Mia Cusumano: The Artwork of Casting with a Visionary Eye

Casting Director Mia Cusumano will inform you that casting is without doubt one of the most important threads in movie and tv manufacturing, weaving collectively the story with the actors who convey it to life. With a eager eye for expertise and a deep understanding of character dynamics, Cusumano has been instrumental in assembling the casts of quite a few tasks akin to The Trial of the Chicago 7 (for which she gained an Artios Award) and The Throwback, making her a sought-after determine within the leisure business.

Cusumano’s method to casting is each intuitive and collaborative, guaranteeing that every function is stuffed by an actor who not solely matches the half but in addition enhances the general narrative. 

Mia Cusumano shares her journey into casting, the challenges she faces within the business and her insights on what it takes to construct a profitable, cohesive solid. 

Insights From Mia Cusamano

• Actors ought to discover a private connection to the fabric in each audition to convey authenticity, even when the function doesn’t initially resonate with them.
• Confidence is essential in auditions; actors must personal their decisions and venture assurance to make a powerful impression.
• Embrace simplicity and grounded performances that reveal layers and nuance as an alternative of overcomplicating the character.

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You started your profession because the Casting Coordinator for ABC’s Primetime Casting Workplace. How’d you get that job? What did the job entail?

I began, first, as an intern at ABC whereas I used to be in class. I did a number of years of pilot season interning and discovered invaluable info about casting. A number of years had handed since I had labored at ABC and I used to be very near everybody who labored within the New York workplace. They had been in search of a temp to come back on for pilot season. I gladly took the place and it became a everlasting gig.

I used to be extremely lucky to study from these unimaginable casting administrators. I had 4 mentors in my first job as a casting assistant. Rosalie Joseph, Marci Phillips, Janet Murphy and Geoffrey Soffer had been so affected person and sort throughout the years once I was studying and rising on this business. Their kindness, not solely in direction of me however in direction of actors coming in, has at all times been my guiding gentle for the way I work at the moment. 

Give us some childhood background.

I grew up in a really small city in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Previous Forge. We’re simply exterior of Scranton. It’s a beautiful small city of solely 10,000 folks. All of whom, I both know personally or I’m associated to. Everybody is aware of everybody. Which, wanting again on it, is considered one of my favourite issues about rising up in a small city.

Once I was youthful I at all times wished to do one thing inventive. I wished to be a chef. I used to be about to go to the Culinary Institute of America once I backed out. I like cooking for folks I like, however felt cooking for the lots was not what impressed me.

Then I considered doing inside design, however, finally, I ended up learning trend at FIT. I beloved trend. I nonetheless do, however the business left one thing chilly in me. I began longing to be in casting.

I knew somebody who was a casting director and she or he inspired me to attempt it out. I do really feel as if trend and casting are extra related than folks would possibly suppose. It is rather just like pattern forecasting. Figuring out what folks need earlier than they know.

Photograph by Nick Parisse, courtesy of Mia Cusumano.

You’re the co-owner of M&M Casting, working alongside Meghan Rafferty. How did you two meet? What was the driving drive behind you beginning your personal casting firm? Please share your journey about opening up a enterprise.

Meghan and I began working collectively over a decade in the past. Our first venture was The Leftovers. What an unimaginable expertise this present was. I beloved all the pieces about it. The inventive workforce was simply so fantastic and inspiring. I’m nonetheless impressed by that work.

Meghan and I are enterprise companions and likewise finest mates, so for us constructing our skilled footprint collectively was a no brainer.

How would you method casting a venture that doesn’t personally resonate with you?

When one thing doesn’t personally resonate with me it may be difficult. In these tasks possibly the general story doesn’t communicate to me, however there are at all times characters that do.

Whenever you deal with simply particular person moments, you join. Particularly if you find yourself working with actors and discovering moments of levity with them. Watching an actor take a scene that possibly I used to be uncertain about after which working their magic and turning it into one thing way more relatable if you hear it out loud vs. simply studying it. 

