Casting Directors Who Would Have Been Considered For The Academy Award In 2024

It finally happened! It finally happened! The Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors!

The best actors are only able to perform at their best alongside a stellar cast.

The best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing.  

But the award doesn’t kick in until 2026, so, as we do every year, we have created the following list so we can tip our hats and give kudos to the casting directors whose projects were nominated for Oscars in the acting, directing, or best picture categories at the 2024 Academy Awards.  

Note: This list includes the local hire casting directors who round out the tapestry of each picture with the vital supporting cast.

96th Academy Awards™ - Honoring Movies Released in 2023 (Presented in 2024)

BEST PICTURE

Jennifer Euston, SJ Alocco (associate), Lisa Lobel (local), Melissa Morris (associate) – American Fiction | Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson

Cynthia Arra, Cynthia Arra (assistant), Marion Thollot (assistant) – Anatomy of the Fall | Marie-Ange Luciani, David Thion

Lucy Bevan, Allison Jones, Emily Buntyn (associate), Lucy Downes (assistant), Dann Fink (voice), Olivia Grant (associate) - Barbie | David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, Robbie Brenner

Susan Shopmaker, Lisa Lobel (local), Randi Glass (associate), Cici Koueth (assistant), Christian Mallen (assistant), Melissa Morris (associate, Boston) – The Holdovers | Mark Johnson

Ellen Lewis, Elise Buedel (indigenous), Dann Fink (voice), Rene Haynes (indigenous), Malia Hoff (assistant, indigenous), Kate Spance (associate), Grace Ward (assistant), Bruce Winant (voice) – Killers of the Flower Moon | Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese, Daniel Lupi

Shayna Markowitz, Kendall Bates (associate), Dann Fink (voice), Dayna Katz (associate), Leah Shapiro (assistant) - Maestro | Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, Amy Durning, Kristie Macosko Krieger

John Papsidera, Daryl Baboulis-Gyscek (assistant), Barbara Harris (adr), Kim Winther (associate) - Oppenheimer | Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan

Ellen Chenoweth, Susanne Scheel, Cherelle Cargrill (adr), Elizabeth Hay (assistant), Gail Quintos (assistant) – Past Lives | David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler

Dixie Chassey, Katalin Baranyi (Hungary), Elodie Demey (France), Lucy Jordan (assistant), Lucy Smith (assistant) – Poor Things | Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone

Simone Bär, Alexandra Montag, Jacqueline Rietz, Katrin Vorderqülbecke (German) – The Zone of Interest | James Wilson

BEST ACTOR

Shayna Markowitz, Kendall Bates (associate), Dann Fink (voice), Dayna Katz (associate), Leah Shapiro (assistant) – Maestro | Bradley Cooper

Cherelle Cargill, Avy Kaufman, Scotty Anderson (associate), Donna Belajac (regional), Missy Finnell (regional, associate), Brigitte Whitmire (associate) – Rustin | Colman Domingo

Susan Shopmaker, Lisa Lobel (local), Randi Glass (associate), Cici Koueth (assistant), Christian Mallen (assistant), Melissa Morris (associate, Boston) – The Holdovers | Paul Giamatti

John Papsidera, Daryl Baboulis-Gyscek (assistant), Barbara Harris (adr), Kim Winther (associate) – Oppenheimer | Cillian Murphy

Jennifer Euston, SJ Alocco (associate), Lisa Lobel (local), Melissa Morris (associate) – American Fiction | Jeffrey Wright

BEST ACTRESS

Valerie Daniella Oloffson, Avy Kaufman, J.D. Cabrera (assistant), Nathan Francis (assistant), Brigitte Whitmire (associate) - Nyad | Annette Bening

Ellen Lewis, Elise Buedel (indigenous), Dann Fink (voice), Rene Haynes (indigenous), Malia Hoff (assistant, indigenous), Kate Spance (associate), Grace Ward (assistant), Bruce Winant (voice) – Killers of the Flower Moon | Lily Gladstone

Cynthia Arra, Aurélia Hollart (assistant), Marion Thollart (assistant) - Anatomy of a Fall | Sandra Huller

Shayna Markowitz, Kendall Bates (associate), Dann Fink (voice), Dayna Katz (associate), Leah Shapiro (assistant) - Maestro | Carey Mulligan

Dixie Chassey, Katalin Baranyi (Hungary), Elodie Demey (France), Lucy Jordan (assistant), Lucy Smith (assistant) – Poor Things | Emma Stone

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jennifer Euston, SJ Alocco (associate), Lisa Lobel (local), Melissa Morris (associate) – American Fiction | Sterling K Brown

Ellen Lewis, Elise Buedel (indigenous), Dann Fink (voice), Rene Haynes (indigenous), Malia Hoff (assistant, indigenous), Kate Spance (associate), Grace Ward (assistant), Bruce Winant (voice) – Killers of the Flower Moon| Robert De Niro

John Papsidera, Daryl Baboulis-Gyscek (assistant), Barbara Harris (adr), Kim Winther (associate) - Oppenheimer | Robert Downey Jr.

