Casting News: The Next James Bond Villain and a Remake of a Classic Western

Posted on December 5, 2014 at 10:10 pm

Just ten more months until the next James Bond film! Daniel Craig will return as 007, and he will be joined by Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz, along with “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Dave Bautista, Andrew Scott (Moriarty to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock) and Monica Bellucci.

Just as intriguing, it seems they’re working on a remake of one of the all-time Western classics, The Magnificent Seven (itself a remake of Seven Samurai). The cast for the new version may include Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. Two excellent choices, five more to go. Plus, who will play the Eli Wallach role?

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Casting Challenges: Can A Guy With Pierced Ears Play Lincoln?

Posted on March 8, 2013 at 3:56 pm

The LA Times has a great article by Rebecca Keegan about the challenges of casting actors in period movies because of changing body types and choices.

With his concave cheekbones, lanky build and grooved brow, Daniel Day-Lewis replicates Abraham Lincoln more accurately than the head of a penny.

His performance in “Lincoln” has earned rousing endorsements from Civil War historians, but close watchers of the film have spotted one glaring anachronism in this otherwise honest Abe — earring holes.

Day-Lewis, a meticulous actor known for disappearing into his roles, had the tattoos on his hands and forearms covered by wardrobe and makeup. He removed gold hoops from his ears. But despite makeup, the piercings were still visible.

Director Ang Lee found it a challenge to cast “Taking Woodstock” because today’s actors are much more toned than the people who attended the Woodstock concert in 1968. It was also hard for him to find actors who had not removed their body hair. Keegan describes the same problem with last year’s “Not Fade Away,” also set in the late 60’s. And “Lincoln’s” problems extended beyond its title character. There were plenty of Civil War re-enactors in the Richmond area who were happy to be in the movie, but most of them were well-fed or overweight, and, as someone who was working on the movie told me, “There were no fat people in the Civil War.” Keegan notes, “Teeth whitening, plastic surgery, body piercings, weight training, healthful eating and yoga have made it a challenge to find the perfect period performer.”

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Audition Online for the ‘Christmas Story’ Musical

Posted on August 18, 2011 at 5:28 pm

Ralphie will be not only waiting for his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring and hoping for a Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle but also singing and dancing in a new musical production based on the classic movie (which was based on Jean Shepherd’s stories about his childhood). Co-producer Peter Billingsly, the original Ralphie, is now looking for kids to star in the show’s five-city tour over the holiday season. You can audition online via LetItCast. The audition will not be made public — the only people who will see it are the creative team doing the casting.

If you are interested, here’s what you do:

1.     Record a video of yourself singing a brief song that is rhythmic and that shows your voice, high notes, and personality. A classic Broadway or a holiday song is suggested and it should be no more than 90 seconds.

2.     Get a recent digital picture or headshot of yourself and your resume. (If you don’t have a resume, just prepare a brief paragraph about yourself in a Word Document.)

3.     Go to www.AChristmasStoryTheMusical/casting and follow the link to register with the online casting site, LetItCast®, and follow their instructions to submit your video, photo, and information.

Casting directors are seeking to fill the iconic lead role of Ralphie and his troupe of friends and classmates, including: Randy, Flick, Schwartz, Scut Farcus, Grover Dill, Mary Beth, and Esther Jane. They are looking for children, between 8 – 13 who are extraordinary actors, singers, and dancers. The production seeks young actors of all ethnicities who are 4’ 11” and shorter. (Boys, your voice should not have changed yet.)

Break a leg!

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