Full List of the Casting Directors’ Guild Awards 2025 Winners

by Natasha Raymond

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Verity Naughton wins multiple awards, with the casting teams behind ‘Rivals’, ‘Conclave’, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and ‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’ also taking home wins.

The winners of the Casting Directors’ Guild Awards 2025 have now been announced at a ceremony in London, hosted by Sue Perkins. The CDG Casting Awards, now in their seventh year, celebrates and rewards the fantastic work across film, television, theatre and commercials by casting teams.

A variety of well-known performers were there on the night to present the awards, including Spotlight members Lorraine Ashbourne, Rosalind Eleazar, Alex Hassell, Bronwyn James, Lennie James, Kadiff Kirwan, Jack Lowden, Eddie Marsan, Tim McInnerny, Cormac McAlinden, Stephen Merchant, Nick Mohammed, Katherine Parkinson, Daisy Ridley, Joanna Scanlan and Jack Wolfe.

Spotlight member Debbie McWilliams received a special recognition award to celebrate her casting career, most notably her work on the James Bond franchise. Spotlight member Verity Naughton also had a successful night, taking home multiple awards for her casting work on The Hills of California, the ‘Stingy Ol’ Fella’ commercial and Oliver!.

This year, Spotlight was proud to sponsor the ‘Best Child Casting’ award, which saw Verity Naughton and Spotlight member Kat Edmonds win for their work on Oliver!. We were thrilled to see other Spotlight members among the winners, including Stuart Burt, Amy Ball, Julia Horan, Kahleen Crawford, Kelly Valentine Hendry, Nina Gold, Martin Ware, Amy Jackson and Jill Trevellick.

CDG Awards 2025 Full Winners List:

Best Casting of Musical Theatre (Inside M25)

Fiddler on the Roof – Stuart Burt*, Peter Noden (Associate) – WINNER
Hadestown – Jacob Sparrow*
Hello, Dolly! – Pippa Ailion* and Natalie Gallacher* (Co-Casting Director), Richard Johnston (Associate)
Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder – Annelie Powell*
Mean Girls – Natalie Gallacher*, Richard Johnston (Associate)

Best Casting of Theatre (inside M25)

The Hills of California – Amy Ball*, Arthur Carrington* (Associate), Verity Naughton* (Young Person’s Casting Director) – WINNER
People, Places and Things – Jessica Ronane*, Abby Galvin* (Associate)
Oedipus – Julia Horan*, Lilly Mackie (Assistant)
The Importance of Being Earnest – Alastair Coomer, Chloe Blake* (Associate)
Till The Stars Come Down – Alastair Coomer, Chloe Blake* (Associate and Children’s Casting)

Best Casting of Regional Theatre

Kyoto (The Swan Theatre) – Julia Horan* – WINNER
A Chorus Line – Olivia Laydon* for Jill Green Casting (Revival Casting Director), Kay Magson (Original Curve Casting Director)
The Buddha of Suburbia – Matthew Dewsbury*
Come From Away (UK and Ireland Tour) – Natalie Gallacher*, Richard Johnston (Associate)
Oliver! (Chichester Festival Theatre) – Felicity French and Paul Wooller*, Lily Caisley (Associate), Verity Naughton* (Children’s Casting)

Best Casting of an Independent Film

The Outrun – Kahleen Crawford* – WINNER
Chuck Chuck Baby – Rebecca Wright*
Hard Truths – Nina Gold*, Martin Ware* (Associate)
Hoard – Heather Basten*
Unicorns* – Laura Windows*

Best Casting of a Commercial

‘Stingy Ol’ Fella’ – Verity Naughton* – WINNER
E45 ‘This is my Space’ – Sue Odell*
Guinness 0.0 x The Premier League ‘Eriskay Island’ – Claire Catterson*
Lloyds ‘The Best Grandparents’ – Brendan McNamara*
Sky Cinema Christmas ‘The Little Girl’ – Sarah Crowe*, Ben Marks and Xanthe Spencer-Davidson* (Associates)

Best Casting of a TV Drama Series

Rivals – Kelly Valentine Hendry*, Lilly Hanbury* and Jessical Mescall* (Associates) – WINNER
True Detective: Night Country – Jessica Ronane* (UK Casting Director), Abby Galvin* (Associate)
Say Nothing – Nina Gold* and Lucy Amos*
Slow Horses (Season 4) – Nina Gold* and Melissa Gethin Clarke*
The Day of the Jackal – Nina Gold* and Martin Ware*, Sacha Garrett (Associate)

Best Casting of a Film (Includes Straight to TV)

Conclave – Nina Gold* and Martin Ware*, Sacha Garrett (Associate) – WINNER
Gladiator II – Kate Rhodes James*, Sophie Quinn (Associate), Kat Edmonds* (Assistant)
Poor Things – Dixie Chassay*, Lucy Jordan* (Assistant)
We Live in Time – Fiona Weir*, Lilly Mackie and Sinéad Donnelly (Assistants)
Wicked Little Letters – Jina Jay*

Best Casting of a TV Comedy Series

We Might Regret This – Amy Jackson* – WINNER
Inside No.9 (Series 9, the final series) – Tracey Gillham* (Series 1 – 9)
Big Boys (Series 2) – Rachel Sheridan*, Katie Mozumder* (Associate), Nadira Seecoomar* (Taster Pilot Casting Director)
The Gentlemen – Rory Okey* and Dan Hubbard* (Co-Casting), Ella Holmes (Associate)
We Are Lady Parts (Series 2) – Aisha Bywaters*, Irene Waireri* and Tara Ahmed* (Assistants)

Best Casting of a Limited or Single Series

Mr Bates vs. The Post Office – Jill Trevellick* – WINNER
Baby Reindeer – Nina Gold* and Martin Ware* (Co-Casting), Sacha Garrett (Associate)
KAOS – Kelly Valentine Hendry*, Jessica Mescall* (Associate)
Lost Boys & Fairies – Lauren Evans*, Melissa Wilkins (Associate)
One Day – Rachel Sheridan*, Katie Mozumder* (Associate)

Best Child Casting (all Media)

Oliver! – Verity Naughton* (Children’s Casting), Kat Edmonds* (Children’s Casting Associate) – WINNER
Blitz – Nina Gold*, Lucy Amos* (Associate)
Lost Boys & Fairies – Lauren Evans*, Melissa Wilkins (Associate)
Matilda the Musical – Amy Beadel for Jessica Ronane Casting
Renegade Nell – Lauren Evans*, Melissa Wilkins (Associate)
Wicked Little Letters – Jina Jay*