The tension between journalists and their subjects, on junkets, the alchemy of good casting, Aussie Kelce trackers vs Brange gossip inflation, JLo's fancy tour commercial (?), and the end of Vice
I should mention that TV casting still does chemistry reads on average, I've never asked why but I've always assumed it's because you're going to spend more time together as a TV cast, so they want to make sure they're getting the right mix of people. The attitude with movies is just "grin and bear it for 3 months" and then you never have to see these people again.
I was coming here to comment that the only casting director I know by name is a TV one...Allison Jones. She casted basically every great tv comedy right? The Office, Parks and Rec, Brooklyn 99. If the Emmys creates a casting award she would win every time.
Nina Gold, UK casting director, cast GOT, Star Wars sequels, Starter for 10. She's basically discovered two generations of major Brit talent. She'll be one of the first to get the casting Oscar for sure.
Allison Jones also cast Barbie, amongst other movies (Bridesmaids, Barb & Star, Booksmart, Lady Bird, A Simple Favor, Eighth Grade, Palm Springs...).Ever since I attended a casting directors panel at a festival, I have really paid attention to who casts things and have my favorites - Allison Jones being one and Jen Euston (she started out working for AJ) being another. JE cast Orange is the New Black, which I think touches on another facet: casting more or less unknowns, as well as people who may have fallen out of the spotlight. I mean, that cast is incredible, and look where they are today! Honestly, the weakest link for me is the "star"/lead but that is personal preference. She also did GLOW! If I see that AJ or JE cast something, my interest level rises. I'll read anything inside baseball about casting, and I say this as someone who has zero to do with the entertainment industry, but just has a super nerdy interest.
Francine Maisler is another casting director I’ve seen pop up a lot. I remember listening to a podcast episode where Riki Lindholm interviewed a cast director, and it was so interesting! Definitely seems like a really cool job.
The only casting director I know did the Walking Dead, Barry, etc. and I only know her because aspiring actors looking to put themselves in front of her send emails to me instead. The emails come irregularly but sometimes in spates, like there was one time, in the span of a couple of weeks I replied to six candidates telling them they've got the wrong person!
I'm groaning while reading this because you're talking about what the kids are saying these days, and that's exactly why I come here to listen to you, Lainey, Sarah, etc, as you are the kids that are saying things these days. Damn. I'm old.
Casting stories always fascinate me especially those sliding door ones. The best casting is always when you can’t imagine anyone else in the role.
Nowadays, in this age of nepo babes, I think of projects that went out on a limb to cast unknowns who ended up being perfect, even making the project.
Example: Mindy Kalings’ Never Have I Ever. They cast a young high school student that had never acted professionally (literally made a tape in the high school library) and became the whole heart and soul of that show. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Is phenomenal and grew as an actress every single season. Poorna Jagannathan as her mom was also amazingly cast.
This reminds me... it's been a minute since NHIE ended and Maitreyi was so great in that, we should be seeing her in more projects. She just teased that she has some big red carpets coming up which is good news... but I also want more casting announcements!
Never Have I Ever is an excellent example and made me also think of Sex Education, similarly a cast of mostly unknown young actors, diverse, great cast chemistry, highly talented. I loved that none of them had that glossy American teen soap look about them (though obviously still a highly attractive bunch!).
Bad casting or whatever casting is when you say another actor might have done it better. Sorry to Emma Stone but Anne Hathaway would have killed it better in lala land.
Hey Sarah, I'm one of those Jack Reacher fans that "couldn't get over the character not being six-foot-eleven or whatever, so now they have Alan Ritchson playing a walking steroid vein on Amazon Prime." LOL. Have you read the books? Don't get me wrong, I'm not, in any way, saying they should be considered anything other than a mindless beach read but his height is the defining characteristic of his character. It's almost its own character. I enjoy Tom Cruise action movies so it was nothing against Tom. I couldn't watch Alan Ritchson, he can't act and not a fan of the steroid look.
I've read one Reacher book, which I read after the fans pitched a fit about getting Tom Cruise for the movie. It was fine, and you're right about the height being a defining characteristic. Cruise actually tried to make Jack Reacher a real character, which is why I like that movie so much. It's one of his better performances in the last 20 years!
