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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. Better Call Saul, were not even allowed to give you anything. 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. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaid's Tale may first come to mind. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. I can tell you that after 22 years of covering the Oscars that they are mostly meaningless. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. So he was intrigued. For Lady Sherlock series publicity inquiries (media coverage, review copies, and interviews), please contact Tara O'Connor at Penguin Random House She then added, To be perfectly honest with you, I think that were all in the reality that there are several other huge nominees in there, and so were blessed and honored to be there. I knew that Mary could sing. After appearing in two films, Loving (1970) and Rio Lobo (1970), Sherry decided to leave the acting field. Its when I really first started, when I was having a lot of autonomy with Sharon. And I said, Yeah, I think its going to be really cool and really interesting. 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. Find out if Bialy and Thomas can win their very first Emmy for Breaking Bad when the Creative Arts Emmys are announced August 16. 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. Sharon Bialy: Also, because sometimes youre only getting a couple of pages, so you have to guess and when youre in the room, we can give you context. Sauls Rhea Seehorn was one they called in many times before she booked the key Kim Wexler role. And I have now grown to see what a great dramatic actor he is, in the role of Zoeys brother, says Ulrich. It is how we really modulate a performance. Send it to the producers. Craig Fincannon (Location Casting Director) 2010 Nominee Artios Award: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama Breaking Bad (2008) Shared with: Sharon Bialy. And at that time, there were not vaccination mandates in place. 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. Every time we had a conversation or auditioned actresses that werent a perfect fit, Russell would get on the phone and see if her availability changed. We are very, very excited for season three. I think in this particular project that Georgia [Pritchetts] writing was incredible, and the tone was on the page, but still it helped. Russell Scott: The show is a comedy, but tonally it is pretty tricky because its also a mystery. 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) Join Facebook to connect with Sherry Thomas Lane and others you may know. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. But what they don't realize is that not only are they watching closely, they might . 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. I appreciate that insight into collaborating with such a talented multi-hyphenate. 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. RS: We went through that entire process and read a lot of people. But Id love to work with her, so let me just say shed be my choice. Bruce and Lizzie were thrilled with him. I think within that the process will change a bit. It feels like thats not as much of a requirement anymore, though, and I want to help fully facilitate that change for the next generation of women. 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. . We had to make sure all of the players were lined up, and from there, it was a lot of immediate yess. She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. And were really fing funny! Personnel: Sharon Bialy, Casting Director. New to Casting Networks? 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. We also share information about your use of our website with our social media and web analytics partners. It seems that reboots are a dime a dozen these days. Five seasoned entertainment journalists predict the shows and performances the Television Academy will honor with Emmys; do you agree with their picks? 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. Luckily he did. AD: Except for Emmy voters for whatever frustrating reason. I mean, I was still completely nervous, but I felt more comfortable in that sort of nervousness. 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). And it isnt so much that we only do dramas, we love comedies. If its somebody who were like, Ive never seen them audition for us before. Samira Wiley plays Moira in The Handmaids Tale, a performance that has brought her a third supporting actress Emmy nomination. He was tied to a play in New York., Jemaine does that so much, says Kay. Do you think you guys will rely on that still? 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. Casting Yvonne Strahovskis mother, we needed someone who could be formidable. Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? Sherry Thomas Lane is on Facebook. Mercedes is the one who draws all the crowds into The Pynk, so you have to have someone that has this magnetism about them., Oh, what can you say? 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. Big titles like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and The Handmaids Tale may first come to mind. 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. I had the highest hopes and no idea that he could sing as well as he could sing. Sharon and I have been business partners for 25 years, and were very inserted in each others lives at this point. 2023 Casting Networks, LLC. 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. Showing all 1 wins and 28 nominations. Disclaimer: Daily Actor at times uses affiliate links to sites like Amazon.com, streaming services, and others. 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. I get on the phone with agents, and the casting process goes on from there. Once I opened that door, though, there was no going back. 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. I forgot to mention Casey Wilson. 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. Thats how we kept bringing up Natalie Morales. Watch our video interviews with top awards contenders: directors, producers, below-the-line artisans and , Watch our lively predictions slugfests with Experts and Editors. So, you give each actor more of an opportunity to really get the role in some ways. Legitimately dead? We had no idea that was the plan. 