Accents at Auditions: Use 'Em or Lose 'Em?
A reader inquired: "Paul, how important is it to use an accent at auditions?" In several audition scenarios I can foresee the utilization or avoidance of an accent. More »

The Business of Auditioning
I've sort of become the Sherlock Holmes of reading résumés. My job as a casting director is to present the very best talent available for the project. More »

The King of Commercials
With 3,500 spots under his belt and a decade-and-a-half stint as president of the Commercial Casting Directors Association, there's no question that he knows his way around the ad world. More »

Political Play: Getting Ahead as an Actor
Should represented actors—that is, those lucky enough to have an agent and/or manager—attend EPAs? Answer: Yes. More »

The Cattle Call: Slaughter or Refuge?
Should represented actors—that is, those lucky enough to have an agent and/or manager—attend EPAs? Answer: Yes. More »

Finding the Perfect Fit in the Commercial World
With more than 3,000 commercials under her belt, Los Angeles casting director Megan Foley has populated TV spots for clients ranging from Budweiser to American Express. More »

Actor Angst: Getting Seen
Just how do you get past the barbarian gatekeepers—re: casting personnel and/or agents—is often as frustrating as getting a NYC subway train that doesn't reek of urine. More »

Actor Sexuality: A Career Impediment?
Homosexuals can be the biggest homophobes in our industry.  Several weeks ago I received a disturbing note from a reader. More »

Being Real
All casting directors talk about the importance of a headshot looking like the actor, but this is essential for actors interested in appearing in independent films. More »

Solving the Puzzle
Lisa Miller Katz lives for those moments of discovery, those special auditions when she knows an actor's nailed a part. More »

Experience vs. Sheepskin: Verdict?
"Did you go to college?" I replied truthfully: "No." I was informed that my lack of a certificate from a secondary institution of learning would prevent me from teaching at this particular school. More »

Be My Host
Though some actors may have reservations about hosting, because they think they won't be taken seriously, those ideas are changing throughout the industry, and the notion of selling out doesn't exist anymore. More »

Actors: Ill-Mannered and Indebted
Several months ago as I was going through the piles of actor mail I came across a familiar piece of "Thanks for the audition... " correspondence but it had an odd twist. More »

Pass the Remote
One might say that G. Charles Wright has spent his whole life preparing for a job in casting. "All my childhood was spent in front of a television instead of playing outdoors or doing homework," he says. More »

Actor Jealousy and Comparisons
Comparisons, they happen. Especially in group settings such as the collaboration that is the performing arts. And they can destroy the harmony and productivity of any project. More »

Give Me Your Height, Not Your Cooties
I don't want anything smacking us in the face or taking away from your performance. You don't want to have something on your T-shirt while you're reading, because that's going to be distracting. More »

Changing Your Look?
"I open someone's headshot online and I see a multitude of hair colors...and I don't know which girl I'm bringing in," says longtime L.A. casting director Ava Shevitt. More »

An Actor's Most Guarded Secret
Actors often get round-a-bout questions in auditions by the hiring personnel who hold an interest for discovering an artist's age. More »

'Case' Study
Though he's never had acting aspirations of his own, casting director Michael Testa feels a special kinship with actors. More »

Paranoia, Phonies and 'Phrauds'
When my visibility went from 'that guy behind the audition table' to Paul Russell, I fully realized just how cautious actors are about relatively unknown casting and other opportunities. More »

Welcome to the Theater
Aside from always being on time and always being thoroughly prepared and doing your best, it's kind of up to the gods. The rest you have absolutely no control over. More »

Actors Effectively Exploiting Social Networks
Online social networks have become a modern medium for everyone to sell their wares with the least amount of cost for the most return. More »

Opinions Destroy Actors
Everyone has got a f--king opinion. And I'm not talking about sexual orientation preference, fav fetish, or predilection of position. But everyone does have a position. On something. More »

Pilot Season: Landing an Audition
Yes it's that time of year when the entertainment industry is tossed into a tail spin as hundreds of pilots are sought and fought for. More »

Rush for Success
Having been an actor and worked on the other side of the table, I know how hard it is. For starters, it's so important to be realistic about your age range. More »