sherry thomas lane casting director
We really kind of leave it up to the actor. To see somebody with natural comedic timing who really got the nuances of the scenes and really got the multidimensional character she wasnt just reading lines. Sharon Bialy: I think thats a really good note. So, we really didnt do any producer sessions over Zoom. Hes daring. But in a series that tonally feels more like an independent feature, not just any teenagers would do. As an art form, acting is often viewed as a personal endeavor. Mindy did, probably, because she had her on The Mindy Project. The actors dont care that they come in 10 times and didnt get the part, because they know that one time with us they will., Once you have Matthew Rhys, you want to make sure whoever is opposite isnt wiped off the screen, says Bialy of their lead. Sherry Thomas is represented by the brilliant Kristin Nelson of . Id actually liken it to the audition process. 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. We rely so heavily on the loudness, and the shoutiness, and the calling out ideas and really kind of collaborating in that way. We put out the offer, and he was on board. Lets try it. So youll see Breaking Bad is peppered with stand-up guys doing their first drama., Join the fiery discussion of Breaking Bad in our forums, Thomas added, But really what we just love to do is great material and hire really interesting actors. We had to make sure all of the players were lined up, and from there, it was a lot of immediate yess. As part of our inaugural BackstageFest, longtime casting directors Theo Park ("Ted Lasso," "Master of None"), Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas ("Perry Mason," "The Comey Rule," "The. Seriously. What is the craziest audition story that you have? Then, I go through my notes and consider actors that I love, as well as some new actors. Deadline Media, Get our free, urgent prediction updates and news, 9 Emmy nominees you didnt know were already on Netflix: , Leaderboards: See All Past Prediction Accuracy Scores, Leaderboards: Best Prediction Accuracy Scores for Film, TV and Music Awards, Leaderboards: Best TV Show Predictions by Gold Derby Users, Find a User or Expert / Download Gold Derbys Free, New App. If we cant connect its very hard to do our jobs. But Thomas and Scott have been able to channel their passion into rounding out the ensemble of the second season with big name guest stars from Frances Conroy and Katey Sagal to utilizing some of the best character actors working today. He once told me, Youre weird too. . Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. You believed everything that was coming out of her mouth., We did an open call for Kamala and I feel like [Richa Moorjani] came in pretty early on. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. We were really happy with the outcome of that! Toothpicks and blue jeans. In the case of Lawrence Gilliard, that role was. You have this sort of visceral, gut reaction when its right, and thats how it was for me with casting. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. [Showrunner Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, but if he cant really explain it, hell know it when he sees it. She even officiated when my husband and I were married. 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. 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 Name one of your favorite television shows and its a sure bet that Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas were the casting directors for at least one of them. ST: Vice versa for Linda Cardellini, who has typically been known for drama to come in and wow everyone with her great sense of timing and comedic skills without ever making it too big. Then he went to dinner with Regina and came back and said, Why didnt I just I feel so ashamed. Because here, on a plate, is this great actress. . I knew that Mary could sing. However, theres a great deal of team Read More, Two in five Australians between the ages of 16 and 85 experience a mental disorder at some time in Read More, From college basketball tournaments to St. Pattys Day, the new month is synonymous with more than a few events. Read More, I believe there is some anxiety in the air over the expectations for commercial self tapes. 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. Michael Ordoa covers film and television for the Los Angeles Times. As long as the work doesnt suffer, why cant we also participate in the lives of our kids? 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. Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. You dont have to try to crack jokes and just be yourself. The second it became Alex, I ran with it, pushed it, said its a way to really enlighten the world. So find somebody who really is going to, give you a little bit of something to play off of, but not try to sort of make it about them, because thats not what theyre there for. While eager to gather a diverse troupe for Mindy Kaling and Lang Fishers series, casting directors Collin Daniel and Brett Greenstein quickly realized that until they had nailed down their series leads, there was no ensemble to assemble. I appreciate that insight into collaborating with such a talented multi-hyphenate. Shifting gears again, I have a true get-to-know-you question. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hes coming in this week. . Did you experience a lot of actors who struggled to nail the specific tone and how did you help them get there in the audition room? Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. She gets it. I have no history with her. Our approach to that is a direct line of communication. 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 . Bradley Whitford @BradleyWhitford 10 months ago. 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. As for the ladies favorite guest stars over the years, they bring special attention to Charles Baker (Skinny Pete), Matt Jones (Badger) and Daniel and Luis Moncada (the Cousins), but they admit that Emmy nominee Mark Margolis may be their favorite casting scoop for the show. And he even was like, Im not right for this, but Im here. This website uses cookies. Oh my God, this is completely the wrong actor that was in my head., And everybody was so nice and so lovely because hes a wonderful actor. 2023 Oscar Nominee: Director Santiago Mitre on Why the Message Behind Argentina, 1985 Remains More Relevant Than Ever, 2023 Oscar Nominee Fire of Love: How Editors and Co-Writers Erin CasperandJocelyne Chaput Crafted the Krafft Love Story, Double Oscar Nominee & Producer Shane Boris Talks What Fire of Love & Navalny Have in Common, Inaugural Television Publicity Executives Committee (TPEC) Submissions Are Now Open, Amazons Daisy Jones and the Six is the First Great Limited Series of 2023, Melissa Rauch On Presiding Over a New Night Court Era, 'The Morning Show' Director Mimi Leder on Why Cable is Better for Female Characters. She created a book this big between her read with casting and her read with Bruce, of her story as the character. What are some self-tape tips that you have? 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. It has all come down to this, friends. I think a lot of people have made that shift in their mentality. Thanks, and Ill add that working from home with your kids during the pandemic really shows you what youve been missing out on. We were like, Wait, did we just see somebody who literally has zero acting experience and was that great? says Brett Greenstein. And before we wrap, can you share your secret for managing work/life balance? 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. A lot have to be able to do comedy, drama, all of it.. 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. 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. Contact To get in touch with Sherry, use the contact form below or send her an email at sherry @ sherrythomas.com (w/o spaces). Casting Networks is a registered trademark of Casting Networks, LLC. He was the heart of the show the first season., Andrew is absolutely hilarious. She was the lead casting director on this one and what she did was really take actors that are known for one thing and respect them and the breath of their talent and say, Im going to try something else here. It was fun to be able to draw on somebody that I had thought was so talented for so long.. It was really sort of a meeting of the minds and people coming together on the choices. 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. It might help for other projects more so than this, just to get a sense of it when youre in the room with us. From encouraging this writer about her questionable hair choices to estimating how many times shes forgotten to pick her kids up from school, Thomas candor in our interview provided an intriguing look into the person behind all the casting credits. We are very passionate about not pigeonholing actors. I think actors dont think it happens, and it does. Photo Credit: Deanna Baldwin Boyd, courtesy of Sherry Thomas. 2006 The Emmys may be in September but its never too early to look out for potential nominees, including Succession, Schitts Creek and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Learn more about how we use cookies. 2021 Nominee Primetime Emmy: Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series . Get our L.A. Casting Yvonne Strahovskis mother, we needed someone who could be formidable. Over the course of my daughters lives my oldest is going to be 12 in September and my youngest is 10 Ive probably forgotten to pick them up from school about 20 times. But what the self-taping does is give so many more people opportunities because we can see 25 actors for a role. That makes sense. 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. And, speaking from first hand experience, they are the best people to audition for. Sharon Bialy: I think thats the exciting thing about casting, and Ill speak for my partner. And my sister has had her own salon for about 35 years now its called the Hairspace Salon in Easthampton, Massachusetts. The process when we started of course is making lists. What she did to prepare for that role was incredible. