July 15, 2025 • 51 mins
Emmy-nominated Casting Director Seth Yanklewitz (New Girl, The Hangover) shares insights from his journey in Hollywood, blending wisdom from studio executive experience with his current return to independent casting at Yanklewitz-Pollack Casting.
Alongside host Robert Peterpaul, Seth discusses his authentic casting approach for Hulu's Deli Boys, the importance of building chemistry in ensembles, and practical audition advice that can transform actors' careers.
This episode covers:
• Acting choices Yanklewitz likes to see in self tapes.
• How he casts authentic (and kind) ensembles.
• The vital industry lesson Sandra Bullock taught him early on.
Yanklewitz has led the casting of standout projects like Hulu’s Deli Boys, MGM+’s The Institute and Netflix’s #1 hit Incoming. His acclaimed credits span both film and television, earning multiple honors from the Casting Society. Prior to launching Yanklewitz-Pollack, he was Executive Vice President, Casting and Talent at MGM and MGM+.
This is - How We Role. Discover fresh casting calls at castingnetworks.com.
Follow Host, Actor and Producer Robert Peterpaul (Amazon's Sitting in Bars with Cake, The Art of Kindness podcast) on Instagram @robpeterpaul and learn more at robertpeterpaul.com.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, my name is Seth Yanklowitz.
I'm 5'11" and I was raised inHollywood, florida.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
When it comes to working in entertainment,
there's a lot of hows, and theyall boil down to how we navigate
this wild industry.
While how we follow our dreamsis uncertain, how we roll along
the way is in our hands.
Welcome to how we Roll, apodcast for actors by Casting
Networks.
Hi actors, it's your friend,robert Peterpaul, back here on
(00:44):
the mic.
I am so glad you chose tofollow your dreams today by
tuning in to another incrediblyinspiring episode of how we Roll
.
Today, I'm thrilled to welcomeveteran casting director Seth
(01:04):
Yanklowicz to the show.
Seth Yanklowitz is anEmmy-nominated casting director
whose award-winning work spansgenres.
You know his art from iconicshows like New Girl and movies
like the Hang.
The Executive Vice President ofCasting and Talent at MGM and
(01:28):
MGM+, seth has returned to hisindependent roots with the
launch of Yanklowicz-PolakCasting.
He recently led standoutprojects like MGM's the
Institute, netflix's number onehit, incoming and Hulu's Deli
Boys, which we dive into todayIncoming.
From breaking down thedifference between working as a
(01:51):
studio exec versus anindependent casting director to
generously sharing his wisdom onall things auditions, seth
gives us so much to take in andtake with us as we roll along.
If you find value in today'sconversation.
(02:13):
I hope you'll pass the wisdomon by sharing this episode with
a friend, or two, or seven.
After all, we're all betterwhen we grow together.
Did that kind of rhyme Speakingof, I want to hear your
questions.
Did that kind of rhyme Speakingof, I want to hear your
questions?
There should be a link in theshow notes to do that very thing
.
Submit your hows so we cananswer them here on the podcast
(02:36):
for you.
Or feel free to DM us atCasting Networks and at Rob
Peterpaul.
Now here's how we roll withcasting director Seth Yanklowicz
, and we're rolling Friends.
I am so thrilled to share sometime together with veteran
(02:59):
casting director Seth Yanklowicz.
How are you doing today?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Seth, I am awesome.
It's a great day the Emmynominations.
Maybe there's some excitementthis year.
I don't know, could be, maybe.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I'm so excited for you.
I can't wait to get into allthat in Deli Boys.
I'm loving Deli Boys.
If you're not watching thisshow, you're truly missing out,
and so my fingers and toes arecrossed for you.
But before we get there, I justwant to say, in researching you
and learning more about you andasking friends about you, I
truly admire the way you seem tolead with kindness and joy in
(03:34):
this industry, and it feels goodto see a good person win, so
I'm extra excited.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
That is touching and appreciative and I guess I got
to give credit to my mom and dad.
Oh, you know.
Yeah, I look.
You know I was trained by oneof the grand dames of this
business and it was tough.
It was a tough training andobviously I'm better for it and
(04:07):
times are different and you knowa lot of the old ways no longer
occur.
But you know I also worked incorporate jobs where the
atmosphere was tough.
When you spend so much time in aroom with actors and you
understand the daily heartbreakthat they have to go through,
(04:31):
not for any other reason thanthey can't get every single job
they audition for, you know yousort of just have to open your
heart a little bit more toeveryone and, and you know, give
of yourself a little bit morethan not.
And so, yeah, I mean I guessthat's sort of how I've always
(04:51):
run my rooms and run my sessionsand dealt with.
You know, every job was justjust maybe a little kinder and
happier and more joyful.
Look, especially now there's somuch to not be joyful about.
That, like you got to find thejoy and happy everywhere we can.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, you got to find the joy, you got to find the
happy and I so appreciate that.
I mean every person I've talkedto that knows you has said now
that I did this whole likecreepy research situation.
I'm like, I went deep, I calledthe FBI.
Everyone said that you are justso funny, so kind, you bring
the party.
And I love to hear that,because if we all did that on
our own little corners of theworld, I mean, how much brighter
(05:32):
would the world be?
And I think it's interestingtoo.
You mentioned that rejection,that open heart.
I know casting's used to thaton a different level now as well
, especially when you dabble inindependent casting, as you're
now back in, you get rejectedand it almost becomes a
superpower right All the time.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
In fact, I'm literally sitting waiting for
them to actually send me therejection email or get the call
on a movie I met on, becauselike a week and a half ago or
two weeks ago at this point andhaven't heard, and I'm like
their casting was supposed tostart fast, so I'm just waiting
for someone to officially tellme I didn't get it.
But like it is what it is right.
(06:10):
I got to have the meeting, Igot to meet new producers and
you know, if it's not this one,it'll be the next one.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
I love that.
What do you do in that waitingperiod as a casting professional
, because I feel like it's hardnot to psych yourself out
sometimes.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I don't psych myself out anymore.
I mean, certainly there arewere times, you know, where,
like I needed the job very badlyfor like money for my kid, like
things, that like for life,right, so you get a little
cuckoo, but luckily I'm having agood run and so you know, I
usually give it like a good fivedays, like one week, and then I
(06:47):
like send a like hey, checkingin email.
I'm real good at the checkingin email.
I love that.
Yeah, friendly, hello, like agentle nudge, as I like to say
yeah.
And so I did do that and he waslike oh, they're meeting one
more person.
Like well, well, next week.
But next week came and thenholiday came and so that's why
(07:07):
I'm assuming we didn't get it,but that's okay, listen, you
never know.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
It's so funny because as actors, that is such a
parallel journey that waitingand waiting, and waiting.
Now I want to sing that songWaiting from Shrek, the musical,
and I also want to sing.
They Called Me Cuckoo.
Do you know that from DeathBecomes Her Because you said
cuckoo?
Okay, sorry, I got to calm down.
But one thing you did not getrejected for Seth was the
Academy of Motion Pictures classof 2025.
I just saw this on yourInstagram.
(07:31):
Congratulations.
Tell us about that.
That's so amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Oddly enough, back when all of my big movies were
big like casting directorsweren't in the Academy in the
way that they are now.
Like casting directors weren'tin the Academy in the way that
they are now.
And so you know, because backthen you had to get invited by a
producer, if I'm correct, andnow that we have our own branch
and all the things.
So I really got in for my pastbody of work as much as like yes
(08:03):
, I still do movies, but not big, huge blockbuster movies.
Like you know, I sort of gotstarted in doing and did with my
old partner Jewel.
Yeah, it was my second chance attrying and you know, you know I
got in and it's it's truly anhonor.
Like I I don't I need toemphasize like how cool it is
(08:25):
that to get into the AcademyLike it's not just like you work
in Hollywood and you getaccepted.
Like it's not.
You know I got into thetelevision Academy when I got
nominated for an Emmy for newgirl, like.
So you know that came to me,that one, you know, um one I had
to like work a little to getand so it made it a little
(08:47):
sweeter when I got in and youknow I was very fortunate to
have two, three very big castingdirectors nominate me and
support me in my trek to get inand you know, I now get to join
in a cool class of people.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, and what a year to join.
I mean, we have finally acasting category coming.
How does that feel?
Richard Hicks, deb Zane, kimColeman.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
I'm sure there's more than I'm forgetting Bernie
Telsey, who really fought to getan Academy Award.
And that's on top of the peoplein the past who tried and maybe
weren't successful.
Who tried and, you know, maybeweren't successful but, like
this group really, and I've beenaround and either worked with
(09:50):
or hired, when I was a studioexec, most of these people.
So it's an honor.
It's an honor and it'll beamazing to get to check a ballot
box in the first you know,academy Award for a casting
director.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, historic, that's going to go in the museum
, which is so much fun, andthey're not sponsoring this
episode, but maybe they should.
Before we get into all thiseven further, we got to hop back
in that DeLorean.
Go back in time because I justneed to ask you a little bit
about your early beginnings hereand mine your beautiful brain
for insights for all the actorslistening and casting
professionals listening too.
You know you walked a similaryellow brick road that I think a
(10:28):
lot of casting folks walkedMaybe not as much nowadays
because there's a bit moreresources but you thought you
wanted to be an actor I don'tneed to tell you this.
And then at NYU you were likenope.
And then I believe you workedwith Liz Lewis casting.
That was sort of your firstforay into the business.
Can you just talk about thatpivot and sort of trusting
yourself, because you made thatdecision at a young age and
(10:50):
you're still doing it and Ithink that's so admirable.
