Get to Know the Casting Director: Elizabeth Berra
Coming from a theater background herself, it was basically a given that Elizabeth Berra would work in theater rather than film and television when she entered the world of casting. Well, fast forward to the present day and Berra—who is currently serving as the Secretary of the Casting Society of America’s Board of Directors—has a resume that boasts Pose, Killing Eve, The Deuce, Judas and the Black Messiah, and several other major onscreen projects you have definitely heard of. We chatted with Berra about the differences in casting in New York versus Los Angeles, her advice for aspiring casting professionals, and the one thing she wishes every actor knew before stepping into the room with her.
Can you describe what your role as Secretary of the CSA Board of Directors entails?
Day to day, I’m making sure that all the trains are “running on time,” and that things are getting done as they’re supposed to be getting done. I also help facilitate communication between Destiny Lily, who’s the president of CSA. If we need to set meetings with other people in the industry, I keep track and I’m responsible for the minutes of those meetings and what’s going on with the board.
Going back, how was it that you even got into the casting world?
I wanted to work in entertainment for as long as I can remember, but I knew I didn’t want to be an actor—I love actors, I was just not cut out for it. Once I was done with undergrad, I moved to New York, and I did a two-year conservatory program. And as we were getting ready for graduation, we were meeting with lots of casting directors and people in the industry. There’s a casting director named Lindsay Levine, who was working for the famous casting director Tara Rubin at the time. I just said to Lindsay, “I want to do what you do, how do I do this?” She was wonderful and took me under her wing and I ended up interning at Tara’s office and got hired on as an assistant. I then went to work for Marc Hirschfeld, who I was with for over five years. I ended up with Alexa Fogel, which is where I am now.
You’ve worked in New York by and large; what are the major differences working in casting in New York versus Los Angeles?
Practically speaking, because I have a theater background, my intention was always to work in theater. I really never thought about working in TV and film, so I just assumed I would be in New York because New York has the theater community. But Marc Hirschfeld was looking for an assistant for a TV show and he was like, “You know, I want to offer you this gig.” And I’m like, “Right, but I don’t know anything about TV!” But he said, “I can teach you. Casting is casting.” New York is just a little bit smaller in terms of the community.
What does an insular casting community offer?
I really enjoy the fact that for the most part I know most casting folks in New York and consider them colleagues—and consider many of them friends. It’s a very supportive environment, which isn’t to say that L.A. isn’t, but in New York, I know that if I can’t do a job, I can throw it to a
colleague and recommend them for this job and vice versa. And everybody’s sort of worked for everybody here, too.
Casting is such a specific art form. How did you actually hone your skill and get good at casting?
A lot of it is sort of the balance between creative and analytical and I’ve always been a very analytical person. When I found casting, it was like, Oh, this is such a perfect balance: I get to be creative and think about who would be right for these roles. But we’re also negotiating deals, I’m making sure the money is correct, making sure the deal points are correct. It’s really the best of both worlds for me. And I’ve been lucky to have a lot of really amazing mentors, Marc and Alexa being two of them. Teaching the craft of casting is very important for them and they’re interested in making sure their associate casting directors are the next generation of casting professionals, and that we’re well-supported and set up for success.
What to you is the most satisfying aspect of the casting process?
I love when there’s an actor who might not be famous but we’ve seen time and time again, and they’re always wonderful—and they finally book the job. There’s nothing more satisfying than that. Seeing the final product is always amazing but the process and the journey of getting to see those actors do this amazing work in the room that other people might not see is really thrilling.
What is one thing you wish actors understood about casting directors?
We are their biggest advocates. I always want an actor to succeed. We always want actors to do their best work and I’m always trying to think about how I can make the room the most inviting and supportive space, so that people can do their best work. If actors have questions about the material or the audition specifics that we’ve sent to them ahead of time, they should ask! We are here as resources to set them up for success because we do our best work when they do their best work.
What is your advice for someone who wants to pursue casting?
Pay attention to who’s working on which projects. When you see a movie, and you love the cast, look to see who the casting director is and who the associate casting director is. Send them a note saying that you admire their work. Speaking for myself, I want the next generation of casting professionals to be successful and to feel supported. If there’s somebody that you admire, reach out to them and ask a question, see if they would be willing to mentor you. I have benefited tremendously from having such amazing mentors and I certainly feel like it’s my duty to pass that on to the next generation.
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