Co-Owner Bialy Thomas & Assoc. 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? Its when I really first started, when I was having a lot of autonomy with Sharon. Contact To get in touch with Sherry, use the contact form below or send her an email at sherry @ sherrythomas.com (w/o spaces). We had lots of auditions. I get on the phone with agents, and the casting process goes on from there. She had to go to some places and the work was beautiful. 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. 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. We wanted the fans to believe this, too, like, Oh my God, hes so cute. And, Id imagine, completely challenging. She came in and was so natural, so funny. So, theres time to do a little bit of research and we tried to educate people as much as possible that this was based on the podcast based on a true story. Sharon Bialy: Sometimes well know somebody really well and have them read and literally in two lines, Im like, thats it, shes the one. Oscars 2023: Just How Many Oscars Will Everything, Everywhere All at Once Win? For Dead to Mes second season, Scott said the main task was finding the new love interest for Linda Cardellinis character. 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. Shes amazing with hair, and I have a love for it, too. So weve always cast in a broad, worldly way. I think in this particular project that Georgia [Pritchetts] writing was incredible, and the tone was on the page, but still it helped. Hes coming in this week. . And I think were all waiting for the moment in time where we can be together again, for sure. 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. All Rights Reserved. When youre chasing after an actor with a name, you need them to trust you. 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. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. He was a great audition, for sure, but he also really interested Luca as a person. That makes sense. Now, here comes my favorite question to ask, Sherry. Were they names you wanted from the beginning, and did you go out of your way to reunite Katey and Christina Applegate? He just had a great rawness and innocence., As Sams older brother Craig, Corey had not had any experience. Wow. He was the heart of the show the first season., Andrew is absolutely hilarious. 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 needed him to feel younger than the other boys, other than Jack. 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. [Tatiana is] someone we really believed in and highly recommended to Tim and the producers., [Gayle was] the only one who read, Thomas says. 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 it really feels good to be recognized by our peers. Watch our video interviews with top awards contenders: directors, producers, below-the-line artisans and , Watch our lively predictions slugfests with Experts and Editors. Thomas called Sweeney wise and mature beyond her years. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, The 2020 Emmys are closer than you think. AD: This wasnt your only nomination this year. Alphonse is truly an incredibly skilled actor, Ingram says. Weve always requested self-tapes and explored actors from all over the world. 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. We thought wed cast an unknown. And it worked! And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. So, I didnt necessarily find casting it found me. Shes just perfect. 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. I think we got to try. And she says, You feel really passionately about it. And I have now grown to see what a great dramatic actor he is, in the role of Zoeys brother, says Ulrich. John Ennis is a character actor weve known for a long time and he was amazing as the exterminator. She even officiated when my husband and I were married. Its all so seamless, though, that you cant see any of those divisions in his performance. It was the biggest casting search weve ever done in our career, says Daniel. Instead its all of the supporting players, the day players, because you have to have great actors, the majority of who are in scenes with Christina and Linda. But going into the second season, the world knows the show, and we dont have to explain what it is. Sometimes the casting session is slammed, and you have several actors in the waiting room. Its OK because now youll get great volume when you blow dry it. RS: We went through that entire process and read a lot of people. Producer: Indecent Proposal. Alyssa Morris is our associate on this project and it was really, honestly the first time were working on a project where all of us are not together. Interview: Jeremy Davis on Playing Olaf in Frozen, Costume Mishaps and Making the Role His Own, Interview: Casting Director Kim Coleman on Five Days at Memorial, Self-Tape Tips and Portraying Real People, Interview: David Christopher Wells on His Role in To Kill a Mockingbird, Being an Understudy and Getting His MFA, Interview: Clifton Collins Jr. and Molly Parker on Jockey, Research and Bad Auditions, Ted Lasso Star Phil Dunster on How He Got the Role of Jamie Tartt, Theres No Such Thing As Chemistry In Acting. Sometimes Clement will become inspired by the actors. You have this sort of visceral, gut reaction when its right, and thats how it was for me with casting. I knew that Mary could sing. Was that hard at all? As a freelance writer for me at Modern Luxury, NS magazine, Sherry pitched and wrote creative . When Breaking Bad started, we really rebelled and kept looking for stand-up actors. A naturalistic performance, I think, is what was required in The Shrink Next Door. 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. All Rights Reserved. It seems that reboots are a dime a dozen these days. That is such a skill, and one I wish I had. That helps give me the essence of what Bill has in mind, and then as I get him going, hell just start going into the characters dialogue in a voice that reflects how he hears it in his head. 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. 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 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. He was pursuing editing work on the side. Thats what it is all about. The second it became Alex, I ran with it, pushed it, said its a way to really enlighten the world. Like everyone else on the planet we love her. I think actors dont think it happens, and it does. Was that something you were both conscious of when originally casting him? 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) 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. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. You really want to buy into that environment. So, you give each actor more of an opportunity to really get the role in some ways. 