Please stroll us via your casting course of from the primary script learn to the ultimate casting choices.

Once I first learn a script I immediately create a imaginative and prescient of who I see in every function. I begin with the primary actor that involves thoughts after which my thoughts begins filling with concepts. My inventive juices begin flowing and I begin writing down lists of oldsters who I believe would convey to life these characters and assist construct the world we’re creating. I additionally put out casting requires brokers and managers to ship me concepts.

I want to say my first impression of a personality is at all times right. It’s not. Typically if you begin the method you hear the phrases out loud and you might be immediately modified in your idea and imaginative and prescient. Typically an actor is available in that may do one thing in a scene that you just didn’t see and it conjures up you to maneuver in a distinct course.

That may be a fantastic factor. To be impressed by one actor’s efficiency, a lot that it permits it to maneuver you, very organically, into a brand new course. I like that about my job.

Photograph courtesy of Mia Cusumano.

How do you method casting for a task that requires particular cultural or linguistic nuances?

I’ve had lots of tasks the place they’re very particular with the characters’ descriptions. With Ramy, particularly, we had been casting Egyptian/Center Japanese actors. As it’s with all languages, Arabic just isn’t a one-size-fits-all-all. There are particular regional dialects.

Though you might be studying and listening to somebody talking Arabic, you aren’t essentially presenting somebody who’s the particular area you might be in search of. There’s lots of outreach to the communities you need to solid. You must faucet into these communities via inventive methods. Whether or not it’s via neighborhood teams on Fb, via neighborhood facilities, or via my Center Japanese actor mates who’re at all times keen to assist unfold the phrase. You simply try to be sure to’re authentically telling the story. 

Are you able to share an instance of a time if you took a danger on an actor, and it paid off?

I believe anytime you might be pushing for an actor that your inventive workforce isn’t contemplating and attempting to get them to look in that course vs. the one they appear to be pulling in, there’s a danger. Not too long ago I had two totally different roles the place my inventive workforce wished to go in a distinct course and I used to be capable of change their minds and take a look at the actor I used to be strongly combating for.

It actually may have gone badly in the event that they obtained to set and my workforce felt they weren’t pleased with their performances and it was I who satisfied them had been the very best decisions… I used to be fortunate to be instructed they’ve been thrilled with each actors. And one they wrote an extra episode for him to be in. So, I contemplate {that a} success.

What recommendation do you’ve got for actors who need to make an enduring impression in an audition?

Get pleasure from your self in an audition. Discover a solution to join on a private degree to any materials you might be engaged on. Even in belongings you really feel usually are not one thing you can connect with, there may be at all times one thing throughout the character you may perceive and can resonate with you.

I’m at all times drawn to easy, grounded performances. Easy doesn’t imply boring. Easy doesn’t imply there aren’t layers and nuances to the character. Confidence… Be assured in your decisions. Confidence is without doubt one of the most necessary qualities in an audition. If you will fake to be something in an audition, fake to be assured.

How, if in any respect, do your private political beliefs affect the choices you make within the casting course of or in selecting tasks to work on? Have there been cases the place your political views formed the course of a venture, or do you try to maintain your skilled work separate out of your convictions?

I’ve very sturdy and vocal political beliefs. And sure, they actually do affect me in each facet of my life and the tasks I work on. I’m very lucky to have the ability to work in an business that embraces telling tales with political tones.

I’ve been very lucky to get to be a part of that particular storytelling. The Trial of the Chicago 7 and She Mentioned had been each vitally necessary to me and the activism I really feel strongly linked to.

Photograph courtesy of Mia Cusumano.

The rest you’d wish to say?

All the time know I’m rooting for you. I’m at all times hoping you’re the reply to my drawback. And my drawback is an open function that must be solid. Initially of each audition, I’m going in believing and hoping you will be unimaginable and I’m going to get to give you the function. That’s at all times my hope. For each actor I see. 

Go to Mia Cusumano’s Instagram.