Kim Williams has been elected president of the Casting Society of America, and Caroline Liem has been elected vice president as part of CSA’s newly elected board of directors. Williams is the fifth woman, and the second woman of color, to helm the organization since its founding in 1982.
Williams is vice president of casting at Disney Television Studios, a post she’s held since October 2019. She oversaw casting for the recently completed pilot of Lee Daniels’ The Spook Who Sat by the Door for FX, and the Emmy-nominated Genius: Aretha for Nat Geo. She also oversees casting for The Chi for Showtime and the upcoming The Old Man starring Jeff Bridges for FX. Williams also serves as casting director for the upcoming Freeform series Single Drunk Female.
As director of casting at ABC, Williams worked on projects for the network, Disney+ and ABC Studios, including the drama series For Life.
Williams is vice president of casting at Disney Television Studios, a post she’s held since October 2019. She oversaw casting for the recently completed pilot of Lee Daniels’ The Spook Who Sat by the Door for FX, and the Emmy-nominated Genius: Aretha for Nat Geo. She also oversees casting for The Chi for Showtime and the upcoming The Old Man starring Jeff Bridges for FX. Williams also serves as casting director for the upcoming Freeform series Single Drunk Female.
As director of casting at ABC, Williams worked on projects for the network, Disney+ and ABC Studios, including the drama series For Life.
- 7/28/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
The Casting Society of America will host two virtual town halls this month as part of its Asian American Pacific Islander Initiative. Celebrating Asia Pacific American Heritage Month, CSA says the town halls and roundtable discussions – on May 10 and 17 – “are designed to affect concrete change in how creatives, in this historically underrepresented community, have been perceived, what they have achieved, and how we all can create systemic change to move the needle of progress forward.”
The events, titled “Closer To Equity: Deconstructing the Asian Narrative,” are free and open to the entertainment community.
The CSA will also hold roundtable discussions on Asian inclusion on May 20. Speakers include Grace Wu, NBCUniversal’s EVP Casting and Entertainment Content; director Jude Weng; and actors Jamie Chung, Amy Hill, Dustin Nguyen, Grace Park, Rain Valdez and Jude Weng.
“Empowering casting directors by giving them the tools to cast authentically will create a ripple effect...
The events, titled “Closer To Equity: Deconstructing the Asian Narrative,” are free and open to the entertainment community.
The CSA will also hold roundtable discussions on Asian inclusion on May 20. Speakers include Grace Wu, NBCUniversal’s EVP Casting and Entertainment Content; director Jude Weng; and actors Jamie Chung, Amy Hill, Dustin Nguyen, Grace Park, Rain Valdez and Jude Weng.
“Empowering casting directors by giving them the tools to cast authentically will create a ripple effect...
- 5/6/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
The Casting Society of America will host a virtual town hall on February 1 and a three-day online open call for for Black actors from Feb. 19-21. Both events are part of Csa’s Black Actors Initiative, which is designed to effect real change in how actors in historically underrepresented communities are afforded access to job opportunities.
The town hall will include an in-depth discussion “to forge actionable changes in the representation of these actors,” Csa said. Actors who identify as Black are invited to attend, as are all casting professionals — casting directors, associates and assistants — talent agents and talent managers. The event will be moderated by casting director Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd and actor Carla Renata. Panelists will include:
• Josiah Akinyele (talent agent)
• Charlton Blackburne (manager)
• Yvette Nicole Brown (actor)
• Kim Coleman (casting director)
• Keith David (actor)
• Leah Daniels-Butler (casting director)
• Fatmata Kamara (talent agent)
• Anthony LeBlanc (producer/director)
• Harold Lewter...
The town hall will include an in-depth discussion “to forge actionable changes in the representation of these actors,” Csa said. Actors who identify as Black are invited to attend, as are all casting professionals — casting directors, associates and assistants — talent agents and talent managers. The event will be moderated by casting director Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd and actor Carla Renata. Panelists will include:
• Josiah Akinyele (talent agent)
• Charlton Blackburne (manager)
• Yvette Nicole Brown (actor)
• Kim Coleman (casting director)
• Keith David (actor)
• Leah Daniels-Butler (casting director)
• Fatmata Kamara (talent agent)
• Anthony LeBlanc (producer/director)
• Harold Lewter...
