He goes right to the edge, and it works. I brought in this guy from New York, hes actually a playwright, his name is Jeremy O. Harris. I think in this particular project that Georgia [Pritchetts] writing was incredible, and the tone was on the page, but still it helped. When we circled back, I remember looking at the date and I was like, Holy shit, I think shes available. , Theres an assuredness to Sister Alice that the audience has to buy because she believes [her evangelism] so strongly, Bialy says. He is fantastic. Natalie [Morales] was someone [showrunner Liz Feldman] had in mind from the beginning, but she was working on a movie. Defying past portrayals of female friendship on television, Dead To Me enamoredaudiences with its unexpected casting choices of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. We were trying to find the perfect person that would excite Liz to the point where she would want to continue writing for if the character came back. AD: Im sure you cant say anything about the final season, but Im curious if you have a dream guest actor that you think would fit perfectly into the world of the show? 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. He did come in and audition and just blew everybody away., The most fun bit of casting was the fact that Mo was written as a woman. Thats me, Thomas says. Sharon Bialy is on Instagram 782 posts on their profile They have to be funny and in the moment with so few lines, and that is such a hard thing to do. I dont see it. Jonathan [Masons employer], was the first one. Thats what I did back in 2012 after my second daughter was born. Thats how we kept bringing up Natalie Morales. It seems that reboots are a dime a dozen these days. 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. And one of the first things that we did together as Bialy/Thomas was The Unit with Shawn Ryan and David Mamet and Eric Haney. AD: Before we jump into the new characters of the second season, I wanted to talk about the shocking twist at the beginning of the season; the return of James Marsden with a new character. ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. One day, Damon said, Hey, theres this guy, Yahya! I went, Yeah. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. I think we got to try. And she says, You feel really passionately about it. We also share information about your use of our website with our social media and web analytics partners. No. But honestly, I had no idea how well Jane could sing., I knew she could sing because she had been on Broadway, and she just brought such a fun element to the show, says Ulrich of the Gilmore Girls and Parenthood vet, who made her Broadway debut in a 2009 revival of the musical comedy Guys and Dolls; Graham plays Zoeys boss. We make several-page lists of actors who might be a good fit. For the vampire mockuseries What We Do in the Shadows, nominees Gayle Keller, Jenny Lewis and Sara Kay find themselves looking for actors who dont look like typical actors. Survivor Users Leaderboard Coming Soon! When we started out, I was her associate for about two years, and then we became partners. We were like, Wait, did we just see somebody who literally has zero acting experience and was that great? says Brett Greenstein. We started back in February of 2020, right before everything shut down, so Covid added some new challenges and parameters that we had to work within. 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. When people used to ask us, I used to say, Oh, our reward is working with Vince Gilligan every day, which we continue to do and thats still true, Bialy told Gold Derby during our recent webchat (watch below). So, you give each actor more of an opportunity to really get the role in some ways. Then there are recent series like Vanessa Bayers I Love That for You and Danny McBrides The Righteous Gemstones. Thank God. Hes coming in this week. . 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) Casting Networks acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land throughout Australia. . Photo Credit: Deanna Baldwin Boyd, courtesy of Sherry Thomas. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. Im always thrilled when stunt casting works, because people immediately feel a sense of connection by knowing somebody from the past, he says. And my sister has had her own salon for about 35 years now its called the Hairspace Salon in Easthampton, Massachusetts. RT: Can we just put Rhea Seehorn in here? He is so wonderful. Although the self Read More, Your email address will not be published. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaid's Tale may first come to mind. Sherry Thomas: Good reader whos not too close to the camera and not trying to audition for themselves. Id read about her ability, Ulrich says of the Oscar winner, a prolific singer-songwriter. Thomas adds that they sometimes develop relationships with actors, calling them in time and again for reads. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Russell Scott: The show is a comedy, but tonally it is pretty tricky because its also a mystery. We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. I think a lot of people have made that shift in their mentality. Sherry Thomas: Yeah, it was. 2023 Oscar Predictions Who Are the Oscar Voters? Sharon Bialy: I think thats a really good note. 