The Casting Directors’ Guild reveals the exceptional talent shortlisted for the 2026 CDG Casting Awards.
The Casting Directors Guild (CDG) has officially revealed the nominees for the 2026 CDG Casting Awards.
We’re proud to support the CDG Awards, celebrating the extraordinary skill and artistry of casting professionals across film, television, theatre, and commercials.
This year marks a historic turning point for the craft. As the CDG marks its eighth year honouring the achievements of casting professionals, the global industry prepares for the first-ever Academy Award for Achievement in Casting. This long-awaited recognition at the Oscars underscores what we have always known: casting is the foundational heartbeat of storytelling.
The winners will be announced on Thursday 12 February, 2026, at a ceremony hosted by the incomparable Jennifer Saunders, featuring guest appearances by some of the industry’s most celebrated names.
The 2026 Nominees
Best Child Casting (All Media)
Adolescence – Shaheen Baig
Goodbye June – Olivia Grant. Associate: Lucy Downes
Hamnet – Nina Gold. Associates: Lucy Amos and Amy Beadel. Assistant: Steph Tataryn
I Swear – Lauren Evans. Associate: Melissa Wilkins
Paddington The Musical – Nicholas Hockaday
The Death of Bunny Munro – Shaheen Baig
Best Casting of a Commercial
Boots: You’re Never Too Far From a Pharmacist – Anna Kennedy
Irn Bru; This is Not a Soft Drink – Sally McCleery. Assistant: Elisa Musson
Medical Aid For Palestinians ‘I Know’ – Sue Odell
The Booker Prize 2025 – Nanw Rowlands. Associate: Harry Parker
The Christmas Double – EE Christmas 2025 – Co-Casting Director: Kharmel Cochrane
Best Casting of a Film (over £8m) Includes straight to TV
28 Years Later – Gail Stevens
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy – Lucy Bevan. Co-Casting Director: Olivia Grant. Associate: Lucy Downes
F1 – Lucy Bevan. Co-Casting Director: Emily Brockmann. Associate: Katie Brydon
Hamnet – Nina Gold. Associates: Lucy Amos and Amy Beadel. Assistant: Steph Tataryn
Warfare – Kharmel Cochrane
Best Casting of an Independent Film (under £8m)
I Swear – Lauren Evans. Associate: Melissa Wilkins
Mr Burton – Kelly Valentine Hendry. Associate: Maximillian Murphy
Pillion – Kahleen Crawford. Associate: Carla Morris
The Ballad of Wallis Island – Catherine Willis. Associate: Sarah Harkins
Urchin – Shaheen Baig
Best Casting of a Limited or Single Series
Adolescence – Shaheen Baig
Amadeus – Martin Ware. Associate: Olivia Brittain
The Death of Bunny Munro – Shaheen Baig
Toxic Town –Shaheen Baig. Associate: Jonny Boutwood
Unforgivable – Amy Hubbard. Co-Casting Director: Shannon Dowling-McNulty. Associate: Heidi Lawry
Best Casting of Musical Theatre (Inside M25)
Clueless – Olivia Laydon for Jill Green Casting. Associate: Tom Shiels
Into The Woods (The Bridge Theatre) – Stuart Burt, Associate: Peter Noden
Oliver! – Felicity French & Paul Wooller, Associate: Lily Caisley
Paddington The Musical – Natalie Gallacher. Associates: Grace McInerny and Richard Johnston. Young Person’s Casting Director: Nicholas Hockaday
Sing Street (Lyric Hammersmith) – Stuart Burt. Associate: Peter Noden
Best Casting of Regional Theatre (Outside of M25 includes Plays & Musicals)
Animal Farm – Lucy Casson
Cyrano de Bergerac – Matthew Dewsbury. Children’s Casting: Charlie Metcalf
Dancing at Lughnasa – Arthur Carrington
Lord of the Flies – Jacob Sparrow
Titus Andronicus (RSC) – Matthew Dewsbury. Children’s Casting: Charlie Metcalf
Best Casting of Theatre (inside M25)
1536 – Amy Ball
Every Brilliant Thing – Jessica Ronane. Associate: Abby Galvin. Assistant: Poppy Apter
Inter Alia – Alastair Coomer. Associate: Naomi Downham
Oh, Mary! – Stuart Burt. Associate: Peter Noden
Punch (Young Vic/Apollo Theatre) – Christopher Worrall
Wendy and Peter Pan – Annelie Powell. Associate: Gabriella Shimeld-Fenn
Best Casting of a TV Comedy Series
Amandaland – Rachel Sheridan. Associate: Martin Poile and Katie Mozumder
Big Boys Series 3 – Rachel Sheridan. Associate: Martin Poile
Dreaming Whilst Black (Season 2) – Heather Basten. Associate: Ri McDaid-Wren
Film Club – Kelly Valentine Hendry. Co-Casting Director: Jessica Mescall
Too Much – Co-Casting Directors: Nina Gold and Sacha Garrett
Best Casting of a TV Drama Series
A Thousand Blows – Shaheen Baig
Dept. Q – Olivia Scott-Webb
House of Guinness – Kahleen Crawford. Associate: Carla Morris
Riot Women – Rachel Sheridan. Associates: Katie Mozumder and Martin Poile
Slow Horses (S5) – Nina Gold and Melissa Gethin Clarke
Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees.
