How We Role: A Podcast for Actors by Casting Networks
How We Role: A Podcast for Actors by Casting Networks, breaks down an actor's journey, one topic at a time. Join award-winning actor, writer and host Robert Peterpaul alongside industry talent and experts as they discuss how to build a successful career as a performer and beyond in the entertainment industry. From inspirational casting stories to practical advice on the craft of acting, tune in to expand your skill set and book that role.
Get cast today at castingnetworks.com.
How We Role: A Podcast for Actors by Casting Networks
Emmy-Winning Casting Director Julie Schubert: "Keep It Simple"
Emmy-winning casting director Julie Schubert (Netflix's The Diplomat) shares insights from her prolific career, offering actors a glimpse into what really happens behind the casting table. Alongside host Robert Peterpaul, the CD reminds us to focus on the joy.
The episode covers:
• How bringing your unique point of view to auditions can get you cast.
• Why being kind and professional can set you apart from other talented actors.
• Her hack for nailing a co-star audition & more
• Callbacks are opportunities to enjoy the work, not stress tests
JULIE SCHUBERT is an Emmy winning casting director based in New York.
Select film and TV credits include: The Diplomat, Under the Bridge, House of Cards (Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting); Night Comes On (Sundance award winning feature), Deliver Us From Evil; Marvel's The Punisher; Marvel's Daredevil; Marvel's Jessica Jones; Marvel's Luke Cage; Marvel's Iron Fist; Marvel's The Defenders; Mindhunter; Confessions of a Shopaholic, among others. Plus working on iconic films like The Devil Wears Prada and The Departed early on in her career.
This is - How We Role. Get cast today at castingnetworks.com.
Follow Host, Actor and Producer Robert Peterpaul (Amazon's Sitting in Bars with Cake, The Art of Kindness podcast) on Instagram @robpeterpaul and learn more at robertpeterpaul.com.
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Hi, this is Julie Schubert. I'm 5'6" and I really want to be on a game show sometime in my life, and this is how we Roll.
Speaker 2:When it comes to working in entertainment, there's a lot of hows, and they all boil down to how we navigate this wild industry. While how we follow our dreams is uncertain, how we roll along the way is in our hands. Welcome to how we Roll, a podcast for actors by Casting Networks. Hi actors, it's your pal Robert Peterpaul here with a very special bonus episode. The opportunity to speak with one of the world's most prolific casting directors popped up, and we couldn't resist the urge to share it with you, friend. There's no specific subject Today. We're diving deep on all the things with Emmy winner Julie Schubert.
Speaker 2:Julie Schubert is a New York-based casting director currently working on the hit Netflix series the Diplomat. Some other selected film and television credits include Under the Bridge, sundance award-winning feature Night Comes On. Deliver Us from Evil. Marvel's the Punisher. Marvel's Daredevil. Marvel's Jessica Jones. Marvel's Luke Cage. Marvel's the Punisher. Marvel's Daredevil. Marvel's Jessica Jones. Marvel's Luke Cage. Marvel's Iron Fist. Marvel's the Defenders Wow, julie is an expert on all things MCU.
Speaker 2:There's also Mindhunter, confessions of a Shopaholic and, oh, of course, netflix's very first original series ever, house of Cards, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting Casual. I see more Emmys in Julie's future, in fact, after this conversation, I want to give her an award myself for breaking down everything in such a digestible and inspiring way. Maybe we should have the how we Rolls, the HWR Awards, I don't know. Julie reminds us, at the end of the day, that this should all just be fun. Speaking of fun, you can find more how we Roll treasures on social media at Casting Networks, at Rob Peter Paul hey, and on the Casting Networks YouTube page. Now here's how we Roll with casting director Julie Schubert. Julie hello, hi, I'm so excited to talk to you. I'm such a huge fan of your work. Thank you for being here, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:I'm excited to be here. Thank you for the invitation.
Speaker 2:Of course. Well, I got to start out by congratulating you, I think, for everything. I mean season two of the Diplomat, but then also season three, the renewal announcement, and I think did they say four or two. I just all the things, Congratulations.
Speaker 1:It's awesome it's going to be and it's just, it's a show that I love so much and the team that I love so much, and it's just it's really exciting to to continue to tell the story.
Speaker 2:You know that love really shines through, and I think that's probably part of the secret ingredient of why we all love it. I know I'm like jumping the gun here, but do you think in your experience over the years that makes all the difference when people actually love what they're working on?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I do. I mean, you know, I've been really fortunate in my career. Most of the jobs that I've been a part of, I've felt very passionately about them and I feel like the actors that I've been able to get involved in them also feel passionately about them. There's always a few that maybe not so much, but I do. I think it shows, I think, that level of care, that level of specificity, that level of joy of going to work with each other every day. People don't hate each other. I mean why aren't we doing?
Speaker 1:this. If people are unhappy, that's terrible.
Speaker 2:I know right. We do not need to be we doing this if people are unhappy.
Speaker 1:That's terrible, I know right, we do not need to be unhappy doing this.
