sherry thomas lane casting director

2023 Casting Networks, LLC. Robin Bartlett, we have cast many times and she is, kind of in my brain, there was nobody else for it. Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. Shes just perfect. Your email address will not be published. Year Program Casting Network And thats exciting when were able to do that. Bialy says, For Better Call Saul, we have an inside joke in the office that theyre a Vince-Peter type of an actor [co-showrunners Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould]. At the time [we started casting], she was working with one of my best friends on What/If, and I was hearing a lot about her and how she would sing karaoke. We talk about what hes looking for, and I like to ask if he has any prototypes dead or alive for the characters. I didnt know anyone here, but was a manager at The Gap at the time and got transferred to an LA location of the store. Casting Networks is a registered trademark of Casting Networks, LLC. Sherry Thomas - Awards - IMDb Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. Apple TV+ Casting Director Panel with Lucinda Syson, Theo Park, Sherry Sherry Lansing - IMDb In the meantime, make your predictions for Best Drama Series below the interview using our easy drag-and-drop menu. Were they names you wanted from the beginning, and did you go out of your way to reunite Katey and Christina Applegate? Was that something you were both conscious of when originally casting him? Her emotional depth and ability, in the scene, to always find the deepest but most surprising way to play it, is amazing and then to be able to sing on top of it. Sherry Thomas - Director of Creative Services - LinkedIn You can see a number of actors for an audition before that one person comes in, and everything just clicks. We got so many emails from agents asking, Where did you find these actors? Everybody was blown away, says Greenstein. We really needed someone for that role who would be able to come in and immediately keep up with Linda, Christina, and James who had already gelled. 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. Id imagine that at this point, after collaborating with Hader since the first season of Barry, you all are very familiar with how you work together. And sometimes the sides are fake. Skylar is obviously a name, but hes also just a real standout, an extraordinary singer and actor., Michael Thomas Grant, who plays [rival coworker] Leif, I knew from The Glee Project, says the casting director. And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles. With Tyler as Diamond, when you see him experience that, you dont question whether or not thats his truth., We all loved [Harriett] from the beginning. Thats me, Thomas says. Members | The Casting Society of America Contact | Sherry Thomas Co-Owner Bialy Thomas & Assoc. Casting Networks uses cookies to analyze our traffic and to personalize content and ads. He hadnt done anything either. She came in for Mo [Zoeys neighbor, played by gender-fluid actor Alex Newell], and everybody remembered her when we were casting [Zoeys sister-in-law] Emily, says Ulrich. Okay. Q&A with casting directors from several Apple TV+ series; Lucinda Syson (Foundation), Theo Park (Ted Lasso) and Sherry Thomas and Sharon Bialy (The Shrink Next Door). Sherry Thomas: I think it is a little bit of both. Its about finding complex and compelling actors that can bring nuance even to comedy. He just had a great rawness and innocence., As Sams older brother Craig, Corey had not had any experience. We sent the audition, and Jemaine fell in love with him: We have to have him! And the next season, they wrote an episode for him, but he couldnt do it. The bar has been set and we set it for ourselves as creative people with high standards. Good lighting is typical, and shooting from the right angle, and just be yourself in the slate. Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? Sherry Thomas: And the show director, Jesse Peretz, just really kind of took everybody and, everybody shines. One of the limited series biggest secrets spoiler alert: If you havent seen Watchmen, skip down several paragraphs was that perhaps the most iconic character from the comic would indeed appear in the show, set years after the source material. What kind of challenges are there for a show like that where you are three seasons in already? 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 gofund.me/2fffe14f Posts Reels Videos Tagged Search Log In Sign Up All rights reserved. Name one of your favorite television shows and it's a sure bet that Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas were the casting directors for at least one of them. The thing that Luca seemed to be connecting to is a real combination of, could they do the material, but also could he engage in real dialogue with them about what it means to be their age in this moment and incorporate that into the vision that he had., Jordan didnt even have an agent. We went back to our theatre brains, and Laila Robins is someone I had seen over 25 years ago doing The Real Thing opposite Jeremy Irons. As an art form, acting is often viewed as a personal endeavor. 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 do a drama and they say you can only do drama. She cites the scenes with Mark Proksch as energy vampire Colin Robinson in his workplace. Those things are leaps of faith, right? But even with such a rsum, the highly sought-after casting director came across as nothing short of a grounded, down-to-earth individual when she sat down with Casting Networks via Zoom. Gohar Gazazyan, Casting Director. We make several-page lists of actors who might be a good fit. Sherry Thomas Lane (@sherrythomaslane) - Instagram Learn more about how we use cookies. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. 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. Sherry Thomas, Casting Director. Every actor that comes in, even if they dont get the job, we keep a lot of notes . Well often write notes like, Remember for BCS because theres a naturalistic approach to the acting on the show; its not showy at all. He once told me, Youre weird too. . Seriously. Part of our journey is the process of learning about the actor, says Bialy. We needed him to feel younger than the other boys, other than Jack. Once the lead was in place, the other puzzle pieces of this ethnically and neuro-diverse cast started to land. If we cant connect its very hard to do our jobs. ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. Its hard to pick just a handful of credits that cover the breadth and depth of Sherry Thomas casting rsum. AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? 2021 Nominee Primetime Emmy: Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series . If someone made a series about your life story, which actor would you cast to play the role of Sherry Thomas? [Laughs] I love them, as well as my husband, and we all have fun together. I think in this particular project that Georgia [Pritchetts] writing was incredible, and the tone was on the page, but still it helped. "I've known and worked with Sherry in different capacities over the past 7 years. ST: Not for us particularly. It sounds like you didnt look back after the job found you. His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. Aug. 21, 2020 2 PM PT. She gets it. A lot of casting people their choices have shifted to self-tapes and some of them only self-tapes, but for us our choice will always to be in the room with actors. Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. 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? Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. They met and he loved him, and that was that., There is no shortage of star wattage in the dark origin story of the legendary defense lawyer, but there is an art to combining such talent. It was fun to be able to draw on somebody that I had thought was so talented for so long.. Listen, come to my office and Ill do your hair youll be fine. I mean, I was still completely nervous, but I felt more comfortable in that sort of nervousness. Hes like 6-foot-5, hes got this huge fro. We also share information about your use of our website with our social media and web analytics partners. It has all come down to this, friends. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. With self-tapes and zoom callbacks. There would be years where people would be like, Where did you get all these drug addicts? . I dont see it. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. I think we all miss being in the room with actors and I think a lot of the actors miss it as well, because theres something that you just get from being in the room with someone and the ability to play. Oscars 2023: Just How Many Oscars Will Everything, Everywhere All at Once Win? Shes amazing with hair, and I have a love for it, too. And then, Sherry, you redirected me to do something. Let me try it. You really want to buy into that environment. Its just a wonderful place to be to be able to cast these amazing actresses from Frances Conroy to Katey Sagal to Valerie Mahaffey. And our associate, Alyssa Morris, did the same with the smaller roles. RS: It was a very extensive search. Michael was one of those extraordinarily talented people who did not make it onto the show, but I kept in mind and saw him in stage productions and For the Record. Five seasoned entertainment journalists predict the shows and performances the Television Academy will honor with Emmys; do you agree with their picks? Photo Credit: Deanna Baldwin Boyd, courtesy of Sherry Thomas. She had a feeling I was going to end up in casting, but I wasnt so sure at the time. But what they don't realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might . And whats exciting for us in casting, and it keeps us 23 years later together excited about things is to try new things, and to see an actor as a whole. She even officiated when my husband and I were married. I knew that Mary could sing. How did you guys bring her on? This cast is definitely a combination of people who Luca knew hed have to shepherd along. Of Seamn, whose outwardly confident Caitlin struggles with gender identity, Cuba adds, But its funny, because we thought this going in, and then Jordan turned out to somehow be a savant and know how to do everything, even though shed had no experience., I have auditioned [Scott] over the years for various things. ST: Our goal will always be to safely get back in the room with actors. Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. Jonathans secretary. What can you tell us about the process of assembling the cast for its long-awaited third season? You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. Hes coming in this week. . Elarica leads more with vulnerability, and Brandee leads more with strength. We have to experience the duality of his life, and that heartbreak, and the choices he makes., I remember in the audition process, the actors had to say to Mississippi how they could take care of her abusive boyfriend, Ingram recalls. This interview has been edited and condensed. She needed the right role to be able to show that shes not just someone whos gorgeous, and Mississippi allows her to do that., Elarica [as dancer Autumn Night] has a very openhearted vulnerability that comes forward when you just look in her eyes, says Ingram. She has been nominated for eight Emmys (The Handmaid's Tale, Barry, Breaking Bad) and 19 CSA nominations. That is such a skill, and one I wish I had. Its when I really first started, when I was having a lot of autonomy with Sharon. And tonally, youd had to have both here. I dont want to make it sound so righteous, but I think it was just a good, interesting, and different way to go. 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. 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Casting Yvonne Strahovskis mother, we needed someone who could be formidable. They tell the story of when they had to call Margolis in New York and ask him to put himself on tape, despite the fact that his character had no lines. The age had to be appropriate so there would be chemistry with Linda. No. You really need to find actors who can do all of those things which can be challenging. I started exploring acting once I got to LA and met a casting director named Victoria Burrows, who kind of took me under her wing. Liz Feldman, Christina Applegate, Jessica Elbaum, and all of our producers fell in love with working with him and figuring out a complex way to bring him back. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. Did you specify that in the breakdowns or did you have to redirect people? And so I said, Oh my God, oh my God, Michael Rispoli is going to be in town from New York and we need to get him in. Those interested in learning more about the stacked list of TV and film titles on her rsum can find them listed on IMDb. Quickly send your headshot and resume to hundreds of casting directors, agents, and managers. Id read about her ability, Ulrich says of the Oscar winner, a prolific singer-songwriter. Moderated by Mara Webster, In Creative Company. So, I got that part covered. He was a great audition, for sure, but he also really interested Luca as a person. We really relied on people that we have cultivated relationships with over a period of time as casting directors do. Shes fantastic. 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. A lot of times in these teenage parts, you have 20-year-olds playing 15, and that wasnt the case, says Cuba, who wanted the coming-of-age roles to be occupied by fresh faces. While leaving no stone unturned in his search for the perfect San Francisco enclave, Ulrich ended up with more than a few recognizable names of both stage and screen in key roles. He was tied to a play in New York., Jemaine does that so much, says Kay. So, you give each actor more of an opportunity to really get the role in some ways. Thomas says, His agent called me: Oh my God, Vicky, we just learned who he was! and they screamed. I personally just do my best to be as organized as possible and stay present in the moment, taking it one day at a time. 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. To say I was enthused was another thing. Casting director Sherry Thomas (The Righteous Gemstones, Better Call Saul) explains if she has any tells when auditioning actors and how she wants them to fe. Thank God. You also have to believe that that actor is capable of things you havent seen them do before. You have this sort of visceral, gut reaction when its right, and thats how it was for me with casting. 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. Thomas says, Damon tried to give me a hint: He should be a little unusual. My associate, Elizabeth, who knows the comics very well, she guessed it.. 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. This website uses cookies. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. With Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd attached to it, if I went in for an audition, Id automatically think, this was like a more comedic sort of thing. Im in LA. Unsurprisingly, the series' casting directors are Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have each been nominated for seven Emmy Awards for casting.