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. Sometimes the nomination day is like Christmas morning, but this year we completely forgot. She had been around and doing guest star work, but to get a series regular gig was a big step for her., Poorna has for most of her career been a dramatic actress, and she was like, I never get to come in on comedies because nobody thinks Im funny, says Greenstein about the role of Devis mother for Jagannathan. WEBN Reporter Ali Inglese sat down with "Breaking Bad" Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The 2020 Emmys are closer than you think. Scott says Dead to Me is a comedy, but its very down to earth. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. 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 . With larger roles, you have time to build an arc, but with something so small, the challenge is how to make it memorable. Luca is a director whos interested in the rawness and the grounding of truth., Because of City of God, [Alice] is somebody Ive always looked at and always been really curious about, says Cuba of the actress, who plays one of protagonist Frasers mothers, both in the military. I was doing a virtual Pilates class when I got a text from Christina that said, Congrats lady! A lot of offices have become that even prior to pandemic, to COVID, but thats just never been the way that we like to generate the work. We had readings for that part. The external is not whats important to him. The main cast may seem only six actors deep, but to the casting directors, the world was expansive. Well, Russell was able to work with production to make it happen, adds Thomas. So, I knew Id have a paycheck once I arrived and took my two weeks vacation to make the trip over and get settled. Weve read her over the years and have been a fan of hers, says Daniel of the role Moorjani eventually landed, as the cousin who initially inspires envy in Devi. Primetime Emmy Awards. She came in and was so natural, so funny. Like with Colins office mates; they have like one line here and there and Jemaine said, I need them all back. You dont see loyalty like that a lot.. And people. , Keller says, They said they wanted boring. Like if you were to go to a town meeting to talk about zoning.. All Rights Reserved. Exclusive: AMCs Emmy episode submissions for Breaking Bad & Mad Men, Even though Breaking Bad is over, Bialy and Thomas are still involved in that universe thanks to their casting of the spin-off series Better Call Saul. However, Bialy warns us, I cant tell you anything about Better Call Saul. Were sworn to secrecy! Theyre also keeping busy casting Halt and Catch Fire, which just ended its first season on AMC, Foxs upcoming comic-book series Gotham and TVs biggest ratings hit The Walking Dead., Hey, whats with all the dark shows on their resumes? 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 . But Cornell Womack, hes a pro, we know him. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. But he also, as himself, has a real confidence and a unique and very modern feel, which I think really lends itself to Fraser. 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. I get on the phone with agents, and the casting process goes on from there. And I think that people know her in one lane and it was very exciting. His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. Its just a wonderful place to be to be able to cast these amazing actresses from Frances Conroy to Katey Sagal to Valerie Mahaffey. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. I feel like this is not in my wheelhouse, or Im not right for this at all, but wanted to come and meet you guys.. I dont think it took an hour for every creative to say, Shes perfect. , The most exciting thing is taking that actor everybody sees one way and flipping expectations, Bialy says. Alice Lee was just a discovery. 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. One of their latest shows, the wonderful The Shrink Next Door, just finished its run on Apple+ and the pair took some time out of their busy schedule to talk about casting the show, their thoughts and advice on self-tapes and much more! I dont see it. Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. 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. Sharon and I have been business partners for 25 years, and were very inserted in each others lives at this point. 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. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys Specialties: Catastrophe Modeling<br>Portfolio Management<br>Reinsurance Pricing | Learn more about Sherry Thomas's work experience, education, connections & more by visiting their profile on LinkedIn 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. We can explain things like tone. Theyre opposite sides of a coin., Skyler has an exuberance that is hard to describe, Ingram says. Craig Fincannon (Location Casting Director) 2010 Nominee Artios Award: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama Breaking Bad (2008) Shared with: Sharon Bialy. Shes fantastic. There were large party scenes, and large office scenes, and so you had to be very, very careful. Production was able to move around a lot of stuff, he says. You can see a number of actors for an