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Written by Jeff Elder, MCT
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Monday, 23 July 2007 |
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Q: There is a TV commercial where a fat, hairy man wearing a zebra-skin bikini says, "How you doin'?" When casting a role like this, do they send out a call for repulsive actors? And who puts that on their resume?
— Sylvia Stockard
A: Sylvia, if you're expecting me to root against the fat, hairy dude, you've obviously never met me. (I haven't squeezed into my zebra-skin bikini in ages.)
You're on the right track as far as a casting call and repulsive actors advertising their looks, says casting director Jane Jenkins, who has cast some of Hollywood's biggest movies. She and Janet Hirshenson run The Casting Company, which has cast more than 100 movies. They found the actors for Ron Howard's "Apollo 13" and "A Beautiful Mind" and Rob Reiner's "When Harry Met Sally" and "A Few Good Men." Jenkins and Hirshenson have recently written the book "A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some Of Hollywood's Biggest Movies" (Harcourt; available for $16.50 online).
Here's how it works:
Casting directors announce new projects via a communications network run by Breakdown Services Ltd. For each project they list the characters needed, with specific descriptions: A man more than 7 feet tall; an extremely overweight woman.
"Whatever the part calls for," says Jenkins, "including special skills like juggling or speaking Russian fluently."
These character descriptions reach agents who submit photos and information about clients. The casting director picks actors to come in to audition. Videotapes of the best candidates are shown to the director, who makes the decision. Then casting directors negotiate with the actor's agent.
If no appropriate actors answer the call, Jenkins might have to go out into the real world looking for the right type.
"Sometimes you have to go pretty far afield if the part is very unusual," Jenkins says. "I have contacted the circus, the Little People of America, the parents-of-twins clubs, riding academies and the World Wrestling Federation, among others."
Why search out such unusual — or even "repulsive" — people?
"We don't want every actor in the film to be pretty," Jenkins says. "They can't all be Brad Pitt."
Jenkins used to regularly cast character actor Vincent Schiavelli, whom you might remember from "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," "Fast Times At Ridgemont High," "Ghost" and many other films.
"I hired Vincent a number of times over the years because of his distinctive look and because he was a terrific actor."
(Schiavelli died of lung cancer in 2005.)
Fans of Reiner's quirky fairy tale "The Princess Bride" will like this:
Jenkins asked screenwriter William Goldman how big a man he had in mind for the role of the giant. He replied, "Someone like Andre the Giant." (He was about 7 feet, 500 pounds.)
Unfortunately, the famed pro wrestler was booked up with matches during the filming dates. So Jenkins proceeded to meet with giants in Los Angeles, New York and London.
Reiner and Jenkins were auditioning actors in London when the phone rang. Andre's dates had been canceled. He could meet Reiner at the Paris airport. Reiner jumped in a cab, headed to Heathrow Airport, and on the plane to Paris tape-recorded Andre's entire part — complete with inflections.
"When you watch the film," Jenkins says, "what you see is Rob Reiner's comic timing and Andre's big heart and childlike sweetness."
Speaking of my fellow ogres:
As a card-carrying member of America's Repulsive Guys, Hairy division (ARGH), I couldn't resist asking Jenkins what type of role I would be right for. (I've been told I look like a wimpy Tony Soprano.)
"Not Tony Soprano at all," Jenkins says. She sees me playing the part of a teacher, doctor, or hotel manager. "And then maybe, just maybe, we could read you for the part of the drug dealer and see how you pull it off."
(I could carry my stash in my zebra-skin bikini.)
Today's fascinating fact
The average cost of a studio film is now $100 million, according to Newsweek. To get that back, studios hope for a big opening-weekend gross of up to $30 million.
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