News

It is had to believe but Netflix, one of the largest producers and distributors of content in the world, did not have a dedicated casting department. Like most newcomers in the original programming space, Netflix started off using outside casting directors.

The streamer will continue to do so but its casting efforts will now be spearheaded by its its first ever in-house Casting Department. It will be led by Brittany Grooms, Director Casting, Film; Rich Leist, Director Casting, Nonfiction; and Cesar Rocha, Director Casting, Series, who will serve as head of casting for film, unscripted and scripted series, respectively. On the animation side, Shiondre Austin serves as manager of casting for series and Cymbre Sklar is manager of casting for film.

The announced was made in a blogpost penned by Grooms, Leist and Rocha.

The focus of the newly formed casting team will be on casting planning and strategy, discovering...

With hundreds of original titles released each year, Netflix puts enough people onscreen to populate its own town. In order to service its heavy talent-identification needs — and better track how the company is doing with respect to diversity and inclusion across its massive slate — the streamer has for the first time, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, created an in-house casting department to oversee all casting decisions for its North American productions.

Cesar Rocha, Rich Leist and Brittany Grooms have been named directors of casting for series, nonfiction and film, respectively. Netflix also recently hired Shiondre Austin and Cymbre Sklar to ...

With hundreds of original titles released each year, Netflix puts enough people onscreen to populate its own town. In order to service its heavy talent-identification needs — and better track how the company is doing with respect to diversity and inclusion across its massive slate — the streamer has for the first time, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, created an in-house casting department to oversee all casting decisions for its North American productions.

Cesar Rocha, Rich Leist and Brittany Grooms have been named directors of casting for series, nonfiction and film, respectively. Netflix also recently hired Shiondre Austin and Cymbre Sklar to ...