I don't think I have ever looked at Julia Roberts and thought, "She's probably so sweet." Maybe it's because I know she's from Georgia. Southern people are incredible at POLITE. She's from Georgia, OF COURSE she can charm when she feels like it. She's from the South, OF COURSE she can turn on a dime and cut you to pieces. I know nothing about Belloni so I am curious if prickly is being stretched out to awful. He's an attorney and he worked in Hollywood, I'm trying to understand if he's saying she's O'Russell terrible, or if she put him in his place on his turf? It might be regional? There's plenty of southern aunts I don't cross because I know better. If they don't like something you'll hear about it, then they're back on good manners. They might never raise their voice, but it also is usually about something important (to them or to the process). M'Lynn (Shirley Maclaine) in Steel Magnolias seems like she's got whatever people are saying Julia dishes. Some of the sweeeetest public facing southern women give me the energy of "they don't play that". 1. Laura Bush: epitome of still waters run deep. I don't know what the limit is, but she's so calm that it's terrifying. Those manners are holding back a storm and NO ONE will ever tell. 2. Ms. Tina Knowles: She's so polite that I don't want to see what makes that disappear. 3. Tabitha Brown is also in the club. She tells people "that's her business" so they understand if she's interested in their opinions (she's not, and that's your business if you have an opinion on what she's doing). All that smiling is real and also a warning.
Julia doesn't give me the same level of fear. Julia doesn't hide her slicing. It's not surprising people have been in the cross hairs. Her energy is apparent. She is ready to check you and keep it moving. Very M'Lynn.
Hi Myra... I feel like we've talked about this a lot lately and I actually mentioned to Lainey that I was worried we're talking about it too much recently, but it's also hard news to ignore since it's our peers who are again out of work. But in general, if you want to support online publications, of course...
-visit the sites and set your browser to allow ads to run, first and foremost
-if you're so inclined, log in if they offer a login function (we have one on LG but it's dormant right now because we don't currently have anything extra to offer for a logged in experience). Doing so will allow them to, with your permission if done right, use your hashed/hidden email address to serve as another tool to delivery better targeted and therefore higher priced ads
-sign up for their newsletters if you think their content is good
-share links to posts you like with your friends or on your social media
-and also, support government leaders who support journalism and who don't openly suppress or hide from scrutiny by members of the media. This is a bigger, more societal shift that needs to happen, but we're all a part of it so we should demand this of our leaders at every level
We love the support we've received from you if you're seeing these newsletters and we really appreciate how much traction/commentary our post about the costs of doing business received. We do feel like this community has our backs and we're grateful.
I should mention that TV casting still does chemistry reads on average, I've never asked why but I've always assumed it's because you're going to spend more time together as a TV cast, so they want to make sure they're getting the right mix of people. The attitude with movies is just "grin and bear it for 3 months" and then you never have to see these people again.
I was coming here to comment that the only casting director I know by name is a TV one...Allison Jones. She casted basically every great tv comedy right? The Office, Parks and Rec, Brooklyn 99. If the Emmys creates a casting award she would win every time.
Nina Gold, UK casting director, cast GOT, Star Wars sequels, Starter for 10. She's basically discovered two generations of major Brit talent. She'll be one of the first to get the casting Oscar for sure.
Allison Jones also cast Barbie, amongst other movies (Bridesmaids, Barb & Star, Booksmart, Lady Bird, A Simple Favor, Eighth Grade, Palm Springs...).Ever since I attended a casting directors panel at a festival, I have really paid attention to who casts things and have my favorites - Allison Jones being one and Jen Euston (she started out working for AJ) being another. JE cast Orange is the New Black, which I think touches on another facet: casting more or less unknowns, as well as people who may have fallen out of the spotlight. I mean, that cast is incredible, and look where they are today! Honestly, the weakest link for me is the "star"/lead but that is personal preference. She also did GLOW! If I see that AJ or JE cast something, my interest level rises. I'll read anything inside baseball about casting, and I say this as someone who has zero to do with the entertainment industry, but just has a super nerdy interest.
Francine Maisler is another casting director I’ve seen pop up a lot. I remember listening to a podcast episode where Riki Lindholm interviewed a cast director, and it was so interesting! Definitely seems like a really cool job.
The only casting director I know did the Walking Dead, Barry, etc. and I only know her because aspiring actors looking to put themselves in front of her send emails to me instead. The emails come irregularly but sometimes in spates, like there was one time, in the span of a couple of weeks I replied to six candidates telling them they've got the wrong person!
Whomever casts for Shonda's projects has the gift.
Is "mouth feel" the new gut?
You've never heard mouth feel? It's a good thing, like how does the food literally feel in your mouth.
I have. But it feels like it’s being used more. I’m always listening for what the kids are saying these days.
I'm groaning while reading this because you're talking about what the kids are saying these days, and that's exactly why I come here to listen to you, Lainey, Sarah, etc, as you are the kids that are saying things these days. Damn. I'm old.
I've mostly heard it used when talking about beer. Though that may be a function of my preoccupations.
Casting stories always fascinate me especially those sliding door ones. The best casting is always when you can’t imagine anyone else in the role.