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. Its not recent, but it is really funny. WEBN Reporter Ali Inglese sat down with "Breaking Bad" Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Once the lead was in place, the other puzzle pieces of this ethnically and neuro-diverse cast started to land. The testing was very rigorous and I think production did such an amazing job with what they had to accomplish in the way that they had to accomplish it. AD: This wasnt your only nomination this year. Top Gun: Maverick, Banshees of Inisherin, All Quiet on the Western Front Win at MPSE. AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? Thomas says of the then-not-so-well-known Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, I kind of always knew Yahya was it. And I think you can do that because you have more time, youre at home. And before we wrap, can you share your secret for managing work/life balance? Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series 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. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. Elaine Doremus. It was a surprise to us. ST: I mean I cant even Its ridiculous. Its also an emotional drama. In person its almost distracting how gorgeous she is, says Ingram. We received a lot of calls from agents and managers who loved the show with their clients who would love to be a part of it. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. In the meantime, make your predictions for Best Drama Series below the interview using our easy drag-and-drop menu. Casting Directors From 'Never Have I Ever,' 'Zoey's Extraordinary So, to be able to support her in a role like this, where she really gets to show what she can do as an actress and the layers and the levels that she has and that she is nuanced, is its exciting. Luckily he did. AppleTV+ Casting Director Panel with Lucinda Syson, Theo Park, Sherry To say I was enthused was another thing. Sometimes Clement will become inspired by the actors. Once I opened that door, though, there was no going back. 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. It was the biggest casting search weve ever done in our career, says Daniel. Shes the real deal.. Good lighting is typical, and shooting from the right angle, and just be yourself in the slate. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles. ST: Not for us particularly. They also discuss what its like to be casting directors in the middle of a pandemic and if they think their profession is permanently changed by it. Then he was totally game to be in the last episode in front of the camera., After co-creator and executive producer Mindy Kaling tweeted an open casting call for series lead Devi Vishwakumar, the casting directors discovered newcomer Ramakrishnan. Craig Fincannon (Location Casting Director) 2010 Nominee Artios Award: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama Breaking Bad (2008) Shared with: Sharon Bialy. Fuck yeah!. 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. When Breaking Bad started, we really rebelled and kept looking for stand-up actors. Oscars 2023: Just How Many Oscars Will Everything, Everywhere All at Once Win? Elarica leads more with vulnerability, and Brandee leads more with strength. I feel like I get him. So, we really didnt do any producer sessions over Zoom. I mean, I was still completely nervous, but I felt more comfortable in that sort of nervousness. Casting Director. I want to get a sense of who they are, and how they handle text, and what they bring to the table in terms of choices, well watch it the whole way through because were educating ourselves. And I have now grown to see what a great dramatic actor he is, in the role of Zoeys brother, says Ulrich. When you guys watch a self-tape, how long do you spend on it until you move on. 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. I dont want to make it sound so righteous, but I think it was just a good, interesting, and different way to go. The driving force was that this world felt real, [that] we could see these people living here, Ingram says. As an art form, acting is often viewed as a personal endeavor. But going into the second season, the world knows the show, and we dont have to explain what it is. And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. AD: The second season also featured two major guest stars in Frances Conroy and Katey Sagal. The bar has been set and we set it for ourselves as creative people with high standards. [Tim] talks about the spirit and the soul of the actor marrying with the spirit and the soul of the character, says Thomas. I mean, that had to have been completely It was all brand new. When you read that someone is meant to be beautiful, what does Luca think beautiful is? says Cuba. I obviously knew of him, but he was a friend of Austins, so he suggested him, and he is so great on the show., John I also knew because he was in What/If. gofund.me/2fffe14f Posts Reels Videos Tagged Search Log In Sign Up More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys 1 win & 41 nominations total Photos Known for Rudy 7.5 Casting Director 1993 The Handmaid's Tale 8.4 She works constantly in New York, but she was this undiscovered gem to the rest of the world, and now everybody knows who she is., To populate Luca Guadagninos vision of an American Army base in coastal Italy, casting director Carmen Cuba knew she had to build her cast out from the kids at the center of the story. We were really happy with the outcome of that! Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. Thanks, and Ill add that working from home with your kids during the pandemic really shows you what youve been missing out on. We are very, very excited for season three. He hadnt done anything either. He felt just perfect for Bruce. And, Id imagine, completely challenging. There was something she found the strength in that character, the fearlessness in her eyes., We werent identifying what roles would be people of color, adds her colleague Sherry Thomas. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. Even Nate said, I cant believe Im in this part. He tapped into the soul of [kidnapped sons father] Matthew Dodson., He was in that initial conversation with Tim it was just determining which role, says Thomas of Patrick. 