Casting Confidential

In the Season 4 finale of Casting Confidential, Rose Rosen sits down with Emmy-winning casting director Allison Jones—the casting force behind Veep, The Comeback, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, Barbie, and generations of defining comedy ensembles.

The conversation arrives as Allison’s latest project, the Apple TV+ series Widow’s Bay, emerges as one of this year’s Emmy surprises. The genre-bending comedy earned 19 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and recognition for six members of its cast.

Allison shares how the Widow’s Bay ensemble came together, including the nerve-racking visa race to secure British actress Kate O’Flynn, now an Emmy nominee for her performance in the series.

Rose and Allison also talk candidly about how casting decisions are actually made: the long lists, months spent waiting for studio decisions, and the strange reality that casting directors are often the last people to learn whether an actor has been approved.

Allison reflects on how the process has changed since she began casting in the early 1980s—from the months-long chaos of traditional pilot season to today’s self-tapes, Zoom auditions, and worldwide casting searches. She also explains why authenticity matters more than elaborate self-tape production. The performance is the point—not perfect lighting.

The episode closes with a live feedback session featuring returning guest Connor Ratliff, actor, comedian, and host of the podcast Dead Eyes. Connor performs a monologue and receives real-time notes from Allison before sharing the remarkable story behind the title of his podcast.
It’s a candid conversation about building ensembles, recognizing distinctive performers, navigating an unpredictable business, and creating work that lasts.

Sponsor:
Rafy App
Rehearse, memorize, and self-tape anytime with Rafy, the app that scans your sides and lets you practice with realistic reader voices. With over 60 voices, a built-in teleprompter, multilingual support, and a script library called Playhouse, Rafy gives actors full control over their process. Visit rafy.app and use code CONFIDENTIAL15 for 15% off.

Continue the Conversation in The Casting Lab
The public episode is only part of the conversation.
Join The Casting Lab on Patreon for bonus discussions, extended conversations, live Q&As, and the complete Season 4 archive—available throughout the show’s hiatus.
Join The Casting Lab
https://www.patreon.com/c/castingconfidential

Casting Confidential Official Merchandise
Shop Casting Confidential merchandise
For more episodes and resources, visit castingconfidential.com.

CREDITS:
Host, Creator & Producer
Rose Rosen, CSA
@roserosencasting

GUESTS:
Allison Jones
Connor Ratliff

Editor
MZ Studios

Original Music
Orville Wright
@ohyeahbeats

Artwork
Ace Anderson
@aceshotthat

Follow Casting Confidential:
Follow the @castingconfidential and join us in The Casting Lab on Patreon:
@castingconfidential
The Casting Lab on Patreon

**Opinions expressed in Casting Confidential podcast are the opinions of each individual and do not represent the opinions of any other group or entity. Nothing in this show should be interpreted as an offer of employment.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rose Rosen and a panel of CASTING LAB casting directors-- Cheryl Louden-Kubin, Robin Carus and Kimberly Skyrme tackle a word actors use constantly to describe casting — and pull it apart. Are casting directors really standing between actors and opportunity, or is something else going on?

The panel makes the case for retiring that old framing altogether, offering sharper, truer alternatives: conduit, facilitator, creative collaborator. They talk through what casting directors actually control versus what comes down from producers and directors, why self-taping has widened the door rather than narrowed it, and what actors can do — from self-identifying in submissions to simply stating their location — to make it easier to be seen and considered.
It's an honest, no-mythology look at how decisions really get made, and a mindset shift worth sitting with.

Sponsor:
Rafy App
Rehearse, memorize, and self-tape anytime with Rafy, the app that scans your sides and lets you practice with realistic reader voices. With over 60 voices, a built-in teleprompter, multilingual support, and a script library called Playhouse, Rafy gives actors full control over their process. Visit rafy.app and use code
CONFIDENTIAL15 for 15% off.

Go Deeper on Patreon
Join the Casting Confidential community on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended conversations, and live Q&As designed specifically for actors navigating the industry.
patreon.com/castingconfidential

Shop our Merch Store here:
https://castingconfidential.dashery.com
For more episodes and resources, visit castingconfidential.com.

CREDITS:

Host, Creator & Producer
Rose Rosen, CSA
@roserosencasting

PANEL
Cheryl Louden-Kubin, CSA
@loudenkubin

Kimberly Skyrme, CSA
https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyskyrme

Robin Carus
https://www.instagram.com/robincarus

Editor
MZ Studios

Original Music
Orville Wright
@ohyeahbeats

Artwork
Ace Anderson
@aceshotthat

FOLLOW THE SHOW AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY ON SOCIALS:
@castingconfidential
https://www.instagram.com/castingconfidential/

Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/cw/castingconfidential
**Opinions expressed in Casting Confidential podcast are the opinions of each individual and do not represent the opinions of any other group or entity. Nothing in this show should be interpreted as an offer of employment.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lamorne Morris has always been one of the most thoughtful actors working today.Not long after his Emmy-winning performance in Fargo and his standout role in Saturday Night, he joined Rose Rosen for a candid conversation about building a career that lasts.

We're bringing this episode back because it's just as relevant now as it was then. Lamorne talks about navigating success after New Girl, why comedy is often underestimated, the reality of auditions, developing new projects, producing, podcasting, and the business decisions actors rarely hear about. With the benefit of hindsight—and an Emmy on his shelf—you can hear the mindset that helped get him there.

In this episode:

Life after New Girl
Winning opportunities long before winning awards
What actors misunderstand about career longevity
Comedy, drama, and breaking expectations
Auditions, casting, and staying ready
Producing, podcasting, and creating your own opportunities
The business side of being a working actor
Whether you already know Lamorne from New Girl, Fargo, Saturday Night, or his podcasts, this conversation offers an honest look at what it really takes to build a lasting career.

