Susan Shopmaker Talks Casting ‘The Holdovers,’ Her BAFTA Nom, Alexander Payne’s Napping Habits
If the Oscars already had a casting category this year, Susan Shopmaker would likely’ve been in the running for The Holdovers, which is currently in the Best Picture race. After all, casting is 85% to 90% of the picture, according to Martin Scorsese. The casting director did receive a BAFTA nomination for her work, which included casting Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa around Paul Giamatti to round out The Holdovers‘ lead actors.
Shopmaker pulled back the curtain on how the film’s stars landed their respective roles, along with sharing how the world of The Holdovers was fleshed out with supporting characters. Our chat with the casting director also included a window into how she worked with director Alexander Payne on the film, noting his tendency to take naps in her spare bedroom after their working lunches. You can catch all these details and more in our on-camera interview.
Editor’s note: This interview was conducted before the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, at which Shopmaker won the casting category for The Holdovers.
This video interview has been edited and condensed.
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