And a lot of us don't trustthose feelings that we get and
they can pass us by.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah, you know, as I've said a hundred times and
you sort of said, I realizedafter my first semester of Tisch
that I didn't want to act, butI also knew that I didn't want
to do a math or science classand so I stayed in the acting
program.
But really, you know, they giveyou a paragraph in a binder
(11:19):
full of paragraphs forinternships and I sat up on I
think it was the third floor atTisch, or yeah, the third floor
or fourth, at the administrationfloor and read through the book
and you know, it was like youget to act, you get to direct,
you get to be with actors, andit all sounded really exciting
(11:42):
and I applied and I got it, theinternship for the spring, and
it was with Liz Lewis Casting,and I never left and I
immediately fell in love, youknow, and it truly felt like I
got to do everything I wouldhave ever wanted to do.
I was acting because I readwith actors, I was running a
(12:03):
camera, you know, you gave themcorrection, so like, obviously,
on a small scale level, it feltlike a full circle of job, right
, yeah, and and I was good at it, you know, and so I worked my
way up pretty fast through hercompany, through her company,
(12:29):
and, and, yeah, and, and it.
There was no looking back, so Istarted that at 20.
Wow, not 20 now.
So it's been a while.
That's so special.
Yeah.
And you know, I guess I'vealways led with like my heart
and my brain simultaneouslyright, like even if the job
wasn't going to be the mostmoney, but like I had to do it
(12:52):
creatively, I made the leapright when I left Lewis.
Like I made the leap because Iwas like there's got to be more
than commercials out there forme.
I didn't know what it meant, Ididn't know how to get to it,
but like I just thought therewas and so that risk paid off.
And then from that risk payingoff got me to my first assistant
(13:12):
job in LA with Bonnie Timmermanand my first movie, which was
Pearl Harbor, as the assistant.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Casual, casual way to start, you know, before we get
too far down that road.
I got to say I did call up Lizand she went on and on about you
.
She called you the life of theparty.
She said she still misses youin the office to this day
because you just made everythingso much brighter and more fun.
And she told me to ask you whatfloats your boat the most in
(13:41):
the day-to-day job of casting?
Because, as actors may think,it's all auditions.
That's probably what like 25%of your day.
There's a lot more going on.
So what floats your boat?
Liz wants to know.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Nowadays, I really love sort of the puzzle of
putting the ensemble together,even if, right, we're not at
role three, four and five, orfive, six and seven, like we're
constantly like thinking aboutwho will fit.
So you know, I also love theattachment process, it attaching
(14:27):
the leads, whether it's in mytv work or in my indie movie
work.
I find it sort of invigoratingand it's what makes the job
different.
Even though it's the same job,it's still different, right?
Yeah, because like it's a newset of agents that you have to
like beg, not beg, but convinceand share the story and explain
why and, like you know, geteveryone like jazz, like it's a
bit of a salesman's job you know, especially when you're
(14:49):
attaching at the beginning.
So yeah, that's sort of my dayto day excitement.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Yeah, and I know Deli Boys was a completely different
process for you in this regard,but, as you mentioned, sort of
attaching a lead and thenbuilding them around it, can you
just describe what that processis like in a nutshell for
actors?
Because I'm assuming and whatI've read is that you have to
build out the rest of the cast,sort of based on the star.
But how much does like the starbeing attached inform that and
(15:19):
how do you figure out?
I feel like chemistry readsaren't done as much anymore.
Maybe they are with bigensembles like you put together,
but how do you kind of likefigure that part out?
Speaker 1 (15:29):
So chemistry reads are still a thing, even when
it's big, and usually when youget like the star who may green
light it, they're so willing andinvested that they want to be
part of the process and sothey're like I'll read with any
actors you want, which, by theway, they mean and they do, and
(15:51):
it's really helpful, it really.
You know, I just did a show, nota movie but a show, for it's
called the Wonder Project, partof Amazon Prime, and we put
Scott Foley as the lead male andhe was cast first and sort of
the foundation and he read withevery single female opposite him
(16:13):
that we put in front of him andit honestly informed everything
and we flew him in for it andhe was game and like he really
went the extra mile and I meanhe's spectacular in and itself
but you know, as like the nicestguy in Hollywood reputation and
like I'm here, oh, I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
I'm here too, and in Connecticut I think, yeah, yeah,
he lives down the road, okay,nice.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
But yeah, it's you know, first getting the base or
the foundation really helps then, because then we know, you know
the age of the next person.
Like who do you believe theyfall in love with or who could
be their child?
Who could not be their child?
Like you know, I'm a bigbeliever in like let's change a
(17:01):
line in the story and have oneof the kids adopted I have
adopted children and then thatway we can have diversity, like.
There's so a line in the storyand have one of the kids adopted
I have adopted children andthen that way we can have
diversity Like.
There's so many things you cando.
But once you know who your baseis, you know it helps and
informs as you go outward.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Oh, I love that.
I was at the RDO this year andBernie Telsey talked about how
Anne Hathaway read with each andevery actor for the Idea of you
.
Was that the film?
I really enjoyed it.
Telsey talked about how AnneHathaway read with each and
every actor for the Idea of you.
Was that the film?
I really enjoyed it.
But even just to hear, likeyou're saying, with Scott,
someone of that caliber puttingin that much passion and it
makes sense because they want itto be good and they want to
click with people and you'resomeone who seems to really just
(17:38):
find people that click, Ialmost think of what you do as
creating communities and assomeone who leads with kindness.
I wonder how do you gauge thatwhen you're putting together an
ensemble, how do you sort ofgauge how easy it is not only to
work with an actor but howthey're going to be as a team
player?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
It's a very good question and there's a lot of
work put into it which might besort of our secret to keep, but
you know you do want to have anamazing set and you do want to
create a safe and amazingatmosphere and you want people.
You know, look, an actor's jobis to give and receive right and
(18:18):
if you're not willing to give,it's extremely hard for someone
else to give so you can receive.
And you know Hollywood talksand behaviors are known and you
know it is extremely helpfulwhen you cast a number one or
(18:40):
number two that lead by exampleand with respect and you know,
be as committed to your craft aspossible and be as in character
as possible and do your work.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
You know, but you got to you if you're number one for
a reason, and it mattersBesides just being a good person
, because things feel veryinsular.
Now, like you know, we have ourself-tape set up and sometimes
we have a reader, sometimesthey're FaceTiming in whatever
(19:15):
you need to do to get it in, butit can become very insular, so
do you have any thoughts there?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
You know well, watch the number one when you're on
set, you know.
Watch how they talk to theproducers, watch how they talk
to the director, watch how theytalk to the gaffer, watch how
they talk to costumes.
Like you know, hopefully, knockon wood, you get an amazing
number one who is there and youcan learn from example.
(19:44):
Like, everyone is there workingto make the best show possible
Right, to make the best showpossible Right.
And so I think, like, again,like, doing your work, showing
up on time, knowing your lineswhen you get the job right, not
necessarily for an audition tohave to have it memorized, but
(20:08):
like these are all things thatset examples for younger actors.
So again, like, as quickly asyou become a star is as quickly
as you can not be a star rightIn this business.
Like, and it can revolve aroundbehaviors.
So I just urge everyone young,starting like, be humble, listen
(20:28):
, learn, like, watch everythingas you're on set.
Like you don't have to go home.
Maybe sit in the back of thestage and watch how the lighting
is set, watch the director setup a camera, learn as much as
you can.
I mean, there's so much moreaccess these days, like it's,
(20:49):
you know, usually a directorwon't mind if you stand in the
back and just watch them whilethey're while they're shooting a
scene that you're not in, oryou know, unless you're Seth
Rogan in the studio, thenthey're like did you see that
episode?
yeah, or if it's like coverage,like be there to do the coverage
for your actor, don't make anact with no one like that's a
huge thing for actors, like,yeah, you're able and willing
(21:13):
and they let you, like, be theactor acting off screen for you
know, in the role.
So, yeah, there's a ton ofthings that actors can do.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, I love that and even as someone starting out, I
think, be someone's reader, youknow, volunteer time to just
read with somebody and I thinkthat extends you know volunteer
time to just read with somebody,and I think that extends.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Every time I talk to, like, a graduating class of
university students or I go into speak to, you know, an acting
school, I always say, like lookaround, you now have 32 readers
for your audience.
Like you should never not bereading for someone or asking
someone to read for you.
Like that's what this communityis about.
Like, yes, they're competition,yes, you're going to go up
against them, but like take themon the journey right.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Yeah, and it gives back to you too.
I mean, that's when I firststarted.
I loved being a reader backwhen we went into offices more
because I learned so much.
And then sometimes you seethese luminaries coming in and
you see them flub align.
You see that they're reallygood but they're just not right
for the part.
And I mean you learn so muchwith that bird's eye view.
And speaking of the luminaries,you've worked with so many
(22:20):
people we all look up to.
I wonder if you've seen acommon thread in them all and
how they conduct themselves.
Is it that kindness Like do youhave an example of someone you
thought did it the best?
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Sandra Bullock Ah that doesn't surprise me.
Is I literally work.
I did one movie with her.
She was a producer as well asthe lead actress and I if
someone was like you can't doanything else for the rest of
your career except jobs for her,I would be like thank you very
(22:57):
much, like it was a masterclassin star power.
It was a masterclass in givingand caring and working for the
better of the project andfighting for what was right and
I just it was one of the bestexperiences I've ever had on a
movie.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Oh, I love that.
Was there anything tangible shedid that you wish other people
recreated on sets?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
No, I mean just the way she protected, like the
director, and fought for, likethe integrity of the movie and
what her vision was, whether itwas right or wrong.
