All Heart Talent. 

It’s a labor of love, and All Heart came from heart and necessity. It actually started just over 10 years ago as a way to help a handful of my friends that were actors and models in Vancouver. It was part time at the start, then I was blessed to be GM of a large agency for seven years, before returning to All Heart to focus on advocacy. 

We [recently] reopened All Heart to focus on taking care of actors’ mental health, advocating for people of different ethnicities and people with disabilities, and hopefully opening some doors and being a voice for those who might not have one in the industry. We are inspired by incredible humans that we represent, and other agents like Katie and Tori from Kello Inclusive who are doing great work! 

What inspired you to become a talent agent? 

It was my friends. They twisted my arm over the years because I kept introducing them to people in the industry and they kept booking jobs, and were jokingly and affectionately calling me their agent or their manager. They had an intervention and sat me down and said, “No, no, no, you need to do this full-time.” 

One of my friends is on the spectrum, and was told by previous agents that the only auditions they could do were for autistic actors and characters, but RED FLAG, that is wildly incorrect.” That kind of lack of education on the agent’s part is what made me want to fight for people who didn’t have a voice. 

I was never an actor or even wanted to be in the film industry, to be honest. My passion is mental health, but I just saw a need for an agent who cared about, and could advocate for people’s mental health. That’s kind of how this all snowballed. 

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Did you have any mentors? If so, who were they? What advice did they give you that you still follow through with today?

So many. You can’t navigate this industry without learning from everybody because it’s an industry of humans. I think there’s a lot of casting directors that I got to sit down with and have a glass, if not a bottle of wine with, that just told me why they were casting to talk about their kids’ mental health and how they support actors. 

Before I met people in the film industry, my mentors [were from] from my nonprofit work. Entrepreneurs like Claudia Harvey, Bill Walsh, Christie Miller, Noreen Hennessey, Marcella Berry, William Miller, Les Brown, Mark Victor Hansen, Sandy Dow and more. These people all opened my heart and mind to business at a very human level. They are my heroes, they made me the woman I am today. 

It was not always about the resume. It was about the heart of the person and the connections. They’ve taught me that people are more important than everything else. All the other stuff falls in place when you take care of people. 

How has the commercial industry changed since you started, and how do you end up staying ahead in today’s landscape? 

I’ve always been an outside-of-the-box thinker. Before verticals blew up in the last year in North America, we partnered with a Chinese production company six years ago, right before COVID. I saw a project that they had posted on a random website, and I just thought, “What a cool-looking project, and it’s right down the road. Is there any way we can contribute?” 

Sure enough, they booked 300 background performers from our agency — 11 actors with speaking roles and two stunt actors, and as agents we got to go to set and watch it all happen. They were a smaller production company [at the time], and now they’re producing half the content on DramaBox, and they’re becoming very successful. 

It’s about looking to see what else is out there besides what’s on the casting platforms like Casting Networks, and dipping our feet in everywhere. I’m currently taking AI classes so that I can better help my actors navigate this industry with AI. There’s new software popping up all the time, so we’re having to vet more than ever just to figure out if it’s the right path to follow. 

It’s about innovating by thinking outside of the box and learning from people that are in different arenas than you are. I think it’s always about learning what’s next, and getting educated on that before it runs away into the future with you left behind. 

What are some of the challenges that talent faces today that weren’t an issue in the past?

Self tapes. That’s a massive shift. 

The positives of self tapes: I watch every single self tape that my clients [send me], whether it’s an audio, video or commercial. No matter what it is, I watch it. I feel like I know my actors better now — how they interpret sides and things like that — especially my clients that do two takes for me, like a bold and exciting take, and then a more grounded, leveled take. 

I love that because I can see where they’re castable, and it makes me a better agent. I can pitch them better because I know what their strengths are, [whereas in the past] they would go into the room, and the only context I had was from demo footage and things that they’ve done before. I think that was a huge change for people. 

Half of my clients love self tapes, and half hate it. Until you get a strong self tape game, I think it can be detrimental to great actors. I have some phenomenal actors that cannot self tape. It’s something that they’re struggling with. I think that’s hurdle number one. 

The good thing is that I think casting is seeing more people now. They have the time to do that because they’re not in the room waiting for people to come in and out. [But without the] small chats in between, there is a lack of human connection. 

It’s not like actors get a chance to be in the room and show their personalities to casting, so I always tell my clients [to do that] in their slate if they want to have a little bit of fun with it. Even if it’s just the way they say their name and show their hands, for example, it gives casting a little nod to who they are as humans, not just the actor and the tape. 

