Stay ConnectedHollywood Casting Director Lisa Zambetti is joined by movie and TV buff Dean Laffan to discuss the shows we all love, which feature killer casting.
Have a question or comment? Have a suggestion for our next show? Drop us a DM on our Social Media pages and we will get right back to you !
Copyright: Copyright © Killer Casting Podcast.
It's that time of year! We are so "thankful" that it is time to binge on good food and great tv. Catch up with Lisa, Dean and Ashley on what they have been obsessing over and what they want to catch up on now that holiday time has begun! #yellowjackets, #dexter #grimm, #animalkingdom #curbyourenthusiasm #Fargo #Mrinbetween #Futurama #SiliconValley #HaltandCatchFire #Lillyhammer #Ozark #JasonBateman #Succession #Brian Cox #Bladerunner #EllenBarkin
It's a mashup ! True crime and film collide ... Lisa and Dean are joined by Real Crime Profile's Jim Clemente (Retired FBI Criminal Behavioral Profiler and Writer/Producer on CBS' Criminal Minds) to break down the new Netflix thriller "The Guilty" starring Jake Gyllenhaal who plays a cop doing desk duty as a 911 Dispatcher (with a fantastic cast of actors doing spectacular voice over work). Joining the gang are not one but TWO real life 911 Dispatchers, Susan Nofplotes from Florida and Katie Gregory-Tims from Texas. We go in depth to see just how accurate the portrayal of 911 calls and emergency situations are depicted. (you may be surprised) Jim gets the chance to ask these seasoned professionals what they thought of the 911 calls relevant in the tragic death of Gabby Petito. THIS is one episode you don't want to miss !
On today's episode we react to the tragic death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins who was accidentally shot while on set of the film "Rust". Details are still emerging and it is unclear whether there was a breakdown of safety protocol, of communication — or perhaps the inexperience of a non union crew — that left Ms. Hutchins and director Joel Souza (who was also injured) unprotected and vulnerable to this tragedy. What we do know is that there are supposed to be checks and balances to keep cast and crew safe. There are also many other ways to deliver explosive effects that do not include "live rounds" in a scene. Joining us to talk about this and other on-set dangers is veteran actor Xander Berkeley (Terminator 2, Heat, A Few Good Men, Taken, Air Force One, Leaving Los Vega, Apollo 13, Candy Man, The Walking Dead, Justified, Nikita) who has been in in many shoot out scenes and has the scars to prove it. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075359/ Also joining us is Steve Meyers, an Emmy and VES winning Visual Effects Supervisor. Steve began his tenure by taking the helm on the highly successful television series Criminal Minds, which he supervised for the last eight seasons of production. Along the way, he's overseen many other series for FuseFX, including Hell on Wheels, Good Girls Revolt, Mayan's MC, and Hollywood. https://fusefx.com/the-team/ https://www.visualeffectssociety.com If you feel unsafe on set for any reason, including harassment, send a tip via the IATSE Safety Hotline at 844-422-9273 Lisa and Dean have many questions for these two highly experienced professionals…but most importantly our thoughts go out to Halyna's family. #hernamewashalynahutchins
What do Jamie Lee Curtis, Neve Campbell, Betty Gabriel, Adrienne Barbeau, Vera Farmiga, Lupita Nyong'o and Anya Taylor-Joy have in common? Well that's not really hard to figure out. They are all bonafide Scream Queens — that echelon of actress that is at the top of the horror genre. Joining Lisa to discuss how this archetype has evolved over the years is our favorite Queen who is such a scream himself, H. Alan Scott, aka Sadie Pines!
http://www.halanscott.comYou can listen to H. Alan's new project "The Murder of Robert Wone" on Audible.
https://amzn.to/3lPG8RwYou can read the book Lisa mentions "Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film" by Carol J. Clover
https://amzn.to/3n04d7xt's the scary month of October! And what really terrifies us? Is it the hairy creature, the slimy alien, the relentless psychopath? Or is it the monster within ourselves? Or both? (Jack Nicholson in "The Shining" anyone?) Join Lisa, Dean and our special guest producer Ben Raphael Sher (Eli Roth's "History of Horror") as we talk about the scariest performances by actors we've ever seen in film and tv.