Speaker 2:No, and was this the thing when you were a little kid? Was this like the thing that brought you so much joy, the imagination of it, all, the playtime. Because that's kind of what we're doing still, at the end of the day, I had no idea this was even a thing when I was little.
Speaker 1:I grew up in a restaurant business, so my life was all in restaurants. It was like working the phones, waiting the tables, pizza oven, because my family has a restaurant out in Bucks County.
Speaker 2:Oh, I love Bucks County. Which one.
Speaker 1:You know, bucks County.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love Bucks County.
Speaker 1:Where in Bucks County do you know?
Speaker 2:Well, I worked at the Playhouse many moons ago and then I know sort of like the dreamy downtown area and then New Hope, so I've been all up and down.
Speaker 1:The cool area, so I'm from Southampton.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay.
Speaker 1:So super tiny, like the tiniest of them all, but my dad opened up a restaurant there like in the 70s and I mean it's still there. My brothers work there, my sister does the marketing, my sister does the uh does the marketing, my mom does the catering. I mean it's a, I'm the only one and if you actually look at the menus, there's like a thing in the beginning that tells the story of moose and goose, my dad being moose, my mom being goose, and how they have four children Julie, josh Becky and Sam. Josh Becky and Sam still work together today, but what happened to Julie? Nobody knows. She's gone.
Speaker 2:I love that. Well, listen, I mean, perhaps the only thing harder than having a TV show been made and then be successful is, I think, keeping a restaurant in business for that long. That's so hard. So hats off to your fam.
Speaker 1:I know they say what they say Fail after the first year If you get past the first year you're in better shape.
Speaker 2:But yeah, Can you shout out the name so everybody can check it?
Speaker 1:out Mangio's Restaurant in Bucks County, southampton, pennsylvania. It's a yes, yeah, it's, it's my home cooking.
Speaker 2:I love that. Is it Italian? Did you say Mangio's?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean technically, yeah, but it's more like. It's more like Philly comfort. You've got steak, sandwiches, hoagies, you know.
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 1:They should be.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, I'm excited for that and we're eventually we'll take the road down there, but we got to go back down the yellow brick road.
Speaker 1:I don't know why I I'm sorry. Yeah, that was a tangent.
Speaker 2:That was beautiful, honestly, I I love that because I think too, like we're all in this together.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't be calling you in if I wasn't excited to meet you and work with you. I'm in your corner immediately as soon as you walk in. I'm your biggest champion. I love that.
Speaker 2:Thank you, julie. Okay, it was great to meet you. Bye, that's what we need to hear. Well, I mean, looking back on that journey, I think maybe you have that perspective, because I know you've talked about how initially you thought maybe you wanted to be an actor and then that quickly kind of switched for you in school, even though I think it's changing. I mean, acting's a crazy journey and then casting is even sort of more mysterious. I think when was the moment you knew you wanted to be a casting director?
Speaker 1:I was in um, it was my senior year of college, I had an internship and it was cbs primetime casting and, uh, it was the hardest thing I'd ever done, because they were in the middle of pilot season. I came in as a replacement. They didn't originally hire me, um, because I, you know, I'm not a, I'm not corporate in any way, shape or form, and but they they ran to, they ran into, they got into a bit of a a sticky situation. One of their interns quit and the other one had to go away and they had, I think, 32 pilots at the time and, um, they just needed someone there. They needed someone to answer the phones cause they were just so busy. So they were like, hey, come on, do this for a couple of days. And I cried the first day, I cried the third day, I didn't cry the third day and I was like I can do this, and so that's how it all kind of worked.
Speaker 2:Third time's the charm.
Speaker 1:Third day. I was like I got this, I'm going to organize everything, I'm going to get things together.
Speaker 2:I've got. I know comes to mind Great movie, Great movie. Isn't it? I'm such a Dolly person and she's coming to Broadway. I know the best Dolly for president. You know, and you really put the hustle in from what I know, you know working, I think, two other jobs in addition to that internship.
Speaker 1:Research. Yeah, I, yeah I am.
Speaker 2:I'm excited, julie. I'm excited for you to be here and I think it relates because I mean what advice do you have for creatives today on having survival jobs that serve you? Because I think it can take over your life sometimes if you don't have the right one.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's the thing. I think it kind of broke me a little bit because I, you know, I hustled. I didn't come from a family with a lot of money, I didn't come from a place where I had the support like financial support behind me, so I had to be able to generate whatever it was that I needed to generate to make sure that I was going to be able to do what I did. And at the time where I was coming up, you had to get internships, and internships were allowed outside of college. Um, you know, they didn't have that same sort of cause I'm not old. They didn't have that same sort of because I'm not old. They didn't have that same sort of like credit system where you know there's some protections around internships. I ended up working in casting for free for a year just to be able to bring it to the industry in a way.
Speaker 1:that was really exciting for me. So I would wake up at like four in the morning, I would go to the Minetta Lane Theater. I would do wardrobe for the show Cookin' that was down there at the time. I would then go to my internship or even, technically, my assistant position at whatever casting office I was working at the time, and then I would go to the Union Square Theater where, like you know, doesn't exist anymore, but they paid you under the table, which was really helpful, very, very legal. I passed the statute of limitations so I can say that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, you're totally fine.
Speaker 1:Passion hand and things like that. And I was really really really careful with. I'm very good at budgeting, I'm very good at figuring out how much I need at any given time, and especially during college, I would go back and work at my family's restaurant and just like hoard money. So I knew that when I got out of college I'd be able to do that, and it was at the time where student loans didn't come due for six months. So I was able to kind of like figure it out. But you know, working eight days a week from like four until 10, 11 o'clock at night most days, and it definitely took its toll.
Speaker 1:It was, it was very rough. Um, I think by the time I was 25, I was like I think I'm burned out, which is a terrible thing to say, and like, yeah, then you figure it out, you let some things go, you you get a job that actually pays you a salary, and then it's just, it's like it's unfortunate because it's like this weird hang on until you get there. And I was fortunate enough to be able to figure it out and hustle in a way that I was able to hang on, but I don't. But I, you know, this was 20 years ago, where things were much less expensive, and I don't know how to do that now. That's very un-uplifting, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:It's beautiful. I love it so much I'm going to put it on a rip-off calendar. It's great. No, I wonder now. I think it's interesting now because you're doing what you love and all of us actors. You're trying to do what you love, or you're doing you know you're trying to do it again or there's only doing you know. We should stop saying trying, I guess. But I wonder what's your mindset in sort of not burning out, because you've talked about with self tapes how now, especially if an actor that you didn't know was submitting submits, that adds another 1520 minutes. It's sort of like now you could be working six in the morning until midnight if you wanted to be.
Speaker 1:I mean, that's the reality is because we are now in a system where I'm doing things live, I'm doing things on Zoom and I'm also doing things on tape, because that's the way the business model has worked. I have sort of set boundaries for myself where if I don't request a tape from you, I won't watch it. I just don't have you know, I'm very careful with how I budget my day. Like I said, budgeting is important.
Speaker 1:It doesn't matter with money, it matters with everything, like I need to have a quality of life where I can see my husband at night and I can, you know, see my family when I want to, and theater, because I go to see theater a lot as well. And you know, you can't do all of those things if you're just sitting at your desk watching You're nonstop. So I'm very careful with and I'm very thoughtful with who I ask to tape. It's not like I just see a picture and I'm like great. It's like I look at the resume, I look at the reel, I look at all the things the package together and then I make the request. If I'm asking you to engage in my process, you should be absolutely sure that you are going to be given the time and watched everything and everything will be watched fully.
Speaker 1:I love that Hard to finish yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But if you are not someone I've requested and you've sent the tape in without me giving the okay, you also have to realize like I may be in a down spot and I will look at it, but like you also have to realize that I can't promise that I will. I would hope that there'd be a little understanding there, even though I know it's hard.
Speaker 2:Oh for sure. No, that makes sense. I mean, especially casting offices are so small. I think a lot of people forget, and it's you know. There's only so many hours in a day and you watch thousands of auditions. I mean, I don't even know the number that you've watched throughout your career. I'm guessing it's huge. But taking all, you haven't been counting this whole time. Taking all that in, you know what I'm interested. What have you learned about acting now, being on the other side of it and watching all these actors over the years?
Speaker 1:It's? It's still a mystery to me, you know, I think I think what was really beneficial about going to school for acting was being able to learn language, to speak to actors in a way that isn't just say it this way, do it this way, kind of thing. You really are able to talk about the arc of the scene, the character development, the story itself and how that can feed into choices, which I think is a much more creative way to discuss casting and acting in general. I don't know. What I've learned is that actors are uniquely themselves and they bring themselves to whatever it is that they're doing, and that's exciting to me because I may have an idea of what I think a role should be. But when an actor comes in and just gives it their specific spin, it's great, it's just refreshing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that Also. You can curse Let it rip.
Speaker 1:I've been told not to curse as much.
Speaker 2:I felt there was one coming.
Speaker 1:No, I didn't know there was actually, but I put myself back because I was told to be good today.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I guess I shouldn't speak for casting networks. I'm just a little Muppet who's like, yeah, I guess I shouldn't speak for casting networks. I'm just a little Muppet who's like, let's let it fly, julie, here we go. But I think that's really special because I know you also teach now. Don't believe in the pay-for-play, I don't think that that's a great system.
Speaker 1:I admit that when I was much younger, as an assistant and associate, I did participate in that and I learned very quickly that I thought I was giving something back, but I realized that wasn't what it was set up to do. So, I stopped doing it, and so now I will do these sort of masterclasses. I do it with SAG, I do it with universities, but it's truly, it truly has to be set up in a way where actors are not being charged for anything.