Nowadays, in this age of nepo babes, I think of projects that went out on a limb to cast unknowns who ended up being perfect, even making the project.
Example: Mindy Kalings’ Never Have I Ever. They cast a young high school student that had never acted professionally (literally made a tape in the high school library) and became the whole heart and soul of that show. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Is phenomenal and grew as an actress every single season. Poorna Jagannathan as her mom was also amazingly cast.
This reminds me... it's been a minute since NHIE ended and Maitreyi was so great in that, we should be seeing her in more projects. She just teased that she has some big red carpets coming up which is good news... but I also want more casting announcements!
Never Have I Ever is an excellent example and made me also think of Sex Education, similarly a cast of mostly unknown young actors, diverse, great cast chemistry, highly talented. I loved that none of them had that glossy American teen soap look about them (though obviously still a highly attractive bunch!).
Bad casting or whatever casting is when you say another actor might have done it better. Sorry to Emma Stone but Anne Hathaway would have killed it better in lala land.
I would say the same about Heartstopper!
Yes!!
Hey Sarah, I'm one of those Jack Reacher fans that "couldn't get over the character not being six-foot-eleven or whatever, so now they have Alan Ritchson playing a walking steroid vein on Amazon Prime." LOL. Have you read the books? Don't get me wrong, I'm not, in any way, saying they should be considered anything other than a mindless beach read but his height is the defining characteristic of his character. It's almost its own character. I enjoy Tom Cruise action movies so it was nothing against Tom. I couldn't watch Alan Ritchson, he can't act and not a fan of the steroid look.
I've read one Reacher book, which I read after the fans pitched a fit about getting Tom Cruise for the movie. It was fine, and you're right about the height being a defining characteristic. Cruise actually tried to make Jack Reacher a real character, which is why I like that movie so much. It's one of his better performances in the last 20 years!
And... ROSAMUND PIKE
Okay, you've convinced me to give it a watch.
I don't think I have ever looked at Julia Roberts and thought, "She's probably so sweet." Maybe it's because I know she's from Georgia. Southern people are incredible at POLITE. She's from Georgia, OF COURSE she can charm when she feels like it. She's from the South, OF COURSE she can turn on a dime and cut you to pieces. I know nothing about Belloni so I am curious if prickly is being stretched out to awful. He's an attorney and he worked in Hollywood, I'm trying to understand if he's saying she's O'Russell terrible, or if she put him in his place on his turf? It might be regional? There's plenty of southern aunts I don't cross because I know better. If they don't like something you'll hear about it, then they're back on good manners. They might never raise their voice, but it also is usually about something important (to them or to the process). M'Lynn (Shirley Maclaine) in Steel Magnolias seems like she's got whatever people are saying Julia dishes. Some of the sweeeetest public facing southern women give me the energy of "they don't play that". 1. Laura Bush: epitome of still waters run deep. I don't know what the limit is, but she's so calm that it's terrifying. Those manners are holding back a storm and NO ONE will ever tell. 2. Ms. Tina Knowles: She's so polite that I don't want to see what makes that disappear. 3. Tabitha Brown is also in the club. She tells people "that's her business" so they understand if she's interested in their opinions (she's not, and that's your business if you have an opinion on what she's doing). All that smiling is real and also a warning.
Julia doesn't give me the same level of fear. Julia doesn't hide her slicing. It's not surprising people have been in the cross hairs. Her energy is apparent. She is ready to check you and keep it moving. Very M'Lynn.
Ugh sorry to hear about Vice. Besides subscribing on Substack, what can we do to support digital publications better?
Hi Myra... I feel like we've talked about this a lot lately and I actually mentioned to Lainey that I was worried we're talking about it too much recently, but it's also hard news to ignore since it's our peers who are again out of work. But in general, if you want to support online publications, of course...
-visit the sites and set your browser to allow ads to run, first and foremost
-if you're so inclined, log in if they offer a login function (we have one on LG but it's dormant right now because we don't currently have anything extra to offer for a logged in experience). Doing so will allow them to, with your permission if done right, use your hashed/hidden email address to serve as another tool to delivery better targeted and therefore higher priced ads
-sign up for their newsletters if you think their content is good
-share links to posts you like with your friends or on your social media
-and also, support government leaders who support journalism and who don't openly suppress or hide from scrutiny by members of the media. This is a bigger, more societal shift that needs to happen, but we're all a part of it so we should demand this of our leaders at every level
We love the support we've received from you if you're seeing these newsletters and we really appreciate how much traction/commentary our post about the costs of doing business received. We do feel like this community has our backs and we're grateful.
Wonderful advice, thanks! We all work and hustle in some shape or form, that’s why “the work” speaks to us. Keep talking about it!