Wait, you are telling me that there is a spooky series starring Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford (aka Matt Saracen), set in a tiny coastal town with a bunch of Neil Diamond songs playing all over the place? Lisa is SOOOOO in! Lisa sits down with award winning writer Heidi Nyburg and dazzling actress Ashley Arpel Greenwald to breakdown the first ep of the hit Netflix series "Midnight Mass". Created by Mike Flanagan We talk about how elegantly the show throws down the premise and intros all the characters in a very unique way…and we all take turns guessing what will happen next! (What's in the boooooooxxxxxxxx?)
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains explicit descriptions of violence. Please exercise care when listening.
SPOILER ALERT: This episode contains spoilers of the film "Nitram". However, the true events that this film is based upon are well known particularly in Australia.
On April 28th 1996, Australia experienced the worst mass shooting massacre in its history as 35 people were murdered in Port Arthur Tasmania by a 28 year old white male shooter.
This week on Killer Casting, we cover the new film "Nitram" written by Shaun Grant and directed by Justin Kurzel, which probes the sequence of events and behavior of this shooter, his family and other significant relationships leading up to that horrific day.
Starring Caleb Landry Jones, Judy Davis, Anthony LaPaglia, no one in the film ever utters the name of this shooter, nor does it show the graphic violence he unleashed on so many innocent people.
Instead it picks apart the many intervention points that might have derailed him from his heinous crime.
A film like this we could not possibly analyze alone, with us to understand the difference between fact and fiction is Dr. Tim Watson-Munro, an Australian Criminal Psychologist world recognised in his field and an expert in the psychology of mass shooting offenders.
Dr. Watson-Munro himself treated a number of the survivors of the massacre. You won't want to miss this very special episode of Killer Casting Podcast.
#rememberthevictimsofportarthur Winifred Joyce Aplin, 58 Walter John Bennett, 66 Nicole Louise Burgess, 17 Sou Leng Chung, 32 Elva Rhonda Gaylard, 48 Zoe Anne Hall, 28 Elizabeth Jayne Howard, 26 Mary Elizabeth Howard, 57 Mervyn John Howard, 55 Ronald Noel Jary, 71 Tony Vadivelu Kistan, 51 Leslie Dennis Lever, 53 Sarah Kate Loughton, 15 David Martin, 72 Noelene "Sally" Joyce Martin, 69 Pauline Virjeana Masters, 49 Alannah Louise Mikac, 6 Madeline Grace Mikac, 3 Nanette Patricia Mikac, 36 Andrew Bruce Mills, 39 Peter Brenton Nash, 32 Gwenda Joan Neander, 67 William Xeeng Ng, 48 Anthony Nightingale, 44 Mary Rose Nixon, 60 Glenn Roy Pears, 35 Russell James Pollard, 72 Janette Kathleen Quin, 50 Helene Maria Salzmann, 50 Robert Graham Salzmann, 57 Kate Elizabeth Scott, 21 Kevin Vincent Sharp, 68 Raymond John Sharp, 67 Royce William Thompson, 59 Jason Bernard Winter, 29
Today our opening music is by: Lesfm
You can find Dr. Watson-Munro's books here:
"A Shrink in the Clink" https://amzn.to/3DeqKnh and Dancing with Demons https://amzn.to/3BdnbNH
Lisa sez: "Cut the cord peoples!"
Brian sez: "Don't forget your animated options"
Dean sez: "Whats a Hulu?"