Like you know, she had a vision, they had a vision and she went
too bad for it and that is astar right.
That is why she is one of thetop what three female stars in
(23:42):
the world.
You know what I'm saying.
Like, yeah, look, it takes timeto get that.
Not every actress can do whatshe did.
So you know, she certainlyworked her way up to it.
I'm sure she wasn't doing that25 years ago or 30 years ago.
But, like I'm just saying, likeit was so magical to see her
(24:03):
care so much about minutia.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Yeah, you know, and that could be vulnerable too.
It's like let yourself care,just like how you care about
independent casting.
What an odd transition.
You're back in this world withYanklowitz Pollack.
Congratulations on this and allthe things.
I'm just going to keepcongratulating you on a loop.
You can pull the string and Iat NGM and you've worked at
(24:30):
other networks, you know beforethat.
I wonder, how does yourexperience as an executive now
shape how you come back toindependent casting?
Like, what are you taking withyou from that?
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Well, that's a great question and so much, like I
always say, what I bring now isI know the conversations that
are having, are that arehappening and what they're what
they're saying saying when thecasting director hands over the
actors for approvals, you know,I can also sort of alert my
producers from the start whatwill be needed.
(25:03):
You know, a lot of castingdirectors are like this is my
art and we have to just find thebest actor.
But the truth is it is showbusiness for a reason.
Right, there is marketing,there is publicity, there is
getting people's butts in seatsin theaters and getting them to
turn their TVs on and watchthings.
(25:24):
And that comes withrecognizable actors and people
you can sort of see on screen.
That you know and that's whyyou check it out.
And so you know, as someone who,like, worked inside, like, I
get to say to my producers and Iwas an independent like they're
going to want somebodyrecognizable in this part.
(25:45):
We should really focus on thesenames.
Or like let's go this direction.
Or you know, like, listen,we're never going to get sold or
picked up if we don't haveenough diversity, like we have
to have more diversity.
Like and say, like these roles,those directions, as it were.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Yeah, I knew you were serious about that because you
couldn't see everybody, but youtook your glasses off at one
point and I said this is serious.
No, I love that you took allthat down for us.
And I wonder, speaking of thatdiversity, you've talked a lot
about how it was so important,specifically with Deli Boys,
which congratulations again.
The show is so good and it'sgiving me so many different
(26:37):
notes of different genres, whileit's hilarious as well, which
is kind of a movement.
You know everything's blendingnowadays.
I wonder, having worked on somany high profile projects and
then coming to this, where Ibelieve at the top they said we
want this to be an authenticcast, and you had that challenge
.
I think you literally putflyers up in Chicago
(26:58):
neighborhoods to find authentictalent, which is amazing LA too
everywhere.
Well, can you share a little bitabout what you learned through
this process?
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Abdullah Saeed, our creator, and you know then Jenny
Connor and Nora Silver, ourproducers.
Their biggest thing, once wegot the job, was like authentic,
we are not going to just likeput an Indian actor in and say
they're Pakistani.
No, Not going to happen.
Right, there was no going to be.
(27:28):
Like a Syrian actor playing anIndian, like it just was not
going to be.
Like a Syrian actor playing anIndian, like it just was not
going to happen.
So, right away, there were nobig names to put in it.
I mean, there was Hasan Minhaj.
He was not available.
We had to move on.
Right, like so we had to do adeep dive, you know, and look, I
(27:48):
know I've had a coupleinterviews and I've said, like
we put posters, and I know itcan be standard for casting,
it's just, that's like how itused to happen, right?
Like not everyone is having opencalls and like literally
walking the streets askingpeople if, like their aunt,
(28:10):
their grandma, like do they havea cousin that will audition?
Like it's just it doesn'treally happen that way anymore.
So I know, like some peoplemight have heard me say that and
they're like we do that everyproject, okay, sure, but like
not really Right, cause I do alot of projects and, yes, you
have to go far and wide andmaybe you've looked online or
(28:31):
you know you've asked an agentlike, but like we were on our on
our feet walking into delis andrestaurants and breweries and,
like any respectful of you knowMuslims and Pakistanis Can we,
we're looking for and and we?
you know we had to audition thembecause we never knew what raw
(28:52):
talent would come out of it.
You know, and there were somany small roles as the episodes
(29:19):
were going to go that even ifthey weren't right for one of
the big roles, we might be ableto use them for a smaller role.
So we had to hold on to them,right.
And Marissa Ross and Crystal inChicago, they did an amazing
job and you know it was truly acollaboration.
Once we got episodically tolike we got this person, you got
(29:41):
that person.
Should we fly them out?
Like no, we, I think we got itcovered here.
Like we found someone's grandma.
She read we're going to get youthe tape Like it was.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Oh my gosh that's so fun I was going.
I was gonna ask you too, whatwas the most wild find this time
around?
It sounded like there mighthave been a lot of them, but was
there something that took youdown a wild path where you
ultimately cast this person?
Speaker 1 (30:01):
I mean someone's grandma is pretty yeah, yeah, I
mean I I think it was likesomeone's aunt, like, who
auditioned and like got like,yeah, indian mom, role, role,
but like it, there there were.
You know a lot of like I have afriend.
You know the other part of this.
There were so many differentgangs, like you know, like Asian
gangs and Indian like that.
(30:23):
We had to dig into thosecommunities as well and it was
like a small faction in Asiathat this gang came from and it
like just so happened, I meanlike this guy, will Trong, who
played in there.
He like had long hair.
So, yeah, you know, we did alot of it, a lot in every
(30:45):
episode, in every category thenomination which we're
manifesting and it's going tohappen is going going to be
well-deserved.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
I feel like this was such an adventure.
You know, as I mentionedearlier, this show is also a
great example of blended genre.
Obviously it's a comedy, butthe high-stakes action is so
intense, so intense.
I wonder, I guess, two thingshow can you tell an actor
understands the rhythm or thetone right away?
And then how can you put thatinto a bit of advice for our
(31:14):
listeners, because I thinkthat's something early on that
people can miss.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
So obviously, like a show like New Girl or Single
Parents, right is, or how I Metyour Father, is very different
(31:46):
than Deli Boys.
Yeah, abdullah Saeed, jenny,and you know Nora and Michelle
Nader, who then became theshowrunner, yeah, on set, like
upping the levels, right, andgiving you know Asif Ali, I will
say also set a great tone as anumber one.
His comedy is that as well.
(32:09):
Right, his comedy is that aswell, right, and I think once,
like he set that bar, and thenSagar, who brought it down a
little because of his sort ofcharacter, and then you bring in
, like the brilliant Porna, asLucky it's just like I said this
.
I think on stage with her at anAcademy sort of screening, I was
(32:34):
like I knew she was brilliant,I knew I had to have her the
minute Lucky was a female, Iwasn't.
I don't even know if I knew howbrilliant she actually is Right
Like to pull this show off likeit's next level comedic
brilliance and and like like Ithink, once she matched Asif and
(32:56):
the like, it just brilliantlycame together.
And that's you know.
That's the producers, that'syou know Jenny Connor and Nora
and Michelle Nader.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, I mean even just lookingat the fact of like she'll shoot
and kill someone and I don'twant to spoil anything for
anybody and then there's a jokemoment.
After that she lands the joke.
It's like people understand ofthat level where the joke needs
to sort of be and how to make itsing.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
I'm such a fan of hers oh my gosh, she's
incredible during filming, likespeaking in um you know their
native language to each otherand like, just like have a
(33:48):
shorthand and I think, like in aweird way, that like fed down
and like got everybody amped andit's just they knew how to like
do it yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
I mean, you all know how to do it.
The show is so good and I'magain crossing my fingers for
you.
I got to ask you a CastingNetworks member question.
This is from at Amina Anina.
She noticed that you work witha lot of the same actors who I'm
sure have become your friendsover the years.
She wants to know how often doyou bring folks back and what is
it that makes you want to workwith them again and what is it
(34:17):
that makes you want to work withthem again?
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Great question, amina .
Yeah, you know.
Look, I think casting directorsfall in love with actors.
That's our job, right.
We fall in love with and welike to reuse people.
We like to keep employingactors.
There's also, you know, look,our reputations are on the line
when we send someone to set Like, because we're not there to
(34:39):
babysit you.
And if an actor does has badbehavior, it comes back to us.
Believe me, we are the first tohear about it.
Or if something not it doesn'thave to be bad behavior Like God
forbid something goes wrong, orif the acting isn't the way it
was in the audition, like wehear right away.
So you know, when you build upa sort of repertoire of actors,
(35:04):
you like reusing them and thenon the converse of that is
especially in the beginning ofmy career.
You know Jewel Bestrop, who wasmy partner in her workings with
, like Vince Vaughn and BenStiller, where I got my comedic
casting education from all thoseguys.
They like comedy guys like toreuse their comedy friends.
(35:29):
And if you go back those earlymovies, like Rob Riggle, ed
Helms, jason, you know Sudeikis,like they're all playing small
parts in the bigger movies andthat's how they rose to then
being number one on their callsheets.
Right, they played the smallparts.
It's always in the comedy world.
You know you say like, do onegreat scene in something and get
(35:54):
recognized, and get recognized,yeah.
So come in, do an amazing scene, be hysterical, and I guarantee
you people are going to be like, oh my God, I got to bring that
person in for my next job.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Yeah, you're so right .
It's like Rebel Wilson andBridesmaids I mean Steve Buscemi
in the Adam Sandler movies.
It happens over and, over andover again and it almost makes
me want to ask you what makessomeone memorable.
But I know that's such aspecific question that happens
subject to subject, I think.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Being prepared, doing a great performance, being able
to take direction, make choices, like and again, like just
being a good person, right?
Everyone has bad days, we do,you get it, and you can't always
be on and want to haveconversations, but I always made
my casting and audition roomswarm and welcoming.
(36:40):
Look, I knew if an actor walkedin and just wanted to get to
work, and we got to work.
But I also wanted to fall inlove with them and so you talk
to them after and you rememberthings about them and so you
check in like how is your kid?
Or like how was that vacationlast time you were in the office
, right, and you build up arelationship and that's what
(37:01):
makes you want to fight foractors and that's what makes you
want to keep bringing them in.
I have always sort of kept aslight personal professional
thing.
You know, a lot of castingdirectors are very friendly with
actors and I do have a ton offriends that are actors.
But, like I wanted also foractors to feel respected in
(37:22):
their lives and it doesn't haveto mesh all the time.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Yeah, I love that.
Well, something that might meshis if you were to be able to
whisper something in someone'sear before their audition.
And I wonder if you couldwhisper one thing into an
actor's ear before theiraudition.
What would that be?
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Just breathe.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Oh, I love that.
That's a good reminder in life.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
You know like just take a breath right before yes,
and then start.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
I love that.
Do you ever notice the actorsexhale?
That's something I'm curiousabout.
Yeah, like before an actorstarts an audition, do you
notice people sort of likeletting all their air out versus
taking air in?
Yeah, sure.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
I mean, I do that a lot Like releasing sound, which
is what?
Like when I studied at NYU, wehad a whole class on releasing
sound, you know, like duringwork, and yeah, there's
something to say with liketaking a breath, releasing the
breath and then starting thescene, because then you're in it
.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Yes.
Well, I'm going to release asound right now because we're
about to play a surprise game.
I'm going to insert a littletheme song here.
It's called Casting Keywords.
It's a fan favorite segment.
I don't know if it is Seth, butI hope it is.
I'll say I'm going to say aword or a phrase commonly found
in your work in the castingfield in general, and you please
(38:44):
just respond quickly with thefirst piece of advice that pops
into your head.
So it's sort of like wordassociation-ish.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Okay, I got a lot here.
The first one is breakdowns.
Read them.
Oh, that's important Slates.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Keep them happy.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Okay, wait, I need to stop on slates for a second,
because I feel like slates arethe part where you can sort of
show a little bit of personalitywithout taking it too far.
Is there a favorite slateyou've seen?
Speaker 1 (39:13):
You don't want to take that in.
No, I mean just like smiles,keep it, move through it, and
don't want to take that okay.
No, I mean just like smiles,keep it, like move through it
and like yeah don't make a bitlike make weird jokes because it
might not play.
So just like yeah, bright andhappy, bright and happy oh,
right now.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Bnh.
I love that early self-tapesubmission, so when someone gets
it in before the deadline, um.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
We, we don't, we don't see it as a bonus.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Okay, interesting Making a choice.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Imperative.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
I think a lot of actors hear that and sometimes
they don't really know what thatmeans.
So what does it mean to you?
Speaker 1 (39:51):
So if you get sides and for some reason you don't
have a script, or even if you doget the script right, you need
to make a choice because youmight't have a script.
Or even if you do get thescript right, you need to make a
choice because you might nothave ever met the director or
spoken to somebody to get theiropinion or their take on it.
You have to come in with achoice on who the character is.
Even if it's wrong, it is aclear choice.
(40:13):
Then, as the casting director,I can can say great, great
audition.
Now what if he was?
You know, having just left afuneral and trying to like not
be down.
I mean, whatever the directionis right, yes, yeah so.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
I love that, and then walking into his apartment and
finding that they tookeverything and there's a raid.
Sorry, I'm going back to DeliBoys.
Okay, audition attire.
So what to wear?
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Do not go full costume.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
I'm going to throw out my lab coat after this,
please.
Virtual auditions.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
I love them.
You get to do your best.
Take every single time, embraceit, love it, do it Well every
single time, embrace it, love it, do it well.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
What about like a live one, where you're in the
session or there's a director?
Speaker 1 (41:04):
session.
Yeah, I mean great, they're alllike any version.
Like take the audition right.
Look, I've said this repeatedly, so it is well documented.
This is how I feel.
I think a million more actorswho would have struggled for a
lot longer years got a leg upwhen we went to self tapes, and
(41:25):
way more people have bigger jobsnow.
That would have had COVID neverhappened.
Of course, we are trying to getback into a room and love live
audition and want to be therewith you and for you and hold
you and hug you after youraudition tape, but also like we
(41:46):
get to see a lot more of you,you know.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
So yeah, I love that, Love that outlook.
Ok, general meetings.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Love them.
I have a 98 percent general tojob turnover from my executive
days.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
I'm pretty proud of it.
What about mindset, so that canapply to the meetings, or just
even going in physically for anaudition?
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Here is what a general is, for.
It is so I can fall in lovewith you.
Put you on my go-to list.
Fall in love with you.
Put you on my go-to list,because I am definitely heart
set on finding you a job.
And so, like communicate, bereal open, have a conversation.
We want to get to know who youare.
(42:30):
We want to know what you like.
We want to know what you'veread, what movies you're
watching, what shows do you like?
What shows do you want to be in?
Like who do you emulate as anactor?
Like where did you study?
Like where'd you grow up?
Like yeah you know like we getlike real and and I'm open to
sharing too I mean, there's alot of actors out there.
(42:50):
You could find that I've hadgenerals with that have like
good things to say.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
I'm sure no everybody seems to.
Yeah, I love that.
Make it human, I mean being ahuman.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
I think that's something that gets lost
sometimes in all the businesssauce over the years and get too
, in your head, so I appreciatethat I had one general with
Russell Tobey where, when I wasat Fox, where he said so many
things and we were just like, ohmy god, this is so much
information, enemies and like,but you couldn't help but like
(43:23):
fall in love with him right,yeah, just like oversharing.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Yeah, just gotta be yourself.
If that's your vibe, yeah, thenthat's your vibe you gotta be
you yeah, be yourself.
Did you ever see just friends,the ryan reynolds movie?
Yes, okay, remember when she'slike, be yourself, be yourself.
Sorry, improv in auditions.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
It's important when you're doing a comedy, but know
who if it's?
Speaker 2 (43:52):
you know, don't?
You don't want to change theentire script.
You got to really be careful.
Number of takes, because Ithink maybe there's a world
where you do it exactly aswritten and then you do an
improvised take or differentintention.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
I always say, like, send me two, so I can pick.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
When you get into like three or four, that's just
like.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Yeah, don't say that.
How do you even save that onyour phone?
How are you even uploading afile that big?
I mean, that's wild.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Advice for casting professionals.
For anybody listening thatwants to get into your world, oh
, I mean, start watching everysingle thing you can get your
hands on.
All genres, all types of youknow, film, tv, anything watch
it.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
I love that.
Take it right now.
I'm trying not to watch this.
Hornet assault my window.
Don't come in.
That'd crazy.
What if I got stung, like I'dbe okay.
We always you won the game.
There's no prize, but you won.
We always end the show with agotten and a given, and so every
episode ends with the bestpiece of advice you've gotten in
(44:52):
this industry and then the bestpiece you have to give, and
that can be for actors or justin general in the entertainment
landscape.
But, seth, please give us agotten first.
Speaker 1 (45:03):
I was told at the very beginning to keep my mouth
shut, my ears open and listenvery carefully at, like the big
players in the room, tounderstand how it all works.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
That's really good advice.
No one said that before.
Yeah, pay attention.
And if you're an actor, youshould love observing.
Right, we love observations.
Okay, and what's the best pieceof advice you have to give,
with all the experience you nowhave under your belt?
Speaker 1 (45:37):
you now have under your belt.
I just be prepared.
Like, truly, like, you know, doall the research you can do
before you enter the room.
You know, for actors this is ajob interview, so know how to
pronounce every single word inthe script.
Know where the cities are inthe script, if they're real.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Know what the?
Speaker 1 (45:59):
lakes and the mountains are, if it's real, you
know, take a listen to thesongs that are in the scripts.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
They all inform what's happening and my biggest
piece to that is like try towatch something that this
creator has created before, soyou totally understand what
you're walking into yeah, that'sexcellent advice and I will say
, to bring it back to deli boys,that's another reason to cast
(46:29):
authentically, because then youhave those people on set who can
bring exactly what you weretalking about to every moment
and they can sort of be therepresentative of whatever
community they're representingin that moment.
Yeah, because they inherentlyknow it.
Speaker 1 (46:43):
I believe I got that job because I, you know,
embarrassingly did not knowthere was a war between India
and Pakistan, and did researchthe two, three nights before to
prepare for the job, learnedabout it and then realized, as I
was going in, like I can'tbring in a list of Indian actors
(47:07):
, they would none of them fromMumbai would like I literally
would have been not listening tothe direction immediately at my
meeting.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
So yeah, yeah, I love that.
Well, I was gonna say where didyou learn how to listen?
Speaker 1 (47:23):
That's such a valuable skill, but it sounds
like it harks back to the firstpiece of advice you got, which
is to you know yeah, because Iwill tell you in life, it is
hard for me to listen, so I haveto work on listening on a daily
basis, and I actually workedwith a gal at Fox, with my boss,
who was a very good listener,better than I was, and so, yeah,
(47:49):
I appreciate you admitting thatI get that too.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
It's easy for me to listen in a podcast setting, but
in life I feel the need to fillthe silences.
This is going to become mytherapy session.
It's hard.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
It's hard for us, you know, especially, yeah, we want
, to want to keep things upbeatand happy, and so then jokes
come out, and sometimes it'sokay to just sit in the silence.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
I know it is Everybody.