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 from there, we would have further discussion or conversation. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. You always want to work with people who inspire you and who you can learn from, and Bill is one of those people. Now, I would never assume that Melissa McCarthy would be so interested in my life that she would say yes to playing me in a series about it. [Tim] talks about the spirit and the soul of the actor marrying with the spirit and the soul of the character, says Thomas. I dont want to make it sound so righteous, but I think it was just a good, interesting, and different way to go. He was a great audition, for sure, but he also really interested Luca as a person. ST: I think this year is so off kilter. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. I hope she never sees us. sherrythomaslane Follow 284 posts 5,086 followers 587 following Sherry Thomas Lane Casting Director / Owner @ Bialy Thomas & Associates Blue collar Northampton, MA native who is Livin' the dream. Thomas called Sweeney wise and mature beyond her years. Was that something you were both conscious of when originally casting him? Natalies name came up at the very beginning, and she is someone who Liz liked but we were originally told she wasnt available. A lot of it is having support. What kind of challenges are there for a show like that where you are three seasons in already? But if you feel like you want to give it a shot. So, I love self-tapes. It was the biggest new role of the season. 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. AD: The biggest addition of the second season was the character of Michelle, who is played by Natalie Morales. How did you come to realize that casting was the job for you? The parameters of that character were a tall order to fill. But now that the show has cooked its last batch of blue meth and said goodbye to the Albuquerque sunset, Bialy and Thomas finally heard their names called on nominations morning, along with Kiira Arai, in the Best Drama Casting category. I grew up thinking that acting was going to be my path in life, so when I was 22, I packed up my car and drove cross-country to LA with just 150 bucks in my pocket. Thats what I did back in 2012 after my second daughter was born. Awards. From our perspective though we are still always trying to surprise the producers. Its OK because now youll get great volume when you blow dry it. We wanted to see her because we were such huge fans from all the things that shes done, especially The Night Of. He goes right to the edge, and it works. 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. Defying past portrayals of female friendship on television, Dead To Me enamoredaudiences with its unexpected casting choices of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. With self-tapes and zoom callbacks. Everything was requested self-tapes, so we would discuss ideas with them for the series regulars, our main players in the piece. Was that hard at all? 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AD: What character in the second season proved to be the most challenging? But not even Thomas and Lewis knew who the character, a nice guy married to Regina Kings vigilante character, would later be revealed to be. 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. He was a huge part of why we got her it was a lot of working out schedules; we dont just get to read in a room with actors all the time. Did Scott have to break some legs to get it done? Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for. 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. For 'The. So that bar was set very high., She had been finishing up something and was not available, Thomas says of the actress who plays E.B. For Dead to Mes second season, Scott said the main task was finding the new love interest for Linda Cardellinis character. 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. Its a natural human thing to think of somebody in one way. So, I knew Id have a paycheck once I arrived and took my two weeks vacation to make the trip over and get settled. That makes sense. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. And people. , Keller says, They said they wanted boring. Like if you were to go to a town meeting to talk about zoning.. The process when we started of course is making lists. But it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. Finding actors that can understand the unique tone of the show, one that balances gut-wrenching trauma with unexpected comedy, is an intricate task. 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. Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. [Showrunner Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, but if he cant really explain it, hell know it when he sees it. He doesnt necessarily work with people twice in a row, so we didnt immediately go to Regina, says Thomas. But Cornell Womack, hes a pro, we know him. Moderated by Mara Webster, In Creative Company. Oscars 2023 Voting Begins Dear Oscar, Hear My Plea, Why Steven Spielberg Deserves to Win His Third Best Directing Oscar. And our associate, Alyssa Morris, did the same with the smaller roles. Shes the real deal.. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. How do you like the way casting is right now? Everybody knows he is a wonderful actor. 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]. Once the lead was in place, the other puzzle pieces of this ethnically and neuro-diverse cast started to land. Its hard to pick just a handful of credits that cover the breadth and depth of Sherry Thomas casting rsum. And, speaking from first hand experience, they are the best people to audition for. . Photo Credit: Deanna Baldwin Boyd, courtesy of Sherry Thomas. Natalie [Morales] was someone [showrunner Liz Feldman] had in mind from the beginning, but she was working on a movie. So, we really didnt do any producer sessions over Zoom. 