Your intrepid reporters from the global resources of the vast Killer Casting Network (KCN) deep dive what is currently keeping them, up way too late, bed-less, bingeing and burning bits & bytes ("But honey ... just one more episode .... PUHlease ?") Lisa gives a big plug for Reservation Dogs (well she WOULD wouldn't she, coz she was part of the casting team for the pilot !) But hey ... charity starts at home, right ? Also you can hear her thoughts on; The Handmaids Tale, a crazy Nicole Kidman in Nine Perfect Strangers , Y The Last Man, Patton Oswalt in Marvel's animated 'Modok'. But wait ! #notdoneyet ... she also gives shoutouts to 'The Great' with Elle Fanning and Nic Hoult, Alex Garland's 'Devs', The TV re-boot of Nic Hornsby's 'High Fidelity' starring Zoe Kravitz, the sexy/sad Brit offering of Normal People' and the adapted-from-the-podcast 'American Crime Story: Impeachment' covering the Clinton/Lewinsky saga.
Brian has been on an animated tear (That's 'tear' ... not 'tear') so he sketches out why you should watch Solar Opposites from Justin Roiland the creator of Rick and Morty and lays out the result of the love child between Kiwi geniuses Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi .. that would be the vampire mockumentary comedy 'What We Do in the Shadows' Dean (with no Hulu in Australia) raids his tagged items in the Aussie-based Stan Disney+ and Binge platforms to come up with the gripping British crime drama 'Vigil'. He also likes The White Lotus and is rewatching the classic Working Dog Productions' razor sharp satire 'Utopia' (which is scarily accurate to his corporate day job) Dea) WAS going to search up all of the trailers for these shows, to save YOU the trouble, but has decided he cant be arsed and you can do it yourselves. So on that note ... we'll see you on the socials!
Today we are paying special tribute to an actor we lost too soon, who was an astonishing talent, exceptional human being and whom Lisa had the great fortune of casting in two projects… Michael Kenneth Williams. Known for creating such iconic roles such as Omar in "The Wire", Chalky White in "Boardwalk Empire" and Bobby McCray in "When They See Us", Lisa, Dean and our special guest, actor Patrick Gallo, breakdown exactly what made Michael's work so special. LINKS: Wonderfully detailed 30 min interview with Michael as he breaks down in detail, many of his iconic performances. Don't miss this clip ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWBtPXIgid8 A brilliant 3 minute short where Michael chats with 4 different versions of himself discussing being typecast https://youtu.be/Vv3_3PQsJA8 The powerful scene from 'When They See Us' which we played in the pod https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-nb2yyr7Kk David Sims at The Atlantic with a great thoughtful short piece on Michael https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2021/09/michael-k-williams/620001 Noah Remnnick's excellent NYT long form piece on Michael from 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/30/nyregion/michael-k-williams-is-more-than-omar-from-the-wire.html
Every once in a while a film comes along that simply transports you with its sheer brilliance — the brilliance of the sea shining on a bright, crisp Gloucester morning CODA is one such film that approaches perfection. CODA (Children Of Deaf Adults) is many things at once, a coming of age story of a child finding her way into adulthood and independence; a rollicking chronicle of a loving hard working family; a damn funny movie that will in turn, touch, move, inspire and awe you. The success of a film like this hinges not so much on the story (it is a tale we have seen often), but on the casting of these wonderful roles who inhabit a world most of us have never experienced. Ruby is the only hearing member of her family where her dad Frank, her mom Jackie and her older brother Leo are all deaf. Those three roles are played by actors who are deaf in real life — which may seem like obvious casting choices, but in reality, actors who are deaf rarely get a chance to play roles this beautifully drawn. They rarely get to show off their astonishingly talent. But in this film, Troy Kotsur (who Lisa is starting a campaign right now for an Academy Award for this performance), Marlee Matlin and Daniel Durant all get a chance to shine brightly. The precocious Ruby is portrayed in a tour-de-force by Emilia Jones. As final treat, look out for the spellbinding performance of Eugenio Derbez as Bernardo Villalobos, Ruby's music teacher. In lesser hands, this film could easily have wallowed in mediocre cliche, but under the