Lucy Bevan, Allison Jones, Emily Buntyn (associate), Lucy Downes (assistant), Dann Fink (voice), Olivia Grant (associate) - Barbie | Ryan Gosling

Dixie Chassey, Katalin Baranyi (Hungary), Elodie Demey (France), Lucy Jordan (assistant), Lucy Smith (assistant) - Poor Things – Mark Ruffalo

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

John Papsidera, Daryl Baboulis-Gyscek (assistant), Barbara Harris (adr), Kim Winther (associate) - Oppenheimer | Emily Blunt

Tiffany Little Canfield, Destiny Lilly, Bernard Telsey, Jade Hardy (assistant), Barbara Harris (voice), Amanda Lockhart (assistant) - The Color Purple | Dannielle Brooks

Lucy Bevan, Allison Jones, Emily Buntyn (associate), Lucy Downes (assistant), Dann Fink (voice), Olivia Grant (associate) - Barbie | America Ferrera

Valerie Daniella Oloffson, Avy Kaufman, J.D. Cabrera (assistant), Nathan Francis (assistant), Brigitte Whitmire (associate) - Nyad | Jodie Foster

Susan Shopmaker, Lisa Lobel (local), Randi Glass (associate), Cici Koueth (assistant), Christian Mallen (assistant), Melissa Morris (associate, Boston) – The Holdovers | Da’Vine Joy Randolph

BEST DIRECTOR

Simone Bär, Alexandra Montag, Jacqueline Rietz, Katrin Vorderqülbecke (German) - The Zone of Interest | Jonathan Glazer

Dixie Chassey, Katalin Baranyi (Hungary), Elodie Demey (France), Lucy Jordan (assistant), Lucy Smith (assistant) – Poor Things | Yorgos Lanthimos

John Papsidera, Daryl Baboulis-Gyscek (assistant), Barbara Harris (adr), Kim Winther (associate) - Oppenheimer | Christopher Nolan

Pauline Hansson, Antoinette Boulat (France), Jessie Frost (UK), Nina Haun (Germany), Patti Lapus (Philippines), Jake Macapagal (Philippines), Dianca Palbuena (Philippines), Ellen Lewis, Elise Buedel (indigenous), Dann Fink (voice), Rene Haynes (indigenous), Malia Hoff (assistant, indigenous), Kate Spance (associate), Grace Ward (assistant), Bruce Winant (voice) – Killers of the Flower Moon | Martin Scorsese

Cynthia Arra, Aurélia Hollart (assistant), Marion Thollart (assistant) – Anatomy of a Fall | Justine Triet

We invite you to watch our free Casting Director Conversation Series with the CDs of many Emmy and Academy Award nominated films & TV series.

Watch our free classes:

How To Become an Actor

and (for the more experienced artists)

How To Revitalize Your Acting Career

Casting Directors Who Would Have Been Considered For The Academy Award In 2023

Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  

The best actors are only able to perform at their best alongside a stellar cast.

The best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing.  

Hence, as we do every year, we have created the following list so we can tip our hats and give kudos to the casting directors whose projects were nominated for Oscars in the acting, directing, or best picture categories at the 2023 Academy Awards.  

Note: This list includes the local hire casting directors who round out the tapestry of each picture with the vital supporting cast.

95th Academy Awards™ - Honoring Movies Released in 2022 (Presented in 2023)

BEST PICTURE

Simon Bar, Constance, Demontoy (France), Arwa Salmanova (Czech Republic) - All Quiet On The Western Front | Malte Grunert

Margery Simkin, Louise Kiely (Ireland) - Avatar: The Way of Water | James Cameron, Jon Landau

Louise Kiely - The Banshees of Inisherin | Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Martin McDonagh

Nikki Barrett, Denise Chamian, Beth Day, Liz Ludwitzke - Elvis | Baz Luhrman, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, Schuyler Weiss

Sarah Finn - Everything Everywhere All At Once | Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Jonathan Wang

Cindy Tolan, Nanw Rolands (UK) - The Fabelmans | Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner

Avy Kaufman, Jeremy Zimmerman, Alexandra Montag, Thitiya Tongbai (Southeast Asia), Katrin Vorderqülbecke (for Petra), Jeremy Zimmerman (location) - Tár | Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan, Scott Lambert

Denise Chamian - Top Gun: Maverick | Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison, Jeremy Bruckheimer

Pauline Hansson, Antoinette Boulat (France), Jessie Frost (UK), Nina Haun (Germany), Patti Lapus (Philippines), Jake Macapagal (Philippines), Dianca Palbuena (Philippines), Marta Wojciechowki (Poland), Stefani Tymkiv (Russia) - Triangle of Sadness | Erik Hemmendorff, Phillippe Bober

