Casting an Ensemble: Everyone in 'Everything Everywhere All At Once'
So far in this season of the Academy Museum Podcast we've heard a lot about casting a lead or finding the right star for a project. What goes into piecing together a group with incredible chemistry? Everything Everywhere All At Once was originally written for Jackie Chan and Awkwafina, but it’s now…
Casting Batman
How do you cast an iconic character like Batman for the screen, especially for the third or fourth or tenth time? Guests: Lora Kennedy, casting director; John Papsidera, casting director Academy Museum digital engagement platforms, including this podcast, are sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies…
Casting in Animation: Can't Put the Genie Back in the Bottle
The casting of Robin Williams as The Genie in Aladdin (1992) is often talked about as a turning point — when animated films began to focus on casting big-name actors. But is that true? This episode looks at the history of casting for animation. What’s the role of a casting director for finding the…
Casting 'Boys Don't Cry'
What does it mean when an actor is cast to play a person from a marginalized group that in real life they’re not a part of? This episode delves into the casting process and legacy of a groundbreaking film exploring the complexities of gender and sexual identities. Guests: Dara Jaffe, Associate Cur…
'In the Cut': Casting Against Type
A look at contemporary typecasting, and the potential audience backlash to an actor taking on a new kind of role, through the lens of Jane Campion’s 2003 erotic thriller In the Cut, starring rom-com queen Meg Ryan. Guests: David Rubin, casting director and former Academy President; Laurie Parker, …
Casting Unknowns: 'Baby Boy'
From this point forward in the season, we are going to talk about different practices in modern day casting, starting with casting “unknowns” and the 2001 John Singleton film Baby Boy. Guests: Kim Taylor-Coleman, casting director; Kimberly Hardin, casting director Academy Museum digital engageme…
Breaking Boundaries in the ‘70s: Reuben Cannon
A conversation with Reuben Cannon, the first Black casting director. How he got his start in casting, brought now-iconic talents to the screen, broke boundaries in the industry, and why he ultimately decided to shift into producing. Guests: Kim Taylor-Coleman, casting director; Reuben Cannon, cast…
Innovators in New Hollywood: Marion Dougherty and Lynn Stalmaster
How the fall of the studio system led to the creation of the role of casting director as we know it today, and how Lynn Stalmaster and Marion Dougherty defined the profession. Guests: Dara Jaffe, Associate Curator at the Academy Museum; casting directors Kim Taylor-Coleman, former Academy Presiden…
Typecasting and the Studio System: The Case of Noble Johnson
How the first African American movie star created roles for himself in some of the earliest Black-produced films made for Black audiences. But he rose to mainstream notoriety playing characters of nearly every race but his own. Guests: Dara Jaffe, Associate Curator at the Academy Museum; Cara Cad…
The Casting of 'Rebecca': Vivien Leigh vs. Joan Fontaine
We're starting in the year 1940 with the Alfred Hitchcock film, Rebecca. We’ll dive into Rebecca’s casting history, and how life on set for its lead actress imitated art. Guests: Dara Jaffe, Associate Curator at the Academy Museum; Patricia White, Professor of Film and Media Studies and Coordina…