How to Audition for Netflix

Courtesy Netflix

There’s no single way to become a Netflix actor—the streamer seeks talent via casting websites, agent submissions, and even social media. Auditions aren’t conducted in-house, but the production companies Netflix hires are frequently on the lookout for new talent through these channels. These production companies often cast unknown actors, too, which makes Netflix a great place to break into the business regardless of your representation status.

And while it's true that most actors land Netflix auditions through their agents, that doesn't mean you can't make it without representation.

How to audition for Netflix without an agent

Here's how to audition for Netflix even if you don't have an agent:

• Find roles online: Use the Backstage database to find casting calls for Netflix shows. Even minor background acting experience can help you meet the right people to help your career.
• Seek networking opportunities: Rub shoulders with movers and shakers in the streaming platform realm by attending relevant conferences and expos. Possibilities include the View, FYSee For Yourself, Geeked Week, Summer Game Fest, Tudum, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Cannes Next, Pulse, and Popcorn and a Movie Workshop events. Do your research ahead of time so you know who to meet to get involved.
• Promote yourself: Create a personal website where you can showcase your updated headshots, résumé, and demo reel. You’ll also want to establish yourself on social media, if you haven’t already, as it’s become casting’s new go-to avenue for discovering talent. (Just make sure you use it the right way.)
• Volunteer: Netflix’s casting directors regularly need audition readers, so volunteering to help out with table reads could pay dividends. You never know who you might impress with your performance.
• Highlight your special skills: CDs are often on the hunt for actors with specific skill sets, including accents, musical proficiency, stage combat experience, and athletic ability. Be sure to list your special skills on your acting résumé!
• Reach out to casting directors: Call, email, and DM casting directors. “The concern for that person [without an agent] and for my office is: Where do we find you?” said Avy Kaufman, the Emmy-winning casting director of Netflix’s “Maniac.” “To knock on the door isn’t useful, but where do we find you? You can still send in pictures and résumés, which is great. We use social media a lot now, which is such a big change in this world.” The best way to get on a CD’s radar is by email—but keep it brief. “You don’t need to write a cover letter with an email,” says “Sex Education” CD Lauren Evans. “Just be brief, clear, and concise. Something like: ‘This is my name, this is where I’m from, and this is what I’d like to show you. Please do keep me in mind.’ I think when your email starts to become a life story, then it’s all a bit much.” It’s best if you can offer tangible evidence of your acting capabilities and experience, as well as any added value you’ll bring to their show. If you have any special skills that match particularly well with a certain show—for instance, Gabriel Basso, star of Netflix’s “The Night Agent,” brought years of martial arts training to the table—be sure to bring that up.

How to audition for Netflix with an agent

As is the case for most serious acting gigs, you’ll typically need to go through an agent rather than a public casting call to audition for Netflix speaking roles (lead, supporting, or recurring). If you need help finding representation, here’s how to start your search for an acting agent.

Courtesy Netflix

From “Stranger Things” to “Outer Banks,” there are a number of Netflix original series that are actively putting out new seasons—and seeking out new actors, of course. To easily stay up to date on which series are currently casting or filming, check out our in-depth guides below:

• How to Get Cast on a Series Like “Stranger Things”
• How to Get Cast on “Outer Banks”
• How to Get Cast on “Bridgerton”
• How to Get Cast on “The Witcher”
• How to Get Cast on a Series Like “All the Light We Cannot See”
• How to Get Cast on a Series Like Netflix’s “Painkiller”
• How to Get Cast on “The Circle”
• How to Get Cast on “Love Is Blind”
• How to Get Cast on “Squid Game: The Challenge”
• How to Get Cast on “Wednesday”
• How to Get Cast on the “Wednesday” Spinoff “Fester”
• How to Get Cast on Netflix’s “Penelope”
• How to Get Cast on Netflix’s “The Diplomat”
• How to Get Cast on “Nobody Wants This”
• How to Get Cast on Netflix’s “Beef”
• How to Get Cast on “Black Mirror”
• How to Get Cast on “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen”
• How to Get Cast on Netflix’s “Black Doves”
• How to Get Cast on “XO, Kitty”
• How to Get Cast on Netflix’s “The Night Agent”

Courtesy Netflix

The casting directors behind your favorite Netflix series span various production companies and agencies. Here are some of the most prolific Netflix CDs:

• David Rapaport and Lyndsey Baldasare of the L.A.-based Rapaport/Baldasare Casting put together the ensembles behind “You” and “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.”
• Allison Jones was the CD behind “Space Force,” “Love,” and Netflix’s “Arrested Development” reboot. Recently, she cast the streamer’s comedy “A Man on the Inside,” starring Ted Danson.
• Jennifer Euston changed the game with diverse casting for “Orange Is the New Black” and “GLOW.”
• Laray Mayfield and Julie Schubert cast numerous Netflix hits, including “House of Cards,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” and “Mindhunter.” Schubert also teamed up with Lucinda Syson and Natasha Vincent to cast the Keri Russell–led drama “The Diplomat.”
• John Papsidera of Automatic Sweat served as the primary CD on “The Night Agent.” He also worked alongside Florina Fernandes and Sophie Holland to cast the hit series “Wednesday.”
• Brett Greenstein and Collin Daniel of Greenstein/Daniel Casting are the main CDs behind “Never Have I Ever” and the rom-com series “Nobody Wants This.”

Courtesy Ben Blackall/Netflix

Those looking to audition for Netflix should be aware that the platform doesn’t conduct auditions in-house. That’s the job of the various production companies hired by the streamer to create their shows, whose casting directors are then sent out to find talent. 

That means the process varies depending on the project, genre, and what the showrunners and producers are looking for. Sometimes, CDs compile lists of actors to bring to read for parts; but many have the most fun when the projects they’re working on don’t require “names.”

Kelly Valentine Hendry, the U.K.-based CD behind “Bridgerton,” noted, “We had a lot of freedom and could bring in anyone we felt suitable. A mixture of ideas, lists, and in-person casting kicked off the process. And then actors were either chosen by our creatives there—or as the episodes went on and we were down to day players, we used a mixture of self-tape requests and in-person meetings.”

Netflix, in particular, has shown a willingness to bring on new, unfamiliar faces. “They didn’t interfere in our creative process, which is the most important thing and the best thing about Netflix,” says CD Jennifer Euston (“Orange Is the New Black,” “GLOW”). “It’s just a straight line from creator to Netflix; there’s nothing to block who we want. They trust the filmmaker, and that is crucial in making anything good.” 

For “GLOW,” Euston cast a wide net to search for both athletic and comedic personalities, and she required everyone to audition for the show rather than making offers to big-name actors. “I was looking for a really diverse group of women—different ages, body types, and ethnicities,” she explained. “These were supposed to be regular-looking actresses who couldn’t really hack it in Hollywood because they were different in some way. Plus, I always just want all different faces, shapes, sizes, and ages—everything that I can get into a frame.”

For Netflix’s “Locke & Key,” social media played a major role in the casting process. CD April Webster was seeking one actor with an intellectual disability and another in a wheelchair, so she put out an open call through Twitter and Instagram. “We got submissions from a lot of people that we weren’t expecting who don’t have agents and who aren’t necessarily actors,” she says. “We use Instagram to see what people look like now.”

It’s crucial to identify the production companies and CDs behind the shows you’re interested in auditioning for. You’ll also need to stay on top of upcoming casting calls and production schedules—all of which can be done through an agent (if you have one) or using our regularly updated roundup of Netflix casting calls.

We’ve hosted a number of listings for the streamer over the years. In September 2020, CD Heather Taylor sought background actors for the then-upcoming fourth season of “Stranger Things.” And a 2017 post for “You” background actors called for a range of character types. 

And background work can lead to bigger things—just ask Richard Ellis, the co-lead of Netflix’s comedy-drama “I Am Not Okay With This.” “My first day of extra work, I had just moved to New York,” he said. “Backstage was the thing I used all the time; Backstage is where I got my start on everything, [where I got] my first extra gig, on ‘Divorce,’ the HBO series.” 

In addition to bookmarking our collection of Netflix casting calls, you should also check out our project-themed roundups below. These include a variety of gigs that are similar to your favorite Netflix shows and, when a series is casting with us, direct notices about the open audition. 

• “Stranger Things” casting calls and related gigs
• “Love Is Blind” casting calls and related gigs
• “Outer Banks” casting calls and related gigs
• “Black Doves” casting calls and related gigs

Netflix tends to pay actors significantly more than traditional studios. After all, in 2019 SAG-AFTRA made a streaming agreement with Netflix guaranteeing minimum actor payments for the platform’s shows:

• On a newly launched show, actors can earn up to $20,000 per episode. For example, Jessie Mei Li, Freddy Carter, and Archie Renaux reportedly earned between $20,000 and $40,000 per episode for “Shadow and Bone.”
• Daniel Craig earned more than $100 million for playing Detective Benoit Blanc in the streamer’s two “Knives Out” sequels, as opposed to the $25 million base pay he received for his role in the studio-produced James Bond film “No Time to Die.”
• Winona Ryder reportedly earned $300,000–$350,000 per episode of “Stranger Things,” beginning in Season 3, as she and David Harbour both received the same pay increase.
• Lee Jung-jae earned approximately $248,000 per episode for “Squid Game” Season 1. However, the actor requested a salary increase of $1 million per episode for Season 2 (although we don’t know if this request was approved or denied).