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. And I think you can do that because you have more time, youre at home. As a casting director, the joy is in discovering talent, says Ulrich. Hes a very soulful actor and person, and his craft is unbelievable. At some point Sherry suggested Katey Sagal. They have to be funny and in the moment with so few lines, and that is such a hard thing to do. gofund.me/2fffe14f Posts Reels Videos Tagged Search Log In Sign Up AD: I imagine one of the more interesting challenges of that character is finding someone who can believably portray someone who has both dated Ana (Diana-Maria Riva) and Judy. Theyre opposite sides of a coin., Skyler has an exuberance that is hard to describe, Ingram says. Do you guys prefer two takes on the self-tape? He was pursuing editing work on the side. In some hypothetical situation in which you had to choose a different career, what would your profession be? Casting Director. We knew her, but I wouldnt say that a lot of people knew her, Greenstein adds. 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. ST: Russell worked very, very hard on that. 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! And so, were sitting in the session, and he walks in and everybody says, hi. Hes a wonderful actor. Co-Owner Bialy Thomas & Assoc. And he even said, coming in, I dont really know why Im here. And also, it was shot in LA, in Los Angeles, so everything is large and on a big scale. I think she had auditioned for Rocky Horror Picture Show several years before, so I knew she could sing. [Laughs] Sharon always says that she spends a lot of money to get her hair done for special events like the Emmys, only to ultimately wind up at my house so I can fix it. Its about finding complex and compelling actors that can bring nuance even to comedy. 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? We discussed a bunch of people [for the role of Caitlins father, an Army lieutenant] and then it just felt natural for Scott and Luca to meet. [Laughs] I love them, as well as my husband, and we all have fun together. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. Christina Applegate has done amazing dramatic work on the show, but she has largely been known as a comedic actor. Sherry Thomas (I) Casting Director Casting Department Producer IMDbPro Starmeter See rank Sherry Thomas was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, USA. AD: This wasnt your only nomination this year. You dont have to try to crack jokes and just be yourself. The others laugh a little. 2006 Victoria Thomas, who is nominated this year for casting both Insecure (with Matthew Maisto) and Watchmen (with Megan Lewis), said the latter had unusual secrecy concerns: There were dummy sides or fake names on a breakdown. We can explain things like tone. 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. And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles. Production was able to move around a lot of stuff, he says. You might look at the character of Lil Murda and think you know this person, but you dont. 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. ST: Not at all! 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.. 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.. Having her name value in that role grounded the whole office., For Skylars role, we auditioned lots and lots of great people, says Ulrich of the co-worker character with romantic potential. The age had to be appropriate so there would be chemistry with Linda. Its also an emotional drama. Thomas says, His agent called me: Oh my God, Vicky, we just learned who he was! and they screamed. Stars Sharon Bialy Theo Park Lucinda Syson See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo Top cast 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 Producer: Indecent Proposal. If you have one weak link, it becomes obvious. According to Ashley Ingram, who also served as casting director on the show, an added challenge of populating the struggling Mississippi Delta strip joint was the desire for authenticity over recognizability. She read the whole book in like 48 hours. WEBN Reporter Ali Inglese sat down with "Breaking Bad" Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. Get our L.A. 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. Im just blown away with how Bill can be in a scene, fully connected to it as an actor, even when I know his eye as the director and ear as the writer are simultaneously at work. We were really happy with the outcome of that! 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. 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. Sharon Bialy: And it was the hardest thing in the world to not be hysterical, laughing when she wrote, I meant Michael Imperioli. And then we had to go through the audition and Im biting my lip so that I laugh. After a 2007 surgery that required general anesthesia, Steenburgen, who plays Zoeys mother, Maggie, began hearing original music in her head. Being in the room with actors is so exciting, especially when youre discovering talent. I mean, its just, its incredible. Follow Gold Derby onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Tumblr,iTunesandYouTube, Gold Derby is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. The cast of Gotham. We make several-page lists of actors who might be a good fit. 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. RT: I looked for her name before I even looked for ours. I really hope the industry is changing to be better in that area, especially for women who want to work and also be moms. 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.. Speaking with Awards Daily, the 2020 Emmy nominees walked us through the challenges of the second season from chasing down Natalie Morales as the second seasons biggest addition to a number of high-profile cameos. Burrows eventually recommended Thomas for her first paying job in the industry, working as an assistant to the location casting director the person charged with hiring extras for movie and TV . Thats a fantastic pick! 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. And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. 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. That is such a skill, and one I wish I had. 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. She and Bialy relied on their stable of talent from decades in the profession. 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). Its also a thriller. We really kind of leave it up to the actor. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. She had a feeling I was going to end up in casting, but I wasnt so sure at the time. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. She came in and was so natural, so funny. We have been very lucky on this show. 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