A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies [Paperback]

Janet Hirshenson (Author), Jane Jenkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 2007

For anyone who’s ever walked out of a movie and said, "That guy was all wrong for the part," comes this first-of-its-kind look at how actors are chosen and careers are born. Two of the top casting directors in the business, who recently cast the much-lauded choice of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, offer an insider’s tour of their crucial craft—spotting stars in the making. Janet and Jane share the fascinating, funny stories of discovering and casting then-unknown stars such as Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Cusack, Matt Damon, Jennifer Connelly, Virginia Madsen, Joaquin Phoenix, Meg Ryan, Benicio Del Toro, and the Harry Potter kids. Taking us from the first casting call through head shots, auditions, meetings, and desperate searches to fill a part, they give us the kind of behind-the-scenes access to the machinery of star-making that captivates movie fans and aspiring actors alike.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hirshenson and Jenkins got their start casting for Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Studios. When the studio went bust, they opened their own office, the Casting Company, and their book reminisces about the many films they've cast, including Harry Potter and A Beautiful Mind; the actors they've discovered, such as Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Scarlett Johansson; and some of the A-list directors, like Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg, who hired them. Given the authors' credentials (they have been casting partners since 1981), consider the advice they offer blue-chip. They cover everything from how to handle a call-back to telling actors to send head shots "that actually look like you." Most important, never take anything personally. A great audition doesn't always translate into a role: there are many factors that determine the final decision, such as chemistry, preference and competition. These veteran insiders have a passion for casting major motion pictures, and they use meetings with famous people to illustrate how Hollywood works. Tales of actors' career trajectories are informative without being malicious. For actors, this informative, breezy narrative is like having a frank but loving aunt tell you the facts of life. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Hirshenson and Jenkins, founders of the Casting Company, one of Los Angeles' premier casting agencies, share stories from their 30-year careers in the industry. Both women got their start with a well-known casting director before joining her at Francis Ford Coppola's visionary studio, Zoetrope. After Zoetrope went belly up, Hirshenson and Jenkins struck out on their own, working with such Hollywood luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Wolfgang Petersen, and Ron Howard. Although the big roles are crucial to a movie's success, Hirshenson and Jenkins also illustrate how much thought goes into even the smallest role, using the example of a brief but pivotal part in the Ron Howard movie A Beautiful Mind to show how even a character who is on screen for only a single scene can affect the movie's believability. Hirshenson and Jenkins have done much to demystify the process of matching actors with movie roles in this must-read for anyone interested in acting or casting. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (November 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156033658
• ISBN-13: 978-0156033657
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #686,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Casting Cull, October 31, 2006

By 

Author Bill Peschel "Writers Gone Wild" (Hershey, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies (Hardcover)

Casting directors Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins have cast more than 135 movies and still going, which is why "A Star Is Found" -- a mix of advice, innocuous anecdotes and advertisement for their services -- is frustrating, irritating and intermittently enlightening.

This book is as edgy as a Parade Magazine profile. The stars are all gracious, patient and professional, and Jane and Janet even find forgiveness in their hearts for the callous actors, poor dears, because they probably had a bad day when they came in for a reading, or had to deal with pushy fans who won't let them have a quiet dinner at Spago's.

The stars' assistants who will turn to the extensive index in the back will find nothing to cause their bosses any uneasiness. Tom Cruise was always "warm and friendly." Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton "are extraordinarily gracious and generous" during casting, "unfailingly professional and gave 150 percent in each audition." To the Hollywood insiders in a recent Radar magazine poll, Russell Crowe may be a "nightmare actor" to work with, but here he's "a true craftsman [who] looked for solid training in every single actor he worked with."

As for the casting process, the advice doesn't go much beyond relax, don't be a jerk and accept rejection. Luck, timing and connections also are important. Each star seems to have caught a break in a different way. They pushed Brendan Fraser for a role in "School Ties," even though the director had already rejected him. They sought out Bruce Willis on the advice of a costumer who dressed him for "Miami Vice." Not only did they pressure Michael Keaton to meet with Tim Burton for "Beetle Juice" -- he was "genuinely disgusted" by the script -- they convinced Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara and Sylvia Sidney to reconsider as well.

Behind the endless soothing vibes and feel-good stories, there seems to be an undercurrent in"A Star Is Found" that, while the writers and directors deserve credit for their success, Jane and Janet put them in that position first. If they can't be stars in real life, they can do it in this book. They are, after all, casting directors, and it's time for their close-up.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars (3.5) "Casting is a complicated, delicate and almost alchemical business.", November 16, 2006

By 

Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies (Hardcover)

Janet Hershenson and Jane Jenkins are freelance casting directors in a still predominately female career who first got together in 1970 when the field was wide open; they retain their own offices and staff in a transient business, most moving on after a project wraps. Their successful endeavor, The Casting Company, "works hard to fill the smaller parts, granting them the same meticulous attention that we'd give major roles." In retelling their history, the text reads like a blast from the past, referencing stars and celebrities of yesteryear, as well as newcomers. Although the main attraction of this book is its gossipy nature, the relevant bits are interesting, buried in the detritus of yesterday's films and TV shows (Suzy Coelho, wife of Sonny Bono; Walter Matthau; Ralph Waite, "Pa" on "The Walton's"). Casting the new James Bond (Daniel Craig) and The Da Vinci Code brings the dialog up to date.

Written in a chatty style that shares the spotlight between each casting director, Janet and Jane, the women discuss their freelance careers, citing films and actors they have cast in roles, from unknowns to stars. Anecdotally, they explore every aspect of this unique career from the Call to final Casting, and, hopefully, a successful project. An insider's peek into the inner workings of the movie business, the authors speak of the joys and pitfalls of casting roles as imagined by moviemakers, using an extensive client list and movie credits to frame their tales: The princess Bride, Something's Gotta Give, The Perfect Storm, Stand By Me, Ghost, Apollo 13. Directors they have worked with include: Ron Howard, Wolfgang Peterson, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Rob Reiner, Tim Burton and John Hughes.

In filling parts, they often use well-known actors or stars on their way up the ladder, but frequently they are driven to extended searches for the perfect match for a particular role. Of all the familiar names, many are cast at the beginning of their careers, and later going on to fame and fortune. One chapter speaks to the special difficulties of child actors, balancing age with skills, meanwhile deflecting too eager parents from interfering in the process. Filled with behind-the-scenes details, this is a quick and interesting read, names dropped throughout to keep the reader hoping for a juicy bit of gossip. Unfortunately, the authors are too professional to let slip any secrets, providing just enough information to keep it interesting. Luan Gaines/2006.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Any collection strong in acting guides, drama or Hollywood insights will welcome this expose., February 3, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Star Is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies (Hardcover)

A Star is Found: Our Adventures Casting Some of Hollywood's Biggest Movies is a rarity among the flood of acting and Hollywood guides on the market: a survey which examines how actors are chosen and careers made, coming from two of the top casting directors in the business. You can't get much more authoritative than this: the two review their craft, reflect on stars they helped build, and offer specific tips actors can use to catch attention and interest. Any collection strong in acting guides, drama or Hollywood insights will welcome this expose.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch