Brett Greenstein and Collin Daniel of Greenstein/Daniel Casting are responsible for some of TV’s most joyous ensembles, from the Hulu comedy “Shrill” to Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever.” Stil, Daniel says that their latest project – the Netflix rom-com “Nobody Wants This” – is a new experience. “It’s the biggest hit show we’ve ever done, and it’s thrilling to see its worldwide success,” says Daniel.
Created by Erin Foster, the series stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody as a seemingly mismatched couple – she’s an agnostic host of a sex podcast, he’s a Rabbi. Though the two share immediate chemistry, they have to overcome their differences and the skepticism of friends and family to navigate the new relationship. Much of the show hinges on the chemistry of the two leads, and Bell and Brody have worked together before in the films “Scream 4”, “CHiPs”, and “Some Girl(s)” and the series “House of Lies.” But the entire ensemble shines, from Justine Lupe (“Succession”) as Bell’s sister to Timothy Simons (“Veep”) as Brody’s brother. The show also mixes such veteran Broadway stars as Tovah Feldshuh (playing Brody’s mother) to comedian Sherry Cola (as Bell’s agent.)
Though Bell and Brody have worked together before
Greenstein and Daniel have been collaborating now for 20 years and say two heads are better than one in a casting room. “Casting is so subjective and to have two sets of eyes on an audition always helps with perspective,” notes Daniel. Adds Greenstein, “We really respect each other’s opinions, and it’s always great to talk it out when discussing our casting or other business decisions. We bounce well off each other and luckily – usually – have similar taste and vision.”
How did you become aware of “Nobody Wants This,” and what compelled you to want to work on it?
Collin Daniel: Producers we had previously worked for – Steve Levitan, Danielle Stokdyk, Oly Obst – called us about an Erin Foster series for Netflix. We knew immediately after reading the pilot episode, we wanted the job and did everything we could to secure it. Knowing you have a series with 10 episodes on the air is always a plus, and getting to help create the world is the best part of the job.
How much of the cast was already set, and what did you see as the top priority in rounding out the cast?
Brett Greenstein: Kristen Bell was attached, and we knew the priority would be finding Noah since the show is really a two-hander. We went through the regular casting process looking for Noah all over the world. Kristen had said from day one Noah is Adam Brody. Once we searched for a couple months, we knew Adam was the answer, and she was more than right!
Daniel: We exhausted all other options of many auditions before offering to Adam. Some clips were compiled where she and Adam had worked together in the past. Everyone could see the chemistry right away after watching those and we made the offer to Adam.
So much of this show is about chemistry – did you do any chemistry reads with cast members?
Daniel: With Kristen and Adam on board we had the luxury of being able to read them opposite other actors for the Morgan and Sasha roles. To be able to see chemistry in person is so important when casting and luckily, we saw it right away with Justine Lupe and Timothy Simons during their chemistry reads. We read quite a few actors opposite Kristen and Adam and sometimes the chemistry just wasn’t there. They were great actors, just not a great fit in this ensemble.
What was the most challenging role to cast?
Greenstein: Probably the Sasha role. We read so many funny guys for that part and no one was quite the right fit, so once we had Adam in the room to read with a few actors, we just knew it had to be Timothy Simons. He and Adam just bounced so well off each other, and it was a joy to watch them improv and have fun together. There’s no better feeling when you see the chemistry in the room and just know you have the right actor for the role.
If an actor is fortunate enough to audition for you, what would you want them to know? What is the answer to the eternal question “what are you looking for?”
Daniel: Be prepared, know the material and the tone of the show you are auditioning for and it’s OK to make strong, bold choices when it’s a series regular role. We want the actor to win and be the right fit for the role. We appreciate it when actors make the role their own (without completely rewriting the sides). We always love a little improv or a button on a scene that puts your own stamp on it.
Greenstein: What we are looking for in an audition is a clear point of view, strong choices, honoring the words on the page and someone who makes the role their own. A lot of times it comes down to the right role for the right person at the right time. There are so many outside factors that an actor auditioning won’t know about including, do they look like someone else in the scene, would they be better in another role, are they too tall/too short for this role, etc. So, we just encourage actors to give their best shot, make it their own somehow and then just let it go because even if it’s the best audition ever, there could be so many reasons outside of your control why it may not move forward.
Daniel: You never know, you may not be quite right for this specific role. But if you do something that makes us go, “Hmmm…this person has something…” we most probably will be seeing you for another role down the line.
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