Speaker 2:Oh, I appreciate that so much. I think that's awesome and I wish more people thought that way. But in the way you think as a teacher, I'm wondering do you have a certain philosophy or just something you hope every student that you work with takes away? Is there like one overall lesson that you're like if you hear nothing, please hear this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think, bring your point of view. I think that's the biggest thing to share. I can't tell you how many times students come in and they say what is it that you're looking for? Or actors, it doesn't matter, it could be actors, be anybody that comes in. What is it that you're looking for? And, like you've already lost me, I'm looking for you to bring you and your point of view to this material. I can help shape that, I can help guide that, but I'm not going to give you ideas. That's not, that's not for me to do. You, as an actor, need to come with with your thoughts. Having having looked at everything that you've been given. Then let's play, because that's the joy of it, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, totally. I mean, actually the joy of you is that I guess you have psychic powers, because that was literally my next question, which is that you emphasize having a unique perspective or POV rather than what creatives want. Just to literally repeat what you just said, how do you think actors can develop a clear individual perspective during auditions? Because I think, especially for people starting out, you hear the word choices, you hear perspective and I feel like people can interpret that in different ways to you. What does that mean? Like? What's your advice on developing that, especially if you have a day to do it?
Speaker 1:I mean truthfully. I think it's just a trust in yourself that you know what you're doing. I think a lot of anxiety, uncertainty and self-doubt in this industry in general, myself included we all have those moments and I think that that gets in the way of our creative journeys. I think the minute that and the minute that you start trusting that you know what you're doing, that you are confident in it, the minute you let the rest of it go and it really lets your performance shine through. I mean I'm not saying that you're not going to be nervous to go into these sessions. I'm certainly still nervous to go into meetings on projects that I'm really excited to work on and I end up babbling like a moron and I just try really hard to like.
Speaker 2:Well, because you kind of audition too as casting professionals. A lot of actors forget that, I think.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. We are auditioning the same way that actors are. We don't know what our next job is most of the time. I'm very fortunate that we're getting another season on the Diplomat and I know where I might be going if they ask me back, because you never know, because they may not ask me response.
Speaker 2:I'm just kidding.
Speaker 1:So I'm perfect for the show. You know everybody. No, but it, you know we are in the same boat as actors. We we have to audition. We are always looking for our next job and I'm trying really hard in my old age to enjoy where I am in the moment and let it be where it is and just embrace it and just know that there will be something after this.
Speaker 2:That's an important reminder for everybody. I think my nanny always says watch what comes into the void.
Speaker 1:I love your nanny.
Speaker 2:My nanny is the best. If this is the other podcast I produce, I'd be quoting her left and right and she'll probably listen. Hi, nanny, I love my nanny, but I think it's underrated to let yourself be bored these days. You know, we live in this culture where you feel like you have to constantly jump to what's next, maybe because of social media and I guess that could be a nice cheesy transition into my question for you about social media, which is just is that something you Actually well done.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you very much. I'm sailing this ship today right into that digital landscape and I would love to know, Julie, what's your standpoint on social media? Is that something you look at? Is it like if you're between actors? Will you go and look at someone's page to get a feel yeah, Everyone says something different.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know there are studios who have certain expectations on social media followers and things like that. That's not something that that's not something that I embrace in a casting perspective and I don't think anybody would hire me to do that. I think there are others that are more better suited for that kind of that kind of work and no shade to it. You know it's, it's what they need. That's what they need. It's just. That's not the thing that makes me excited to go to work every day. I do think that social media can be a great tool to get to know somebody in an intimate way, but you've got to be really curated with what you put out there. So it's like a curated intimacy and you need to be really willing to stand behind whatever you put out in that universe, because if it's something that is controversial or We'll just stick with controversial it could do a job and you just have to be comfortable knowing that that's the case.
Speaker 2:But no.
Speaker 1:I don't. I don't use social media to, and I use social media to track down actors. Sometimes, if they don't have reps, it's I have my own. I have my own Instagram account, like my, my. My young the young kids in the office created me a Julie Schubert Instagram account because they're messy and we post stuff there and when we post open calls, we have that on the Instagram account and so it's been wonderful. I have zero idea how to get verified, but I promise you it's my account and, yeah, sometimes I use it to try and track down actors who may not have representation. I mean, there's certainly been times, especially in a project that I'm working on now, where I'm reaching into a community where the actors aren't repped. It's just not the same system and it's just it's. You know it took. It takes a couple of times and they're like we thought you were a scam and I'm like I swear I'm not a scam.
Speaker 2:Well, we could talk offline if I could send you some information on that through, you know, casting networks. If you want, we can help you out there. But it's interesting because we're kind of getting into this detective territory anyway and I'd love to know, in looking at how you prepare for every audition specifically, I'm guessing you must have so much fun doing this, but I'm very curious how do you pick what materials are sent to actors? I'm sure it's different every time, but are you like sleuthing?
Speaker 1:No, it's different every project. Some projects they like me to pull the sides, which is the thing I like the most, because I'm like this is going to be most helpful for the actor to really be able to show their colors. And sometimes the team prefers to pick the sides and I don't really have say over it. It just depends on who the team is and the project itself. Yeah, but I like to give input and hopefully it's listened to. That's all.
Speaker 2:That makes sense. I love that. Well, one thing I think you're probably in more control of every time are the breakdowns, and I would love to know if you have advice on breaking down a breakdown, because I feel like we don't really talk about the breakdown enough, and there's some clues in there, there's some gems usually.
