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17 Feb 2025

What Agents and Casting Directors Look for in New Performers

Spotlight
What Agents and Casting Directors Look for in New Performers

Industry professionals explain the things they look out for in up-and-coming actors, from special qualities to new and unique takes on well-known characters.

The acting world can be extremely competitive, so understanding exactly what agents and casting directors are looking for in new talent is key to standing out from the crowd and getting yourself noticed.

Some casting decisions are made based on things that are completely beyond your control, like resembling an actor that’s already been cast or being the right size for a pre-made costume. Others take into account a blend of factors that are a little bit harder to put your finger on than technical skills – things like authenticity, charisma, charm and believability. 

At the Spotlight Prize 2024, we asked casting directors and agents what they looked for when seeking new talent either for a project they’re working on or for representation. Here’s what they shared:

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A Special Quality

While it’s a bit of a cliché, many casting professionals describe a certain type of quality in promising actors that can be hard to put into words. Commercial casting director Tree Petts says, “I always find it really fascinating how certain people stand out, and it’s something that’s not even tangible. They’re confident, they’re contained [and] their performance is contained.” 

It’s a type of confidence that isn’t arrogant or displayed by over-the-top shows of bravado. Instead, it comes across as a grounded and compelling presence that has the power to command the attention of the audience. Projecting this kind of energy authentically requires strong self-belief and confidence in your skills and versatility as an actor.

“And I’m not saying it can’t be emotional,” Tree adds, “But at the same time, I’m looking for that little something that stands them out.”

Connecting Through Your Performance

Films and TV series ultimately become memorable when they can provoke some kind of emotional experience in the audience that makes people feel something. To achieve this as an actor, you need to connect with the story and script yourself. It needs to mean something to you instead of just being lines on a page.

Casting director Rachel Freck describes looking for “somebody who speaks to you through the performance. Somebody who draws you in.”

Bringing the kind of depth to a character that’s needed to have this effect requires careful preparation, where an actor might seek to understand their characters’ motivations intimately and even relate these to real-life experiences they may have had in the past.

Unique Perspectives

Livvie Johnson from Middleweek Newton Talent Management looks forward to “actors surprising you in the way that the scene is portrayed… Bringing something different, if it’s a scene you’ve already seen before, or a play you’ve already seen before… Something a bit unique.”

The ability to bring your own, new perspective and insight into a role is key, even if you’ve seen dozens of other actors play the same role. Audition preparation is, again, key to this process. Taking the time to thoroughly understand the material you’ll be performing and having a clear sense of the artistic choices you’d like to make go a long way when you finally end up in front of the decision-makers.

Believability

Being able to fully inhabit a character and to take on not just their words but their facial expressions, body movements, style and other unique attributes plays a big part in making your performance believable. 

Agents, such as Sarah Hjort from Michelle Braidman Associates, are looking to forget about you, the actor, and be taken in by the character you are attempting to portray: “Someone who just has that stage presence… And someone who is believable. That’s the key to acting. Someone who you look at and go, ‘I believe every word you’re saying.’”

Final Thoughts

Standing out as a new actor requires much more than impressive qualifications. The complete package that casting professionals are on the lookout for includes attributes such as confidence, creativity, believability and an ability to emotionally connect with your audience. 

Cultivating these traits can require a lot of dedication and preparation as an actor, but it’s going the extra mile that will hopefully allow you to stand out and leave a powerful, lasting impression.

Take a look at our website for more tips and interviews from casting directors and advice on how to help them find you on Spotlight

Find out more about Spotlight’s membership options and start looking for auditions today!

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