This week I spoke to the casting director Lara Manwaring who has been in the industry for the past decade, predominately working at Des Hamilton casting - they’ve done films like Four Lions, Tyrannosaur, This Is England, Wuthering Heights and Adult Life Skills. Lots of of really incredible British cinema. Lara now has her own company, through which she has cast projects such as Mandy starring Nicolas Cage and Andrea Riseborough, Aneil Karia’s Surge starring Ben Whishaw and a film called Lynn + Lucy, directed by Fyzal Boulifa which is released today! It was called a fiercely impressive feature debut by The Guardian and is now available to watch on digital platforms including BFI Player.
Lara and I talk about making that leap from working for a company to being her own boss, what she looks for in auditions, why the recognition toward casting directors has come at a glacial pace and the responsibility feels towards ensuring greater representations for people of colour on our screens.
It’s a great chat, I always find casting so fascinating to consider and I hope you get something from it also. This is episode 57 of Best Girl Grip.
Episode 041: Alexa Raisbeck, Technician/Projectionist
Episode 040: Jess Jones, Script Editor & Development Consultant
Episode 039: Natalie Samson, Head of Production at Into Film
Episode 038: Rebecca Day, Documentary Producer & Psychotherapist
Episode 037: Cate Kane, Head of Acquisitions, Curzon Artificial Eye
Episode 036: Nicole Dorsey, Filmmaker
Episode 035: Robyn Citizen, Programmer & Academic
Episode 034: Pamela B. Green, Director, Producer & Main Titles Designer
Episode 033: Elise McCave, Director of Narrative Film at Kickstarter
Episode 032: Margaret Boykin, Director of Film Development at Ubisoft
Episode 031: Dorota Lech, Lead Programmer at TIFF
SEASON TWO BONUS EPISODE (030): Live at Underwire Film Festival with Roxy Rezvany
Episode 029: Sarah Brocklehurst
Episode 028: Jasmin Morrison
Episode 027: Rowan Woods
Episode 026: Flore Cosquer
Episode 025: Sophie Powell
Episode 024: Ellen Evans
Episode 023: Rachel Pronger
Episode 022: Sima Gonsai
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