John Buchan, Jason Knight - Women Talking | Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Frances McDormand

BEST ACTOR

Nikki Barrett, Denise Chamain, Beth Day, Liz Ludwitzke – Elvis | Austin Butler

Louise Kiely - The Banshees of Inisherin | Colin Farrell

Lindsay Graham, Mary Vernieu – The Whale | Brendan Fraser

Lucy Pardee – Aftersun | Paul Mescal

Kahleen Crawford - Living | Bill Nighy

BEST ACTRESS

Avy Kaufman, Jeremy Zimmerman, Alexandra Montag, Thitiya Tongbai (Southeast Asia), Katrin Vorderqülbecke (for Petra), Jeremy Zimmerman (location) - Tár | Cate Blanchett

Victoria Thomas – Blonde | Ana De Armas

Arlie Day - To Leslie | Andrea Riseborough

Cindy Tolan, Nanw Rolands (UK) - The Fabelmans | Michelle Williams

Sarah Finn - Everything Everywhere All At Once | Michelle Yeoh

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Louise Kiely - The Banshees of Inisherin | Brendan Gleeson

Ellen Chenoweth, Tracy Kilpatrick (location) - Causeway | Brian Tyree Henry

Cindy Tolan, Nanw Rolands (UK) - The Fabelmans | Judd Hirsch

Louise Kiely - The Banshees of Inisherin | Barry Keoghan

Sarah Finn - Everything Everywhere All At Once – Ke Huy Quan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Sarah Fin, Chase Paris (Atlanta) - Wakanda Forever | Angela Bassett

Lindsay Graham, Mary Vernieu – The Whale | Hong Chau

Louise Kiely - The Banshees of Inisherin | Kerry Condon

Sarah Finn - Everything Everywhere All At Once | Jamie Lee Curtis

Sarah Finn - Everything Everywhere All At Once | Stephanie Hsu

BEST DIRECTOR

Louise Kiely - The Banshees of Inisherin | Martin Mcdonagh

Sarah Finn - Everything Everywhere All At Once | Daniel Kwan + Daniel Scheinert

Cindy Tolan, Nanw Rolands (UK) - The Fabelmans | Steven Spielberg

Avy Kaufman, Jeremy Zimmerman, Alexandra Montag, Thitiya Tongbai (Southeast Asia), Katrin Vorderqülbecke (for Petra), Jeremy Zimmerman (location) - Tár | Todd Field

Pauline Hansson, Antoinette Boulat (France), Jessie Frost (UK), Nina Haun (Germany), Patti Lapus (Philippines), Jake Macapagal (Philippines), Dianca Palbuena (Philippines), Marta Wojciechowki (Poland), Stefani Tymkiv (Russia) - Triangle of Sadness | Ruben Östlund

We invite you to watch our free Casting Director Conversation Series with the CDs of many Emmy and Academy Award nominated films & TV series.

This is the second year we get to congratulate one of our previous interview guests, Kahleen Crawford, who cast Living in 2023 with Bill Nighy and the Lost Daughter, in 2022!

Watch our free classes:

How To Become an Actor

and (for the more experienced artists)

How To Revitalize Your Acting Career

Casting Directors Who Would Have Been Considered For The Academy Award In 2022

Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  

The best actors are only able to perform at their best alongside a stellar cast.

The best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing.  

Hence, as we do every year, we have created the following list so we can tip our hats and give kudos to the casting directors whose projects were nominated for Oscars in the acting, directing, or best picture categories at the 2022 Academy Awards.  

Note: This list includes the local hire casting directors who often round out the tapestry of each picture with much of the supporting cast.

94th Academy Awards™ - Honoring Movies Released in 2021 (Presented in 2022)

BEST PICTURE

Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann, Carla Stronge (CD, N Ireland) (Belfast – Nominees: Lauren Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik, Tamara Thomas)

Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood, Lisa Zagoria (Coda – Nominees: Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger)

Francine Maisler, Matt Bouldry (local) (Don’t Look Up - Nominees: Adam McKay, Kevin J Messick)

Akiyoshi Imazeki (casting cooperation), Sang-You Lee (korea), Annie Liao (cooperation), Ryoichi Sugiyama (cooperation) (Drive My Car – Nominees: Teruhisa Yamamoto)

Jina Jay, Francine Maisler (Dune – Nominees: Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve, Cale Boyter)

Rich Delia, Avy Kaufman (King Richard – Nominees: Tim White, Trevor White, Will Smith)

Cassandra Kulukundis (Licorice Pizza – Nominees: Sara Murphy, Adam Somner, Paul Thomas Anderson)

Robin D. Cook (Nightmare Alley – Nominees: Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale, Bradley Cooper)

Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba (consultant), Nina Gold, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (Power of the Dog – Nominees: Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier)