- 1/25/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix released a trailer for “Song Exploder Volume 2,” and Starz debuted a first look at its upcoming original series, “Run the World.”
Dates
HBO Sports and Major League Baseball are teaming up to produce “Under the Grapefruit Tree: The Cc Sabathia Story,” set to debut Dec. 22 on HBO. The documentary film follows the personal story of New York Yankees pitcher Carsten Charles Sabathia, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of his final season with the team in 2019 and narration from Sabathia. The movie chronicles the athlete’s humble beginnings in Vallejo, Calif., where he honed his skills by throwing grapefruits in his grandmother’s yard, to the ups and downs of his career, including his longtime battle with addiction. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max.
As part of its 50th anniversary crowdsourced storytelling project PBS American Portrait, PBS announced a four-part documentary series...
Dates
HBO Sports and Major League Baseball are teaming up to produce “Under the Grapefruit Tree: The Cc Sabathia Story,” set to debut Dec. 22 on HBO. The documentary film follows the personal story of New York Yankees pitcher Carsten Charles Sabathia, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of his final season with the team in 2019 and narration from Sabathia. The movie chronicles the athlete’s humble beginnings in Vallejo, Calif., where he honed his skills by throwing grapefruits in his grandmother’s yard, to the ups and downs of his career, including his longtime battle with addiction. It will also be available to stream on HBO Max.
As part of its 50th anniversary crowdsourced storytelling project PBS American Portrait, PBS announced a four-part documentary series...
- 12/1/2020
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
Rich Mento and Russell Boast have been named co-presidents of the Casting Society of America. Mento, who was formerly the Society’s vice president, will serve alongside Boast, who as Csa president has headed up its Inclusion and Diversity and Training and Education Committees.
Mento’s casting credits include all five films in the Step Up franchise, as well as such films as Cedar Rapids, No Strings Attached, Dear John, Chloe, Safe Haven, Take Me Home Tonight and Youth in Revolt. Boast’s film credits include The Tribe, Paradise Club, Tortured, The Guest Room, From the Head, Home Run Showdown and White Irish Drinkers, as well as numerous TV shows.
Six other Csa members have been given expanded roles in the organization, including:
Ally Bader – Vice President of Events
Sunny Boling – Vice President of Membership & Governance
Zora DeHorter – Vice President of Communications
Richard Hicks – Vice President of Finance and Treasurer...
Mento’s casting credits include all five films in the Step Up franchise, as well as such films as Cedar Rapids, No Strings Attached, Dear John, Chloe, Safe Haven, Take Me Home Tonight and Youth in Revolt. Boast’s film credits include The Tribe, Paradise Club, Tortured, The Guest Room, From the Head, Home Run Showdown and White Irish Drinkers, as well as numerous TV shows.
Six other Csa members have been given expanded roles in the organization, including:
Ally Bader – Vice President of Events
Sunny Boling – Vice President of Membership & Governance
Zora DeHorter – Vice President of Communications
Richard Hicks – Vice President of Finance and Treasurer...
- 12/1/2020
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
"Casting By," the critically acclaimed documentary about the role of the casting director in the movie-making process, makes its Hollywood debut this weekend at Arena Cinema. To celebrate, the filmmakers have scheduled Q&As with some of the industry's top CDs to follow this weekend's screenings: Nov. 15, 7:45 p.m.: Deb Aquila; Wally Nicita; Robin Lippin; Cathy Sandrich Nov. 16, noon: Gary Zuckerbrod, Marci Liroff Nov. 16, 2 p.m.: Richard Hicks; Jane Jenkins Nov. 16, 7:45 p.m.: Barbara McCarthy, April Webster Nov. 17, noon: Deb Zane; Roger Mussenden; John Papsidera; Julie Hutchinson; Deb Barylski Nov. 17, 2 p.m.: Ronna Kress, Heidi Levitt Nov. 17, 7 p.m.: Risa Bramon Garcia; Caroline Liem For updates and ticket information, visit arenascreen.com...
- 11/13/2013
- backstage.com
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