Please Well, don't sit in thesilence now.
Keep listening to anotherepisode, maybe, but I love that
we shared this time together.
I appreciate you so much.
I admire you.
Speaker 1 (48:20):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
Well, thank you for being a role model we can all
look up to in this industrythat's leading with kindness,
because we need that just in theworld in general.
So thank you, seth.
Everybody watch Jelly Boysright after you finish listening
to this On Hulu On.
Hulu is now streaming.
Thank you,
Hi, my name is Seth Yanklowitz.
I'm 5'11" and I was raised inHollywood, florida.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
When it comes to working in entertainment,
there's a lot of hows, and theyall boil down to how we navigate
this wild industry.
While how we follow our dreamsis uncertain, how we roll along
the way is in our hands.
Welcome to how we Roll, apodcast for actors by Casting
Networks.
Hi actors, it's your friend,robert Peterpaul, back here on
(00:44):
the mic.
I am so glad you chose tofollow your dreams today by
tuning in to another incrediblyinspiring episode of how we Roll
.
Today, I'm thrilled to welcomeveteran casting director Seth
(01:04):
Yanklowicz to the show.
Seth Yanklowitz is anEmmy-nominated casting director
whose award-winning work spansgenres.
You know his art from iconicshows like New Girl and movies
like the Hang.
The Executive Vice President ofCasting and Talent at MGM and
(01:28):
MGM+, seth has returned to hisindependent roots with the
launch of Yanklowicz-PolakCasting.
He recently led standoutprojects like MGM's the
Institute, netflix's number onehit, incoming and Hulu's Deli
Boys, which we dive into todayIncoming.
From breaking down thedifference between working as a
(01:51):
studio exec versus anindependent casting director to
generously sharing his wisdom onall things auditions, seth
gives us so much to take in andtake with us as we roll along.
If you find value in today'sconversation.
(02:13):
I hope you'll pass the wisdomon by sharing this episode with
a friend, or two, or seven.
After all, we're all betterwhen we grow together.
Did that kind of rhyme Speakingof, I want to hear your
questions.
Did that kind of rhyme Speakingof, I want to hear your
questions?
There should be a link in theshow notes to do that very thing
.
Submit your hows so we cananswer them here on the podcast
(02:36):
for you.
Or feel free to DM us atCasting Networks and at Rob
Peterpaul.
Now here's how we roll withcasting director Seth Yanklowicz
, and we're rolling Friends.
I am so thrilled to share sometime together with veteran
(02:59):
casting director Seth Yanklowicz.
How are you doing today?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Seth, I am awesome.
It's a great day the Emmynominations.
Maybe there's some excitementthis year.
I don't know, could be, maybe.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I'm so excited for you.
I can't wait to get into allthat in Deli Boys.
I'm loving Deli Boys.
If you're not watching thisshow, you're truly missing out,
and so my fingers and toes arecrossed for you.
But before we get there, I justwant to say, in researching you
and learning more about you andasking friends about you, I
truly admire the way you seem tolead with kindness and joy in
(03:34):
this industry, and it feels goodto see a good person win, so
I'm extra excited.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
That is touching and appreciative and I guess I got
to give credit to my mom and dad.
Oh, you know.
Yeah, I look.
You know I was trained by oneof the grand dames of this
business and it was tough.
It was a tough training andobviously I'm better for it and
(04:07):
times are different and you knowa lot of the old ways no longer
occur.
But you know I also worked incorporate jobs where the
atmosphere was tough.
When you spend so much time in aroom with actors and you
understand the daily heartbreakthat they have to go through,
(04:31):
not for any other reason thanthey can't get every single job
they audition for, you know yousort of just have to open your
heart a little bit more toeveryone and, and you know, give
of yourself a little bit morethan not.
And so, yeah, I mean I guessthat's sort of how I've always
(04:51):
run my rooms and run my sessionsand dealt with.
You know, every job was justjust maybe a little kinder and
happier and more joyful.
Look, especially now there's somuch to not be joyful about.
That, like you got to find thejoy and happy everywhere we can.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, you got to find the joy, you got to find the
happy and I so appreciate that.
I mean every person I've talkedto that knows you has said now
that I did this whole likecreepy research situation.
I'm like, I went deep, I calledthe FBI.
Everyone said that you are justso funny, so kind, you bring
the party.
And I love to hear that,because if we all did that on
our own little corners of theworld, I mean, how much brighter
(05:32):
would the world be?
And I think it's interestingtoo.
You mentioned that rejection,that open heart.
I know casting's used to thaton a different level now as well
, especially when you dabble inindependent casting, as you're
now back in, you get rejectedand it almost becomes a
superpower right All the time.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
In fact, I'm literally sitting waiting for
them to actually send me therejection email or get the call
on a movie I met on, becauselike a week and a half ago or
two weeks ago at this point andhaven't heard, and I'm like
their casting was supposed tostart fast, so I'm just waiting
for someone to officially tellme I didn't get it.
But like it is what it is right.
(06:10):
I got to have the meeting, Igot to meet new producers and
you know, if it's not this one,it'll be the next one.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
I love that.
What do you do in that waitingperiod as a casting professional
, because I feel like it's hardnot to psych yourself out
sometimes.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I don't psych myself out anymore.
I mean, certainly there arewere times, you know, where,
like I needed the job very badlyfor like money for my kid, like
things, that like for life,right, so you get a little
cuckoo, but luckily I'm having agood run and so you know, I
usually give it like a good fivedays, like one week, and then I
(06:47):
like send a like hey, checkingin email.
I'm real good at the checkingin email.
I love that.
Yeah, friendly, hello, like agentle nudge, as I like to say
yeah.
And so I did do that and he waslike oh, they're meeting one
more person.
Like well, well, next week.
But next week came and thenholiday came and so that's why
(07:07):
I'm assuming we didn't get it,but that's okay, listen, you
never know.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
It's so funny because as actors, that is such a
parallel journey that waitingand waiting, and waiting.
Now I want to sing that songWaiting from Shrek, the musical,
and I also want to sing.
They Called Me Cuckoo.
Do you know that from DeathBecomes Her Because you said
cuckoo?
Okay, sorry, I got to calm down.
But one thing you did not getrejected for Seth was the
Academy of Motion Pictures classof 2025.
I just saw this on yourInstagram.
(07:31):
Congratulations.
Tell us about that.
That's so amazing.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Oddly enough, back when all of my big movies were
big like casting directorsweren't in the Academy in the
way that they are now.
Like casting directors weren'tin the Academy in the way that
they are now.
And so you know, because backthen you had to get invited by a
producer, if I'm correct, andnow that we have our own branch
and all the things.
So I really got in for my pastbody of work as much as like yes
(08:03):
, I still do movies, but not big, huge blockbuster movies.
Like you know, I sort of gotstarted in doing and did with my
old partner Jewel.
Yeah, it was my second chance attrying and you know, you know I
got in and it's it's truly anhonor.
Like I I don't I need toemphasize like how cool it is
(08:25):
that to get into the AcademyLike it's not just like you work
in Hollywood and you getaccepted.
Like it's not.
You know I got into thetelevision Academy when I got
nominated for an Emmy for newgirl, like.
So you know that came to me,that one, you know, um one I had
to like work a little to getand so it made it a little
(08:47):
sweeter when I got in and youknow I was very fortunate to
have two, three very big castingdirectors nominate me and
support me in my trek to get inand you know, I now get to join
in a cool class of people.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Yeah, and what a year to join.
I mean, we have finally acasting category coming.
How does that feel?
Richard Hicks, deb Zane, kimColeman.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
I'm sure there's more than I'm forgetting Bernie
Telsey, who really fought to getan Academy Award.
And that's on top of the peoplein the past who tried and maybe
weren't successful.
Who tried and, you know, maybeweren't successful but, like
this group really, and I've beenaround and either worked with
(09:50):
or hired, when I was a studioexec, most of these people.
So it's an honor.
It's an honor and it'll beamazing to get to check a ballot
box in the first you know,academy Award for a casting
director.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, historic, that's going to go in the museum
, which is so much fun, andthey're not sponsoring this
episode, but maybe they should.
Before we get into all thiseven further, we got to hop back
in that DeLorean.
Go back in time because I justneed to ask you a little bit
about your early beginnings hereand mine your beautiful brain
for insights for all the actorslistening and casting
professionals listening too.
You know you walked a similaryellow brick road that I think a
(10:28):
lot of casting folks walkedMaybe not as much nowadays
because there's a bit moreresources but you thought you
wanted to be an actor I don'tneed to tell you this.
And then at NYU you were likenope.
And then I believe you workedwith Liz Lewis casting.
That was sort of your firstforay into the business.
Can you just talk about thatpivot and sort of trusting
yourself, because you made thatdecision at a young age and
(10:50):
you're still doing it and Ithink that's so admirable.
And a lot of us don't trustthose feelings that we get and
they can pass us by.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah, you know, as I've said a hundred times and
you sort of said, I realizedafter my first semester of Tisch
that I didn't want to act, butI also knew that I didn't want
to do a math or science classand so I stayed in the acting
program.
But really, you know, they giveyou a paragraph in a binder
(11:19):
full of paragraphs forinternships and I sat up on I
think it was the third floor atTisch, or yeah, the third floor
or fourth, at the administrationfloor and read through the book
and you know, it was like youget to act, you get to direct,
you get to be with actors, andit all sounded really exciting
(11:42):
and I applied and I got it, theinternship for the spring, and
it was with Liz Lewis Casting,and I never left and I
immediately fell in love, youknow, and it truly felt like I
got to do everything I wouldhave ever wanted to do.