Netflix actors’ earnings span a large range depending on the role, production, location, and performer status. Primary actors are paid for time spent filming as well as residuals for later screenings, while those with smaller or background roles are only paid for the initial filming. They are not paid by Netflix itself; instead, they’re paid through production companies.

Netflix audition tips from casting directors and actors

Need an extra boost of inspiration? Check out these tips from Netflix’s leading actors—and the CDs that found them.

Bring something different into the room. CDs sit through countless hours of auditions over the course of a day, so it’s a good idea to liven things up with a different approach. “It is so much fun when an actor brings something in that I didn’t think of and that the creative team probably didn’t think of, most likely,” Kaufman said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh, you just nailed it.’ The thing is, I want people to be great, so when they surprise us and do something that wows us, it’s very exciting.”

Use your life experience. Webster urges auditioning actors to “have a rich and full life. What you bring to the table are the experiences you have had. It’s what makes you unique.”

Steven Yeun, star of “Beef” Season 1, told us he spent the early years of his career overanalyzing every move he made, so he now advises others to remember they have a life to lead outside of acting. “When I look back at a lot of my early work, I cringe—because I feel like I’m missing something,” he shared, “like I’m performing a vision or idea from a third party of who I think I’m playing.” He also said, “I wish I’d known that the journey continues to be the most interesting part of all of it. The life you live really gets to inform the work that you create. Not has to, but gets to. Don’t forget to live a life.”

Casting directors are rooting for you. Carmen Cuba, whose instinct for finding actors helped shape pop culture with “Stranger Things,” wants actors to feel comfortable and at ease in the audition room. “I think we are all just doing our best, and when our paths cross, it is with the shared objective of success on both our parts of getting the role cast,” she says. “That is all [actors] need to know, really: That I’m definitely taking the time to be in the room with them, because I think they have a shot at either the thing they are auditioning for or something in the future that they don’t know about.” 

Kaufman agrees. “It means a lot to us to make [the audition room] a place to feel comfortable—because to walk into anyone’s home or office, even if you’re overly confident as a person, there’s something that [makes it] an unexpected place. You can expect to be treated wonderfully. We’re sensitive to the audition process,” she said.

Prepare, prepare, prepare. Doing your homework helps you book roles. Aisha Coley, who mined a wide range of talent for Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us,” says the key to a memorable audition is “getting into the role, being prepared, and that [auditioners] walk into the room feeling like getting the job is a possibility. I really appreciate when an actor comes in prepared. I think that’s the biggest thing.”

“House of Cards” and “Jessica Jones” CD Julie Schubert believes that doing your homework is audition rule No. 1. She explained, “What being prepared means is knowing your material and knowing the choices that you’re making. Listen to the direction and take the direction in, and bring it into the scene if you’re doing it a second time. Make sure that you have all the things you need to be able to present yourself as someone who knows what you’re doing.”

You’re never auditioning for just one role. Kurt Yue ended up auditioning for “Cobra Kai” three different times before finally landing the part of George on Season 1. But his previous read-throughs with CDs weren’t for that part; they just remembered him down the line. “Now, this is a really important lesson for people that are newer to acting or new to the industry: Every single time that you audition, you’re never just auditioning for that one part,” he said. “You are auditioning for future auditions. You may not fit the character that you initially auditioned for, but if you do a great job, even if you don’t book that role, the casting director will remember you and will try to find more roles for you and bring you back for more auditions.

Embrace the time you’re given. As Robert Sterne, CD for “Black Doves,” told us, actors must make the most of their time in the audition room. “I think that you have to remember that when you go in the room, it’s your time, and it’s your opportunity to do what you need to do. You know that the people at the other side of the room should be there to facilitate you to do the best work that you can in those conditions,” he said. “Make sure that you get the opportunity to say what you want to say about it, to ask the questions that you want to ask about it. Give the performance in the room that you want to. Then you’ve got to have the confidence to say, ‘I want to go again and try it this way, because this is what I want to do with this scene, and this is what I want to achieve with it.’ Just make sure that you own that time.”