Casting By: The freedom and variety of talent opens the door to credible projects

Casting By is currently working on several projects, both in Spanish and English: Pálpito 2, Pacto de Silencio, Ojitos de Huevo, and Neón. They are all series for Netflix.

Jessica Caldrello, founder and Casting director, Casting By, is also thrilled about an interview series in which they are working for Canela.TV, “with a very relevant cast in Latin America,” she points out.

They have also several film projects, in both languages, such as Mi Primer Millón (My First Million) which will be shot in the Dominican Republic, “and two other great projects of which I cannot reveal many details, but which excite me a lot because of the great projection and the international relevance they have”.

In current projects, she highlighted the premiere of Who Killed Sara, where they managed to sign Jean Reno, and Pálpito, where they contributed with some relevant characters such as Ana Lucía Domínguez (leading role), Sebastián Martínez (antagonist), and Valeria Emiliani.

Regarding the internationalization of talents, she indicated that nowadays talent is searched worldwide. “I believe that borders no longer exist in production. We are currently looking for a Spanish and Turkish cast for Pálpito. This really gets more complex, but at the same time exciting. We open the market every day and we travel so we do not miss out on new proposals to bring to the table. At Casting By, talent always has the doors open.”

Asked about what platforms are looking for, Caldrello considers that there is no formula. “Each project requires tailored attention. Clearly the interests of the client mark or define the direction in the casting, but the market is open to new talent more than ever. Now it’s not about a pretty face, but the best option for the project”.

For Madre de Alquiler, a project that will soon be seen on Netflix, Casting By toured the cities of Mexico looking for the protagonist, a woman of indigenous origin who decides to rent her womb to a wealthy family with a lot of power. “A moving story with a new face like Shani Lozano, who we already foresee a great future.”

Regarding the series One Piece, which is being shot in South Africa, they were responsible for providing the protagonist, Iñaki Godoy, “another young Mexican talent with great potential,” she said.

She pointed out that they have assembled teams in Colombia, Madrid, and Los Angeles and reinforced those in Mexico and Miami with three more staff hires. Thanks to the advantages of the virtual world, “we are where and when it is needed.”

Among the trends she sees in her sector, Caldrello mentioned the growing involvement of the Casting By team in projects, for example, in the areas of development and sales. “The involvement of the casting team saves time and offers attractive products, ready to be produced. Also, the digitization of part of the process allows us to work in record time with, for example, the use of platforms that allow us to have new tools and greater scope. We are using a recently launched Prodmee, which is free and is proving very effective for us.”

Another trend she mentioned is the freedom and variety of talent. “The opportunity to make plausible projects, without being anchored to any stereotype. Clearly, without a doubt, talent is a key piece in the content that is produced today”.