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. If someone made a series about your life story, which actor would you cast to play the role of Sherry Thomas? The Shield was my favorite show at the time, and its still in my top five. He just had a great rawness and innocence., As Sams older brother Craig, Corey had not had any experience. Sharon Bialy & Sherry Thomas Q&A: 'Breaking Bad' casting And now jumping to present day, congrats are in order regarding the recent Emmy nomination you received with Sharon Bialy for your teams work casting Barry. Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas Cat Elliott August 2, 2022 It's hard to pick just a handful of credits that cover the breadth and depth of Sherry Thomas' casting rsum. He doesnt necessarily work with people twice in a row, so we didnt immediately go to Regina, says Thomas. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. RS: A lot of times those small roles are the hardest to cast. Its great to virtually meet you, Sherry, and lets kick things off right at the beginning of your career. [Niccos] brilliant, says Hopkins. For Perry Mason (originally set to star Robert Downey Jr., who serves as executive producer with his wife, Susan), casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas discussed their suggestions for . You 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. So, I get an idea for the cadence and tone of the role, which I add to what I already have about it on paper. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. Sherry Thomas: I think it is a little bit of both. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. Theres a lot of complexity to the role and we needed someone funny. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. 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. Theyre opposite sides of a coin., Skyler has an exuberance that is hard to describe, Ingram says. For 'The. Unsurprisingly, the series' casting directors are Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have each been nominated for seven Emmy Awards for casting. So, I knew Id have a paycheck once I arrived and took my two weeks vacation to make the trip over and get settled. Contact To get in touch with Sherry, use the contact form below or send her an email at sherry @ sherrythomas.com (w/o spaces). If we cant connect its very hard to do our jobs. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The 2020 Emmys are closer than you think. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. And thats exciting when were able to do that. For Dead to Mes second season, Scott said the main task was finding the new love interest for Linda Cardellinis character. Sometimes the nomination day is like Christmas morning, but this year we completely forgot. Despite the mega success of Breaking Bad at the Emmys including three acting wins for Bryan Cranston, a pair for Aaron Paul and one for Anna Gunn casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas have been mysteriously overlooked by the TV Academy year after year. But Luca is very connected to the human side of actors, so I think he connected with her., Chlo [as Frasers other mother] is someone I have loved from the beginning. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys Russell Scott, Casting Director. Among them, theyre responsible for five of the shows nominated for casting Emmys this year as well as a host of others that have received acting nominations in the past. And it isnt so much that we only do dramas, we love comedies. I appreciate that insight into collaborating with such a talented multi-hyphenate. Casting directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have worked on "Better Call Saul" and "The Walking Dead," say: "You tell where casting directors are making the effort. And also sometimes not having all the producers in the room gives the actor, even on a zoom call back with us, we can play with them more and theyre not trying to please everybody, theyre just concentrating on the work. For the full interview, check out the video below or on YouTube. From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. Walking Dead's Casting Director On Finding Heroes, Villains & Zombies It all kind of comes together. I think actors dont think it happens, and it does. I mean, its just, its incredible. Slowly they realized that Maitreyi and Jaren have this really great chemistry, so it naturally evolved into this love triangle, which was really fun to see., Finding stars for a show that centers entirely on musical numbers is not the daunting task one imagines especially if you were the casting director of Glee and have an enormous roster of singing actors at your disposal. It has all come down to this, friends. Five seasoned entertainment journalists predict the shows and performances the Television Academy will honor with Emmys; do you agree with their picks? 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. Matthew Dodsons father is not a role he typically plays. Its hard to pick just a handful of credits that cover the breadth and depth of Sherry Thomas casting rsum. Liz responds to actors who arent hitting the jokes but have a sense of humor, not typical sitcom, playing-to-the-audience types you might see on traditional multi-camera shows. Thats a fantastic pick! 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. And say, Lets try them for this.. Listen, come to my office and Ill do your hair youll be fine. I recently got a perm, Sherry, and its been a real challenge. 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. Hes being very humble right now, but it took a lot of strategizing and basically producing. This interview has been edited and condensed.