Avy kaufman biography

Artios Award-winning casting director, Avy Kaufman, talks about the casting process, acting resumes and how she finds the right actors for parts

Avy Kaufman has had a long and hugely successful career, casting for well-loved films and TV shows such as Brokeback Mountain, The Sixth Sense, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Life of Pi.

Fresh off her Artios Award wins for Succession and Dopesick, and in the run-up to Succession’s season finale on 21st May, we caught up with her to chat about her career and the casting process.

Hi Avy.

Thank you for speaking with us today. How do you know an actor is right for a part?

I get a lot of emails [from agents] pushing all of their clients. Usually, one person’s really right for it and, for me, that’s all.

It doesn’t mean you’re not a good actor, but you’re right for it.

I think to be a reader is a really good experience because then you can see how one scene is interpreted [in] many different ways, and then