Speaker 1:Yes and no. I think there is a real desire to keep as much story out of the breakdowns as possible these days, and I'm not quite sure why that trend is, but it's something that I don't think is very helpful to actors, because you don't really get any of the story. I mean, you don't get scripts anymore. It's very rare to get a script to take a look at. I sort of used the breakdowns at that point to give story info, but now that's kind of been stripped down as well. So my breakdowns tend to be really broad, which I think is very unhelpful for actors in general, which is just like age, ethnicity, gender if there needs to be a gender specifically because of story and, uh, you know, um. So I think take from it what you will. The things you should take from it are who are the creatives involved, because I think that that's a really good way to understand the tone of a piece, especially if you haven't been able to get a script.
Speaker 1:It's very rare that you see a lot of cross folks right Like no one would hire me for comedy. No one thinks I'm funny.
Speaker 2:I said that at the top of this.
Speaker 1:I was like I think I'm very funny, but no one else thinks I'm funny, and that's fine. We're very good at comedy, but I think it's. It's one of those things where you know, if you get something from me, it may be, it may be like a serial comedy or it may.
Speaker 1:It may have some some humor overtones but it's mostly a drama, right, or a one hour or something like that. Yeah Cause, that's just not what people think of me for. So think of me for comedy everybody out there. I would love to do one.
Speaker 2:That's what this is for. Fyp JS comedy Come on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but it's you know. But I think that's going to be helpful in terms of tone and kind of giving you some ideas, just based and then based on the material that you get, trying to extrapolate whatever you can. If it's a project, if it's a series and you know that this season it's like a season two, you have references you're looking for because you can look at a season one If it's not a season two and it's a season one or a film, watch stuff from the director. I think, especially for a film, watch stuff from the director because that'll give you a good sense of that point of view. And if it's for a series, look at the stuff that the producers have done or the casting director has done, because I think that's going to give you some good, helpful tips into how to approach your material as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's great, especially in this world where I feel like genre is so bent and blending overall. I wish it said sort of like what the genre was or something, because you have to figure out the tone and that's such a great way to do that. It's like, oh, I don't know why Mark Cherry just popped into my head, probably because I like, love, desperate Housewives. I think it's such a good binge.
Speaker 1:There you go. Yeah, it's not the Mark Cherry does. I mean it's a little. It's like great and campy and specific, and so you kind of know what you're going in for when you go in for something that is Mark Cherry, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, and even the diplomat has like this, like Carrie's, so great at delivering, like these little. There's humor in the diplomat and it's like you could get a scene with heavy humor and maybe play it way in the wrong direction.
Speaker 1:You know so. But for me you come in. I see that and I'm like okay, especially in a season one. In a season two it's a little less forgiving because it means you've done your homework. You haven't done any sort of prep, but for a season one it's a little more forgiving. You're like, okay, you get the notes, but let's hone in on what the tone actually is. And then we kind of adjust it that way.
Speaker 2:Well, while we're talking about humor, I think you said that you use humor to try and diffuse any tension or anxieties in the room with actors, even though we're you know it's a lot of virtual stuff now, but even on a live Zoom, can you share any moments where either you did something or you saw something that worked for an actor, when they were really nervous in the moment and either, like led to them booking or just led to them, you know, being called in again, like? Have you experienced things that you feel like are tangible, that everybody listening can try and do in those moments?
Speaker 1:Oh, that's hard. That's a good, that's a great question, but I don't know if I can answer that super well. I.
Speaker 2:That's okay.
Speaker 1:Whatever you say will be well, Like I talk a lot about specificity and for me it's that same sort of specificity. In a room and even on a Zoom, my job is to read energy. I know that sounds really woo-woo, but it's like that's kind of-.
Speaker 2:I love it. I'm holding crystals under the camera right, Okay, great.
Speaker 1:I love that, but it's one of those things where you have to be able to read a room, you have to really understand where someone's head is, and I'd say, 90% of the time I can, I'm pretty good at it, and so I I I can employ different techniques to diffuse the situation based on what it is. So it's really hard to be like this is the thing that I do or this is the thing that I say. I think the one overall note, especially when I see an actor that's super nervous, I go just say fuck it, man, let's go. And then you know, and they're like ha ha ha, and I'm like, I'm like literally say the word fuck it, just do it.
Speaker 1:And they're like you know, louder, let's do it again. And then, like we laugh and tension's broken and then we're good. It's just one of those things, so maybe that's the one. I love that so sorry.
Speaker 2:I love that. Listen, this is going to have an explicit little thing next to it which makes it more alluring for people. No, I don't know. I think it's great. Well, I mean one thing that's not necessarily on audition packets. I mean maybe it could be somehow or there could be like an ambassador for this. But I'm really interested and I feel like my whole life is trying to learn about kindness and how we can like kind of build a kinder world, and I know that sounds woo-woo as well. Yeah, that's great. I wonder how do you read that energy? How do you go about seeing if an actor is going to be good to work with, especially in these virtual times?
