The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta casting agency making its mark on major TV shows
The role of Barb was not a big one for Netflix’s hit show “Stranger Things” season one, lasting all of three episodes. But it was pivotal given that she dies partway through the season.
The producers were seeking a girl with a specific look and feel. Atlanta’s Paris/Feldstein Casting did some fishing and found Shannon Purser from Roswell. She captured that classic nerdy-angst that worked for the character.
Then to the surprise of everyone involved, including casting agents Chase Paris and Tara Feldstein Bennett, Barb became a cult sensation. Fans were outraged by her departure. #JusticeForBarb became a meme and trending topic.
That casting helped Paris/Feldstein win their first Emmy last year. In fact, they were nominated for both “Stranger Things” and FX’s “Atlanta,” winning for the “Stranger Things.”
“There’s nothing like winning your first Emmy,” said Bennett, 32. “It’s an outer body experience.” They beat out “This is Us,” “Westworld” and “Handmaid’s Tale,” among others.
Paris/Feldstein have become pivotal casting agents in Atlanta well beyond “Stranger Things,” finding roles for hundreds of regional actors on Atlanta-produced shows such as Netflix’s “Ozark,” FX’s “Atlanta,” OWN’s “Greenleaf ” and films such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Game Night” and “I, Tonya.”
They are known for their friendliness, accessibility, efficiency and efficacy in finding talent.
“I’ve now worked with them on quite a variety of projects and they are able to make the shift from different styles and genres pretty seamlessly,” said casting director Carmen Cuba from “Stranger Things.”
And after seven years in town, they remain a lean, mean operating machine. They have zero staff. They only began renting a centralized office at the Battery by SunTrust Park this month, hoping it will reduce the amount of driving they have to do since they previously worked frequently from home.
Thom Milam, an agent at the People Store talent agency in Atlanta which originally repped Purser, said he can always easily contact one or the other. “That’s very helpful in building the agent relationship,” he said. “There’s no telephone tag. And they’re scheduling geniuses. They work on so many projects but are extremely organized. And they are cognizant that we have a life. They only contact us off hours when it’s an emergency.”
For one upcoming film, “The Hate U Give,” they cast a whopping 75 people in just a few weeks.
Paris, who is by far the gabbier of the two, said for now, they don’t mind doing the paperwork that other agents would pawn off. And they have no plans on adding another partner either.
“We haven’t found the breaking point just yet,” Paris said. “We like our situation and enjoy the minutiae strangely enough. I trust her implicitly. I can’t see bringing someone else into this work marriage.”
They say they rarely argue and even when they do, it’s never mean-spirited.
In the pre-digital days, casting had to be done in person and some agencies still like to do it that way. But now most casting for day players and recurring roles is done digitally. It saves an enormous amount of time and money. It’s also how Paris/ Feldstein can do so much work without staff.
“They’re rising stars and I think
they’ve earned it,” said Ric Reitz, president of actors’ union SAG-AFTRA Atlanta. “It’s a new generation, a new time and a new style.”
They also cast many of the quirky roles on FX’s “Atlanta.” “We found a lot of true Atlantans to be in it,” Paris said. “Ninety five percent of the new cast you see each season is local.” For instance, all the kid roles in the flashback episode were cast by them, including middle-school versions of Earn and Alfred. “Everyone was super happy,” Paris said.
Paris/Feldstein do not generally contact actors directly. Rather, they work through local talent agencies such as the People Store, Paris’ former employer Houghton Talent and Atlanta Models & Talent. Those agencies will suggest actors who fit whatever roles the films and TV shows are seeking.
But they are always open to meeting new actors and agents. They will occasionally send out Tweets saying they will be at a particular restaurant in a few hours, come on by!
As the talent pool in Atlanta has deepened, Paris said they have an easier time booking beefier, bigger roles for local actors. Atlanta has become a magnet for thespians nationwide. SAG-AFTRA Atlanta said membership has swelled to about 2,200 members vs. about 700 to 800 10 years ago.
Before starting their twoperson firm, Paris was a talent agent and Bennett spent several years at well-established casting agency Fincannon and Associates, which casts “The Walking Dead.” As the tax credits were starting to heat up the local TV and film scene, the two decided to combine forces and start their own Atlantabased operation.
“When we started there was a vacuum,” Paris said. “We filled a void.” Early on, they did NBC’s “Revolution,” CBS’s “Reckless” and Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow.” And as their reputation built, they were able to nab the two big Netflix shows and “Atlanta” as well as Dwayne Johnson movies “Rampage” and the upcoming “Jungle Cruise.”
And they manage to do all this while each juggling marriages and two young children, born just weeks apart. They also socialize when not working, playing mixed doubles on both ALTA and a T2 flex league. “Tara is the better athlete,” Paris noted. “I’m the better tennis player.”