assured direction of Sian Heder and with that stellar cast, what shouldn't work does. What should be hackneyed, soars and what could easily be mawkish, will move you to tears. Joining us to give a true perspective on the portrayal of deaf characters in this film, is the amazing actress/writer/producer Antoinette Abbamonte who is also part of the deaf acting community in Hollywood. And a special shout out goes to our ASL interpreter Nicole Pancino who joined us for Antoinette's interview. We could go ON for hours about this exquisite film .. in fact we almost do ! So stop reading this and listen in to our podcast right now. If you are reading this and are deaf or hard of hearing please find a complete transcript of this interview on our website here. #CODA film #AntoinetteAbbamonte #EmiliaJones #TroyKotsur, #MarleeMatlin #DanielDurant #EugenioDerbez #SianHeder #OscarForTroy #CODA film #Antoinette Abbomonte #EmiliaJones #TroyKotsur, #MarleeMatlin #DanielDurant #Eugenio Derbez #SianHeder ****************** Episode Transcript ******************** [Scene from the film 'CODA'] FADE IN: INT. Home of Ruby's teacher Bernardo Villanova (aka 'MR. V) –- MORNING MR V sits at his piano in a large light filled room, accompanying Ruby Rossi as she sings'Both Sides Now' by Joni Mitchell. RUBY 🎼 They shake their heads, they say I've changed. BERNARDO VILLALOBOS: Breathe. RUBY 🎼 Well something's lost but something's gained. BERNARDO Breathe! RUBY 🎼In living every day. BERNARDO Exasperatedly No, let it out, let it out. Don't hold it. Don't hold it! Ruby, no. If you're going to pick Joni Mitchell, you're going to sing it. This is one of the great songs. RUBY Walks dejectedly away from Bernardo Yeah, I know. BERNARDO You either find a way to connect to it, or pick a different song. Bernardo suddenly claps theatrically and walks to Ruby, shakes his arms back and forth and asks her to do it too, she follows reluctantly Okay, come on. Shake your body. Shake it. Shake your arms. Now, sing back at me. 🎼Me, me, me, me… Come on. RUBY Sings meekly 🎼Me, me, me, me. BERNARDO No, no you are holding it. RUBY I'm not. BERNARDO Yeah, you're trying to sound pretty. RUBY I'm not. BERNARDO Yes, you are. Both Ruby and Bernardo are frustrated with each other BERNARDO Okay. You said when you started school you talked funny. Funny how? RUBY (Dismissively) I talked like a deaf person. BERNARDO What does a deaf person sound like? RUBY You know. BERNARDO No, no, I don't know. I want you to tell me. RUBY Different. BERNARDO Different how!? RUBY Like, wrong. Ugly. BERNARDO Puts his hands on hips and challenges Ruby Ugly? .. Okay. Make an ugly sound for me. RUBY What? BERNARDO Come on. Yeah. You think you were the only kid whoever got bullied? Whoever had a funny accent? Bernardo faces Ruby and he gets her to extend her arms out. They lock hands, fingers intertwined, BERNARDO Look in my eyes. Push back in my hands as hard as you can. Push, push. Look at me. Make the ugliest, grossest sound you can. Come on! Ruby growls at Bernardo like an animal and he growls back they exchange several growls and raws but Ruby's heart is not really in it, she looks embarrassed. BERNARDO Go! Be a monster! Suddenly Ruby reaches down inside herself and lets loose a full throated passionate raw directly into Bernardo's face. BERNARDO Now, sing at me ! RUBY Ruby sings straight back at him with passion and a blaze in her eyes 🎼I've looked at life from both sides now. From win and lose and still somehow. BERNARDO Claps his hands enthusiastically Yes! That's it! That's it. That's what I was waiting for. Bernardo high fives a still stunned Ruby who then smiles and shakes her head END SCENE: Lisa Zambetti: Hello! Welcome to Killer Casting. This is Lisa Zambetti, I'm probably best known as the Casting Director for CBS' "Criminal Minds" and co-casting director for the FX series the pilot for "Reservation Dogs", which I'm so, so proud of. And it seems to be doing really great on Hulu. I hope you're all watching it. But today is an example of exactly why I started this podcast. It's because when I see a project like the film we're going to discuss today, one that fills me with such joy that has such an incomparable and indelible cast. I absolutely need to talk about it. I need to shout it out to the world and really not just praise it, but break it down. Why is it praiseworthy? What are the elements that make it (for me) as a Casting Director, as a former actor, as a director, as a writer … what makes the film in question so exceptional? And of course, I'm talking about the film CODA, written and directed by Sian Heder which is playing now on