I was acting because I readwith actors, I was running a
(12:03):
camera, you know, you gave themcorrection, so like, obviously,
on a small scale level, it feltlike a full circle of job, right
, yeah, and and I was good at it, you know, and so I worked my
way up pretty fast through hercompany, through her company,
(12:29):
and, and, yeah, and, and it.
There was no looking back, so Istarted that at 20.
Wow, not 20 now.
So it's been a while.
That's so special.
Yeah.
And you know, I guess I'vealways led with like my heart
and my brain simultaneouslyright, like even if the job
wasn't going to be the mostmoney, but like I had to do it
(12:52):
creatively, I made the leapright when I left Lewis.
Like I made the leap because Iwas like there's got to be more
than commercials out there forme.
I didn't know what it meant, Ididn't know how to get to it,
but like I just thought therewas and so that risk paid off.
And then from that risk payingoff got me to my first assistant
(13:12):
job in LA with Bonnie Timmermanand my first movie, which was
Pearl Harbor, as the assistant.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Casual, casual way to start, you know, before we get
too far down that road.
I got to say I did call up Lizand she went on and on about you
.
She called you the life of theparty.
She said she still misses youin the office to this day
because you just made everythingso much brighter and more fun.
And she told me to ask you whatfloats your boat the most in
(13:41):
the day-to-day job of casting?
Because, as actors may think,it's all auditions.
That's probably what like 25%of your day.
There's a lot more going on.
So what floats your boat?
Liz wants to know.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Nowadays, I really love sort of the puzzle of
putting the ensemble together,even if, right, we're not at
role three, four and five, orfive, six and seven, like we're
constantly like thinking aboutwho will fit.
So you know, I also love theattachment process, it attaching
(14:27):
the leads, whether it's in mytv work or in my indie movie
work.
I find it sort of invigoratingand it's what makes the job
different.
Even though it's the same job,it's still different, right?
Yeah, because like it's a newset of agents that you have to
like beg, not beg, but convinceand share the story and explain
why and, like you know, geteveryone like jazz, like it's a
bit of a salesman's job you know, especially when you're
(14:49):
attaching at the beginning.
So yeah, that's sort of my dayto day excitement.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
Yeah, and I know Deli Boys was a completely different
process for you in this regard,but, as you mentioned, sort of
attaching a lead and thenbuilding them around it, can you
just describe what that processis like in a nutshell for
actors?
Because I'm assuming and whatI've read is that you have to
build out the rest of the cast,sort of based on the star.
But how much does like the starbeing attached inform that and
(15:19):
how do you figure out?
I feel like chemistry readsaren't done as much anymore.
Maybe they are with bigensembles like you put together,
but how do you kind of likefigure that part out?
Speaker 1 (15:29):
So chemistry reads are still a thing, even when
it's big, and usually when youget like the star who may green
light it, they're so willing andinvested that they want to be
part of the process and sothey're like I'll read with any
actors you want, which, by theway, they mean and they do, and
(15:51):
it's really helpful, it really.
You know, I just did a show, nota movie but a show, for it's
called the Wonder Project, partof Amazon Prime, and we put
Scott Foley as the lead male andhe was cast first and sort of
the foundation and he read withevery single female opposite him
(16:13):
that we put in front of him andit honestly informed everything
and we flew him in for it andhe was game and like he really
went the extra mile and I meanhe's spectacular in and itself
but you know, as like the nicestguy in Hollywood reputation and
like I'm here, oh, I love that.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
I'm here too, and in Connecticut I think, yeah, yeah,
he lives down the road, okay,nice.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
But yeah, it's you know, first getting the base or
the foundation really helps then, because then we know, you know
the age of the next person.
Like who do you believe theyfall in love with or who could
be their child?
Who could not be their child?
Like you know, I'm a bigbeliever in like let's change a
(17:01):
line in the story and have oneof the kids adopted I have
adopted children and then thatway we can have diversity, like.
There's so a line in the storyand have one of the kids adopted
I have adopted children andthen that way we can have
diversity Like.
There's so many things you cando.
But once you know who your baseis, you know it helps and
informs as you go outward.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Oh, I love that.
I was at the RDO this year andBernie Telsey talked about how
Anne Hathaway read with each andevery actor for the Idea of you
.
Was that the film?
I really enjoyed it.
Telsey talked about how AnneHathaway read with each and
every actor for the Idea of you.
Was that the film?
I really enjoyed it.
But even just to hear, likeyou're saying, with Scott,
someone of that caliber puttingin that much passion and it
makes sense because they want itto be good and they want to
click with people and you'resomeone who seems to really just
(17:38):
find people that click, Ialmost think of what you do as
creating communities and assomeone who leads with kindness.
I wonder how do you gauge thatwhen you're putting together an
ensemble, how do you sort ofgauge how easy it is not only to
work with an actor but howthey're going to be as a team
player?
Speaker 1 (17:55):
It's a very good question and there's a lot of
work put into it which might besort of our secret to keep, but
you know you do want to have anamazing set and you do want to
create a safe and amazingatmosphere and you want people.
You know, look, an actor's jobis to give and receive right and
(18:18):
if you're not willing to give,it's extremely hard for someone
else to give so you can receive.
And you know Hollywood talksand behaviors are known and you
know it is extremely helpfulwhen you cast a number one or
(18:40):
number two that lead by exampleand with respect and you know,
be as committed to your craft aspossible and be as in character
as possible and do your work.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
You know, but you got to you if you're number one for
a reason, and it mattersBesides just being a good person
, because things feel veryinsular.
Now, like you know, we have ourself-tape set up and sometimes
we have a reader, sometimesthey're FaceTiming in whatever
(19:15):
you need to do to get it in, butit can become very insular, so
do you have any thoughts there?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
You know well, watch the number one when you're on
set, you know.
Watch how they talk to theproducers, watch how they talk
to the director, watch how theytalk to the gaffer, watch how
they talk to costumes.
Like you know, hopefully, knockon wood, you get an amazing
number one who is there and youcan learn from example.
(19:44):
Like, everyone is there workingto make the best show possible
Right, to make the best showpossible Right.
And so I think, like, again,like, doing your work, showing
up on time, knowing your lineswhen you get the job right, not
necessarily for an audition tohave to have it memorized, but
(20:08):
like these are all things thatset examples for younger actors.
So again, like, as quickly asyou become a star is as quickly
as you can not be a star rightIn this business.
Like, and it can revolve aroundbehaviors.
So I just urge everyone young,starting like, be humble, listen
(20:28):
, learn, like, watch everythingas you're on set.
Like you don't have to go home.
Maybe sit in the back of thestage and watch how the lighting
is set, watch the director setup a camera, learn as much as
you can.
I mean, there's so much moreaccess these days, like it's,
(20:49):
you know, usually a directorwon't mind if you stand in the
back and just watch them whilethey're while they're shooting a
scene that you're not in, oryou know, unless you're Seth
Rogan in the studio, thenthey're like did you see that
episode?
yeah, or if it's like coverage,like be there to do the coverage
for your actor, don't make anact with no one like that's a
huge thing for actors, like,yeah, you're able and willing
(21:13):
and they let you, like, be theactor acting off screen for you
know, in the role.
So, yeah, there's a ton ofthings that actors can do.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yeah, I love that and even as someone starting out, I
think, be someone's reader, youknow, volunteer time to just
read with somebody and I thinkthat extends you know volunteer
time to just read with somebody,and I think that extends.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Every time I talk to, like, a graduating class of
university students or I go into speak to, you know, an acting
school, I always say, like lookaround, you now have 32 readers
for your audience.
Like you should never not bereading for someone or asking
someone to read for you.
Like that's what this communityis about.
Like, yes, they're competition,yes, you're going to go up
against them, but like take themon the journey right.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Yeah, and it gives back to you too.
I mean, that's when I firststarted.
I loved being a reader backwhen we went into offices more
because I learned so much.
And then sometimes you seethese luminaries coming in and
you see them flub align.
You see that they're reallygood but they're just not right
for the part.
And I mean you learn so muchwith that bird's eye view.
And speaking of the luminaries,you've worked with so many
(22:20):
people we all look up to.
I wonder if you've seen acommon thread in them all and
how they conduct themselves.
Is it that kindness Like do youhave an example of someone you
thought did it the best?
Speaker 1 (22:32):
Sandra Bullock Ah that doesn't surprise me.
Is I literally work.
I did one movie with her.
She was a producer as well asthe lead actress and I if
someone was like you can't doanything else for the rest of
your career except jobs for her,I would be like thank you very
(22:57):
much, like it was a masterclassin star power.
It was a masterclass in givingand caring and working for the
better of the project andfighting for what was right and
I just it was one of the bestexperiences I've ever had on a
movie.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Oh, I love that.
Was there anything tangible shedid that you wish other people
recreated on sets?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
No, I mean just the way she protected, like the
director, and fought for, likethe integrity of the movie and
what her vision was, whether itwas right or wrong.
Like you know, she had a vision, they had a vision and she went
too bad for it and that is astar right.
That is why she is one of thetop what three female stars in
(23:42):
the world.
You know what I'm saying.
Like, yeah, look, it takes timeto get that.
Not every actress can do whatshe did.
So you know, she certainlyworked her way up to it.
I'm sure she wasn't doing that25 years ago or 30 years ago.
But, like I'm just saying, likeit was so magical to see her
(24:03):
care so much about minutia.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Yeah, you know, and that could be vulnerable too.
It's like let yourself care,just like how you care about
independent casting.
What an odd transition.
You're back in this world withYanklowitz Pollack.
Congratulations on this and allthe things.
I'm just going to keepcongratulating you on a loop.
