{"id":9443,"date":"2025-06-25T15:00:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T15:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=9443"},"modified":"2025-12-23T13:54:48","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T13:54:48","slug":"spotlight-prize-2025-judges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/spotlight\/spotlight-prize-2025-judges\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spotlight Prize 2025 Judges and Headline Sponsor Announcement"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ATG Entertainment joins The Spotlight Prize 2025 as headline sponsor and we introduce this year\u2019s esteemed panel of judges.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re thrilled to announce that ATG Entertainment is joining <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/spotlight-prize\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Spotlight Prize<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as our exclusive headline sponsor. ATG will be supporting the event that sees <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/spotlight-prize-2025-finalists-announced\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">19 drama school and university graduates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the UK and Ireland showcase their talent to a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">specially invited audience of industry professionals. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re proud to be partnering with ATG, whose commitment, like ours, to championing new and emerging talent will help make this year\u2019s event our best yet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re also delighted to reveal our judges for this year\u2019s prize. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve always assembled a world-class panel of industry experts to choose our Spotlight Prize winners and this year is no exception. The panel includes an international range of talented and experienced casting directors and actors all ready to be dazzled by our exceptional finalists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>The Spotlight Prize 2025 stage judges are:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ginny Schiller, CDG<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jemma Redgrave<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kosar Ali<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kristina Erdely, CSA<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lotte Hines, CDG<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mathew Horne<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Matthew Dunster<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maureen Beattie, OBE<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paul Chahidi<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rosie Pearson, CDA, CDG, CSA<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selma Nicholls, CDA, CDG<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>The Spotlight Prize 2025 screen judges are:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carla Stronge, CSA<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cassandra Han, BVC, CSA, ICDA<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Destiny Lilly, CSA<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Francesco Vedovati, ICDA, UICD<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jimmy Akingbola<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Julia Crampsie, CDG<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kate Rhodes-James, CDG, CSA, ICDA<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luci Lenox, APDICE, CSA<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mukesh Chhabra, CSA<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find out More about the Judging Panel<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3>Stage Judges<\/h3>\n<p><b>Ginny Schiller, CDG<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ginny Schiller is an accomplished casting director whose diverse credits span theatre, television, film and radio. Formerly Head of Casting at the Royal Shakespeare Company, she has been the in-house casting director for venues including Chichester Festival Theatre, Soho Theatre and English Touring Theatre and has worked closely with Theatre Royal Bath and the Ustinov Studio for over a decade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On stage, some of Ginny\u2019s notable productions include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Curious Case of Benjamin Button<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the Southwark Playhouse and the Ambassadors, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Machinal<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the Ustinov and Old Vic, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A View From the Bridge<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Deep Blue Sea<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noises Off<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Bath and the Theatre Royal Haymarket, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4000 Miles<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Redlands<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at Chichester, and 1984 for Headlong, the Almeida and in the West End. Ginny is committed to championing both established and emerging talent, and is a full member of the Casting Directors\u2019 Guild.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Jemma Redgrave<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jemma Redgrave is a distinguished English actress whose versatile career spans film, television and theatre. Born in London, she is a fourth-generation member of the renowned Redgrave acting dynasty and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Jemma is celebrated for her roles in acclaimed films such as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Howards End<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Love &amp; Friendship<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Beekeeper<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. On television, she is widely recognised for portraying \u2018Kate Stewart\u2019 in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doctor Who<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u2018DI Jill Raymond\u2019 in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Silent Witness<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and \u2018Amelia\u2019 in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grantchester<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She also recently appeared in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The War Between the Land and the Sea<\/span><\/i> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for Disney+.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Her stage work includes leading performances at the Old Vic, Chichester Festival Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, and the West End.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Kosar Ali<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kosar Ali is a multi-disciplinary creative and actor, best known for her performance in the BAFTA and BIFA award-winning film, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rocks<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This role earned her Best Supporting Actress and Most Promising Newcomer at the 2021 BIFA, and her first BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her other credits include \u2018Hana\u2019 in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pru<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u2018Victoire\u2019 in TV series <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dangerous Liaisons<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and Rubiah Hussain\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Word-Play<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the Royal Court. She was recently seen in Warda Mohamed\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Muna<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and gained her first Executive Producer credit on the project, and stars in the short film <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luna<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, directed by Radford Nicholls. Kosar was named as one of the Screen