Cindy Tolan, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (West Side Story – Nominees: Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger)

BEST ACTOR

Kathy Driscoll, Francine Maisler (Being the Ricardos – Nominee: Javier Bardem)

Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba (consultant), Nina Gold, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (Power of the Dog – Nominee: Benedict Cumberbatch)

Kristian Charbonier, Bernard Telsey  (TICK, TICK… BOOM! – Nominee: Andrew Garfield)

Rich Delia, Avy Kaufman (King Richard – Nominee: Will Smith)

Ellen Chenoweth (The Tragedy of Macbeth – Nominee: Denzel Washington)

BEST ACTRESS

Avy Kaufman, Chase Paris (casting, Atlanta) (The Eyes of Tammy Faye – Nominee: Jessica Chastain)

Kahleen Crawford, Makis Gazis (casting, Greece) (The Lost Daughter – Nominee: Olivia Coleman)

Unlisted (Parallel Mothers – Nominee: Penelope Cruz)

Kathy Driscoll, Francine Maisler (Being the Ricardos – Nominee: Nicole Kidman)

Amy Hubbard, Nina Haun (casting, Germany) (Spencer – Nominee: Kristen Stewart)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Kahleen Crawford, Makis Gazis (casting, Greece) (The Lost Daughter – Nominee: Jessie Buckley)

Cindy Tolan, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (West Side Story – Nominee: Ariana DeBose)

Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann, Carla Stronge (CD, N Ireland) (Belfast – Nominee: Judi Dench)

Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba (consultant), Nina Gold, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (Power of the Dog – Nominee: Kristen Dunst)

Rich Delia, Avy Kaufman (King Richard – Nominee: Aunjanue Ellis)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann, Carla Stronge (CD, N Ireland) (Belfast – Nominee: Ciaran Hinds)

Deborah Aquila, Tricia Wood, Lisa Zagoria, Carla Stronge (CD, N Ireland) (Coda – Nominee: Troy Kotsur)

Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba (consultant), Nina Gold, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (Power of the Dog – Nominee: Jesse Plemons)

Kathy Driscoll, Francine Maisler (Being the Ricardos – Nominee: J.K. Simmons)

Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba (consultant), Nina Gold, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (Power of the Dog – Nominee: Kodi Smit-McPhee)

BEST DIRECTOR

Lucy Bevan, Emily Brockmann, Carla Stronge (CD, N Ireland) (Belfast – Nominee: Kenneth Branagh)

Akiyoshi Imazeki (casting cooperation), Sang-You Lee (korea), Annie Liao (cooperation), Ryoichi Sugiyama (cooperation) (Drive My Car – Nominee: Ryusuke Hamaguchi)

Cassandra Kulukundis (Licorice Pizza – Nominee: Paul Thomas Anderson)

Nikki Barrett, Tina Cleary, Carmen Cuba (consultant), Nina Gold, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (Power of the Dog – Nominee: Jane Campion)

Cindy Tolan, Zoraida Sanjurjo Lopez (casting, Puerto Rico) (West Side Story – Nominee: Steven Spielberg)



This list was compiled by the Secret Actor Society

We invite you to watch our free Casting Director Conversation Series with the CDs of many Emmy and Academy Award nominated films & TV series.

This year, we congratulate one of our previous guests, Kahleen Crawford, who cast the Lost Daughter, starring 2022 Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress nominees Olivia Coleman and Jesse Buckley!

Casting Directors Who Would Have Been Considered For The Oscar In 2021

Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  

The best actors are only able to perform at their best when working alongside a stellar cast and the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing.  

Hence, as we do every year, we have created the following list so we can tip our hats and give kudos to the casting directors whose projects were nominated for Oscars in the acting, directing, or best picture categories at the 2021 Academy Awards.  

Note: This list includes the local hire casting directors who often round out the tapestry of each picture with much of the supporting cast.

93rd Academy Awards™ - Honoring Movies Released in 2020 (Presented in 2021)   

BEST PICTURE

• Alexa L. Fogel, Donna Belajac (local) (Judas & The Black Messiah - Nominees: Shaka King, Charles D. King, Ryan Coogler) 

• Laray Mayfield (Mank - Nominees: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Emma Tillinger)

• Julia Kim, Chris Freihofer (Czech Republic) (Minari - Nominee: Christina Oh)

• Lindsay Graham, Mary Vernieu (Promising Young Woman - Nominees: Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell, Josey McNamara)

• Susan Shopmaker, Celine De Waele (Belgium), Lisa Lobel (Location) (Sound Of Metal - Nominees: Bert Hamelinck, Sascha Ben Harroche)

• Francine Maisler (Trial Of The Chicago 7 - Nominees: Marc Platt, Stuart Besser)

• Hannah Peterson (Location), Nathan Harrison (Location) (Nomadland - Nominees: Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Chloe Ahao)

• No CD Credited (The Father - Nominees: David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi, Philippe Carcassonne)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