Apple TV Plus. It stars Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Emilia Jones, Daniel Durant, and Eugenio Derbez and boy, does it pay respect to each and every character in the film. Anyway, I don't want to talk about it by myself. I've got to chew it over with bigger and better minds in my own. So please say hello to my beautiful co-host the Thunder From Down Under, Dean Laffan. Hi, Dean. Dean Laffan: Hi Lisa, good to see you, good to chat and discuss this unusual (for me), film. Lisa Zambetti: For this particular movie, because it's so special. I'm probably going to start crying because it's just really moved me so much. I'm very protective of it. And I simply can't explain why it just moved me on so many levels. Anyway, I wanted to have on, an actor that I cast many, many years ago. She is an amazing actress, producer and a writer. She's also part of the deaf community and her name is Antoinette Abbamonte. Antoinette, thank you so much for joining us. I was saying earlier you have not aged a day since I cast you in 2012. On a TV show called "The New Normal". It's so good to see you! Antoinette Abbamonte: Oh, thank you, Lisa. Thank you. Lisa Zambetti: And I should say that you and I are able to hear Antoinette's thoughts today because we're using an interpreter, the wonderful Nicole Pancino. Thank you for joining us, Nicole. Antoinette, how are you? Antoinette Abbamonte: I am doing great. I am enjoying life. I'm working now with some writers to make sure that the Deaf culture is properly representative and that we have really good strong leading characters and it's been so fun. And the important thing for me is I have to have fun doing it because that's how I know I'm going to continue doing something. That is just my thing and being creative and just pulling out whatever ideas I can, I've done that since I was a little girl. I just always love coming up with ideas, anything … Sci-Fi … I've enjoyed all of it. And that's what we're working on now. It's a Sci-Fi project. Lisa Zambetti: Oh cool. So I should tell our listeners and our viewers who are watching this because we're going to post this on YouTube. The Deaf community is not a monolith. There are people for whom, when Antoinette says proper representation, what that means to her could mean something completely different to other people in the community. I don't know what she thought about CODA at all, I know that there are people who are championing it. And there are parts of the deaf community who aren't. And I've heard a couple of criticisms that stab me in the heart, but that's okay. But I just want to get from both you and Dean, your immediate hits off of it. But I do want to break it down. What we do Antoinette is we really break down the movie, like we literally will go scene-to-scene to really dig in and analyze something and not just make assumptions. Because some of the criticisms I've heard, well I went back and rewatched the movie, and none of the things that they're talking about are actually in the movie. It's almost like those criticisms are assumptions that they've made about the movie, which is interesting. But anyway, tell me, what do you think of CODA? Antoinette Abbamonte: Well, first, the word that comes to me is "wow". And I really applaud the people who are working on that (film). The actors that they hired were deaf. So finally, we're having that kind of representation. It took (until) 2021 for that to happen. We need to be able to come in the door and watching the story, there are some deaf family stories that I can see are common in the world. So I think we should be able to see these authentic stories. I think that is by far the most important thing to get those deaf actors in, and (then) they're really doing the work. I can't say enough good things about them. Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant all did a fantastic job. And I completely support the work all of them did. Lisa Zambetti: Oh, I'm so happy to hear that! I have so much to say, what you just said has just sparked so many ideas. Dean now, what did you think? Dean Laffan: Well, when you first mentioned this film, and I looked at the trailer, and I'm thinking oh okay, a 'feel good movie'. It's got elements of this and that (in that genre) . I (usually) tend towards the darker side of things with films, for instance, possibly my most hated film of all time, is Forrest Gump. Lisa Zambetti: I don't think you're alone there … Dean Laffan: I can't stand how manipulative it tries to be! I can't stand that it celebrates this kind of. … I'm probably going to use the wrong word, but I don't mean it maybe the