How to Get Cast in a Jordan Peele Movie

Peele began his Hollywood career as a cast member on the sketch comedy show “Mad TV” in 2003, along with fellow actor Keegan-Michael Key, which led to the creation of their own Comedy Central sketch show, “Key & Peele” (2012–2015).

During the success of “Key & Peele,” the actor pivoted into filmmaking by founding Monkeypaw Productions alongside producer Ian Cooper and writer-producer Win Rosenfeld. In 2017, Peele became one to watch in the film industry with “Get Out.” The hit horror movie, which he also wrote, earned him an Oscar for best original screenplay right out of the gate. In the years since, Peele wrote, produced, and directed two more acclaimed horror films that tapped into America’s social and political zeitgeist: “Us” (2019) and “Nope” (2022).

In addition to the movies he’s directed, Peele has written or produced the following Monkeypaw Productions films:

• “Keanu” (2016)
• “BlacKkKlansman” (2018)
• “Hair Love” (2019)
• “Candyman” (2021)
• “Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.” (2022)
• “Wendell & Wild” (2022)
• “Monkey Man” (2024)

“Get Out,” “Us,” “Nope” Credit: Claudette Barius/Universal Pictures

Terri Taylor (“M3GAN,” “Crazy Rich Asians”) cast “Get Out” and “Us,” and Carmen Cuba (“Magic Mike,” “Stranger Things”) cast “Nope.”

As Cuba told us, there are many factors at play when it comes to finding the right person for any given role. “What I do involves so much more than an actor seeming ‘perfect’ for a role based on how it is described on a character description. A huge part of my job involves being very deliberate in matching an actor to the elements of the piece—the director’s style, the budget of the piece, and the schedule are as important to me as how the actor performs the scene in an audition,” Cuba shared. “I also watch tons of documentaries, and I realize that when I’m doing that, I’m actively studying human behavior and what people who aren’t actors look and feel like in real situations. This influences me a lot in many aspects of how I do my job.”

Because “Get Out” and “Us” were produced under the Blumhouse umbrella, Peele worked with the production company’s in-house CD Taylor to cast his first two films. While it’s rare to have an in-house CD, Taylor told IndieWire her position allows her to get involved with films early on and remain close to the production throughout the process. “If you have somebody in-house, you can do long-lead casting and not worry about cramming everything into the four or six weeks that the production can afford to hire a casting director,” Taylor said. “I get to be part of the process even at the script development stage, when they’re trying to decide whether or not to make the movie, and it really deepens my experience as a casting director.”

Taylor noted it’s hard to find people who are both great auditioners and great actors—they are not always synonymous. That’s why she tries to create an environment within the audition room that allows actors to share their talents in a relaxed setting. “The main thing is trying to create an environment that is as comfortable and nurturing for the actor as possible,” Taylor shared. “Sometimes I have the actor to myself and treat it like a work session, taking the time to do several takes and really work through it together. Whether it’s me one-on-one with the actor or with the filmmaker in the room, we work really hard to provide an environment where the actor can try things and stretch.”

Betty Gabriel (Georgina, “Get Out”) told us Taylor was the CD responsible for her first big break. “She’s been my cheerleader since ‘The Purge: Election Year,’ which is why I’ve done six projects for Blumhouse,” Gabriel said. “She cast ‘Get Out,’ as well. I believe in the power that a casting director has. At times, a casting director can be your worst nightmare, but a casting director can [also] be your saving grace, and she’s definitely been that for me.”

As for Cuba, she doesn’t have a set system to guide her casting process. Instead, she goes with what moves her. “I use traditional and nontraditional ways to source prospective actors, and it is always guided by what the project actually requires,” she explained to us. “I am constantly keeping track of people who have stood out to me and do what I can to find creative ways to introduce them to the directors I work with when the timing is right. I do generals with actors who are presented to me by agents, but even those are carefully considered so that when I’m meeting someone, it’s generally because I know of something coming up in the next year that they could be right for.”

“I also seek out people on my own,” she added. “I set up my own generals with people who I read about or see onstage or in other projects—either in person or via Skype. Sometimes they aren’t even actors, but performers or just creative types who I think are interesting and inspiring in some way,” Cuba noted. “I’ve Skyped with scientists and other nonperformers to help me in my research for projects where I need some background to help guide my choices. It’s all very natural and organic.”

While there aren’t any Peele projects casting at this moment, back in July 2024, Monkeypaw and Open 4 Business Productions turned to Backstage for an untitled sketch comedy show. Production was seeking Black male talent, aged 18 and older. Filming took place in Los Angeles, and the pay was $521 per day.

Earlier in 2024, Casting Talent also posted a call for the Peele-produced “Him,” which will star Marlon Wayans as a legendary football player who must train Tyriq Withers’ character, the rising young player, at his private compound. This call sought extras to play retired football players in New Mexico in association with Universal. There are also rumors that this studio and Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions are already working hard on his next yet-untitled directorial endeavor.

Therefore, we suggest bookmarking our main casting page for updates on the latest opportunities, as it’s likely we will see more notices arise in the future.

Find ways to maintain focus. Despite her success, Gabriel told us nerves still creep in ahead of an audition. However, she’s found ways to ground herself that keep said nerves from getting the better of her. “I just sit still and keep my focus on the situation. I really practice stillness and breathing,” she said. “Sometimes, if I’m waiting too long, I’ll have to move and stretch a little. Anything to really keep the nerves at bay.” And in those instances when her nerves simply won’t back off, she uses that feeling to fuel her performance. “It’s good—you can use that energy in a productive way,” Gabriel explained. “It can help you get really hyper-focused.”

Be prepared—but not too prepared. Cuba told us there’s a fine line between coming in unprepared and coming in over-prepared. “I would say coming in unprepared isn’t the best recipe for success,” she said. “But also coming in so prepared that you can’t be flexible when given direction, even if you don’t agree with it, can also really work against you.” But when it comes to what to expect when you enter her audition room, the less actors know, the better: “It’s better if I’m a blank slate to them so that they can focus on the audition. I have things that I do that I’ve heard are very particular to me, but if I shared them with you, they would lose their spontaneity for the actor in the room and defeat the whole point!”

Confidence isn’t everything. Bradley Whitford (Dean Armitage, “Get Out”) understands that actors think confidence can make or break their career; but as a veteran in the business, he wants newcomers to see that too much confidence can be the real death knell. “I think people always feel like they should have more confidence than they have, and I like to remind people that there’s nothing worse than a totally confident actor; some of the greatest actors we love the most precisely because [of that],” Whitford said. “I think of James Gandolfini walking around with that bag of insecurity, which was part of what made him such a fascinating actor. It’s a weird thing, because as an actor, you’re subjecting yourself to doing for a living what most people think of as their worst nightmare: standing up in public. And you’re constantly trying to get more comfortable there.”

Treat auditions as training exercises. While Lupita Nyong’o (Adelaide Wilson/Red, “Us”) often refers to auditioning as a “hateful process,” she looks to the act with a positive attitude, treating it as an extension of her training. “I give myself homework when I have an audition,” she told us. “I give myself goals, and that’s how I check how I’m doing. It can be something simple like ‘listen,’ or ‘find your feet.’ And then afterward it’s an assessment. So, in a way, it’s not about booking the job or not. It’s about what I learned as an actor about that character. And if I can pinpoint something, then I’m in good shape. And if it’s all a blur, then not so good.”