International\u2019s Stars of Tomorrow 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Kristina Erdely, CSA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kristina Erdely is an award-winning London-based casting director and producer with over 25 years of industry experience. She is a member of the Casting Society of America (CSA) and BAFTA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kristina was nominated for an Artios Award in 2020 for her work on David Fincher&#8217;s BAFTA-winning Netflix series, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Love, Death &amp; Robots<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Her impressive credits also include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Drowning<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Brutalist<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Actor<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She founded her production company, Marilla Pictures, in 2018 and is a strong advocate for increasing diverse storytelling and inclusive productions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Lotte Hines, CDG<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lotte Hines is a highly regarded casting director celebrated for her contributions across major UK theatre productions. She began her career at the Royal Court, serving as Casting Associate and later Deputy Casting Director from 2008-2014. She has also worked for Julie Harkin Casting and Kharmel Cochrane Casting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her impressive credits include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harry Potter and the Cursed Child<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Palace Theatre), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">English<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (RSC), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accidental Death of an Anarchist<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Theatre Royal Haymarket) and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between Riverside and Crazy<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Hampstead). Lotte has also worked with venues such as the Young Vic, Chichester Festival Theatre and Regent\u2019s Park Open Air Theatre, and is currently the Resident Casting Director for the Donmar Warehouse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Mathew Horne<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mathew Horne is an actor and writer best known for his roles across television, film and stage. He rose to prominence as \u2018Gavin Shipman\u2019 in the hugely popular sitcom Gavin &amp; Stacey and has been a regular collaborator with Catherine Tate, appearing in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Catherine Tate Show<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Horne\u2019s other notable television credits include<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Bad Education, Teachers<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agatha Raisin<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to his screen work, Mathew has earned widespread recognition for his stage performances. His theatre credits include: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Entertaining Mr Sloane<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Charley\u2019s Aunt<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rain Man<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Homecoming<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Pride<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Tempest<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Miser<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noises Off<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. He will soon be appearing in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Endgame<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the Theatre Royal Bath.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Matthew Dunster<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Matthew Dunster is a theatre and film director and writer. Previously an actor, he has directed and written over 60 theatre shows, some for the RSC, National Theatre, Royal Court, Young Vic, Royal Exchange, Shakespeare\u2019s Globe and The Bridge. He has also directed on the West End, Broadway and internationally, and was the Associate Director of The Young Vic and Shakespeare&#8217;s Globe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His most recent productions include: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2:22 A Ghost Story<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shirley Valentine<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Pillowman<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Homecoming<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dealer\u2019s Choice<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Matthew\u2019s Broadway production of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hangmen<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was nominated for five Tony\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Autumn 2025, he will direct Conor McPherson\u2019s stage adaptation of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Hunger Games<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Maureen Beattie, OBE<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maureen Beattie is an award-winning actress who has graced the stages of the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the West End, appearing in productions such as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yerma<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ferryman<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As You Like It<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My Fair Lady<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. On television, she is known for standout roles in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deadwater Fell<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Playing Nice<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fear<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and long-running series like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Casualty<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vera<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Her film credits include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sunlight<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Decoy Bride<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maureen served as the President of Equity between 2018 and 2022, was appointed an OBE for services to the entertainment industry in 2020, and received a Saltire Society Outstanding Woman of Scotland award in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Paul Chahidi<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paul Chahidi is a celebrated British stage and screen actor, nominated for Tony, Olivier, and Royal Television Society awards. His recent screen credits include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See How They Run<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Serpent Queen<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and two seasons of the Iranian-American comedy <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chad<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Other notable roles include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good Omens<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Amazon Prime), three seasons of the BAFTA-winning <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Country<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (BBC) and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Death of Stalin<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paul has performed extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Shakespeare\u2019s Globe and Royal Court, and starred on Broadway in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twelfth Night<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. He is a Theatre World and Clarence Derwent Award winner, and an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Rosie Pearson, CDA, CDG, CSA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rosie Pearson began her career as an actor before discovering her passion for casting. In 2014, she co-founded the award-winning Pearson Casting, now an international casting house with offices in London and New York.