way it comes out. But just the sort of celebration of 'mediocrity' or the idea that, oh anyone can do anything if you just keep running (Forrest!), if you just do this, life will be fine, and it all works out. Forest Gump asks you to participate in that kind of bullshit. That's how I feel about that movie. So I'm looking at CODA thinking, 'Oh here we go …' So what is my reaction to this film .. ? well like you, Lisa, I'm still choked up. This is an incredible film. I have not been moved by a film like this since .. I can't even remember when. And I have a little bit of tears in my eyes now just thinking about it. And I don't cry in films! I'm an Aussie bloke, we don't do that. But I'm sitting, watching this film. (And I knew from the trailer), I've even mentioned to you before, a week ago, I said, Oh my god, there's one scene in the trailer, I think this film is going to hit me. And I did tear up. And I choked up at a couple of other points in the film. And then there was one point in the film where I completely and utterly lost my shit, and I had tears streaming down my face. I can't remember the last time I felt hot tears on my face watching a film. It is the most beautiful, beautiful film. And what I love about it is that it is so incredibly true. And I don't mean that it's a documentary. You know what I mean … What I mean is that it is full of truth, (as far as I understand it). Well the performances are anyway, I can't speak to any experience of being deaf. But it's authentic, (it feels authentic), and it's just incredibly moving. So I was simply so happy to see this film. Very, very happy. Lisa Zambetti: Yeah. And when you say it strikes you as true, I mean for me, obviously, I'm not deaf, but I am a mom. And I do have teenagers who are about to go out into the world. I understand what it's like for a family to struggle. I understand what it's like to feel isolated or just feel … I mean … there's so many things that just hit me watching it. And Antoinette I want you to talk about who Troy Kotsur is to the acting community. And I should say, (and I wish Jim Clemente were here), we cast Troy on Criminal Minds as a serial killer the year before I started on Criminal Minds. And would you believe I only found that out today. Troy came in for the same series that I cast you on. Okay, he came in for a role … I think it was to play your husband and that's the first time I met him but I've seen him so many times. Talk about who he is, and why we are cheering the fact that so many more people in the world will now know of his genius. Antoinette Abbamonte: His use of sign language is out of this world. He puts so much in, and he loves to really become whatever character he's portraying. He'll take risks, which I appreciate in his work. I think that is absolutely astounding. And in CODA, there was so much color there. Lisa Zambetti: Yeah, well, we swear all the time on this show. And so I really appreciated his just poetic use of profanity and dirtiness. I just fucking loved it. I mean, he just went there. Antoinette, the things that he signed, are they in the ASL or is he improvising? Is he making things up .. I'm just so ignorant about it. What do you have to say about that? Antoinette Abbamonte: Well, from my understanding for this film, you could do some improvisation, you don't have to have the script exactly in mind. But having not looked at the script, I'm not sure how much of it was just kind of, him going his own direction. For me, the way he expressed himself in sign language? … I'm not sure if we would do that, in real life with our deaf family to talk to our own daughters, (as he did) with his daughter, I mean, to me it felt a little too much. But he may have made the choice to do that to really have as much fun as possible. And I'm not sure what his intentions were about the way he performed it though … Lisa Zambetti: Yeah. Well, I mean, I don't know is there really a sign for 'twat waffle'? (Laughs) Or, you know, any of those very colorful words that the brother and sister have for each other. I just thought that was so great. Antoinette Abbamonte: Well, I was just going to say, teenagers, high school aged, people who go to schools of the deaf, yeah, you're probably going to see that kind of dirty sign language going on, that kind of graphic (signing) it's a sign language, because it's very evocative of what it looks like. And so you'll see that a lot for deaf teenagers. I don't know that you'd see that kind of language used in home environments. We're talking about sibling…
Full show notes at the publisher
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
