Synopses & Reviews
For anyone who’s ever walked out of a movie and said, “That guy was all wrong for that part, ” comes this first-of-its-kind look at how actors are chosen and careers are born. Two of the top casting directors in the business, who most recently cast the new James Bond, The Da Vinci Code, and the summer blockbuster Poseidon, offer an insider’s tour of their crucial craft—spotting stars in the making—in this lively memoir, full of the kind of backroom detail loved by movie fans and aspiring actors alike. Janet and Jane share the fascinating, funny stories of discovering and casting then-unknown stars like Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Cusack, Matt Damon, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Brendan Fraser, Virginia Madsen, Joaquin Phoenix, Meg Ryan, Benicio Del Toro, and the Harry Potter kids. Taking us from the first casting call through head shots, auditions, meetings, and desperate searches to fill a part, they give us behind-the-scenes access to the machinery of star-making. Films Include:
The Da Vinci CodeFriday Night LightsSomething's Gotta GiveA Beautiful MindHarry Potter & the Sorcerer's StoneHow the Grinch Stole ChristmasThe Perfect StormAir Force OneJurassicParkGhosts of MississippiThe American PresidentMrs. DoubtfireIn the Line of FireLast Action Hero
A Few Good MenHome AloneHookBackdraftMiseryGhostWhen Harry Met SallyLicence to KillMystic PizzaBeetlejuiceThe Princess BrideStand by MeFerris Bueller's Day OffThe Sure ThingDuneBody DoubleRed DawnThe Outsiders
Review
"Janet and Jane are responsible for discovering many of today's greatest screen actors. Their cinematic vision and uncommonly good taste have made them an invaluable part of the motion picture casting process. Their brilliant new book provides us with a true insider's view of the casting of a film. A Star Is Found should be required reading for every student of cinema."--Chris Columbus, director of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone "Casting directors are some of the unsung heroes in Hollywood, and these are two of the best." -- Movieline
Review
PRAISE FOR
A STAR IS FOUND "Parlour game fun . . . Good-natured and always professional, Hirshenson and Jenkins impart the tenets of their craft."--
The New York Times Book Review"[A Star is Found] reads as fast and easily as a finely honed script."--The Columbus Dispatch
Synopsis
For anyone whos ever walked out of a movie and said, That guy was
all wrong for that part,” comes this first-of-its-kind look at how actors are chosen and careers are born. Two of the top casting directors in the business, who most recently cast the new James Bond,
The Da Vinci Code, and the summer blockbuster
Poseidon, offer an insiders tour of their crucial craftspotting stars in the makingin this lively memoir, full of the kind of backroom detail loved by movie fans and aspiring actors alike. Janet and Jane share the fascinating, funny stories of discovering and casting then-unknown stars like Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Cusack, Matt Damon, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Brendan Fraser, Virginia Madsen, Joaquin Phoenix, Meg Ryan, Benicio Del Toro, and the Harry Potter kids. Taking us from the first casting call through head shots, auditions, meetings, and desperate searches to fill a part, they give us behind-the-scenes access to the machinery of star-making. Films Include:
The Da Vinci CodeFriday Night LightsSomething's Gotta GiveA Beautiful MindHarry Potter & the Sorcerer's StoneHow the Grinch Stole ChristmasThe Perfect StormAir Force OneJurassic ParkGhosts of MississippiThe American PresidentMrs. DoubtfireIn the Line of FireLast Action Hero
A Few Good MenHome AloneHookBackdraftMiseryGhostWhen Harry Met SallyLicence to KillMystic PizzaBeetlejuiceThe Princess BrideStand by MeFerris Bueller's Day OffThe Sure ThingDuneBody DoubleRed DawnThe Outsiders
Synopsis
An insider's guide to the process and politics of Hollywood casting decisions shares back-room details about how actors were chosen for some of the biggest films in recent decades and includes lesser-known information about dozens of today's A-list movie celebrities. 50,000 first printing.
Synopsis
For anyone whos ever walked out of a movie and said, "That guy was all wrong for the part," comes this first-of-its-kind look at how actors are chosen and careers are born. Two of the top casting directors in the business, who recently cast the much-lauded choice of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, offer an insiders tour of their crucial craftspotting stars in the making. Janet and Jane share the fascinating, funny stories of discovering and casting then-unknown stars such as Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Cusack, Matt Damon, Jennifer Connelly, Virginia Madsen, Joaquin Phoenix, Meg Ryan, Benicio Del Toro, and the Harry Potter kids. Taking us from the first casting call through head shots, auditions, meetings, and desperate searches to fill a part, they give us the kind of behind-the-scenes access to the machinery of star-making that captivates movie fans and aspiring actors alike.
About the Author
JANET HIRSHENSON and
JANE JENKINS have been partners in the Casting Company since 1981 and have worked with directors from Ron Howard and Wolfgang Petersen to Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Rob Reiner, Tim Burton, and John Hughes. In 1999 they were named the first-ever “Casting Directors of the Year” by the Hollywood Film Festival. They both live in Los Angeles.
Table of Contents
Contents
INTRODUCTION
1 * The Call
2 * Getting Started
3 * Auditioning the Unknowns
4 * Names and Stars
5 * Stars and Superstars
6 * Making Sure
7 * The Littlest Stars
8 * The Tough Search
9 * When It All Comes Together (Or Not)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INDEX