• Susan Shopmaker, Celine De Waele (Belgium), Lisa Lobel (Location) (Sound Of Metal – Nominee: Riz Ahmed)

• Avy Kaufman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – Nominee: Chadwick Boseman) 

• Laray Mayfield (Mank - Nominee: Gary Oldman)

• Julia Kim (Minari - Nominee: Steven Yeun)

• No CD Credited (The Father - Nominee: Anthony Hopkins)

BEST ACTRESS IN LEADING ROLE

• Avy Kaufman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom - Nominee: Viola Davis)

• Leah Daniels Butler, Billy Hopkins, Ashley Ingram, Kevin Scott (The United States vs. Billie Holiday - Nominee: Andra Day) 

• Jessica Kelly, Bruno Rosato, Kate Yablunovsky (Pieces of a Woman - Nominee: Vanessa Kirby)

• Lindsay Graham, Mary Vernieu (Promising Young Woman - Nominee: Carey Mulligan)

• Hannah Peterson (Location), Nathan Harrison (Location) (Nomadland - Nominee: Frances McDormand)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Nancy Bishop, Kris Redding (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery Of Prodigious Bribe To American REgime For Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan - Nominee: Maria Bakalova)

• Carmen Cuba (Hillbilly Elegy - Nominee: Glenn Close)

• Laray Mayfield (Mank - Nominee: Amanda Seyfried)

• Julia Kim (Minari - Yuh-Jung Youn)

• No CD Credited (The Father - Nominee: Olivia Coleman)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Francine Maisler (Trial Of The Chicago 7 - Nominee: Sacha Barren Cohen)

• Alexa L. Fogel (Judas and the Black Messiah - Nominees: Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield)

• Kim Hardin (One Night In Miami - Nominee: Leslie Odom ,Jr)

• Susan Shopmaker (Sound of Metal – Nominee: Paul Raci)

BEST DIRECTOR

• Tanja Grunwald, Jette Termann (Another Round - Nominee: Thomas Vinterberg)

• Laray Mayfield (Mank - Nominee: David Fincher)

• Julia Kim (Minari - Nominee: Lee Isaac Chung)

• Lindsay Graham, Mary Vernieu (Promising Young Woman - Nominee: Emerald Fennell)

• Hannah Peterson (Location), Nathan Harrison (Location) (Nomadland - Nominee: Chloe Zhao)

This list was compiled by the Secret Actor Society

We invite you to watch our free Casting Director Conversation Series with the CDs of many Emmy and Academy Award nominated films & TV series. Click HERE to sign up.

Casting Directors Who Would Have Been Considered For The Oscar In 2020

Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  

The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and a vital part of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  

Hence… for the 2020 Oscars, we have created this list so we can tip our hats and give kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture at the 2020 Academy Awards.  This years list also includes the local hire casting directors who fill out the tapestry of each picture with much of the supporting cast.

Now, let’s check out which CDs would have been in the running this year… for the 2020 Academy Awards!

92nd Academy Awards™ - Honoring Films Released in 2019 (Presented in 2020)   

BEST PICTURE

• Ronna Kress, Kissy Dugan, Cassandra Han (Italy) (Ford Vs Ferrari - Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, James Mangold) 

• Ellen Lewis (The Irishman - Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Emma Tillinger)

• Des Hamilton, Maya Kvetny (Czech Republic) (JoJo Rabbit - Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley)

• Shayna Markowitz (Joker - Todd Philips, Bradley Cooper, Emma Tillinger Koskoff)

• Kathy Driscoll, Francine Maisler, Douglas Aibel (NY), Matt Bouldry (Massachusetts) (Little Women – Amy Pascal)

• Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler (Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach, David Heyman)

• Nina Gold (1917 - Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall)

• Victoria Thomas (Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood - David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino 

• Heidi Levitt (Parasite - Kwak Sin Ae, Bong Joon Ho)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

• Eva Leira, Yolanda Serrano (Pain & Glory – Antonio Banderas)

• Victoria Thomas (Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood – Leonardo DiCaprio) 

• Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler (Marriage Story – Adam Driver)

• Shayna Markowitz (Joker – Joaquin Phoenix)

• Nina Gold, Barbara Giordani, Francesco Vedovati (Italy), Diego Betancor (Spain) (The Two Popes - Jonathan Pryce)

BEST ACTRESS IN LEADING ROLE

• Kim Coleman (Harriet - Cynthia Erivo)

• Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler (Marriage Story – Scarlett Johansson 

• Kathy Driscoll, Francine Maisler, Douglas Aibel (NY), Matt Bouldry (Massachusetts) (Little Women – Saorise Ronan)

• Allison Jones (Bombshell – Charlize Theron)

• Alice Searby, Fiona Weir (Judy – Renee Zellweger)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Avy Kaufman, Donna Belajac (Location) (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Tom Hanks