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rosie\u2019s discerning eye has brought talent to acclaimed productions including <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operation Mincemeat<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SIX the Musical<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Titanique<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starlight Express<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rent<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Play On!<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as well as US tours of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pretty Woman<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clue<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In 2022, Pearson Casting won Best Casting in Regional Theatre at the CDG Awards for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rent<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Rosie is a proud member of the CDG, CDA, and CSA, and was named one of The Stage\u2019s 100 most influential people in UK theatre in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Selma Nicholls, CDA, CDG<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selma Nicholls is an acclaimed casting director and founder of Looks Like Me Casting, who are dedicated to raising the profile and visibility of underrepresented voices featured in mainstream content. Since 2016, she has cast high-profile ad campaigns, commercials, and projects featuring young performers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selma&#8217;s commitment to change has seen her champion authentic and diverse casting across the industry. Her notable credits include the Grammy-winning video <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown Skin Girl<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, part of Beyonc\u00e9&#8217;s #BLACKISKING, and the Black British Theatre Award and CDA Award-winning <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rumble in the Jungle: Rematch<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at Dock X in London. Selma is a board member of the CDA, BAFTA Scripted Casting Jury and President of the Casting Jury at the D&amp;AD Awards.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Screen Judges<\/h3>\n<p><b>Carla Stronge, CSA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carla Stronge is an acclaimed casting director, known for her work across major television and film productions. Her distinguished portfolio includes casting for popular series like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Fall<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Derry Girls<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, alongside her extensive role in the local casting for all seasons of HBO&#8217;s monumental <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Game of Thrones<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, Carla has garnered industry recognition for her casting of the biopic of the Irish language hip-hop trio <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kneecap<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, earning a British Independent Film Award (BIFA), the inaugural Irish Film &amp; Television Academy casting award, and a BAFTA nomination. Upcoming projects include Channel 4&#8217;s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trespasses<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Lisa McGee&#8217;s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Get to Heaven From Belfast<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Netflix.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Cassandra Han, BVC, CSA, ICDA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cassandra Han is an Artois-nominated casting director based in Munich and Italy, known for bridging European and Anglo-American talent. After a decade casting in New York, she has established herself as a key figure in German-language and international co-productions. She is currently casting <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Weight<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other recent credits include the Lionsgate series <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The German<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (SeriesMania 2025 Best Screenplay), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Samia<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Tribeca 2024 Special Jury Mention), <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One Trillion Dollars<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Paramount+, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She Said Maybe<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Netflix and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Die Drei Fragezeichen<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Sony. Italian credits include: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ford v Ferrari<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Terrence Malick&#8217;s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Hidden Life<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the Netflix hit <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barbarians<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. UK casting includes <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miss Fallaci<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the upcoming <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quezon<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the German series <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black Gold<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Cassandra is President of the CSA Global Chapter and a member of the German and European Film Academies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Destiny Lilly, CSA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Destiny Lilly is an Emmy-nominated casting director based in New York and she currently serves as the President of the Casting Society (CSA). Working out of The Telsey Office, she has made significant contributions to both screen and stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her recent projects include 2023\u2019s critically acclaimed <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Color Purple<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Hulu&#8217;s hit series <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only Murders in the Building<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. On Broadway, Destiny has cast notable productions including <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Strange Loop<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Purlie Victorious<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glengarry Glen Ross<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. She also casts plays and musicals for prestigious institutions like New York Stage &amp; Film, MCC Theater and the Atlantic Theater Company. Destiny is an avowed Anglophile and graduated from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with an MA in Theatre Practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Francesco Vedovati, ICDA, UICD<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Francesco Vedovati has established himself as a prominent casting director in Italian cinema over several decades. His exceptional work earned him an Emmy Award in 2023 for the drama series <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The White Lotus<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Season 2). He also cast the Oscar-nominated film <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Io, Capitano<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2024) and received a BAFTA nomination for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Two Popes<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Vedovati has been recognised with multiple Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America for projects including <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fargo<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ripley<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In 2024, he was honored with the Capelier-Shaw Artios Award for Excellence in Casting, followed by the Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting \u2013 Studio or Independent Feature \u2013 Drama for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclave<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Jimmy Akingbola<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ALRA graduate, Jimmy Akingbola, is a British actor celebrated for his versatile performances across television, film and theatre. Currently reprising his role as \u2018Geoffrey Thompson\u2019 in the filming of the fourth season of US hit drama, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bel-Air<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Jimmy\u2019s extensive career has taken in multiple award-winning theatre productions and recurring roles in British and American film and television series, including Idris Elba\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the Long Run<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Apple TV\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ted Lasso<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In addition, Jimmy produces and hosts ITV\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sorry, I Didn\u2019t Know<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and co-founded the TriForce Creative Network to promote diversity, inclusion, access and social mobility in the creative industries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Julia Crampsie, CDG<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Julia Crampsie forms one half of the dynamic Crampsie Linge Casting duo with Wayne Linge. Their collaboration began in 2014, rooted in their time together within the BBC&#8217;s Casting Department, where Julia served as Head of Casting for over 15 years. They officially established Crampsie Linge Casting in 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boasting over three decades in the field, Julia&#8217;s extensive casting expertise spans a wide array of projects, including single drama films, comedies, returning series, continuing dramas and new-writing shorts, alongside vital new talent initiatives. Her notable screen credits include <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our Girl<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We Hunt Together<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dead Boss<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grandpa\u2019s Great Escape<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Father Brown<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Kate Rhodes-James, CDG, CSA, ICDA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After studying acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Kate Rhodes James discovered her true passion lay behind the lens, shifting her focus to casting. She began her journey as an assistant on Lucasfilm&#8217;s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, subsequently assisting Debbie McWilliams on notable films such as <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GoldenEye<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Romeo &amp; Juliet<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tales From the Crypt<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following five years as an assistant, Kate launched her independent casting career. Over the past quarter-century, she has become a leading figure, contributing her discerning eye to acclaimed projects including: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Line of Duty<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sherlock<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House of the Dragon<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Terror<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alien: Earth<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bodyguard<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Napoleon<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gladiator 2<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">House of Gucci<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Luci Lenox, APDICE, CSA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luci Lenox is an Irish casting director based in Spain. She has worked on over 100 productions for a diverse client roster, including Netflix, Fox, Amazon and the BBC.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luci&#8217;s distinctive career trajectory, prior to casting, offers a unique perspective. It encompasses running Barcelona nightclubs, a stint at MTV Europe and tour managing for both a rock band and an avant-garde theatre company. Having lived and worked across numerous global regions, including Algeria and Brazil, she possesses a truly international contact list. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Luci has served on DEI committees for CSA (Europe) and APDICE (Spain). She is also the founder of The Actors Home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Mukesh Chhabra, CSA<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mukesh Chhabra is one of India\u2019s most influential casting directors, with over two decades of experience. His instinct for discovering authentic talent has redefined casting in Hindi cinema. He founded the Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company (MCCC) in 2008, which has since cast 300+ films, 100+ web series, and 500+ commercials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mukesh has been instrumental in launching the careers of Rajkummar Rao, Sushant Singh Rajput, Tripti Dimri and Sanya Malhotra, amongst many others. His credits include: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dangal<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bajrangi Bhaijaan<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gangs of Wasseypur<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laal Singh Chaddha<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jawan<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dunki<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In 2020, he made a notable directorial debut with Dil Bechara. Currently, he is casting for major upcoming productions, including <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ramayana<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">King<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Border 2<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tere Ishk Mein<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housefull 5<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They join an exciting roster of former judges, which includes actors Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, Susan Wokoma, Rosalind Eleazar, Gemma Chan, Rosamund Pike, Hayley Atwell and Paapa Essiedu, and casting directors Nina Gold, Lucy Bevan, Fiona Weir and Shaheen Baig.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Spotlight Prize 2025, happening on 2 July 2025 in a Central London location, promises to be an unforgettable night of performances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find out more about the <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/spotlight-prize\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">history of the Spotlight Prize<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/spotlight\/spotlight-prize-2024-winners\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024\u2019s Spotlight Prize winners<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ATG Entertainment joins The Spotlight Prize 2025 as headline sponsor and we introduce this year\u2019s esteemed panel of judges. We\u2019re thrilled to announce that ATG Entertainment is joining The Spotlight Prize as our exclusive headline sponsor. ATG will be supporting the event that sees 19 drama school and university graduates from the UK and Ireland [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":9482,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[37,76],"class_list":["post-9443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlight","tag-news","tag-spotlight-prize"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Spotlight Prize 2025: Judges &amp; Sponsor | Spotlight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Meet the expert panel of judges and headline sponsor ATG Entertainment for The Spotlight Prize 2025, celebrating emerging acting talent.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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