Speaker 1:Oh, I meet them. There's no yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Even if I have to meet them virtually not. You can get a sense of someone's. You can get a sense someone by having a conversation with them.
Speaker 2:Okay, I think that's true. Or like referrals, I think everybody talks, you know, people forget.
Speaker 1:Definitely do that too, you definitely be, like how did you enjoy working with this person? So, like guys, don't be jerks. That's all you know.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I, who I heard is not a jerk, is Keri Russell.
Speaker 1:Keri Russell is the hardest, kindest, most wonderful, hardest working, most kind, wonderful human being period.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and she is at the helm of the diplomat. You know, I guess, what do you think makes her such a great number one on the call sheet? You kind of just gave a log line there which could suffice as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I think, I think that's exactly it. She's incredibly hardworking. No one is going to work harder than Keri Russell and I think that brings everybody around her a sense of like well, she's doing it, I got to do it. She's also super welcoming and kind to everyone, doesn't matter what her position is, and she's just. She's just a good human who wants to like, have a good time I love that really talented yeah I mean, what the heck it's like she has it no one should do, no one should be that good, wonderful, please it's superhuman.
Speaker 2:someone else who's wonderful is Allison Janney, I believe, and you know right, we got to talk about the AJ in the room. You know, populating the world of the diplomat to me seems like such a fun challenge because you are balancing sort of star power with newcomers and it's very specific. Can you share how you landed her? I know you wanted her from the start, I think.
Speaker 1:I mean, there's no question. It was always a conversation from day one of like who can Alice and Jenny be in the show? I don't, and you know. And then she said yes, and that was I know. I keep saying it. It was so easy because there was no one else, it was just she says yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there you go, yeah you. She says yes, yeah, you go. Yeah, you got to get the staples button. That was like. That was easy. Do they still have those?
Speaker 1:I think they still do. I don't have one on my desk, but I wish I did. I do have it on my desk. That's about it.
Speaker 2:Well, we'll send you one as a thank you. I have a cookie. This is. Someone just gave me this me Julie.
Speaker 1:I also think there should be a segment of things that people have on their desks.
Speaker 2:Because we all have such weird ass things on our desk.
Speaker 1:Like I have, you know, those things in car washes or car, like this giant man, that kind of goes like. I have one of those on my desk and every once in a while if I'm feeling frustrated, I just do it and it blows and he goes around this and it's hilarious and how can you be upset after you see?
Speaker 2:it. I love that so much. I was at for Halloween this past year. I did scare my niece, oh, but it was. Yeah, it was the best, and there's like a fan inside, so I literally did look like that.
Speaker 1:That's so good.
Speaker 2:It was a lot.
Speaker 1:It's great, I don't need to tell you, but you know what else is great is the diplomat again cheesy transition, and this is such a massive show, what the tone and all of that. But like that, they're good people and I think that is a challenge because, like we're, we're curating a group of really wonderful humans that get to go to work together each day and like I want people that add to that, not take away from it, and so that's what I find the biggest challenge is to like meld all of that together. But wonderfully, there are wonderful human beings that are great actors that also want to just go and play and have a good time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that so much.
Speaker 1:I feel very fortunate.
Speaker 2:Well, I guess you haven't come across this lately then, but in those difficult instances, how do you handle those times with kindness, those hard conversations when something goes wrong? You know what's your philosophy there.
Speaker 1:I think that's all you can do is be honest about it, right? I think you can be like look, I know this wasn't your best day. I know this wasn't the thing that you feel good about. We don't feel good about it either, but this is one day in a very long career, in a very long life. Take a breath, try not to live in it and move on. I think that's truly the only way that you can find it and do better next time. And that's that's literally it. You can. Everyone has bad days. Everybody has a bed. I have bad days. There are times where I'm on the phone and I'm and I I get really short and I get snippy and like that's, no one wants, that that's, and I apologize immediately and it's not not the way I like to do business, but it's. But you know, we all have bad days. It's just the reality of life. It's how we handle it, moving forward. That separates you from someone who dwells and then blames everybody for it yeah, do you have a venmo?
Speaker 2:because I'm gonna venmo you for therapy, I feel like, oh my god.
Speaker 1:No, I think venmo is the devil. I do not have Venmo.
Speaker 2:You do. Oh, we can get into that. But then I want to time for these other questions because I also think, yeah, I think so many things on the phone are the devil, but what's not the devil is the diplomat. These transitions are so good, I love it. I'll probably cut that one out no-transcript, you know and then you could sort of spiral in your own head what, what's your advice on that?
Speaker 1:you know it's that's, yeah, it's, it's hard, you're not wrong. And like what makes you stand out from the five other people that they're maybe showing the director? Uh, they're doing that same thing. That may look like you, because every you know, or maybe they're different than you and you have no idea what the reality is. You have no idea how they're presenting to the director or what they're doing to the director.
Speaker 1:All you can do is what you do and what you do really well, which is yourself. And I like to say, with these sort of one-liners and short scenes, is that you find that these guys never have names. It's usually a profession, right, and so think of it in that term. Like this is a profession like a, like a receptionist. You know it may not say that you're like sitting at a desk on a computer when you're saying this line, but like, what would a receptionist do? Would they have a phone with them? They have a computer with them.
