When Aaron Sorkin, Scott Cooper, and Denis Villeneuve are looking to cast a movie, they turn to casting director Francine Mesler. This year alone, Meisler has worked on Sinners, The Lost Bus, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, and the upcoming Ella McCay.
Meisler said he works around the clock on multiple projects. This includes Tom Ford’s long-awaited third film.
“He was in London and he called me first at 6:30 in the morning,” she said on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast. “Because of him, we work 24 hours a day. We work together on everything.”
Variety reached out to Ford representative Simon Halls, who said, “This project is still in the early stages of development.”
Meisler teases, “It’s going to be this epic, incredible movie, and you’re going to love it.” Mr. Meisler is also enthusiastically working on Mr. Sorkin’s latest work. “My life is very fulfilling,” she says.
This year, the Academy finally launched a casting division to recognize the work of casting directors, creating a world in which Mr. Meisler could earn multiple nominations.
“I’m personally not an attention-seeker. That’s not why I’m behind the scenes,” Meisler said.
The Television Academy, BAFTA and the Casting Society have recognized this technique for years, meaning the Oscars are finally catching up. “I think it’s been a long time since the Academy recognized casting directors with this award,” Meisler said. “The casting director’s contribution is an integral part of the film.”
Meisler spoke about her prolific career on the Awards Circuit Podcast. Listen below!
“Sinners” reunites Meisler and Ryan Coogler following their collaboration on “Creed.” She recalls receiving a phone call from him in 2023. “He said, ‘Hey, I’m thinking of doing this tiny little movie on a low budget. Would you be willing to do it?”
As is often the case, she had no script at that point, but her criteria was to find a young man who could sing and play the blues.
Every casting process is different, but this one was extensive. In addition to making phone calls and talking to people, Meisler says, “We were talking at blues clubs in Atlanta, schools, every place you could think of, and any tapes were welcome.”
Thousands of auditions came her way, but she remembers meeting Miles. “One day we saw this young man playing the guitar in this dark room, and this voice came out of him,” Meisler says. “We decided to take him to Los Angeles, and he came into the room with Michael, Ryan, and sang. We all looked at each other. I’m not a very religious person, but I just said, ‘Hey, if there’s anybody out there, he’s probably communicating something through this kid, because it touched us all.'”
Since the film’s release, Cayton has received critical acclaim, including being included in Variety’s “10 Actors to Watch” and “Young Hollywood.” Is she proud of her discovery? “I don’t say, ‘I found someone.’ I think, ‘Oh, I’m glad he got Ryan’s wish.’ ”
This year also saw Meisler reunite with Cooper for “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.” The film stars Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and follows him as he makes his deeply personal 1982 album Nebraska.
Matthew Anthony Pellicano had never acted before for the role of a young Bruce Springsteen, but his audition tape struck a chord with her. “He definitely justified calling back. But Scott also said, ‘I want to see him again, and I want him to not use words and express what he feels inside,'” she says.
Meisler and Cooper were looking for someone who could convey emotion, and Pellicano was given prompts rather than lines. “That’s when Scott realized,” Meisler said. “When I look at Springsteen, I see that kid’s face. There are no words, it’s just incredible.”
Also in this episode, Train Dreams director Clint Bentley discusses the themes and challenges of making a period drama, working with Joel Edgerton, William H. Macy, and the rest of the cast on character development, music, cinematography, and visual style.
Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tunkay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley, and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop destination for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode’s “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talents and creators, discussions and debates about the awards race and industry headlines. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts.