What about challenges for talent agents? 

It’s the technical side. People don’t know how to edit, label or upload tapes to the software. There are days when I spend an extra two hours just re-editing, re-labeling and re-uploading because of technical issues, which means that’s two hours more that I have to work, or two hours less that I [have to] submit and pitch my clients. 

It’s really important for actors to know all that stuff, and to figure it out whether they like it or not. I don’t think it should be on the agent to edit and label and compress. You want us pitching. You don’t want us to be your tech guy. 

I think that one of the biggest frustrations is having to do that kind of stuff right now, [along with] having to meet the different casting software’s requirements. Each one is different, so you have to know that. Sometimes it’s harder for the actors to memorize that because they’re not on it every day like we are. 

You talk about mental health a lot, and I think that is also a challenge on both sides with social media and everything else going on in the world. What can agents and clients do to protect people’s mental health in the industry? 

I just did a workshop on mental health on May 1 about ways that actors can talk to their manager or agent. If you’re struggling with something, you don’t have to tell your agent or manager — that’s up to you if you want to — and there are good ways to approach that sometimes, especially if you don’t know the person [well]. 

There are ways to transition into opening up that dialogue. At All Heart, we want to be a safe space for actors. That’s my number-one goal. Recently, we just added our number-two goal, which is to be a safe space for agents, because I know how hard I work for my clients. I work six days a week. Most days [I work] 14, 16, sometimes 18 hours. 

We want to be a safe space for actors and agents. I want to be available for them. I want to be able to talk to them consistently, so I do a lot of free workshops. 

I also ask them not to call me or text me at two or four o’clock in the morning. That’s what email is for. I want to be fresh, so come Monday, I’m excited to submit again. 

If actors are overwhelmed and it feels like too much, I think the best thing for actors to do is to pause acting and pause auditioning. It’s so much smarter to take a three-month, six-month, nine-month break, and get back to a space where they’re able to give their full artistic energy and showcase that to casting when they get the opportunity. 

How do you balance the needs of multiple clients, and how do you approach career growth for them? 

Every client is different. It’s like building steps on a ladder. Some people have three steps on their ladder, some have 20. Some need to go slow, some need to go fast. 

We have barbecues every year, and we do workshops in person and online. If I don’t know the human being behind the actor, and all I see is a demo reel and a headshot, how on earth can I do a good job pitching that person, standing up for that person or opening doors for that person? 

My clients tell me they’ve met me more in person in one year, than they’ve met their previous agent in five. I don’t know how any agent [could] operate like that. It’s really important to know your people, and if your agent doesn’t take the time to know you as a person, not just an actor, that’s a red flag to me. 

What qualities do you look for in a client, and how do you build trust and rapport with them? 

This is a loaded question, because there’s a spark in each person and [each client is] different. Some of my clients laugh at me when I say, “Show me your sparkle.” My big, buff dudes are like, “I don’t sparkle.” Yes, you do. Even Edward Cullen sparkled — you sparkle! 

Overall, I look for kindness. I look for curiosity. I look for a sense of wonder.

[I look for] people who do volunteer work and make themselves better humans by helping people. I want that kind of energy around me. I feel like those people make better actors because they’re layered … like an onion. 

Curiosity and kindness [is important], but [so is] understanding that this is a business. I think that’s what a lot of actors don’t have. They’re heart-centered, beautiful, creative types who want to tell a story, but what they need is someone like me who has a business background, who can be like, “Okay, let’s think like a CEO, not an employee.” I want them to be the beautiful artists who do their stuff, and let me help them be the nerd behind the scenes who makes it [all] work. 

With technology and AI streaming evolving at such a rapid pace, how do you see the role of talent agents evolving in the next few years? 

This may sound pessimistic, but I’m not intending for it to be. I think we might be obsolete in five to 10 years. At least the general agent will. 

I don’t know where the industry is going. It’s a little bit scary for all of us, and that’s why I think focusing on humanity is so much more important than all the other stuff right now. 

We have to translate between humans, algorithms and all of these different things right now as agents. [We need to be at] the forefront of figuring all this stuff out and looking for different avenues for our clients to get work, [while] also taking care of who they are as human beings. We need to build brands for these people, even though a lot of actors hate talking about branding. You have to have a memorable face. 

I just read there are 1.8 million actors registered in California alone, [with only] 20% of the productions that used to be out pre-COVID. We’ve lost DVD rentals, and we’ve lost butts in seats at theaters. 

