Meet Don Carroll, Casting Director
🎭 Pro Spotlight: He watches everything, has an elephantine memory for talent and wants actors to stick to the script.
Don Carroll is a casting director with over two decades of experience in film and television. His 60+ credits include a wonderful array of genres (including four Christmas titles) and forms from shorts to features and series.
Don and I recently worked together on a musical feature titled Original Sound (currently in post production), and I was incredibly impressed with Don’s steel trap of a memory for the names, faces and credits of talent from around the globe. I interviewed Don to find out more about him and his work as a casting director.
Julie Crosby [JC]: Where did you grow up and what kind of kid were you?
Don Carroll [DC]: I grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. As a family we would watch television, and I would get the newspaper every day to read and memorize the tv listings. Movies were more of a special treat and–because I had younger siblings–usually involved a Disney double feature at the drive-in.
JC: Oh, I remember those! Escape to Witch Mountain is forever linked in my brain to the backseat of a Honda Civic. How did you get started in the entertainment industry?
DC: I was very lucky. While traveling in Europe I made a friend. He moved to Los Angeles just before I did and when I arrived in LA, he got me my first job. I worked for eight years in various production jobs before deciding I wanted a career in casting. For a second time I was lucky and landed a job at Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer, one of the busiest casting offices in Hollywood.
JC: What took you to Europe?
DC: After spending two 6-month stints living in Australia, I had the travel bug. I wanted to see all of the great cities of Europe, which took about four months. It was during this trip that I gained the confidence to dream of a career in Hollywood.
JC: Did you do the college thing first?
DC: Yes. I started as a communications major at the University of Delaware and later transferred as a business major to Widener University.
JC: Did your friends & family encourage you to pursue a career in entertainment? Or did they think you were crazy for going in that direction?
DC: I think they may have thought I was just off on another adventure, since I had already spent time in Europe and Australia. I got my first job five days after arriving in LA, so they figured this might work out for me.
JC: And what was that first showbiz gig?
DC: My first job was as a set PA / craft services on It’s Garry Shandling’s Show. It was a great experience watching the actors rehearse, getting the writers their lunch orders and getting a glimpse inside the writers room.
JC: You’ve worked as a casting director on over 60 films and television shows, including one that is bound to be a huge success called Original Sound. Aside from that bit of gold, which projects were your favorites?
DC: One of my favorite projects was Dark Angel (Fox) for James Cameron. My boss, Robert Ulrich, and I worked on that for two pilot seasons. For the first pilot season, we saw over a thousand women for the lead. Jessica Alba got the part – she was on Robert’s top ten list from the start. For the second pilot season, we cast the rest of the series regulars.
Holiday Rush (Netflix) is one of my most recognized projects. It is one of my favorites because it is a touching and funny Christmas story and was such a fun project to work on.
JC: What do you wish every producer or creator understood better about the casting process?
DC: The best experience always comes when the producer / creator has an idea of what they are looking for, but are still open to hearing ideas that the casting director can bring that might be out of the box. For example, I cast a film called Unbeatable Harold. When Dolly Parton wasn’t available due to scheduling problems, we discussed other country stars, but I also suggested the legendary Gladys Knight. It was not who you might expect to be the gingham clad waitress in a country diner, but she nailed it.
JC: What advice do you have for actors when it comes to casting?
DC: Keep it simple and connected. Actors sometimes need to research a role or create a backstory for their character, but at the end of the day – just get the words out and don’t change the script. As casting directors, we are all rooting for you!
JC: And what advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming a casting director? How might they get a foot in the door today?
DC: I really think for someone to have a chance in casting, they need to know the work of as many actors as possible, in every different medium – features, television, soaps, Broadway, etc. So often I’ll be working for a producer and they will reference an actor as a “type” they are looking for. “I want a Demi Moore” type, or they want a twenty-something version of Cary Grant. If someone is interested in a career in casting, having the ability to immediately envision those types and versions is the first step. Then find an entry level intern or assistant job to learn and understand the process.
JC: Artificial intelligence – is it the casting director’s friend or foe?
DC: AI hasn’t really hit casting yet, to my knowledge, but now I’m looking over my shoulder lol.
JC: Is there a particular person who helped get you to where you are?
DC: Robert Ulrich, Eric & Shawn Dawson and Carol Kritzer taught me everything I know about casting. Sean Dwyer and Elizabeth Cullen have been my top collaborators and always champion me to other producers.
JC: What keeps you busy when you’re off the clock? Are you binge-watching anything?
DC: I’m constantly watching tv and movies. Recent top binges are A Man on the Inside, The Day of the Jackal, No Good Deed and Nobody Wants This. I also recently binged all 14 seasons of Dallas. Days of Our Lives is my guilty pleasure series, and I’ve cast many Days actors in my movies.
JC: Final question, Don! If you could invite anyone (living or dead) to your dinner party, who would make the list?
DC: When I was a little kid, I was obsessed with the Batman (‘66) tv show. I was lucky enough to meet a few of the actors from that show, Caesar Romero, Lee Meriwether, John Astin and even the great Adam West. My great friend, director Richard Gabai, introduced me to Burt Ward, and I was honored to be invited to his Walk of Fame ceremony in Hollywood. So really, my answer is that I would love to have a groovy 60’s cocktail party with the Batman cast and special guest stars at stately Wayne Manor. Who needs dinner?
Wonderful interview!!