We reveal the industry experts forming our Stage and Screen juries for this year’s Spotlight Prize
The prestigious industry juries for the Spotlight Prize 2026 have been revealed. A panel of world-class performers and casting professionals from across the UK, Ireland, and Hollywood has been assembled to select this year’s Stage and Screen Prize winners. The final recipients will be decided on Wednesday, 8 July.
The Spotlight Prize is our annual showcase celebrating the incredible performers graduating from drama schools and universities across the UK and Ireland. Each year, our finalists have the unique opportunity to share their work with an exclusive audience of industry professionals, with two exceptional graduates ultimately being chosen to receive the Stage and Screen awards.
This year’s juries continue a proud tradition at Spotlight, following in the footsteps of the esteemed performers and casting professionals who have previously given their time to support the next generation of creative talent. Tasked with the vital role of selecting this year’s winners, the juries are divided into two dedicated categories; the Screen Prize and the Stage Prize. Here are the exceptional industry figures who will be deciding who the recipients of the Spotlight Prize 2026 will be:
The Stage Prize Jury
Our Stage jurors represent a stellar cross-section of renowned performers and visionary casting professionals. They’ll be attending the live showcase in London to watch our finalists perform in front of a specially invited audience before selecting the winner of the Stage Prize.
Amber Rose Revah
Amber Rose Revah studied Contemporary Performance at Brunel University before making her television debut in the BBC/HBO miniseries House of Saddam. She has since forged a distinguished international career, taking lead roles in Marvel’s The Punisher, Channel 4’s historical drama Indian Summers, and Peacock’s apocalyptic thriller Last Light. Her earlier credits include the Emmy-nominated miniseries The Bible, in which she portrayed ‘Mary Magdalene’, Canal+’s Borgia, and Shamim Sarif’s films The World Unseen and I Can’t Think Straight. Amber Rose’s versatility and compelling screen presence have established her as a distinctive voice across both British and American productions.
Amy Ball, CDG
Amy Ball is a casting director working in theatre. Most recently she completed casting on Game of Thrones: The Mad King for the RSC and other recent credits include West End productions of 1536, The Weir, Mrs Warren’s Profession, Dr. Strangelove, The Hunger Games, The Years, Unicorn, Slave Play, Hamnet, The Hills of California, Jerusalem and Leopoldstadt.
David Grindrod, CDG
David Grindrod is an award-winning British casting director spanning theatre, film, and television. His extensive West End and worldwide stage credits include Mamma Mia!, Matilda, Hairspray, and Back to the Future. On screen, he cast the feature films Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera, alongside TV talent searches like Over the Rainbow and Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream. An Associate Artist at the Old Vic, David is also a Trustee of the Watermill Theatre and Vice President of ArtsEd. His industry impact was recognised with the Casting Society of America’s Creative Collaboration Award.
Elaine Cassidy
Elaine Cassidy’s talent was recognised early in her career, as the Irish nominee for the prestigious EFP European Shooting Stars presentation in 2001. She has since received nine IFTA nominations, with wins for Disco Pigs and the television series Harper’s Island. Her memorable screen productions include The Wonder, The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die, The Paradise, No Offence and Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale. Elaine’s accomplished stage career has included runs at the National Theatre, the Donmar Warehouse, the RSC and the Royal Exchange in Manchester, where she has just completed the world premiere of Rory Mullarkey’s Even These Things.
Faye Marsay
Middlesbrough-born Faye Marsay graduated from Bristol Old Vic in 2012, the same year she won the Spotlight Prize. She quickly made her mark on screen, earning widespread recognition for her role as ‘The Waif’ in HBO’s Game of Thrones. On British television, she has delivered standout performances in The White Queen, Fresh Meat, and Black Mirror. A versatile stage and screen actress, Faye has also appeared at the Royal Court, as well as in acclaimed movies including Pride and Darkest Hour. Having recently been seen in global sensations Andor and Adolescence, Faye will be back on our screens later this year in the new series of Ted Lasso.
Heather Basten, CDG, CSA
Heather Basten is an award-winning, BIFA and Royal Television Society-nominated casting director working across film, television and theatre. Screen credits include the International Emmy–nominated A24/Showtime series Dreaming Whilst Black, Speak No Evil for Blumhouse, and the upcoming feature Other Mommy for Universal Pictures. Theatre credits include One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (The Old Vic) and Elecktra (West End), alongside musical theatre productions including Bliss and The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind. Heather is founder of In The Room Studios and a member of the Casting Directors Guild and Casting Society of America.
Jamie Bamber
Saturn Award-nominated actor Jamie Bamber trained at LAMDA before going on to star as ’Cpt. Lee “Apollo” Adama’ in the multi-award-winning US series Battlestar Galactica. His extensive television career spans a diverse range of productions, including Band of Brothers, Marcella, Strike Back, and Beyond Paradise. On stage, Jamie’s credits include Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 at the Bristol Old Vic and Doctor Faustus at the Liverpool Playhouse. He has also built a substantial body of work in radio drama for BBC Radio 4. Also fluent in French, Jamie has worked extensively on the other side of the Channel, with film credits including Un jour mon père viendra and L’Embarras du Choix.
Lucy Casson, CDG
Lucy Casson is a freelance casting director with extensive credits across theatre and television. Her recent stage work includes the UK tours of Hamilton, Small Island, and 101 Dalmatians The Musical, alongside Newsies (Original London Cast) and A Knight’s Tale at Manchester Opera House. She has cast numerous productions for Leeds Playhouse, including Animal Farm, Macbeth, and Lord of the Flies, with further regional and London credits spanning the Park Theatre, Bristol Tobacco Factory, and Sherman Theatre. Her screen credits include the television special Lego Friends: Heartlake The Musical.
Paul Wooller, CDG
Paul Wooller is Head of Casting for Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, casting West End and National/International Tours including, Les Miserables and Les Miserables World Arena Tour, Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton, Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins and Oliver!
Philip Glenister
Award-winning actor Philip Glenister trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama before forging a distinguished career across television, film, and theatre. He is perhaps best known for his iconic portrayal of ‘DCI Gene Hunt’ in the BBC series Life on Mars and its sequel Ashes to Ashes — both to critical acclaim. His other notable screen credits include Mad Dogs, Outcast, The Hollow Crown, Cranford, Calendar Girls, and Steeltown Murders, for which he was BAFTA nominated. Alongside his screen work, Philip has performed at the National Theatre and in the West End, and has an extensive body of work in BBC radio drama.
Shelley Conn
After completing her training at Webber Douglas, Shelley Conn has gone on to perform in a wide variety of roles across film, television and theatre, making her West End debut in the transfer of the RSC’s Jacobean Season to the Gielgud Theatre. Shelley’s further stage credits include acclaimed runs at the National Theatre and the Royal Court in London. On screen, Shelley’s career has spanned leading roles in major US and UK productions, including Amazon’s Good Omens and Gen V, Amblin Productions’ Terra Nova, and the globally acclaimed Netflix series Bridgerton.
Tamsyn Manson, CDG, CSA
Tamsyn Manson is a casting director working across film and television. Since launching her own casting office in June 2021, she has worked on a variety of projects including Wicked: Part 1 and Wicked: For Good (Universal Pictures/Marc Platt Productions), Best Interests (BBC/Chapter One), Girl Group (FAE/Live Nation Studios), Cuckoo (Neon/Waypoint/Fiction Park), and most recently, Jason Statham Stole My Bike (87North/Black Bear UK). Her work as UK Casting Director on Wicked: Part 1 earned her the CSA Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting.
Victoria Hamilton
Victoria Hamilton trained at LAMDA before launching her career in Ibsen’s The Master Builder at the Haymarket Theatre, winning the London Critics Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Newcomer. She went on to play ‘Sheila’ in the West End production of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, which transferred to Broadway, earning her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress on her Broadway debut. Further award winning stage credits include As You Like It at The Crucible, Suddenly, Last Summer at the Lyceum and Albion at the Almeida. On screen, Victoria has enthralled audiences in productions as diverse as Lark Rise to Candleford and The Teacher, and played the first incarnation of ‘Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’ in the global sensation The Crown.
The Screen Prize Jury
Bringing vast experience from across global film and television, our Screen jury will review the Screen finalists’ monologues recorded in the Spotlight Studios earlier this month. Directed by Paulette Randall MBE, these filmed performances will help the jury decide who takes home this year’s Screen Prize.
Aisha Bywaters, CDG, CSA
In 2022 and 2024, Aisha Bywaters won the BAFTA TV Craft Award for Scripted Casting for the TV comedy We Are Lady Parts and the TV drama Three Little Birds. Her television credits include the BBC comedies Daddy Issues and Black Ops. Her recent work includes the Working Title feature film Finding Emily, directed by Alicia MacDonald, which will be followed by the 50 Cent Starz boxing drama, Fightland.