It’s wild. The industry has changed so much. There’s more competition now than ever, and way less production now than ever. I think we have to evolve a lot in the next five to 10 years as agents, especially if actors — and I suggest this for every actor — start creating their own content and publishing it on YouTube. They don’t need an agent, unless that agent knows about ad revenue [and how to] help them market their production on YouTube. 

I think people need to start creating their own content, making money off their content and cutting out some of the middlemen. If an agent can’t help them with that, then what are we here for? 

The big guys (the UTAs and the CAAs that have all of the big celebrities), and all of us little boutique agencies [need to] evolve with the industry and our clients. We might not even have a job in five to 10 years, but that’s why it’s so important to get to know your people and be at the forefront of all this technology and AI stuff. Just my two cents.

What are your current goals for yourself and the clients you represent? 

To be a safe space. Obviously, to get work and auditions, but to [also] be a safe space. If my colleagues or my clients can’t come to me and say, “Brandi, I need six months off, I’m struggling right now,” then I haven’t done my job protecting them and giving them that safe space. 

I also want the same thing for me though, because for a long time — working with a bigger agency — that was never a priority. I realized how burnt out I became, and how I wasn’t the best version of myself for people who needed me. 

It really is about being a safe space for all of us in the industry. Ever since we reopened All Heart, casting directors have reached out with huge words of encouragement to support us for advocating for people with disabilities and for more diversity in the industry. I’ve cried happy tears every day for the last three months. 

I’m just so overjoyed that everybody knows this movement needs to happen, and that we get to be a part of it. When casting reaches out to me and asks, “I want to cast your young lady in a wheelchair, what questions do I ask to make sure that she feels safe on set?” That kind of stuff is cool.

To check out what Brandi and the team are up to, or to share and discover more insights on mental health, visit All Heart Talent’s Instagram page.

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The post Talent Agent Brandi England Talks Prioritizing Mental Health, Industry Shifts  appeared first on Casting Networks.

We made a series of enhancements to Casting Networks throughout 2023 for casting directors, talent representatives and performers. Not only did we bring back our Talent Scout® feature for agents, managers and talent, we also added the Project Wizard for casting directors. We even added flexibility for talent by introducing the Essential Membership.

Here’s a quick recap of all the features Casting Networks added this year.

Simplicity for Talent Representation

This year, we rolled out several improvements for talent representatives designed to make their work faster and easier. From a quick improvement to Submission Notes, to the revival of a legacy tool, to a roster upload enhancement, there are plenty of ways for talent agents and managers to get the job done faster than before.

January: We kicked off 2023 with an update to Submission Notes for talent representatives for easier access to this feature. The icon now displays on a talent’s baseball card so that representatives no longer have to select talent to preview their default notes or click to edit them.

May: Talent representatives looking to add new talent to their roster now have a quick path to finding them on Casting Networks. Talent Scout® is a legacy feature that we refreshed and relaunched that allows agents and managers searching for new talent to connect with Essential and Premium members who have indicated that they are seeking representation.

August: Talent representatives can invite a large roster of talent to build profiles on Casting Networks with Bulk Uploads, saving time and enhancing their workflow.

Convenience for Casting Directors

Casting directors received the gift of efficiency from Casting Networks this year as we introduced several new features to make their daily tasks easier.

February: Casting directors can speed up their workflow with two new features: filter by represented talent to organize search and submissions, plus resend a Media Request to talent based on status to ensure talent timeliness and accuracy.

July: We wanted to help casting directors prioritize, sort and quickly search their projects, so we updated the experience with Project Lists. Now, you can view, sort and group your projects by project type, status and series.

September: Casting directors can simplify their project creation process with the Project Wizard. The Project Wizard is a tool that increases productivity so that casting directors can complete their project setup more quickly.

Setting Talent Up for Success

This year, we made several enhancements to Casting Networks to help push performers’ careers forward. Here’s how the actors you cast and represent can get a leg up in 2024.

January: We made sure our Spanish-speaking members started their year on the right foot by enabling a Spanish language setting on our iOS app.

October: We added Apple Pay® as a payment method for Casting Networks members, allowing more primary and backup options to ensure talents’ accounts stay active on their terms.

December: We wrapped up the year by introducing the Essential Membership for talent. Essential is a lower-priced membership option that provides more flexibility and benefits for young performers, families and talent looking to grow their careers.

Happy Holidays from Casting Networks!

Whether you’re a casting director or a talent representative, sign up or log in to Casting Networks to check out our newest features now!

The post Looking Back at New Casting Networks Features from 2023 appeared first on Casting Networks.