You can pull the string and Iat NGM and you've worked at
(24:30):
other networks, you know beforethat.
I wonder, how does yourexperience as an executive now
shape how you come back toindependent casting?
Like, what are you taking withyou from that?
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Well, that's a great question and so much, like I
always say, what I bring now isI know the conversations that
are having, are that arehappening and what they're what
they're saying saying when thecasting director hands over the
actors for approvals, you know,I can also sort of alert my
producers from the start whatwill be needed.
(25:03):
You know, a lot of castingdirectors are like this is my
art and we have to just find thebest actor.
But the truth is it is showbusiness for a reason.
Right, there is marketing,there is publicity, there is
getting people's butts in seatsin theaters and getting them to
turn their TVs on and watchthings.
(25:24):
And that comes withrecognizable actors and people
you can sort of see on screen.
That you know and that's whyyou check it out.
And so you know, as someone who,like, worked inside, like, I
get to say to my producers and Iwas an independent like they're
going to want somebodyrecognizable in this part.
(25:45):
We should really focus on thesenames.
Or like let's go this direction.
Or you know, like, listen,we're never going to get sold or
picked up if we don't haveenough diversity, like we have
to have more diversity.
Like and say, like these roles,those directions, as it were.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
Yeah, I knew you were serious about that because you
couldn't see everybody, but youtook your glasses off at one
point and I said this is serious.
No, I love that you took allthat down for us.
And I wonder, speaking of thatdiversity, you've talked a lot
about how it was so important,specifically with Deli Boys,
which congratulations again.
The show is so good and it'sgiving me so many different
(26:37):
notes of different genres, whileit's hilarious as well, which
is kind of a movement.
You know everything's blendingnowadays.
I wonder, having worked on somany high profile projects and
then coming to this, where Ibelieve at the top they said we
want this to be an authenticcast, and you had that challenge
.
I think you literally putflyers up in Chicago
(26:58):
neighborhoods to find authentictalent, which is amazing LA too
everywhere.
Well, can you share a little bitabout what you learned through
this process?
Speaker 1 (27:06):
Abdullah Saeed, our creator, and you know then Jenny
Connor and Nora Silver, ourproducers.
Their biggest thing, once wegot the job, was like authentic,
we are not going to just likeput an Indian actor in and say
they're Pakistani.
No, Not going to happen.
Right, there was no going to be.
(27:28):
Like a Syrian actor playing anIndian, like it just was not
going to be.
Like a Syrian actor playing anIndian, like it just was not
going to happen.
So, right away, there were nobig names to put in it.
I mean, there was Hasan Minhaj.
He was not available.
We had to move on.
Right, like so we had to do adeep dive, you know, and look, I
(27:48):
know I've had a coupleinterviews and I've said, like
we put posters, and I know itcan be standard for casting,
it's just, that's like how itused to happen, right?
Like not everyone is having opencalls and like literally
walking the streets askingpeople if, like their aunt,
(28:10):
their grandma, like do they havea cousin that will audition?
Like it's just it doesn'treally happen that way anymore.
So I know, like some peoplemight have heard me say that and
they're like we do that everyproject, okay, sure, but like
not really Right, cause I do alot of projects and, yes, you
have to go far and wide andmaybe you've looked online or
(28:31):
you know you've asked an agentlike, but like we were on our on
our feet walking into delis andrestaurants and breweries and,
like any respectful of you knowMuslims and Pakistanis Can we,
we're looking for and and we?
you know we had to audition thembecause we never knew what raw
(28:52):
talent would come out of it.
You know, and there were somany small roles as the episodes
(29:19):
were going to go that even ifthey weren't right for one of
the big roles, we might be ableto use them for a smaller role.
So we had to hold on to them,right.
And Marissa Ross and Crystal inChicago, they did an amazing
job and you know it was truly acollaboration.
Once we got episodically tolike we got this person, you got
(29:41):
that person.
Should we fly them out?
Like no, we, I think we got itcovered here.
Like we found someone's grandma.
She read we're going to get youthe tape Like it was.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Oh my gosh that's so fun I was going.
I was gonna ask you too, whatwas the most wild find this time
around?
It sounded like there mighthave been a lot of them, but was
there something that took youdown a wild path where you
ultimately cast this person?
Speaker 1 (30:01):
I mean someone's grandma is pretty yeah, yeah, I
mean I I think it was likesomeone's aunt, like, who
auditioned and like got like,yeah, indian mom, role, role,
but like it, there there were.
You know a lot of like I have afriend.
You know the other part of this.
There were so many differentgangs, like you know, like Asian
gangs and Indian like that.
(30:23):
We had to dig into thosecommunities as well and it was
like a small faction in Asiathat this gang came from and it
like just so happened, I meanlike this guy, will Trong, who
played in there.
He like had long hair.
So, yeah, you know, we did alot of it, a lot in every
(30:45):
episode, in every category thenomination which we're
manifesting and it's going tohappen is going going to be
well-deserved.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
I feel like this was such an adventure.
You know, as I mentionedearlier, this show is also a
great example of blended genre.
Obviously it's a comedy, butthe high-stakes action is so
intense, so intense.
I wonder, I guess, two thingshow can you tell an actor
understands the rhythm or thetone right away?
And then how can you put thatinto a bit of advice for our
(31:14):
listeners, because I thinkthat's something early on that
people can miss.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
So obviously, like a show like New Girl or Single
Parents, right is, or how I Metyour Father, is very different
(31:46):
than Deli Boys.
Yeah, abdullah Saeed, jenny,and you know Nora and Michelle
Nader, who then became theshowrunner, yeah, on set, like
upping the levels, right, andgiving you know Asif Ali, I will
say also set a great tone as anumber one.
His comedy is that as well.
(32:09):
Right, his comedy is that aswell, right, and I think once,
like he set that bar, and thenSagar, who brought it down a
little because of his sort ofcharacter, and then you bring in
, like the brilliant Porna, asLucky it's just like I said this
.
I think on stage with her at anAcademy sort of screening, I was
(32:34):
like I knew she was brilliant,I knew I had to have her the
minute Lucky was a female, Iwasn't.
I don't even know if I knew howbrilliant she actually is Right
Like to pull this show off likeit's next level comedic
brilliance and and like like Ithink, once she matched Asif and
(32:56):
the like, it just brilliantlycame together.
And that's you know.
That's the producers, that'syou know Jenny Connor and Nora
and Michelle Nader.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, I mean even just lookingat the fact of like she'll shoot
and kill someone and I don'twant to spoil anything for
anybody and then there's a jokemoment.
After that she lands the joke.
It's like people understand ofthat level where the joke needs
to sort of be and how to make itsing.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
I'm such a fan of hers oh my gosh, she's
incredible during filming, likespeaking in um you know their
native language to each otherand like, just like have a
(33:48):
shorthand and I think, like in aweird way, that like fed down
and like got everybody amped andit's just they knew how to like
do it yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
I mean, you all know how to do it.
The show is so good and I'magain crossing my fingers for
you.
I got to ask you a CastingNetworks member question.
This is from at Amina Anina.
She noticed that you work witha lot of the same actors who I'm
sure have become your friendsover the years.
She wants to know how often doyou bring folks back and what is
it that makes you want to workwith them again and what is it
(34:17):
that makes you want to work withthem again?
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Great question, amina .
Yeah, you know.
Look, I think casting directorsfall in love with actors.
That's our job, right.
We fall in love with and welike to reuse people.
We like to keep employingactors.
There's also, you know, look,our reputations are on the line
when we send someone to set Like, because we're not there to
(34:39):
babysit you.
And if an actor does has badbehavior, it comes back to us.
Believe me, we are the first tohear about it.
Or if something not it doesn'thave to be bad behavior Like God
forbid something goes wrong, orif the acting isn't the way it
was in the audition, like wehear right away.
So you know, when you build upa sort of repertoire of actors,
(35:04):
you like reusing them and thenon the converse of that is
especially in the beginning ofmy career.
You know Jewel Bestrop, who wasmy partner in her workings with
, like Vince Vaughn and BenStiller, where I got my comedic
casting education from all thoseguys.
They like comedy guys like toreuse their comedy friends.
(35:29):
And if you go back those earlymovies, like Rob Riggle, ed
Helms, jason, you know Sudeikis,like they're all playing small
parts in the bigger movies andthat's how they rose to then
being number one on their callsheets.
Right, they played the smallparts.
It's always in the comedy world.
You know you say like, do onegreat scene in something and get
(35:54):
recognized, and get recognized,yeah.
So come in, do an amazing scene, be hysterical, and I guarantee
you people are going to be like, oh my God, I got to bring that
person in for my next job.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Yeah, you're so right .
It's like Rebel Wilson andBridesmaids I mean Steve Buscemi
in the Adam Sandler movies.
It happens over and, over andover again and it almost makes
me want to ask you what makessomeone memorable.
But I know that's such aspecific question that happens
subject to subject, I think.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Being prepared, doing a great performance, being able
to take direction, make choices, like and again, like just
being a good person, right?
Everyone has bad days, we do,you get it, and you can't always
be on and want to haveconversations, but I always made
my casting and audition roomswarm and welcoming.
(36:40):
Look, I knew if an actor walkedin and just wanted to get to
work, and we got to work.
But I also wanted to fall inlove with them and so you talk
to them after and you rememberthings about them and so you
check in like how is your kid?
Or like how was that vacationlast time you were in the office
, right, and you build up arelationship and that's what
(37:01):
makes you want to fight foractors and that's what makes you
want to keep bringing them in.
I have always sort of kept aslight personal professional
thing.