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 Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming. And he even said, coming in, I dont really know why Im here. It was a surprise to us. In a COVID and post-COVID world do you think youre job will permanently change? You really need to find actors who can do all of those things which can be challenging. Learn more about how we use cookies. [Niccos] brilliant, says Hopkins. Did it make your job easier or was it challenging having actors come in with a preconceived notion of what the show should be? 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 mean, that had to have been completely It was all brand new. If someone made a series about your life story, which actor would you cast to play the role of Sherry Thomas? 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. 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. And say, Lets try them for this.. After a 2007 surgery that required general anesthesia, Steenburgen, who plays Zoeys mother, Maggie, began hearing original music in her head. Production was able to move around a lot of stuff, he says. And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles. Sherry Thomas is represented by the brilliant Kristin Nelson of . Id read about her ability, Ulrich says of the Oscar winner, a prolific singer-songwriter. Personnel: Sharon Bialy, Casting Director. Samira Wiley plays Moira in The Handmaids Tale, a performance that has brought her a third supporting actress Emmy nomination. But oddly enough, on this show, because on others, we have done producer callbacks over Zoom, we didnt do any. 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. Casting just felt right for me. In 1974, Sherry joined Talent Associates, as an executive in charge of development. Well, Russell was able to work with production to make it happen, adds Thomas. Daisy Jones & the Six becomes the first fictional band to hit No. Thats a fantastic pick! Sherry Thomas: Well, its crazy. Did you specify that in the breakdowns or did you have to redirect people? I think within that the process will change a bit. Your email address will not be published. Top Gun: Maverick, Banshees of Inisherin, All Quiet on the Western Front Win at MPSE. And tonally, youd had to have both here. Sign up for emails from Casting Networks News. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I think she had auditioned for Rocky Horror Picture Show several years before, so I knew she could sing. Sharon and I have been business partners for 25 years, and were very inserted in each others lives at this point. And I said, Yeah, I really feel like it could be really cool, and okay, great. You do a dark show and they go, lets get the girls to do the dark show. 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. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. Join Facebook to connect with Sherry Thomas Lane and others you may know. Shes the real deal.. 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. We rely so heavily on the loudness, and the shoutiness, and the calling out ideas and really kind of collaborating in that way. It is how we really modulate a performance. In the meantime, make your predictions for Best Drama Series below the interview using our easy drag-and-drop menu. When you work in television and when you work with really great material, you do get excited for this time of year. 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. What are some self-tape tips that you have? Sherry Thomas. 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. Five seasoned entertainment journalists predict the shows and performances the Television Academy will honor with Emmys; do you agree with their picks? 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. 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 . Sorry I had to jump in because he is very humble! 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Sherry Thomas: And the show director, Jesse Peretz, just really kind of took everybody and, everybody shines. Quickly send your headshot and resume to hundreds of casting directors, agents, and managers. Her role in "Barry" came about thanks to its casting director, nine-time Emmy nominee Sherry Thomas, as well as the Hollywood satire's dedication to meta humor. The driving force was that this world felt real, [that] we could see these people living here, Ingram says. Its about finding complex and compelling actors that can bring nuance even to comedy. Lets try it. 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? That has been nice because so many of these shows are aged for younger women. Find out if Bialy and Thomas can win their very first Emmy for Breaking Bad when the Creative Arts Emmys are announced August 16. The storylines and arcs are massive, and youre also in a period piece, so it was important to make sure that each actor [remained] defined within their own self, even if the character wasnt around all the time, says Thomas. Hes a very soulful actor and person, and his craft is unbelievable. Elarica leads more with vulnerability, and Brandee leads more with strength. And I said, Yeah, I think its going to be really cool and really interesting. Affiliate links provides compensation to Daily Actor which helps us remain online, giving you the resources and information actors like you are looking for. We were really happy with the outcome of that! 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. 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. 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. Defying past portrayals of female friendship on television, Dead To Me enamoredaudiences with its unexpected casting choices of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. Im always thrilled when stunt casting works, because people immediately feel a sense of connection by knowing somebody from the past, he says. 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. casting director Casts for Film, TV, Theatre, New Media California About Sharon Bialy Sharon Bialy is an award winning Casting Director for television, film and theater. Its also a thriller. Showing all 1 wins and 28 nominations. It was the biggest new role of the season. Its great to virtually meet you, Sherry, and lets kick things off right at the beginning of your career. Once I opened that door, though, there was no going back. We were able to find actors like Ericka Kreutz who played Shandys mother, and you had Adora Bricher who played Shandy who is amazing as the dark, dark little girl. But, just like any other season, we got the scripts and then talked with [co-creator/star] Bill [Hader] and [co-creator/showrunner] Alec [Berg] to hear what they were identifying within the new characters. The bar has been set and we set it for ourselves as creative people with high standards. So we can say, No, this is the Bob Odenkirk character youre reading with. And its like, oh, a light bulb goes off, but we cant in email.