Mary Jo Slater cast certain roles for She Has A Name.  Recently we conducted a short interview to glean from her extensive experience casting roles in the American film and television industry over the last 38 years. 

How did you end up as a Casting Director and what’s kept you in the industry so long?

My gynecologist in NYC was the gynecologist for Manny Azenberg’s wife (he was a giant Broadway producer and general manager) I met with Manny and his office staff and was hired to be their receptionist. I had already been an agent for over five years so it was a big step down. But I wanted to learn about producing so I took the job.

Manny was producing and managing Neil Simon’s CALIFORNIA SUITE on Broadway and prepping Neil Simon’s CHAPTER TWO. He was having a hard time casting a replacement in CALIFORNIA SUITE and I suggested Rue McClanahan. They loved the idea and thought I was brilliant. Next thing I know I’m casting CHAPTER TWO. Some of my auditions included Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Signorney Weaver, Susan Sarandon, etc. I loved it and knew I’d found my calling. That was in 1977. So it’s been almost 40 years.

Given how the web and social media are impacting the entertainment industry, how do you keep pace with the amount of talent available? Is it easier than ever to discover talent or more challenging?

Pros and cons. I loved the audition process. Now actors can just upload themselves. So the contact isn’t the same. But I still love it and am learning new tricks everyday.

You’ve done a lot of casting for television and film. Is She Has A Name a unique foray into casting for independent film or do you like to work with indies?

I love to do it all. I loved Broadway and hearing all the beautiful voices. But I also love finding Johnny Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Emma Stone, Hayley Atwell, Dan Stevens, Jim Carrey, etc.

How do you decide what projects to work with?

The script is the most important thing. Then the people involved also.

How do you go from looking at a headshot or watching an actor’s reel to knowing that the actor is the incarnation of the character written on the page?

Almost 40 years of experience.

Over the span of your successful career so far, who are some of your favourite discoveries?

Johnny Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, Emma Stone, Hayley Atwell, Dan Stevens, Jim Carrey, etc

What are some of the challenges of being a Casting Director?

The competition is intense these days. So many casting directors to compete with.

For someone who wants to enter the world of casting, what advice would you give them as they set out to take on the career?

Internship at a casting office. Most of my interns have gone on to have very successful careers.

Who are some of the people in the film and television industry that inspire you?

Frank Capra, David Gerber, and Shari Lansing.

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About Mary Jo Slater, C.S.A

Broadway producer, Emanuel Azenberg, opened the door to Mary Jo Slater’s first casting opportunity, Neil Simon’s CHAPTER TWO. From that moment on, casting became her passion. After casting several Broadway and off-broadways plays, she branched out into television, taking on the casting job on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, the ABC daytime drama, a job she enjoyed for nearly ten years, which earned her her first Casting Society of America Award. She worked with the legendary Lynn Stalmaster on features such as THE NAME OF THE ROSE, 9 ½ WEEKS, and OUT OF AFRICA.

In 1986 a call came from MGM Television in Los Angeles with an offer to become Vice President of Talent under the leadership of the legendary David Gerber. This was an offer she couldn’t refuse. She relocated her family to the West Coast. While at MGM, she cast and oversaw pilots, movies and series.

Mary Jo partnered with Steve Brooksbank in 1992. The partnership has collaborated on the casting of feature films, miniseries, pilots and series. From 2004 to 2008 Slater/Brooksbank was in-house casting consultants for USA/NBC Universal Television. They received six Emmy nominations for TRAFFIC, the USA miniseries, as well as winning a C.S.A. Award for the project. Another Emmy nomination and C.S.A. nomination followed in 2005 for ELVIS, the CBS miniseries starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. They were honored, once again, with three consecutive Emmy nominations, for the Showtime series THE TUDORS starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and the other for the USA miniseries THE STARTER WIFE, starring Debra Messing. The C.S.A. also recognized the team with nominations for THE STARTER WIFE and the Syfy miniseries THE LOST ROOM starring Peter Krause. In 2009 FOX Television offered Slater/Brooksbank a consultancy having completed work on the ABC series DEFYING GRAVITY for FOX. The team cast the ABC/TNT pilot and series PERCEPTION. They are currently collaborating on a Dreamworks pilot entitled LUMEN.

Some proud casting accomplishments include William Friedkin’s TWELVE ANGRY MEN for Showtime starring Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott and James Gandolfini receiving a C.S.A. nomination , the Dreamworks feature, THE CONTENDER, starring Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges and Gary Oldman, also receiving a C.S.A. nomination. The CBS miniseries ELVIS, the ABC, series COMMANDER-IN- CHIEF starring Geena Davis and Donald Sutherland., the Morgan Creek feature. ACE VENTURA, PET DETECTIVE, the independent features COME EARLY MORNING starring Ashley Judd which premiered at Sundance and SLIPSTREAM starring Anthony Hopkins, a film he wrote and directed which also had its premiere at Sundance, and the ABC pilot of DIRTY, SEXY, MONEY.

She is producing a documentary entitled MIRACLE ON 42 ND STREET, about Manhattan Plaza, the only federally subsidized housing for people in the performing arts, and is developing a pilot entitled GAME SHOW.

With more than 38 years in casting and producing, she is still excited by the process and proud to be a part of the profession.