• Nina Gold, Barbara Giordani, Francesco Vedovati (Italy), Diego Betancor (Spain) (The Two Popes – Anthony Hopkins)

• Ellen Lewis (The Irishman – Al Pacino & Joe Pesci)

• Victoria Thomas (Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood – Brad Pitt)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Geoffrey Miclat (Richard Jewell – Kathy Bates)

• Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler (Marriage Story – Laura Dern)

• Des Hamilton, Maya Kvetny (Czech Republic) (JoJo Rabbit – Scarlett Johansson)

• Kathy Driscoll, Francine Maisler, Douglas Aibel (NY), Matt Bouldry (Massachusetts) (Little Women – Florence Pugh)

• Allison Jones (Bombshell – Margot Robbie)

BEST DIRECTOR

• Ellen Lewis (The Irishman – Martin Scorsese)

• Shayna Markowitz (Joker - Todd Phillips)

• Nina Gold (1917 - Sam Mendes)

• Victoria Thomas (Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood – Quentin Tarantino)

• Heidi Levitt (Parasite – Bong Joon Ho)

This list was compiled by J.C. for the Secret Actor Society

Actor Infographic From Margie Haber Studios

Hey gang, I recently found this infographic from one of the top acting coaches in LA and absolutely had to share it.  You can check out Margie's classes at www.MargieHaber.com

You are NOT Too Old

...or too fat or too skinny or too white or too black or too tall or too short or too anything.  Just be you.  You are enough. 

Much love...

Where Focus Goes...

An old saying that always rings true to me is “where focus goes, energy flows”.  This can be applied to many aspects of your acting career.  Are you keeping aware of the projects currently casting?  Are you attending film festivals and other networking events? Do you know which casting directors are working on each film and series you are targeting?

Increasing the degree to which you have your finger on the pulse of the industry has long been known to help manifest jobs, coincidental meetings, and unexpected opportunities.  The consistent success of vision boards is a perfect example of this. 

Though, I’m sure you’ve already heard all that jazz…  it’s pretty common knowledge.

Now, I’d like to introduce the possibility that the PEOPLE you are interacting with in the industry are a direct result of your focus.  What I mean is, if you feel the film industry is filled with a certain type of person – sleazy, closed off, rude, snobby, ego driven, scammy – it is because that is what YOU are choosing to focus on when out and about in the industry.

I would guess that for every one egotistical actor you meet, you’re also likely meeting ten really cool ones who just love their craft and love what they do.  For every one sleazy director you meet, I’m sure you also meet twenty who just want to make great movies.

Yet some actors choose to focus on the tiny minority of negative people they meet, as opposed to the vast majority who are actually pretty awesome.   It’s like they’re deciding in advance that ‘everyone’ is a certain way, then finding proof of their ‘story’ at every opportunity, ignoring any evidence that contradicts it.

Take a moment to think of how you perceive the industry and your fellow industry members.   Is it negative, or positive?  Do you feel filmmakers are open to new talent, or not?  Do you feel successful actors are supportive of each other, or not?  Does it feel open, or closed off?  I guarantee, whatever you are finding, is exactly what you are choosing to see. 

With this in mind, I’d like to ask you to try a little exercise and write down the following:

• Seven filmmakers or CDs who have been nice to you or been open to watching your demo
• Ten times an actor helped you with something you needed a hand on
• Twelve times someone in the industry supported you, helped you or complimented you

Really take the time to think about this and write the list.  As I’m sure you know, law of attraction will bring to you more of what you focus on.  By finding and focusing on the great things, more great things will come to you.

Now that you have this list, wouldn’t it be nice to shoot a little note to each of them?  Not asking if they have any projects casting or whether they’re working on anything and not bragging about your recent work.  Just asking how they are, as a fellow human and perhaps thanking them for that time they did something above and beyond that made your journey a little easier.  Maybe you could even ask if there’s anything you could help them with too? 

A thank you is a wonderful way to reach out to a person you may have lost touch with, and reciprocation is so important in an industry like ours. 

I’m going to leave it at that… I think you get the idea.  Lets work to see the industry community as being filled with more love than we imagined.  Then lets do a little something like this… just to make sure it is.

Sending love from the madness of pilot season in Hollywood ;)

- Kym Jackson (IMDB)

Learn how to succeed in your acting career today at: HollywoodsGuide.com

Remember To Live Your Life

Today I was writing my list of New Year goals.  What I want to do in the next twelve months.  I started writing the typical actor list: “book a series regular role on TV”, “take another six weeks of groundlings classes”, “finish the new book website” “save x amount of money”.

I had around eight things on my list when I realized my upcoming year sounded about as interesting as sorting beige buttons into matching shade piles.