Speaker 1:Like set the scene, set a little bit of that. I'm not asking you to go bump, I'm not asking you to like make a movie out of it, I'm not asking you to like use many props or things like that, but think of it in those terms and it kind of. And I do think that there's something to be said about an audition, especially for a short thing like that, where seeing that person in the environment, even if it's an environment that they're just creating out of nothing, where there is a beginning and an end, it gives it a little more specificity and they know what it is that the job is. Do you know what I mean? Bartender what do bartenders do Waitress? What does a waitress do? Cocktail waitress? There's different levels of specificity with each job and required and I think that's a good way to kind of like.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's fantastic advice, advice. Actually. I haven't had anybody say something like that to me and it's it's like good looking, you know. No, I love that. You know it's good advice when it's it really hones in on the specific simplicity. It's like it's right there. Just look at what the job is, you know. It's the difference between starting the scene like washing the table as the bartender, versus just kind of standing there and waiting to say the line. You know living in the environment, so I love that. I also would love to know if you have we talked about allison, now I'm throwing this cookie around do you have a dream, a dream cast for the diplomat looking forward? Do you have a dream cast?
Speaker 2:dream cast is a great word, it's already there but do you have like a, a dream cast in the sense of you wave that wand and it's on a certain person that you're trying to get on the show next?
Speaker 1:I think it all depends on the writers. Like I, there's many actors that I absolutely love and would be so obsessed to work with, but I think it's all dependent on how the writers create their characters. You know, it's not for me to say let's put this person in the show, make something happen. It's for them to be like this is the show, make something happen. It's for them to be like this is the role, julie what do you think?
Speaker 2:And I'll be like this person you know.
Speaker 1:So it's kind of hard to be, like you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Biddle-dee-bop, what I don't know. What is that? What would they wave?
Speaker 2:Oh, biddle-dee-bop-dee-boo, biddle-dee and I just I need to touch on this very old credit of yours. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but you're associated with the Devil Wears Prada, and that's still in the news today.
Speaker 1:Well, they're doing a sequel, they're doing a second one. Yeah, that's exciting.
Speaker 2:And it's coming to Broadway. It's in the West End. I mean I want to say Duba Meryl Streep's story, that's no.
Speaker 1:I don't, I do, I do. It was very exciting. I was the assistant on it. Ellen Lewis was the casting director. Actually she's also, from what I understand, casting the sequel, which is great because Ellen Lewis is the queen of casting and you said you've learned like you learned.
Speaker 2:We talked about kindness a bit, but you said that's something you learned from her. I think.
Speaker 1:Juliet Taylor, like the people that I sort of grew up under and learned from, you know, it was really amazing because they were at points in their careers where they've proven everything they need to prove. They were just doing the absolute most amazing work and I got to watch it every day and I saw how they treated people and it was always lovely and with kindness and support. And you know, people don't do the best work they can unless they feel supported and comfortable.
Speaker 2:And it makes sense, right? It's like why would you want to keep working with someone if they're not kind? Which is what I hear about Meryl Streep. It's like usually the people at the top of their game are actually treating people with kindness. Yeah, exactly as people.
Speaker 1:Yeah people like to work with good people yeah. Not talented people who are jerks.
Speaker 2:Yeah, true, I mean, Venmo's not the only devil. But if you have a devil who is proud of story to share, we'll take it. If you don't, I have something else that we can-.
Speaker 1:Oh no, I mean I was the assistant on it. I was very much not part of the hubbub them but, uh, I was. It was a pretty amazing project that I got to work on and I'm pretty grateful for it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's assistant. That's a lot of work, though, and that's a same with associate, and then you know the casting director. All of this is just so incredible and I'm so grateful you're here, and before you go, I would love if we could just play a surprise game oh, I love games. Okay, yeah, okay, I want to be on a game show someday. Welcome Julie. Okay, I have a theme song that will pop in here, just some cheesy music. Okay, what if I sang to you live? That'd be kind of crazy.
Speaker 1:I'd love to do it, that'd be great.
Speaker 2:So this is called Casting Keywords and basically I'm going to say a word or a phrase that you and actors probably hear all the time. They'll be very simple and it'll be kind of like rapid fire advice, Like okay, got it. Yeah, Like word association, but when you hear the word, just the first piece of tangible advice that comes into your head. And if there's a larger story, I mean I'm sure you can already tell I love a tangent, so we can go there Okay great, I will do it. All right, Julie, are you ready?
Speaker 1:I'm ready.
Speaker 2:Okay, and we'll start off simple. The first one is self-tapes.
Speaker 1:Oh God, already I failed. Okay, wait so.
Speaker 2:Like your general self-tape tip.
Speaker 1:General self-tape tip keep it easy. Keep it simple. I'm personally not expecting anything incredibly cinematic.
Speaker 2:I want to be able to see your eyes. That's good. You also want to see your eyes. That's good. You also want to see someone's eyes in a slate. What's your deal on slating?
