Tag: interview
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Film, TV and Podcast Recommendations from The Spotlight Prize Finalists
From the latest films to groundbreaking television series, discover the shows and sounds inspiring the next generation of actors. For an actor, watching film, television and performance art isn’t just entertainment – it’s a vital form of creative research and a way to fuel the imagination. From the gritty realism of modern war dramas to…
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Alistair Nwachukwu: From Man of the Match to A Friend of Dorothy
From professional football to the Oscars, Alistair Nwachukwu discusses his remarkable journey. Alistair Nwachukwu’s path to the stage wasn’t exactly linear. Five years ago, he was a professional footballer for Millwall. Today, he’s a LAMDA graduate leading a major Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) musical and starring in an Oscar-nominated short film. After a devastating injury…
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How Casting Has Changed
Top casting directors discuss how they’ve seen the casting process evolve over the years, from in-person auditions to self-tapes. The path to the audition room has transformed over the last decade. What was once a world of physical headshots and in-person sessions has shifted into a more digital landscape of self-tapes and global reach. While…
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Billy Barratt: From Emmy Breakout to ITV’s ‘Gone’ and ‘The Chaperones’
Billy Barratt discusses his latest roles in ITV’s ‘Gone’ and ‘The Chaperones’ and how he’s evolved five years after his historic Emmy win. The last time Spotlight sat down with Billy Barratt, he was a 13-year-old making history as the youngest-ever winner of an International Emmy. His haunting performance as ‘Ray’ in Responsible Child had…
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Daniel Edwards on Casting Directors Getting Their Red Carpet Moment
The role of casting directors and why their craft is finally being recognised at the Oscars this year. For decades, they have been the invisible department. You see the actor’s face, you hear the writer’s words and you marvel at the director’s vision, but the person who initially fused those elements together often remains in…
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Meet the Duo Redefining Authentic Casting: Lucy Allen and Tom Payne
Casting directors Lucy Allen and Tom Payne discuss authentic representation and their Artios Award win for GAP Workshops. From the council estates of Bristol to the pub-lined streets of the North, Lucy Allen and Tom Payne bring a refreshingly grounded perspective to the world of casting. After honing their craft under the mentorship of Daniel…
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Finn Bennett and Peter Claffey from ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ stars Peter Claffey and Finn Bennett on their acting journeys and career highlights. With the season finale releasing this Sunday, 22 February, the journey of ‘Ser Duncan the Tall’ and his squire ‘Egg’ is reaching a fever pitch. But before the final credits roll on this first chapter of…
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Paul Chahidi on the Endurance and Craft of a Three-Decade Career
‘The Night Manager’ star Paul Chahidi shares vital insights on career longevity and creative collaboration. In this exclusive interview, we met with the versatile Paul Chahidi to discuss a career that has spanned over thirty years. From his early days at school to his recent role as ‘Basil’ in the second series of BBC hit…
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Meet the Casting Director: Yngvill Kolset Haga on ‘Sentimental Value’
BAFTA-nominee Yngvill Kolset Haga talks Oscar history, the meta-magic of Joachim Trier’s ‘Sentimental Value’ and the “invisible” art of the perfect cast. The global casting community is currently celebrating a historic milestone: For the first year ever, the Academy Awards will recognise casting with its own dedicated category. It’s a shift that validates what industry…
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Meet the Casting Director: Cassandra Kulukundis on ‘One Battle After Another’
Cassandra Kulukundis tells us about her long search for the cast of ‘One Battle After Another’ and what she wants to see in auditions. Casting director Cassandra Kulukundis has been a trusted collaborator of Paul Thomas Anderson for over two decades. Their collaboration began with 1999’s Magnolia and has continued through to his latest feature,…