Sherry Thomas: And the show director, Jesse Peretz, just really kind of took everybody and, everybody shines. But then she had also read with us on Danny McBrides Vice Principles. And our associate, Alyssa Morris, did the same with the smaller roles. 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. By Vinnie Mancuso 12/30/15 10:00am. Everybody knows he is a wonderful actor. We dont get the opportunity to give immediate feedback and really do the other part of our title which is direct. Its OK because now youll get great volume when you blow dry it. [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. Get our L.A. RT: Can we just put Rhea Seehorn in here? 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 His instinct was that she was the perfect fit for the part, and he didnt give up. It all kind of comes together. Im always thrilled when stunt casting works, because people immediately feel a sense of connection by knowing somebody from the past, he says. So theres some benefits to both. Finding actors that can understand the unique tone of the show, one that balances gut-wrenching trauma with unexpected comedy, is an intricate task. Sharon Bialy: I mean, I watch the whole thing. And say, Lets try them for this.. Apple TV+ Casting Director Panel with Lucinda Syson, Theo Park, Sherry ST: Not at all! But I dont believe she had ever been a series regular before. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. He is so wonderful. Join Facebook to connect with Sherry Thomas Lane and others you may know. 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. 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.. Alphonse is truly an incredibly skilled actor, Ingram says. Sherry Thomas: Yeah, it was. When we circled back, I remember looking at the date and I was like, Holy shit, I think shes available. , Theres an assuredness to Sister Alice that the audience has to buy because she believes [her evangelism] so strongly, Bialy says. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. The vampire mockumentary series was a surprise Emmys 2020 comedy series nominee, but dont look for hidden meaning behind the fun, say its writers. 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. Id actually liken it to the audition process. She even officiated when my husband and I were married. 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. And then we pulled from that to go and seek out the right people for the roles. 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. And I also just love her as a person. 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. Now in the shows second season, casting directors Sherry Thomas and Russell Scott were tasked with the challenge of expanding on that world and filling out an ensemble that were able to keep up with Applegate and Cardellini. Jonathan [Masons employer], was the first one. Walking Dead's Casting Director On Finding Heroes, Villains & Zombies 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.. 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. I mean, its just, its incredible. ST: It is a challenge when there are so many components beyond Are they a great actor? and Are they right for the part? The age had to be right so that it felt right appropriate for Diana. 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. Sharon Bialy: I think thats a really good note. Interview: Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas on 'The 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? Contact To get in touch with Sherry, use the contact form below or send her an email at sherry @ sherrythomas.com (w/o spaces). 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. 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. 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. So, even though they might be doing under five lines, theyve got to be able to hold their own. Sharon Bialy is on Instagram 782 posts on their profile Better Call Saul, were not even allowed to give you anything. 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. We can explain things like tone. We will never, ever be an office that is strictly self-taped. And sometimes the sides are fake. 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. Shes just perfect. [Showrunner Damon Lindelof] is pretty specific about what he wants, but if he cant really explain it, hell know it when he sees it. And so, were sitting in the session, and he walks in and everybody says, hi. Hes a wonderful actor. In the case of Lawrence Gilliard, that role was. 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I love her performances and everything she does, and Luca felt the same way., Jack has a lot of experience in movies and TV, so he had a flexibility as far as craft goes, Cuba says. Bialy/Thomas & Associates - Casting Director | Backstage And, speaking from first hand experience, they are the best people to audition for. Natalie [Morales] was someone [showrunner Liz Feldman] had in mind from the beginning, but she was working on a movie. I think within that the process will change a bit. In 1975 she joined MGM as an executive story editor. Members | The Casting Society of America Keep reading for a window into everything from how she works including her Emmy-nominated casting of Barrys third season to what shed be doing if her chosen profession werent an option. 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). Were in a very different time and our priorities are a little different, but it doesnt take away from the pride of it and the love and passion we have for it. Sign up to get must-read entertainment headlines and audition advice delivered to your inbox every weekday. 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. ST: The challenge too isnt necessarily one particular role. Its just a wonderful place to be to be able to cast these amazing actresses from Frances Conroy to Katey Sagal to Valerie Mahaffey. Craig Fincannon (Location Casting Director) 2010 Nominee Artios Award: Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama Breaking Bad (2008) Shared with: Sharon Bialy. 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. These casting directors pull back the curtain on the process 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. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. And Peter [Gallagher, as Maggies husband, Mitch] obviously had been on Broadway. I knew him from The Glee Project and I just think he is one of the most extraordinary talents around. Year Program Casting Network Bradley Whitford @BradleyWhitford 10 months ago. We were like, Wait, did we just see somebody who literally has zero acting experience and was that great? says Brett Greenstein. We got so many emails from agents asking, Where did you find these actors? Everybody was blown away, says Greenstein. She is a positive, light person, and that carries into her portrayal of [dancer] Gidget. 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. Thats why you guys are so successful and all the shows you do, which are fantastic. That was a really nice way to come back into the second season. Natalie Morales, left, joined the cast of Dead to Me in Season 2 as the love interest for Linda Cardellini. 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. Slowly they realized that Maitreyi and Jaren have this really great chemistry, so it naturally evolved into this love triangle, which was really fun to see., Finding stars for a show that centers entirely on musical numbers is not the daunting task one imagines especially if you were the casting director of Glee and have an enormous roster of singing actors at your disposal. Elaine Doremus. Okay. WEBN Reporter Ali Inglese sat down with "Breaking Bad" Casting Directors Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas. She cites the scenes with Mark Proksch as energy vampire Colin Robinson in his workplace. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Those interested in learning more about the stacked list of TV and film titles on her rsum can find them listed on IMDb. I think Mindy had said she ran into him at a Vanity Fair party and said something to him. Its so much more fun when youre doing a musical, because people are singing and your days suddenly better, says Robert J. Ulrich. 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. 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. Our job is to hopefully bring her people that she doesnt know yet. You learn what you want to change moving forward. Get to Know the Casting Director: Sherry Thomas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The driving force was that this world felt real, [that] we could see these people living here, Ingram says. Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. We all miss it. A naturalistic performance, I think, is what was required in The Shrink Next Door. Sherry Thomas retweeted. And he even said, coming in, I dont really know why Im here. Pros from five of the years newest dramas and comedies including 'Perry Mason' and 'We Are Who We Are' also reveal the surprising obstacles they hurdled before production began. There was somebody we just couldnt hire recently that is absolutely not known for comedy. Sharon Bialy: What a nice way to start the day. 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. Two different ways? Gohar Gazazyan, Casting Director. Mindy did, probably, because she had her on The Mindy Project. 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. This story first appeared in a January stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. But I dont think that it is ever more important than having the right person. Of course, the greatest discovery of this musical comedy is its lead, Jane Levy, best known to viewers for her comedic skills on the ABC series Suburgatory. And thats part of our job is to continue education. At some point Sherry suggested Katey Sagal. Sherry Thomas - Awards - IMDb RS: With Katey, we wanted someone who is very special because there is a lot to unpack there with Lindas mother being in prison. 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 then, Sherry, you redirected me to do something. 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. Unsurprisingly, the series' casting directors are Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas, who have each been nominated for seven Emmy Awards for casting. Stars Sharon Bialy Theo Park Lucinda Syson See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo Top cast She gets it. Find out if Bialy and Thomas can win their very first Emmy for Breaking Bad when the Creative Arts Emmys are announced August 16. And also, it was shot in LA, in Los Angeles, so everything is large and on a big scale. How did you guys bring her on? Im not just saying that because hes my boss Im saying that because Ive had the privilege of watching the dailies [raw, unedited footage shot during a filming day] for Barry and have gotten to see his work from all angles. Even the actor didnt know until that episodes script rolled around. What is the craziest audition story that you have? Its really wonderful to see that. All Rights Reserved. 2021 Nominee Primetime Emmy: Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series . We would give a little context of the tone. Sherry Thomas: Ive been a longtime fan of Casey. With larger roles, you have time to build an arc, but with something so small, the challenge is how to make it memorable. We started talking with her agent, and they basically said to make sure this was the direction we wanted to go in because if Katey found out she would certainly want to do it. RS: We worked through a lot of hard work and cooperation between our production and the movie because she is someone who really understood the tone of the show. Thats what it is all about. 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 . I think a lot of people have made that shift in their mentality. 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. Oscars 2023: Preview and Predictions + Contest! Hes coming in this week. . It was the biggest casting search weve ever done in our career, says Daniel. 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.. #LucindaSyson #TheoPark #SherryThomas SharonBialy #CastingDirectorsQ&A with casting directors from several Apple TV+ series; Lucinda Syson (Foundation), Theo. Awards Daily: What was it like jumping back into Dead to Me after the first season became such a breakout hit? So, I knew Id have a paycheck once I arrived and took my two weeks vacation to make the trip over and get settled. ST: Russell worked very, very hard on that. Im pretty sure Im the loudest, so I think whoevers the loudest wins, joked Thomas. 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. Sharon and I have been business partners for 25 years, and were very inserted in each others lives at this point. 14.1k Followers, 269 Following, 782 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Sharon Bialy (@sharonbialy) 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. And it worked! 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. Send it to the producers. My wife is my reader and shes terrible. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Add to list Nominated for 9 Primetime Emmys "I've known and worked with Sherry in different capacities over the past 7 years. It was the soul of the actor and what [showrunner Bruce Miller] was looking for.. To say I was enthused was another thing. Watch our video interviews with top awards contenders: directors, producers, below-the-line artisans and , Watch our lively predictions slugfests with Experts and Editors. You were also nominated for your work on the third season of The Handmaids Tale. Sherry Thomas - Managing Director, Global Strategic Advisory - Guy Literally, we were all just howling because she just got it., We needed a Jake from Sixteen Candles, someone brooding and obviously swoon-worthy and somebody that Devis going to have a mad crush on, Greenstein says of the protagonists love interest, Paxton Hall-Yoshida. Michael Ordoa covers film and television for the Los Angeles Times. Sherry Thomas: Yeah. Sherry Thomas: If a reader is really distracting, its not about the reader, its about the actor. Were just gonna have a great time.. Sharon Bialy: I think theres going to be a hybrid. 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. . For the full interview, check out the video below or on YouTube. And it isnt so much that we only do dramas, we love comedies. Producer: Indecent Proposal. A lot of it is having support. Then, I go through my notes and consider actors that I love, as well as some new actors. In the meantime, make your predictions for Best Drama Series below the interview using our easy drag-and-drop menu. He put himself on tape, and Tim really responded to his audition [for the beat-cop role].. Sharon Bialy: Right. I had the highest hopes and no idea that he could sing as well as he could sing. 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. RS: We went through that entire process and read a lot of people. And I have now grown to see what a great dramatic actor he is, in the role of Zoeys brother, says Ulrich. The bar has been set and we set it for ourselves as creative people with high standards. We ended up moving the schedule around a little bit for her through communication with her reps and our production team. Shes amazing with hair, and I have a love for it, too. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Defying past portrayals of female friendship on television, Dead To Me enamoredaudiences with its unexpected casting choices of Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. He fell in love with doing the show. 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 . John Lithgow, for E.B. 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? Through conversation and through hearing about what the role is about in detail and where it will go, the list gets smaller and smaller. 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.