audition before that one person comes in, and everything just clicks. But going into the second season, the world knows the show, and we dont have to explain what it is. Oftentimes you have to stay on your leading guy because other actors cant hold [their own]., The challenge is getting that first person of well-known stature to say yes, then you build from there, says Thomas. The Shield was my favorite show at the time, and its still in my top five. I get told all the time that I remind people of Melissa McCarthy. Natalie [Morales] was someone [showrunner Liz Feldman] had in mind from the beginning, but she was working on a movie. To say I was enthused was another thing. If someone made a series about your life story, which actor would you cast to play the role of Sherry Thomas? 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. Im in LA. He was pursuing editing work on the side. And were really fing funny! 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. I dont know if theres a generic answer that fits every person when it comes to managing work/life balance, though. Shes the real deal.. Do you think you guys will rely on that still? What can you tell us about the process of assembling the cast for its long-awaited third season? Of course she would have a crush on him. Darren was somebody who had this quality that was a little mysterious, obviously very handsome and surprisingly funny., We never really expected there to be a love triangle, because in the pilot Devi and Ben are just so nasty and mean toward each other. And our associate, Alyssa Morris, did the same with the smaller roles. Sorry I had to jump in because he is very humble! And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. He was tied to a play in New York., Jemaine does that so much, says Kay. Alphonse is truly an incredibly skilled actor, Ingram says. Daisy Jones & the Six becomes the first fictional band to hit No. There would be years where people would be like, Where did you get all these drug addicts? . Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. For Austin Winsbergs musical extravaganza, Ulrich was asked to put together a cast that could sing, dance and pretend none of it is really happening. We knew her, but I wouldnt say that a lot of people knew her, Greenstein adds. 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. When you read that someone is meant to be beautiful, what does Luca think beautiful is? says Cuba. But oddly enough, on this show, because on others, we have done producer callbacks over Zoom, we didnt do any. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaids Tale may first come to mind. ST: Russell worked very, very hard on that. Our job is to connect with people to bring out the best performance. 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. And as a casting director, it feeds my soul to get to go through the whole collaborative process of finding that person who just pops in a role. But filling the role of a Sherman Oaks-grown teenager of South Asian heritage proved harder than expected. [Niccos] brilliant, says Hopkins. One thing I love about casting this show is that its not just a lot of offers. Its about finding complex and compelling actors that can bring nuance even to comedy. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. So, theres support at every turn, but balancing a family and a career isnt easy. Its a visceral feeling, says Ingram, when you see an actor who you really know should be in a role., [Brandee] really had the strength and the forcefulness and chutzpah that [lead dancer] Mercedes needs, Hopkins says. I brought in this guy from New York, hes actually a playwright, his name is Jeremy O. Harris. What kind of challenges are there for a show like that where you are three seasons in already? She and Bialy relied on their stable of talent from decades in the profession. When we got the initial call we looked at each other, and were like Isnt he dead? I hope she never sees us. So theres some benefits to both. Look, I think Bill Hader is in a category all his own. And especially for kids, dont try that hard in the slate to be liked and all of that, its just, Hey, Im Lance Carter, Im five foot 10. Actors often think casting directors hardly even pay attention during their auditions. And I also just love her as a person. Sometimes our job is basically that of a casting director/producer. 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? Casting Networks acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land throughout Australia. And say, Lets try them for this.. 