Watch Casting Directors Break Down the Difference Between Launching a Hit Show and Maintaining One

Few Hollywood art forms are more important (and less understood) than casting. But everyone who attended IndieWire and Disney’s Pass the Remote panel on Thursday left with a better understanding of the ways that our favorite shows assemble their casts.

The event, which took place at Vidiots Foundation in Eagle Rock on June 11, saw “Abbott Elementary” casting director Wendy O’Brien, “Love Story” casting director Nicole Daniels, “Only Murders in the Building” and “Paradise” casting director Tiffany Little Canfield, “The Testaments” casting director Sharon Bialy, and “Wonder Man” casting director Carmen Cuba sit down for a conversation moderated by IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill.

Tiffany Little Canfield, Carmen Cuba, Jim Hemphill, Sharon Bialy, Nicole Daniels, and Wendy O’BrienRich Polk

The conversation quickly turned to the nuances of casting an ongoing show. While finding the initial chemistry between cast members is crucial at the beginning of a series, finding ways to incorporate new actors into an established dynamic is arguably an even harder challenge. But it’s impossible to sustain a hit show without a knack for it.

“For ‘Abbott,’ we run out of kids quick,” O’Brien said with a laugh. “It’s a new school year, there’s new kids and the old ones graduate, so that’s refreshing. And then we’re always trying to incorporate new faces, new freshness to give the show a new pulse again.”

IndieWire’s Pass the Remote event at Vidiots FoundationRich Polk

Canfield echoed those sentiments, and explained how genre can impact the way she approaches the process of casting an ongoing show. She also explained how a hit show like “Only Murders in the Building” can create interest from established stars who want to appear on it, which adds a new layer of complexity to her job.

“‘Paradise’ is a world-building show, so you’re always trying to think about who fits in that world with their acting styles,” Canfield said. “With ‘Only Murders,’ it’s more sort of fun. We get a lot of incoming calls on that one of people who want to be on the show, so it’s about finding the dynamics between those people. We often do that with a trio, another trio that matches our trio.”

Watch the complete video from IndieWire’s Pass the Remote event in the video above.