Acting is such an amazing and wonderful thing to be passionate about (read: obsessed with), and we are so often laughing off the idea of a nine to five job as boring, uncreative, and soul destroying.  The funny thing is though, without a 5pm to ‘knock off’ at, or a Friday to look forward to, my creative friends often neglect to find time to switch off from their career.  Ironically, those same people who are so afraid of working an eight hour day, frequently end up working a sortof half assed twelve hour day each day instead… and for six or seven days a week.

How interesting is an actor to watch who has done nothing but acting classes and networking events for the past year or so?  What life can we bring to a character if we’ve forgotten how to live our lives?

This also applies to networking… When you meet someone and ask what they’ve been up to lately, would you rather hear how many auditions they’ve just had and of the five scenes they did in some film… or about the amazing whale shark they saw scuba diving last weekend, or a story about their crazy tandem partner on their holiday skydiving in Hawaii?

On your New Years list this year… why not add some fun stuff?  Add some big life goals alongside those career goals.  Things you’ve always wanted to do – surfing lessons, seeing China, or India, or Iceland, visiting the Grand Canyon, volunteering for a charity, or horseback riding naked on the beach. 

It’s a fine line to walk between work and fun but it is so important that you live your life while you chase your dreams, not afterwards. 

If money is a problem, take a weekend holiday.  Switch off and book a cheap Air BNB in a city close enough to drive to.  Then find something awesome to do there!  LA is just a few hours drive from Joshua Tree (camping), Palm Springs (day spas), Vegas (hangovers), San Diego (scuba diving), Santa Barbara (skydiving), Big Bear (snowboarding) … even Mexico (margaaaaaritas!) and San Francisco (Alcatraz)!  Take 48 hours away from your ‘craft’, reset yourself, and just be YOU.

I get it… sometimes there really is no time to switch off… sometimes there’s just too much work.  But, that doesn’t mean you have to hide at home and avoid the world for two months at a time. 

Much of our work is a laptop lifestyle.  There’s no reason you can’t get out of your comfy Hollywood apartment and drive to a nice hotel lobby or cafe by the beach, order a coffee, and spend the day by the water, working.  Next time you have a script or two to read, pack a picnic, hike to a beautiful view, and read it somewhere fun.  Maybe you can learn those forty pages of lines for your next film on a beach  instead of pacing in your bedroom.

Adding big goals to your list means even if you fall short, you will be more likely to find little adventures along the way. They big ones may seem out of reach now, but what if you just ignore the potential limitations and add them anyway?  Why not plan as though you will have the money this year?  That you will make the time?  You never know what this next year has in store for you, so whatever it is you’ve always wanted to do, big or small, add it to your list, today. 

If you don’t, another year might slip by waiting for enough money, or the right time, or your big break… and then another year… and then all of a sudden you’re one of those old actors who forgot to live a real life on the side. 

If you do make your list awesome, you might not do everything you plan.  You might not make it to Everest this year but maybe you’ll camp in Joshua tree instead... You might not skydive in Hawaii but Santa Barbara has a nice drop… you might not make Iceland before Easter… but then again…

Then again…

Oh, just think how much fun will it be if you do! ;)  

By Kym Jackson

Creating Your Own Content

I recently worked with a phenomenal comedic actor who had been faced with a problem. A couple of years ago, Rob Schneider was the star of the CBS sitcom ‘Rob’. For any other network, 10-13 million viewers per episode would be huge, but CBS has high expectations of their sitcoms, and they pulled the show after one season due to ‘low ratings’.

After having a TV show cancelled, almost every other lead actor in the history of television has simply walked away and waited for the next job. It would be easy for Rob to have justified doing just this, or becoming a victim, or even, as many do, falling into a ‘woe is me’ depression.

As an actor, it’s easy to fall into the victim mentality with your career. “they’re only hiring names”, “my agent isn’t getting me out” “we shouldn’t have to pay to meet casting directors”. Many actors talk as though the industry is against them and often refer to how ‘unfair’ it all is.

And those actors are completely correct. The film and TV industry IS unfair! Yes, producers will often hire a bankable name if it will make them more money than hiring you. Yes, your agent could probably be doing more for you. And yes, it does suck that most actors have to spend thousands of dollars a year to meet casting directors.

So, now we’ve cleared that up, you have two choices:

1. Sit around with your actor friends and complain about it, validating your plight with evidence and examples of why you aren’t being given a fair go.

Or:

2. Accept it, and fight your way forward anyway.

Your complaints are 100% valid. The question is: how are you going to make sure you succeed in spite of all these challenges?

When faced with the challenge of having his show cancelled, Rob Schneider gathered his strength, gathered his friends, gathered the finance, and put everything he had into creating and producing his own newer, funnier, better ‘Rob’-centric sitcom than the CBS show.

Not producing the show with a big TV network meant more freedom with dirty, silly jokes and inappropriate references that could make the show even more hilarious. Creating it himself meant cutting huge costs because he was the most expensive line item in the budget. It meant he could ask his actor friends to help out with their time, and his industry friends to connect him to myriad other resources.

