Commmon casts--ever notice this?

BottlesOf · #1 08-13-2005, 12:40 AM

I've noticed this phenomenon several times in the past. I order "The Machinist" on pay per view just now. I'm just starting it, but I recognize one of Christian Bale's co-workers: it's Dangelo Barksdale from "The Wire" on HBO. Cool. I like him. Then another one of his co workers I notice, is also a character on "The Wire." These guys are both farily obscure actors who always have smaller/ish roles.

So, IMO, it's unlikley that this is a cooincidence (that these two were both in "The Wire" and both in this movie.) I've seen the same kind of thing happen in other movies, involving sometimes more than 2 actors.

My question is what causes this? Is it that this movie and the TV show had the same casting director/company and they have good relations with these actors? Does anyone know about how movies/TV are cast and could explian this?

sexdrugsmoney · #2 08-13-2005, 12:42 AM

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Does anyone know about how movies/TV are cast and could explian this?

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Nepitism.

BottlesOf · #3 08-13-2005, 12:43 AM

Even spelled correctly, that wouldn't fully address the issue.

CrazyEyez · #4 08-13-2005, 12:47 AM

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Even spelled correctly, that wouldn't fully address the issue.

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Awesome.

chesspain · #5 08-13-2005, 12:56 AM

I was curious about the "Oz" and "Law and Order" connection, since all three of the following actors have appeared both in Oz as well as either L&O or (L&O)SVU:

Chris Meloni
J.K. Simmons
Dean Winters

BottlesOf · #6 08-13-2005, 01:08 AM

Where does the "A" come from? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

But yea, I've noticed some of that overlap as well. I also love when I see "OZ" actors in movies or non HBO roles, b/c I feel like none of them really are in much.

LOST has helped out Augustus though, so that makes me happy.

siccjay · #7 08-13-2005, 01:23 AM

Adam Sandler movies

Los Feliz Slim · #8 08-13-2005, 01:30 AM

1) Same directors, dp, casting director, producer, exec producer, or something. I haven't checked, but someone in a position of authority could easily be on both projects.

2) There is a surprisingly small number of high-quality actors in each category (not huge enough to be stars, but good enough to get reasonably good character roles in good projects). They're going to show up together a lot.

ChipWrecked · #9 08-13-2005, 04:01 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I was curious about the "Oz" and "Law and Order" connection, since all three of the following actors have appeared both in Oz as well as either L&O or (L&O)SVU:

Chris Meloni
J.K. Simmons
Dean Winters

[/ QUOTE ]

Beat me to it!

Add B.D. Wong to this list.

private joker · #10 08-13-2005, 09:33 AM

I work in casting in Hollywood, and these things happen all the time. There are a variety of reasons actors work together often, some of which have been mentioned already, some which have not.

1. They all have the same agent.

Agents put packages together. Packages are when a script gets tied to a producer and/or director and a cast. If an agent's client is offered a plum role, the agent will strike a deal to get his other clients on the same project. So, for example, Rick Nicita will get many of his CAA clients onto a Tom Cruise project.

2. The show-runner, producer, or director has a good relationship with the cast.

Tom Fontana is the creator, co-EP, and show-runner on shows like Homicide and Oz. You'll notice that Edie Falco, Lee Tergesen, Zeljko Ivanek, and several other actors were all on both Homicide and Oz. NBC produced both Law & Order and Homicide, and to cross-promote the shows, they would bring characters in and out of each other's program. When Fontana and his company of talent got used to working with the Law & Order team, you can use your imagination to extrapolate from there. You'll also find directors using the same cast over and over because they have found a chemistry that works. Why mess with it, etc. Paul Thomas Anderson has used John C. Reilly, Phil Hoffman, Philip Baker Hall, Luis Guzman, Melora Walters, and several other actors in at least 2, and sometimes all 4, of his films.

3. The Casting Director/Casting Agency is the same

If two projects are unrelated in terms of the agent, the producer, director, or show-runner, sometimes they'll use the same casting director. Casting directors don't always have a major effect on the leads, but they'll pick most of the supporting roles. For example, Spielberg hand-picked Cruise for "War of the Worlds," (and Cruise hand-picked Spielberg as well), but minor parts like Cruise's son, ex-wife, the neighbors, etc. -- were all cast by a casting director who is likely to seek the successful ones out first in their next project.

A favorite casting director of mine is Mali Finn, who has a knack for finding unknowns and throwing them into huge and awesome films, then using them again and again until they are major stars. Look at her work on "Tigerland," which was a small Vietnam film from 2000 that nobody saw, and the lead was a first-timer named Colin Farrell. Matt Davis, Clifton Collins Jr., Cole Hauser... the cast just goes on with great names.

Anyway, you shouldn't be surprised to see common casts in different projects any more than you'd be surprised to see a pitcher and a catcher duo play for the Cardinals one year and the Mariners the next. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.