Anja Dihrberg-Siebler, ICDA
Anja Dihrberg-Siebler is a casting director based in Berlin and Cologne. She began her career working at Vienna’s Burgtheater and Berlin’s Schillertheater and started her own casting company in 1997. She has collaborated with acclaimed German and international directors, including Maria Schrader, Terrence Malick, Olivier Assayas, Cate Shortland, Julie Delpy and Ralph Fiennes. Her notable credits include Call My Agent Berlin, Origin, Transatlantic, I Am Your Man, Munich – At The Edge of War and Bad Banks, which won her an Academy of Television award. Additionally, she teaches at acting and film schools and is a member of the ICDA, the German Casting Association, the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
David Rubin, CSA
David Rubin began his career in New York on the production staff of Saturday Night Live. Moving to LA, David was responsible for the casts of The Addams Family, The Firm, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Get Shorty, Romeo + Juliet, The English Patient, Men in Black, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Hairspray, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and Big Little Lies, for which he won his second Emmy Award. As President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (2019-2022), David was instrumental in the campaign to establish an Oscar for Outstanding Achievement in Casting, which was first awarded at the 98th Academy Awards.
Don Warrington, MBE
A Drama Centre graduate, Don Warrington has built an outstanding career across stage and screen. He first captivated audiences as ‘Philip Smith’ in the beloved BBC sitcom Rising Damp, and since 2011 has brought quiet authority to the role of ‘Commissioner Selwyn Patterson’ in the hugely popular Death in Paradise. His stage work spans some of Britain’s most prestigious companies — the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Talawa Theatre Company, and the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. In 2008, Don was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to drama and the arts.
Jason Watkins
BAFTA-winning actor Jason Watkins trained at RADA and has worked across British institutions as varied as the National Theatre, the RSC and EastEnders. Alongside his acclaimed performance in the real-life drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, Jason received an Olivier nomination for his role in A Servant to Two Masters at the Young Vic. On screen, he has portrayed two very different British Prime Ministers – ‘Winston Churchill’ in SAS: Rogue Heroes and ‘Harold Wilson’ in The Crown – as well as the unctuous ‘Simon Harwood’ in W1A and the methodical detective ‘DS Dodds’ in McDonald & Dodds. Jason has recently returned to our screens as ‘Greg Dyke’ – FA Chairman and former BBC Director-General – in Dear England.
Lucy Allen, CDG and Tom Payne, CDG
Allen & Payne Casting is made up of casting directors Lucy Allen (she/her) and Tom Payne (they/them). The duo has cast a wide range of acclaimed projects, including the TV series Bergerac (U and DRAMA), Grace (Series 5 and 6, ITV), and Domino Day (BBC Three). Their feature work includes Sunny Dancer, premiering at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival, and Chatlines, as well as the recently Oscar-nominated short film A Friend of Dorothy (Disney+). Lucy and Tom first met whilst working as part of the Emmy, RTS, and CDG award-winning casting team behind Netflix’s Heartstopper (S1–3). The duo have since collaborated as co-casting directors with Daniel Edwards including on TV series 4Stories (S4): On The Edge (CH4) as well as feature Black Dog (LFF 2023).
Martin Ware, CDG, CSA
Martin Ware is a BAFTA and EMMY award-winning casting director known for his work across film and TV with credits including Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, Andor, Conclave and This Is Going to Hurt.
Simone Pereira Hind, CDG
Simone Pereira Hind is a casting director from London, now based primarily in Edinburgh, who works in Film, Television and Theatre. Recent productions include The Dark, for ITV, Counsels and An t-Eilean for the BBC and The Seagull for the Lyceum, Edinburgh, all co-cast with Anna Dawson. Film career highlights include Munich: The Edge of War (Jeremy Irons and George Mackay), Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett), Hilary and Jackie (Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths), Jude (Kate Winslet) and Spiceworld The Movie! She and Anna recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Casting for their work on The Primrose Railway Children for BBC Studios.
Steven Tyler O’Connor, CSA
Steven Tylor O’Connor is a two-time Emmy and Artios Award winning Casting Professional at Aufiero/Horn Casting, winning an Emmy in 2023 for Best Foot Forward (Apple+) and in 2021 for The Healing Powers of Dude (Netflix). Steven has also been honoured by Casting Society (CSA) with the Associate Spotlight Award in 2019 and he won an Artios Award in 2024 for his indie film Summoning Sylvia and in 2020 for Disney’s Andi Mack. Steven has been recognised three additional times with Artios nominations. Steven also won Casting Associate of the Year at the Heller Awards in 2024.
A huge thank you to all of our incredible jurors for dedicating their time and expertise to this year’s selection process. We look forward to gathering with our invite-only industry audience soon to celebrate the extraordinary work of the Spotlight Prize finalists.
The Spotlight Prize 2026 will take place on 8 July 2026 in Central London. Find out more about the history of the Spotlight Prize and 2025’s Spotlight Prize winners.