Rob Schneiders’ new show ‘Real Rob’ premiered on Netflix worldwide December 1st, and it is hilarious (I personally mimed some things no person should ever mime). He took what could have been a career blow, and turned it into a massive accomplishment and himself into a TV show creator.

It sounds scary, taking things into your own hands… You’re not a filmmaker (yet), how could you possibly make a web series, or write a TV show, or create a film? Well, I have some news for you…

You are a storyteller. We all are. Our job is to make people laugh… to perform for them… to enhance the human experience by allowing the viewer to live vicariously through our tales, our characters, our life lessons we feel compelled to share.

You are an entrepreneur. You are already running (producing) your own business. You know dialogue and character, which can come in handy when writing a screenplay. Think of how many cast and crew you already know who can guide you, help out, and introduce you to any number of the right people along the way.

You already have the resources and basic skills to write a killer script and to gather a team to create something imperfectly beautiful. It doesn’t have to be perfect… A funny or die skit, a short film, a series of vine videos, or even a new web series!

You have it in you to take your career into your own hands and create your own work. So, do something right now… the second you finish reading this post. Pick up a pen, take out your laptop, send that email or make a phone call and get started creating your own project – this minute. Don’t think fifty steps ahead to how you’ll end up making it… those answers will come in time. Just start now.

Tina Fey did it, Ed Burns did it, Rob Schneider did it, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did it… they were all just like you. Sure they weren’t ready… scared to get started… scared to write that first word or show their script to anyone.

The only difference is they did it anyway…

And I promise, my creative, amazing, actor friend…

I promise you can too.

By Kym Jackson

www.hollywoodsguide.com

Focusing Your Passion

My creative friends are my most passionate.  They become passionate about topics of discussion, about their friend’s romantic situations, their partners behavior, other people’s life choices or opposing views in a social media post. 

Passion is amazing, and I love that these people are in my life.  I only wonder, every now and then, what their lives would be… where they would end up… if that passion were focused toward their dreams instead.  

See, these same people who talk to me for hours about their broken love life, or the behavior of some person they know… these same people are the ones who can’t figure out why their career isn’t moving forward… why their dreams aren’t coming true.  

Their conversations run a mile a minute about so many topics of discontent and so many things that pull their mental energy.  I wonder how on Earth the Universe will ever weed through all that noise to find the one little piece of them that is screaming to be heard.  Yelling with its tiny voice “but I want to be an actor” “but I’m an amazing storyteller” “but I’m meant to change the world”

Immense passion is one of the best traits a life can be blessed with.  To embrace and be driven by your heart and how deeply you care is a beautiful way to be.  

To focus that passion in one direction?  

Now, that… that could change the world.

-Kym Jackson (Author - The Hollywood Survival Guide)

www.TheHollywoodSurvivalGuide.com

Casting Directors who would have been considered for the Oscar in 2015

Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and they say a large portion of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  So… for the ten days leading up to the Oscars, we have tipped our hats and given kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture in the past ten years.  Today, let’s check out which CDs would have been in the running this year… for the 2015 Academy Awards!

Casting Directors who would have been considered for the Oscar in 2014

Day 9 of our 10 day countdown…Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and they say a large portion of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  So… for the ten days leading up to the Oscars, lets tip our hats and give kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture… today let’s check out who it was last year… in 2014… 

Casting Directors who would have been considered for the Oscar in 2013

Day 8 of our 10 day countdown…Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and they say a large portion of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  So… for the ten days leading up to the Oscars, lets tip our hats and give kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture… today let’s check out who it was in 2013… 

Casting Directors who would have been considered for the Oscar in 2012

Day 7 of our 10 day countdown…Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and they say a large portion of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  So… for the ten days leading up to the Oscars, lets tip our hats and give kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture… today let’s check out who it was in 2012… 

Casting Directors who would have been considered for the Oscar in 2011

Day 6 of our 10 day countdown…Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and they say a large portion of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  So… for the ten days leading up to the Oscars, lets tip our hats and give kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture… today let’s check out who it was in 2010… 

Casting Directors who would have been considered for the Oscar in 2010

Day 5 of our 10 day countdown…Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and they say a large portion of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  So… for the ten days leading up to the Oscars, lets tip our hats and give kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture… today let’s check out who it was in 2010…

Casting Directors who would have been considered for the Oscar in 2009

Day 4 of our 10 day countdown…Wouldn’t it be great if the Academy Awards finally included a category for casting directors?  The best actors are only able to perform at their best with a stellar cast to work alongside, the best picture would rarely be the best if the whole cast wasn’t amazing, and they say a large portion of a directors job is selecting the right cast.  So… for the ten days leading up to the Oscars, lets tip our hats and give kudos to every casting director whose project was nominated for an Oscar for acting, directing, or best picture… today let’s check out who it was in 2009…