You know, a lot of castingdirectors are very friendly with
actors and I do have a ton offriends that are actors.
But, like I wanted also foractors to feel respected in
(37:22):
their lives and it doesn't haveto mesh all the time.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
Yeah, I love that.
Well, something that might meshis if you were to be able to
whisper something in someone'sear before their audition.
And I wonder if you couldwhisper one thing into an
actor's ear before theiraudition.
What would that be?
Speaker 1 (37:39):
Just breathe.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Oh, I love that.
That's a good reminder in life.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
You know like just take a breath right before yes,
and then start.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
I love that.
Do you ever notice the actorsexhale?
That's something I'm curiousabout.
Yeah, like before an actorstarts an audition, do you
notice people sort of likeletting all their air out versus
taking air in?
Yeah, sure.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
I mean, I do that a lot Like releasing sound, which
is what?
Like when I studied at NYU, wehad a whole class on releasing
sound, you know, like duringwork, and yeah, there's
something to say with liketaking a breath, releasing the
breath and then starting thescene, because then you're in it
.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Yes.
Well, I'm going to release asound right now because we're
about to play a surprise game.
I'm going to insert a littletheme song here.
It's called Casting Keywords.
It's a fan favorite segment.
I don't know if it is Seth, butI hope it is.
I'll say I'm going to say aword or a phrase commonly found
in your work in the castingfield in general, and you please
(38:44):
just respond quickly with thefirst piece of advice that pops
into your head.
So it's sort of like wordassociation-ish.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
Okay, I got a lot here.
The first one is breakdowns.
Read them.
Oh, that's important Slates.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Keep them happy.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Okay, wait, I need to stop on slates for a second,
because I feel like slates arethe part where you can sort of
show a little bit of personalitywithout taking it too far.
Is there a favorite slateyou've seen?
Speaker 1 (39:13):
You don't want to take that in.
No, I mean just like smiles,keep it, move through it, and
don't want to take that okay.
No, I mean just like smiles,keep it, like move through it
and like yeah don't make a bitlike make weird jokes because it
might not play.
So just like yeah, bright andhappy, bright and happy oh,
right now.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Bnh.
I love that early self-tapesubmission, so when someone gets
it in before the deadline, um.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
We, we don't, we don't see it as a bonus.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
Okay, interesting Making a choice.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Imperative.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
I think a lot of actors hear that and sometimes
they don't really know what thatmeans.
So what does it mean to you?
Speaker 1 (39:51):
So if you get sides and for some reason you don't
have a script, or even if you doget the script right, you need
to make a choice because youmight't have a script.
Or even if you do get thescript right, you need to make a
choice because you might nothave ever met the director or
spoken to somebody to get theiropinion or their take on it.
You have to come in with achoice on who the character is.
Even if it's wrong, it is aclear choice.
(40:13):
Then, as the casting director,I can can say great, great
audition.
Now what if he was?
You know, having just left afuneral and trying to like not
be down.
I mean, whatever the directionis right, yes, yeah so.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
I love that, and then walking into his apartment and
finding that they tookeverything and there's a raid.
Sorry, I'm going back to DeliBoys.
Okay, audition attire.
So what to wear?
Speaker 1 (40:44):
Do not go full costume.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
I'm going to throw out my lab coat after this,
please.
Virtual auditions.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
I love them.
You get to do your best.
Take every single time, embraceit, love it, do it Well every
single time, embrace it, love it, do it well.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
What about like a live one, where you're in the
session or there's a director?
Speaker 1 (41:04):
session.
Yeah, I mean great, they're alllike any version.
Like take the audition right.
Look, I've said this repeatedly, so it is well documented.
This is how I feel.
I think a million more actorswho would have struggled for a
lot longer years got a leg upwhen we went to self tapes, and
(41:25):
way more people have bigger jobsnow.
That would have had COVID neverhappened.
Of course, we are trying to getback into a room and love live
audition and want to be therewith you and for you and hold
you and hug you after youraudition tape, but also like we
(41:46):
get to see a lot more of you,you know.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
So yeah, I love that, Love that outlook.
Ok, general meetings.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Love them.
I have a 98 percent general tojob turnover from my executive
days.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
I'm pretty proud of it.
What about mindset, so that canapply to the meetings, or just
even going in physically for anaudition?
Speaker 1 (42:09):
Here is what a general is, for.
It is so I can fall in lovewith you.
Put you on my go-to list.
Fall in love with you.
Put you on my go-to list,because I am definitely heart
set on finding you a job.
And so, like communicate, bereal open, have a conversation.
We want to get to know who youare.
(42:30):
We want to know what you like.
We want to know what you'veread, what movies you're
watching, what shows do you like?
What shows do you want to be in?
Like who do you emulate as anactor?
Like where did you study?
Like where'd you grow up?
Like yeah you know like we getlike real and and I'm open to
sharing too I mean, there's alot of actors out there.
(42:50):
You could find that I've hadgenerals with that have like
good things to say.
Speaker 2 (42:57):
I'm sure no everybody seems to.
Yeah, I love that.
Make it human, I mean being ahuman.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
I think that's something that gets lost
sometimes in all the businesssauce over the years and get too
, in your head, so I appreciatethat I had one general with
Russell Tobey where, when I wasat Fox, where he said so many
things and we were just like, ohmy god, this is so much
information, enemies and like,but you couldn't help but like
(43:23):
fall in love with him right,yeah, just like oversharing.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Yeah, just gotta be yourself.
If that's your vibe, yeah, thenthat's your vibe you gotta be
you yeah, be yourself.
Did you ever see just friends,the ryan reynolds movie?
Yes, okay, remember when she'slike, be yourself, be yourself.
Sorry, improv in auditions.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
It's important when you're doing a comedy, but know
who if it's?
Speaker 2 (43:52):
you know, don't?
You don't want to change theentire script.
You got to really be careful.
Number of takes, because Ithink maybe there's a world
where you do it exactly aswritten and then you do an
improvised take or differentintention.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
I always say, like, send me two, so I can pick.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
When you get into like three or four, that's just
like.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Yeah, don't say that.
How do you even save that onyour phone?
How are you even uploading afile that big?
I mean, that's wild.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
Advice for casting professionals.
For anybody listening thatwants to get into your world, oh
, I mean, start watching everysingle thing you can get your
hands on.
All genres, all types of youknow, film, tv, anything watch
it.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
I love that.
Take it right now.
I'm trying not to watch this.
Hornet assault my window.
Don't come in.
That'd crazy.
What if I got stung, like I'dbe okay.
We always you won the game.
There's no prize, but you won.
We always end the show with agotten and a given, and so every
episode ends with the bestpiece of advice you've gotten in
(44:52):
this industry and then the bestpiece you have to give, and
that can be for actors or justin general in the entertainment
landscape.
But, seth, please give us agotten first.
Speaker 1 (45:03):
I was told at the very beginning to keep my mouth
shut, my ears open and listenvery carefully at, like the big
players in the room, tounderstand how it all works.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
That's really good advice.
No one said that before.
Yeah, pay attention.
And if you're an actor, youshould love observing.
Right, we love observations.
Okay, and what's the best pieceof advice you have to give,
with all the experience you nowhave under your belt?
Speaker 1 (45:37):
you now have under your belt.
I just be prepared.
Like, truly, like, you know, doall the research you can do
before you enter the room.
You know, for actors this is ajob interview, so know how to
pronounce every single word inthe script.
Know where the cities are inthe script, if they're real.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Know what the?
Speaker 1 (45:59):
lakes and the mountains are, if it's real, you
know, take a listen to thesongs that are in the scripts.
Speaker 2 (46:07):
They all inform what's happening and my biggest
piece to that is like try towatch something that this
creator has created before, soyou totally understand what
you're walking into yeah, that'sexcellent advice and I will say
, to bring it back to deli boys,that's another reason to cast
(46:29):
authentically, because then youhave those people on set who can
bring exactly what you weretalking about to every moment
and they can sort of be therepresentative of whatever
community they're representingin that moment.
Yeah, because they inherentlyknow it.
Speaker 1 (46:43):
I believe I got that job because I, you know,
embarrassingly did not knowthere was a war between India
and Pakistan, and did researchthe two, three nights before to
prepare for the job, learnedabout it and then realized, as I
was going in, like I can'tbring in a list of Indian actors
(47:07):
, they would none of them fromMumbai would like I literally
would have been not listening tothe direction immediately at my
meeting.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
So yeah, yeah, I love that.
Well, I was gonna say where didyou learn how to listen?
Speaker 1 (47:23):
That's such a valuable skill, but it sounds
like it harks back to the firstpiece of advice you got, which
is to you know yeah, because Iwill tell you in life, it is
hard for me to listen, so I haveto work on listening on a daily
basis, and I actually workedwith a gal at Fox, with my boss,
who was a very good listener,better than I was, and so, yeah,
(47:49):
I appreciate you admitting thatI get that too.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
It's easy for me to listen in a podcast setting, but
in life I feel the need to fillthe silences.
This is going to become mytherapy session.
It's hard.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
It's hard for us, you know, especially, yeah, we want
, to want to keep things upbeatand happy, and so then jokes
come out, and sometimes it'sokay to just sit in the silence.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
I know it is Everybody.
Please Well, don't sit in thesilence now.
Keep listening to anotherepisode, maybe, but I love that
we shared this time together.
I appreciate you so much.
I admire you.
Speaker 1 (48:20):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
Well, thank you for being a role model we can all
look up to in this industrythat's leading with kindness,
because we need that just in theworld in general.
So thank you, seth.
Everybody watch Jelly Boysright after you finish listening
to this On Hulu On.
Hulu is now streaming.
Thank you,
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