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. Sauls Rhea Seehorn was one they called in many times before she booked the key Kim Wexler role. They have to be funny and in the moment with so few lines, and that is such a hard thing to do. And if an actor does the wrong choice and they come in the room, you can easily give them direction and play with it and get them more relaxed and support them. We wanted the fans to believe this, too, like, Oh my God, hes so cute. He was playing a husband. He was kind of signing on to play the girl part., As to King (she and Abdul-Mateen II are nominated, along with costars Jovan Adepo, Louis Gossett Jr., Jeremy Irons and Jean Smart), the Oscar winner and three-time Emmy winner who worked on Lindelofs The Leftovers wasnt a slam dunk precisely because shed worked on Lindelofs The Leftovers.. So he was intrigued. I can tell you that after 22 years of covering the Oscars that they are mostly meaningless. She had a feeling I was going to end up in casting, but I wasnt so sure at the time. Sherry Thomas: Yeah, it was. It's a game A Tale of Two Cities One City: The BAFTA voters chose to give just one award to Everything, Everywhere All 2023 Golden Reel Award Sound Editorial Winners Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing Feature Dialogue / ADR The Banshees of 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme. 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. When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. Good lighting is typical, and shooting from the right angle, and just be yourself in the slate. The age had to be appropriate so there would be chemistry with Linda. And also, it was shot in LA, in Los Angeles, so everything is large and on a big scale. So, I got that part covered. Year Program Casting Network So, you have to just be mindful of the process or the questions and anticipate what theyre going to ask, the producers or the director. 2023 Oscar Predictions Who Are the Oscar Voters? Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas - casting directors HBO: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 2: Cindy Tolan - casting director Amazon: Russian Doll: Season 1: Christine Kromer - casting director Netflix: Veep: Season 7: Dorian Frankel and Sibby Kirchgessner - casting directors HBO: 2020s. AD: One of the reasons the show has become so popular is because of the way it straddles this really thin line between comedy and drama in ways we rarely see on television. Sherry Thomas, Casting Director. Thomas says, His agent called me: Oh my God, Vicky, we just learned who he was! and they screamed. Type above and press Enter to search. Were just gonna shove everybody out of the way! So now, if I leave at one oclock today [at time of interview] to go pick up my kids from camp, its OK. 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.. Thomas called Sweeney wise and mature beyond her years. [Tim] talks about the spirit and the soul of the actor marrying with the spirit and the soul of the character, says Thomas. Top Gun: Maverick, Banshees of Inisherin, All Quiet on the Western Front Win at MPSE. He was a great audition, for sure, but he also really interested Luca as a person. If its a co-star role and its one scene, a few lines, two takes. When you work in television and when you work with really great material, you do get excited for this time of year. Jonathan [Masons employer], was the first one. We have been very lucky on this show. The theater is located at 38 Commerce Street between Barrow and Bedford Streets in the West Village neighborhood of Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City.The Cherry Lane Theatre contains a 179-seat main stage and a 60-seat studio. SB: It will change, but we are hoping once this is over to be able to go back to that mixture of in-person and self-tapes. The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Barry and many, many more, they are one of the top casting offices out there. She is known for Breaking Bad (2008), Barry (2018) and The Handmaid's Tale (2017). ST: Not for us particularly. In this case, its Jane, only in the fact that the public did not know that she was a singer. You were also nominated for your work on the third season of The Handmaids Tale. Those interested in learning more about the stacked list of TV and film titles on her rsum can find them listed on IMDb. Casting just felt right for me. AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? Because they're not "pro-life". I feel like I get him. Get ready with our TV viewers guide, Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, The Buzzmeter: Our experts predict the 2020 Emmy winners - and so can you, The secret to What We Do in the Shadows success? Sherry was born in Chicago and pursued an acting career after graduating from Northwestern University. Hes often the heavy for this, he was a father who had a lost son., We cast Chris in Gotham but have known him for years, says Thomas. She cites the scenes with Mark Proksch as energy vampire Colin Robinson in his workplace. Send it to the producers. Listen, come to my office and Ill do your hair youll be fine. We checked in on her, and the challenging part was convincing producers to take a chance on an actor that youre very familiar with but they might not be. Were just gonna have a great time.. And I write on something next to me, I had Michael Imperioli in my head. The driving force was that this world felt real, [that] we could see these people living here, Ingram says. And I think you can do that because you have more time, youre at home. ST: Not at all! So, I didnt necessarily find casting it found me. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. 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.