{"id":11287,"date":"2025-12-11T15:55:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T15:55:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=11287"},"modified":"2025-12-11T16:15:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T16:15:39","slug":"skills-that-make-you-stand-out-according-to-casting-directors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-essentials\/skills-that-make-you-stand-out-according-to-casting-directors\/","title":{"rendered":"Skills That Make You Stand Out According to Casting Directors"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top casting directors reveal the essential skills, from prep to self-taping, that make actors stand out today.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The world of acting is always evolving, and so are the expectations of those on the other side of the table \u2013 casting directors. We spoke to some of the industry&#8217;s top casting directors, including Lucy Casson, Ruth O&#8217;Dowd, Rosie Pearson, Ronai Gittens, Andy Pryor, Kelly Valentine Hendry, Kristina Erdely, Nancy Bishop and Kirsty McGregor, to discuss essential skills for actors that can help them to stand out.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>Key insights from casting directors:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do thorough research on the material and the people involved to boost confidence and deliver your best performance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be open to taking direction and adapting your performance, which shows that you are a collaborative asset to any production.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work on your self-taping skills and become comfortable with technology like Zoom as these are now fundamental parts of the job.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the audition room to the self-tape, here&#8217;s what they say truly matters:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"umb-macro-holder mceNonEditable\">\n<p><!-- <?UMBRACO_MACRO macroAlias=\"ResponsiveEmbed\" EmbedInfo=\"&lt;iframe width=&quot;1280&quot; height=&quot;675&quot; src=&quot;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LdA-uIs0vHo?si=sagiZC9j0MSuoAs_; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; allow=&quot;accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture&quot; allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;\/iframe&gt;\" \/> --> <ins><\/ins><\/p>\n<div class=\"responsiveEmbed responsiveEmbedInWysiwyg\">\n<div class=\"embededYoutube\" style=\"padding-top: 52.73438%; position: relative; width: 100%; display: block;\"><iframe style=\"border: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LdA-uIs0vHo?si=sagiZC9j0MSuoAs_=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h3>Do Your Homework<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preparation is non-negotiable. Lucy Casson (CDG), Rosie Pearson (CDG, CSA, CDA) and Ruth O&#8217;Dowd (CDG) all emphasise the importance of thorough research. This isn&#8217;t just about memorising your lines, it&#8217;s about knowing the material inside and out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read the full script if you have it. Research the people you&#8217;ll be meeting. This foundational work gives you the confidence you need to walk into any room \u2013 or log onto any Zoom call \u2013 ready to deliver your best performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ruth O&#8217;Dowd also adds that your research shouldn&#8217;t stop there. \u201cAlways be going to see plays, watching series, figuring out how that\u2019s going to shape you as a performer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Be Open and Adaptable<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might have a strong take on a character, but are you willing to change? <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doctor Who<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019s casting director, Andy Pryor (CDG, CSA), highlights the skill of taking direction. In the early stages of a project, everyone is trying to find their footing. Casting directors, directors and producers are looking for a cast that will gel together. Showing that you can adapt and change while still bringing your own perspective is a huge asset.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Be a Good Person<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This one might seem obvious, but it&#8217;s often overlooked. Ronai Gittens stresses the importance of being polite and kind. While not a performance skill in the traditional sense, it&#8217;s a quality that can make you preferable to work with. Everyone can possess this skill, and it can go a long way in an industry built on collaboration and recommendation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Know Yourself<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best actors aren&#8217;t just great at pretending to be someone else \u2013 they&#8217;re great at being themselves first. Kelly Valentine Hendry (CDG) and Kristina Erdely (CDG) both champion authenticity and truthfulness in actors. As Kelly puts it, \u201cThe best performers are the performers who know who they are and are comfortable with who that is.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This self-awareness is your baseline. Once you have that, you have the foundation to convincingly become someone else in the roles you play.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Embrace the New Way of Working<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The industry has changed, and so must the actors within it. Nancy Bishop (CDG, CSA) and Kirsty McGregor point out two key skills related to this shift: self-taping, and being comfortable with technology like Zoom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Self-taping is now a fundamental part of the job, and it\u2019s unlikely to be going away anytime soon. Nancy encourages actors to view self-tapes as, \u201csomething that you should learn to like doing and enjoy doing.\u201d Don&#8217;t be afraid of the tech.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Take Care of Yourself<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gone are the days of the &#8220;half-cut Brit with a cigarette,&#8221; as Kelly Valentine Hendry puts it. Today&#8217;s industry demands professionals who are on top of their game, and that starts with taking care of yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means more than just physical health \u2013 it&#8217;s about mental and emotional wellbeing, too. A well-cared-for actor is a reliable, consistent and creative actor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a Spotlight member who is 18+ and resides in the UK or Ireland, you can receive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/spotlight\/spotlight-new-provider-wellbeing-in-the-arts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free mental health and wellbeing support<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as part of your membership through our partner <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-spotlight-podcast\/performer-mental-health-and-wellbeing-in-the-arts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wellbeing in the Arts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><b>Final Takeaways:<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While many aspiring actors focus solely on perfecting their craft, according to top casting directors, the essential qualities that set you apart are often rooted in your professionalism and personal character.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Come prepared for an audition by thoroughly researching the script and the people you&#8217;ll be meeting.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be ready to take direction and adapt your performance, showing that you\u2019re a flexible collaborator.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prioritise being a kind and polite person, as this can make you a pleasure to work with and a valuable asset to any project.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Embrace new technology like self-taping and Zoom calls, and practice with them until you\u2019re comfortable and confident.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take a look at our website for <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tag=interview\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more interviews<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tag=video\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">video advice from actors and casting directors<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Top casting directors reveal the essential skills, from prep to self-taping, that make actors stand out today. The world of acting is always evolving, and so are the expectations of those on the other side of the table \u2013 casting directors. We spoke to some of the industry&#8217;s top casting directors, including Lucy Casson, Ruth [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":11288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[64,95,52],"class_list":["post-11287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-essentials","tag-casting-directors","tag-interview","tag-video"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Skills That Make You Stand Out According to Casting Directors | Spotlight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Find out what truly matters to casting directors, from embracing technology to taking care of yourself. 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