SYNOPSIS

Presented annually by the Casting Society of America, the Artios Award is one of the most prestigious honors a casting director can receive. An ancient Greek word meaning “perfectly fitted,” the Artios celebrates excellence in casting film, television, and theater.  Nomination criteria includes originality, creativity, and the contribution of casting to the overall quality of the project.  Join us for an evening with 2020 Artios nominees to learn about their casting process and invaluable best practices for actors.

Please be advised that soliciting guests is not permitted at Foundation programs. Headshots and other promotional materials will not be accepted.

Estimated program end time: 8:15 PM

PANELISTS

Lindsay Graham Ahanonu - Betty Mae Casting, Dolemite is My Name

Casting Director Mary Vernieu has cast over 300 features during her career. With an eye for talent in both actors and filmmakers, she has developed and enjoyed long-standing working relationships with many acclaimed directors such as Darren Aronofsky, David Ayer, David O. Russell, Robert Rodriguez, Rian Johnson, and Oliver Stone.  She welcomed Lindsay Graham Ahanonu into her company in 2005 and has enjoyed collaborating with her are numerous acclaimed films including Bad Boys For Life, The Equalizer, Black Swan, Crazy Heart and I, Tonya. In 2013 Mary and Lindsay won an Artios Award for the casting of Silver Linings Playbook, and they were nominated for two more Artios Awards together for A Star Is Born and Dolemite Is My Name.  In addition to her casting work, Mary has also recently ventured into producing for such films as Trust Me, Come Simi, and Spare Room. Mary’s company, Betty Mae, is named in a loving homage to her mother and grandmother.

Mary Vernieu - Betty Mae Casting, Dolemite is My Name, Knives Out, Bird Box

Casting Director Mary Vernieu has cast over 300 features during her career. With an eye for talent in both actors and filmmakers, she has developed and enjoyed long-standing working relationships with many acclaimed directors such as Darren Aronofsky, David Ayer, David O. Russell, Robert Rodriguez, Rian Johnson, and Oliver Stone.  She welcomed Lindsay Graham Ahanonu into her company in 2005 and has enjoyed collaborating with her are numerous acclaimed films including Bad Boys For Life, The Equalizer, Black Swan, Crazy Heart and I, Tonya. In 2013 Mary and Lindsay won an Artios Award for the casting of Silver Linings Playbook, and they were nominated for two more Artios Awards together for A Star Is Born and Dolemite Is My Name.  In addition to her casting work, Mary has also recently ventured into producing for such films as Trust Me, Come Simi, and Spare Room. Mary’s company, Betty Mae, is named in a loving homage to her mother and grandmother.

Jamie Sparer Roberts - Disney, Frozen 2

Jamie Roberts is head of casting for Walt Disney Animation Studios where she has worked on some of the most popular and highest-grossing animated films of all time, including  “Frozen 2,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Moana,” “Zootopia,” “Big Hero 6,” “Frozen,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” and “Tangled.”

Named one of Elle magazine’s “Most Powerful Women in Hollywood,” Roberts oversees all aspects of casting for the studio’s animated theatrical releases working closely with Disney Animation’s directors, writers and producers, including Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee. Roberts has received multiple honors for her work, including three Artios Awards which are presented annually by the Casting Society of America. 

Roberts received wide-acclaim for her casting of Idina Menzel as the voice of Elsa in “Frozen,” which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Film. Roberts then went on cast the Academy Award-winning films “Big Hero 6” and “Zootopia.” For “Moana,” Roberts cast the title role of Disney’s newest princess after a high-profile worldwide search. Roberts is currently nominated for an Artios Award for “Frozen 2,” the highest-grossing animated film of all time. 

Before joining Disney Animation Studios, Roberts was director of feature casting at Disney Features and Fox Filmed Entertainment, working on such features as “The Proposal”, “Enchanted”, “John Tucker Must Die” and “Garfield 2.” As an independent casting associate, Roberts is credited on films including “Mean Girls,” “Freaky Friday” and “Insomnia.”

A Los Angeles native, Roberts is a member of the Casting Society of America, Women in Film, Women in Animation, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences and has over two decades experience in casting film and television both animated and live-action.

John Papsidera - automatic sweat, Honey Boy

John Papsidera started his professional career as a trained actor graduating from Florida State University with a BFA degree and attending post-Graduate studies at Circle in the Square in New York City.

Starting as a casting assistant at The Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, John moved into feature film casting and worked on such big budget action films as Clear and Present Danger, The Net, Anaconda and Cutthroat Island.

Starting in 1997, Papsidera embarked on forming his own casting company and over the past 17 years has been the Casting Director for over 100 films and television projects.  His film credits include, the original Austin Powers, Boiler Room, Memento, Batman: Begins, The Longest Yard, The Prestige, Enchanted, The Dark Knight, Zombieland, Inception, The Grey, The Dark Knight Rises, Oz: The Great and Powerful, Gangster Squad, Men Women and Children, Interstellar, Independence Day: Resurgence and Dunkirk.  Television credits include, HBO's If These Walls Could Talk, Live From Baghdad, Carnivale, Lackawanna Blues, Prison Break, Showtime’s Ray Donovan, Hulu’s Casual, Netflix’s Lost In Space and HBO’s Westworld. His achievements in the field of casting include 18 nominations and five prestigious Artios Awards for outstanding casting and five nominations and two Emmys for his work in television.

Papsidera formed his entertainment company, automatic sweat, in the fall of 2000.  He opened with friend and Producer, Gavin Polone, a Hollywood restaurant, The Waffle in the Winter of 2007. An avid art collector, he owns and curates his own gallery, The Salon @ automatic sweat. John resides in Los Angeles, still casts feature films and television, is in the process of producing two films and is still looking forward to new horizons of opportunity.

Linda Lamontagne - Cool Head Hot Feet, Inc., Bojack Horseman

Los Angeles based CSA award winning casting director, Linda Lamontagne is an ‘out of the box’ thinker whose years of dedication to her craft is evident in her ability to cover every facet of the casting world.  She does not limit herself to one genre, and has successfully navigated television, film, both animation and live action, as well as commercials and documentaries.  Linda’s passion, laughter and thoroughness makes her one of the most sought after casting directors in the industry.  Her credits include, but are not limited to Tuca & Bertie, Family Guy, American Dad, BoJack Horseman, Robot Chicken, The Cleveland Show, Over the Garden Wall, We Bare Bears, The Potts, Poppy Cat, Glenn Martin DDS; films, Yellowbird, Postman Pat, Within the Dark, Escape From Planet Earth, Astro Boy, Coraline; Critically acclaimed television series Roseanne and Cybill, and documentary films Death Zone, When the World Breaks, Protagonist, and In the Realms of the Unreal.  

Seth Caskey - Elizabeth Barnes Casting - Associate, GLOW

Working with Elizabeth Barnes since 2015, Seth has been involved with such projects as the Emmy nominated Netflix series GLOW, What/If, Siren and Blood & Treasure. Their work on GLOW earned them a 2019 & 2020 Artios Awards nominations alongside fellow casting director Jen Euston. 

Seth recently partnered with Liz as co-casting director on the Quibi short form series, Don’t Look Deeper directed by Catherine Hardwicke, and the Freeform Pilot, Close Up, executive produced by Pete Nowalk. 

He was first drawn to casting while still pursuing a career as an actor. Once given the opportunity to work on this side of the room—he was hooked. He loves what he does, loves actors and is always looking for opportunities to work with and support other creatives in the film industry. 

Moderated by Liz Riesterer, SAG-AFTRA Foundation Program Manager