SPONSOR:
RAFY APP
Discount code: CONFIDENTIAL15
Rehearse, memorize, and self-tape anytime with Rafy, the app that scans your sides and lets you practice with realistic reader voices. With over 60 voices, a built-in teleprompter, multilingual support, and a script library called Playhouse, Rafy gives actors full control over their process. Visit rafy.app and use code CONFIDENTIAL15 for 15% off.

GO DEEPER ON PATREON
https://www.patreon.com/c/castingconfidential

Join the Casting Confidential community on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended conversations, and live Q&As designed specifically for actors navigating the industry.

Shop Our New Merch Store Here:
https://castingconfidential.dashery.com

JOIN HERE
For more episodes and resources, visit castingconfidential.com.

CREDITS:
Host, Creator & Producer
Rose Rosen, CSA
@roserosencasting

GUESTS:
Lamorne Morris
@lamorne

Editor
MZ Studios

Original Music
Orville Wright
@ohyeahbeats

Artwork
Ace Anderson
@aceshotthat

FOLLOW THE SHOW AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY ON SOCIALS:
@castingconfidential
Patreon

Opinions expressed in Casting Confidential podcast are the opinions of each individual and do not represent the opinions of any other group or entity. Nothing in this show should be interpreted as an offer of employment.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Together, our Casting Lab Casting Directors dig into why talented actors don't always land the role, what "booking the room" really means in practice, and the professional habits that determine whether casting wants to see you again. They also share the story of an actor who was found years later through notes a casting director never deleted. That's not luck. That's what happens when you leave the right impression.

Whether you're trying to understand why you keep coming close but not landing the role, or you're ready to build the kind of reputation that makes casting directors your advocates, this episode is for you.

SPONSOR: RAFY APP https://rafy.app/ — Use code CONFIDENTIAL15 for 15% off.

Rehearse, memorize, and self-tape anytime with Rafy, the app that scans your sides and lets you practice with realistic reader voices. With over 60 voices, a built-in teleprompter, multilingual support, and a script library called Playhouse, Rafy gives actors full control over their process. Visit https://rafy.app and use code CONFIDENTIAL15 for 15% off.

Join The Casting Lab on Patreon for:
bonus episodes • extended conversations • monthly live Q&As • exclusive discussions you won't hear on the public podcast

https://www.patreon.com/cw/castingconfidential

For more episodes and resources, visit https://castingconfidential.com

CREDITS:
Host, Creator & Producer
Rose Rosen, CSA
https://instagram.com/roserosencasting

GUESTS:
Cheryl Louden-Kubin, CSA
https://instagram.com/loudenkubin

Robin Carus, CSA
https://instagram.com/robincarus

Editor
MZ Studios
https://mzstudiosdallas.com

Original Music
Orville Wright
https://instagram.com/ohyeahbeats

Artwork
Ace Anderson
https://instagram.com/aceshotthat

FOLLOW THE SHOW AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY ON SOCIALS:
https://instagram.com/castingconfidential
https://www.patreon.com/cw/castingconfidential

Opinions expressed in Casting Confidential podcast are the opinions of each individual and do not represent the opinions of any other group or entity. Nothing in this show should be interpreted as an offer of employment.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Casting Confidential, Rose Rosen sits down with Emmy Award-winning casting director Victoria Thomas, CSA — the woman behind some of the most celebrated ensembles in prestige television, including The Morning Show, The Last of Us, Watchmen, Nickel Boys, Bosch: Legacy, Bel Air, and Insecure. Victoria pulls back the curtain on how a show like The Morning Show actually gets cast season after season, what it means to think like a filmmaker when you're in a casting chair, and why budget, scheduling, and creative vision all have to collide before a single offer goes out.

Rose and Victoria dig into the strategic conversations that happen before the cameras roll — from building lists and considering audience expansion, to the rare joy of introducing a fresh face into a high-profile ensemble. They talk about what it's like to cast day players for scenes opposite Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, why Victoria still prefers in-person auditions for the moments that matter, and what she actually looks for when actors walk into her Beverly Hills office.

This episode is packed with practical insight for actors at every stage — from self-tape dos and don'ts, to the truth about why you didn't get the role (hint: it's almost never what you think), to the one underrated actor quality Victoria keeps coming back to: the ability to adjust.

SPONSOR:
Rafy App
Discount code: CONFIDENTIAL15

Rehearse, memorize, and self-tape anytime with Rafy, the app that scans your sides and lets you practice with realistic reader voices. With over 60 voices, a built-in teleprompter, multilingual support, and a script library called Playhouse, Rafy gives actors full control over their process. Visit rafy.app and use code CONFIDENTIAL15 for 15% off.

Shop Our New Merch Store Here:
https://castingconfidential.dashery.com

GO DEEPER ON PATREON
https://www.patreon.com/c/castingconfidential

Join the Casting Confidential community on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended conversations and live Q&As designed specifically for actors navigating the industry.

JOIN HERE
For more episodes and resources, visit castingconfidential.com.

CREDITS:
Host, Creator & Producer
Rose Rosen, CSA
@roserosencasting

GUEST:
Victoria Thomas, CSA

Editor
MZ Studios

Original Music
Orville Wright
@ohyeahbeats

Artwork
Ace Anderson
@aceshotthat

FOLLOW THE SHOW AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY ON SOCIALS:
@castingconfidential
Patreon

**Opinions expressed in Casting Confidential podcast are the opinions of each individual and do not represent the opinions of any other group or entity. Nothing in this show should be interpreted as an offer of employment.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.