Speaker 1:Ideally full body, name, height and location.
Speaker 2:Okay, do you like to see any glimmers of personality?
Speaker 1:Some people like a little. I'm fine with it. I feel like the way you say your name, your height and your location tells me a lot about you funny enough. I feel like the way you say your name, your height and your location tells me a lot about you funny enough. I don't need any anecdotes, but if you want to throw one in, I'm not opposed to it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, especially if you do it in like a clown suit or something. Oh my God, that would be amazing. No, that'd be crazy. I think there's a story of Robin Williams doing it upside down for an audition.
Speaker 1:That's how he got Mork and Mindy, or something that makes Mark and Mendy, of course, come on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when it works, it works. Okay. Callbacks Enjoy them. I like that because you can set yourself up. Okay, I know this is a little bit antiquated, but cold reads.
Speaker 1:I don't do them.
Speaker 2:I like that. There is an app called Cold Read that helps you learn your lines, which is nice. I shut that up, yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't want to do that to. If I have to, I have to, but that's not happened in a very, very, very long time.
Speaker 2:Okay, we appreciate that. Chemistry reads I think it can be really important, but rare. Okay, the term pinned some folks out there might never have heard this term.
Speaker 1:Okay. Pinned for me means that there's a level of interest in what you've done. It does not mean that you have the job. It does not necessarily mean that you're moving forward in the larger scheme of things for a callback or anything like that, but it means that you have done a great job. Please keep me updated on what you have going on. Does not mean I'm holding you back from taking other work Absolutely not. That is not legal, nor okay. But I do expect, because you know that I have interest in you, that you would just keep me updated on what you have going on. Because you know that I have interest in you, that you would just keep me updated on what you have going on.
Speaker 2:Okay. Speaking of legal Venmo no, I'm just kidding. Speaking of legal contracts, do you have like one tip for contracts for actors? Read them, please read them. That says it all.
Speaker 1:Know what you're getting into.
Speaker 2:I love that. Okay, networking Important, but don't be a douche about it. I like that. I'm gonna put that on a t-shirt actually staying present. That's like an ambiguous thing that we hear all the time, you know, don't be when you're talking to somebody.
Speaker 1:Don't be like looking at your phone or looking behind that person to see what if there's somebody cooler in the background, because, like when you're on the phone with somebody. Don't be on your computer, because I can. Nothing drives me crazier when I'm having a conversation with somebody on the phone and I'm like, okay, you stopped talking to me because you're on the computer. I got to go Bye.
Speaker 2:Yeah, or you can like hear the texting, sometimes, right, like when people are like tapping the phone, you're like like if I have to, I'm like, oh wait, hold on a second.
Speaker 1:Something really important popped up. Can you give me three seconds that I'm back and I'm paying attention to you you know, but engaged with you, be engaged with me yeah, communications, I love that gut instinct important I'm gonna be wrong, so don't be afraid to like be open for change a pre-audition ritual or mantra fuck it and walk in the room I love that song.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's really good. That's really good. I think you should start an llc called fuck it and it.
Speaker 1:I've said enough. I probably should right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that's great. Fuck it Productions, the diplomat produced by Fuck it. Okay, the last one I'll say is Onset Etiquette.
Speaker 1:Don't be a douche. I mean Onset Etiquette. Yeah, don't be a douche. Be where you're supposed to be, know what you're supposed to know, ask questions if you are confused and you know. Don't be a douche.
Speaker 2:I love that. Well, I'm hopefully not going to be a douche by asking you just one more thing before you go, julie, which is we always end this show with a got and a given. Ok, and so the first piece of advice you got in this industry, and then the best piece of advice you have to give now.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, oh, wow Okay.
Speaker 2:So they're big, they're big questions.
Speaker 1:They are really big questions.
Speaker 2:But sometimes we get small answers and that's perfect. You know, sometimes the big the small is big and the biggest small. You know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I appreciate that. I think the best piece of advice I've ever been given is it's okay to fail. Advice I've ever been given is it's okay to fail. And I think the best piece of advice that I would want to give is it's okay to fail, because I think, knowing that you have a little I've been known as a perfectionist a lot of my life and that leads to a lot of things not working out, because nothing's perfect Knowing that you are not going to succeed 100% of the time does not mean that you are a failure. It just means that this didn't work out because there's something else that you have to learn from it.
Speaker 1:So it's okay to fail, as long as you're learning.
Speaker 2:I love that and I think that was so succinct and perfect and I totally get that. And I'm trying to realize if I'm putting all my energy into trying to be perfect, I'm probably missing out on putting energy into places that could be fulfilling or actually like move me forward. So it's like a double edged sword right so hard?
Speaker 1:Exactly, Exactly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but there's no such thing. But from the outside, looking in, I'll say you're perfect, julie, I think you're doing great. No, there's no such thing, but I think you're awesome. I admire you so much. I think we need more kind leaders like you and people that are willing to just have actors back. So thank you for what you're doing and congratulations.
Speaker 1:Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. Thank you for having me on your show. This was so fun.
Speaker 2:Thanks, I'm glad. I can't wait to see what's next.
