How to Get Cast on Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’

Inspired by the 1981 film of the same name starring Alan Alda (who also directed), Carol Burnett, and Rita Moreno, “The Four Seasons” follows three married couples who vacation together once every season. However, their routine holiday excursion is thrown for a loop when one couple decides to separate. Now single, the man opts to bring his new (much younger) girlfriend to the next retreat, causing a rift among the others, who must grapple with the sudden change in their dynamic. Although the exact details of the series remain unknown at this time, it’s safe to assume the plot will follow the original film’s storyline, as Alda has signed on as a producer.

While we don’t yet know who will be playing which character, “The Four Seasons” cast includes:

• Tina Fey
• Steve Carell 
• Colman Domingo
• Will Forte
• Kerri Kenney-Silver 
• Erika Henningsen 
• Marco Calvani
• Julia Lester

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Sharon Bialy and Sherry Thomas (“The Walking Dead,” “Breaking Bad”) of Bialy/Thomas & Associates are the primary casting directors behind Season 1 of “The Four Seasons.”

As Thomas told us, CDs are always on the actors’ side—they want to see them succeed: “I think all of us here are activists. We love what we do, and we take pride in it, and we try to change people’s lives. Not in an egomaniac way, but in a we-love-what-we-do [way]. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be doing it.” That’s likely why, when it comes to auditioning for the duo, Thomas added that actors can expect “a safe space to do their best work.” She continued, “The only thing that we require is that they’ve done their homework so that we can do ours.”

While Bialy and Thomas seek actors with “talent,” “commitment,” and the “ability to dive into the role without their ego,” they also want people who wish to tell a story. “We’re all in this because we love to tell stories, so what makes me remember an actor is an actor who went in to tell the story, not the actor who is in there because of the ego,” Bialy told us. “A lot of times, actors are told, ‘This is your time in the room,’ and that’s not my feeling. It’s not their time; it’s the time for the story. It’s their time to bring the story to life. It’s not all about them.… We remember an actor when you start paying attention again to what the story is and you’re moved by it.” Thomas added, “We may have heard the scene 20 times and it doesn’t make sense, and then that one person comes in and they read the scene with you and you go, ‘I know what this scene is about.’ ”

But there’s one surefire way to make Bialy remember your name in the worst way—and it has nothing to do with skill. “Don’t come in if you’re sick with a cold—just don’t come in. We don’t want to hear, ‘I’ve been really sick for three days, but I had to come in for this audition.’ It’s a small room,” she said.

For Thomas, forgetting to leave your ego at the door leaves a lasting (albeit not good) impression. “We don’t just have an actor come in, do a scene, and walk out the door. We take time and we more than likely give direction to see what really can be under the surface as an actor,” she said. “If it is just about them and their ego and they don’t want to engage in that, I’ll remember. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard, ‘Well, that’s not how I prepared it.’ OK, well, can we try it this other way? There’s a resistance to being open to working in the room. That’s what the process is about. It doesn’t happen a lot, but sometimes it does and it stays in my memory.”

Ultimately, Thomas explained, “If you’re a good actor you can most likely ‘act something,’ but the beauty is when you don’t see that happening at all, when it truly is the soul of the actor meets the soul of the character and there’s very little in between that takes you out of what they’re doing. That’s what you look for, that’s the dream.”

According to the Orange County Tourism & Film Office, “The Four Seasons” wrapped its New York shoot in Nov. 2024, having filmed at Umbra Sound Stages in Newburgh and various locations across Orange County and the greater Hudson Valley. There has been no word on whether the series will extend beyond its first eight episodes, so stay tuned for updates on the show’s future.

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There are no open casting calls available for “The Four Seasons” at this time. But, if the series returns for another season, you might want to keep an eye on the OCNY Film website, as the office kept track of the show’s progress.

For instance, in Oct. 2024, the series sought all genders and ethnicities, ages 18+, to portray college students as paid background actors in Poughkeepsie, New York. 

As we await news about its potential second season, we recommend bookmarking our main casting page for updates on the latest listings or checking out our guide on how to audition for Netflix.

To help you get noticed now, you can always check out our casting roundups, which are updated weekly: 

• New York Casting Calls
• Background Casting Calls
• The Best Gigs to Kick-Start Your Acting Career
• Nationwide Casting Calls
• Voiceover Casting Calls

Come prepared: “As a writer, I like to hear the words that are actually on the page. The more prepared you are, the more you can be free in the expression of those words, but it’s better if the words are correct. Being the most prepared you can be also leads to relaxation in the room, and when you’re more relaxed, we get to see more of who you are. Don’t be afraid to take a risk,” Fey said during the 2020 International Thespian Festival. “Don’t be afraid to try something in an audition and at the same time, be ready to be adjusted.”

Be yourself: When asked what advice she would give her former high school self, Henningsen told the Claw she’s still “trying to get better at trusting myself and my instincts,” but there’s ultimately no right way to do things—you must simply go with your gut. However, when asked what she would tell aspiring performers, she shared, “It’s great to have role models, people you look up to, etc. But, I think when we start trying to copy people that we lose our own sense of self and creative identity.” She added, “I spent years trying to be the next version of Sutton Foster, Kerry Butler (queens, both of them), and it wasn’t until I released that and focused on bringing myself into the audition room that I had any success. So, figure out what makes you uniquely yourself and charge ahead in that direction without looking back.”

Find your place: Domingo wants young actors to embrace their curiosity as they seek success, and that doesn’t necessarily mean moving to the main hubs of L.A. or New York. “I always want to tell people that it takes a sense of not only dedication but being clear about your purpose, your intention. There’s a bit of a mindfulness that you need to adapt in this industry that will help you build a healthy, creative life where you feel like you have purpose,” he told us. “Success is based on where you find success.…

“I think you just have to be dedicated to the life of an artist and actually find places where you will thrive, not just get work. ‘Oh, I should move to L.A. or New York.’ No—go to where you think you can find out who you are as an artist first. Go to Portland, go to Chicago, go to San Francisco. Why throw yourself into this great big sea when you don’t even know who you are as an artist? Go where you’re going to fall in love, where you’re going to experience something, where you’re going to learn about other things that are just as important. That’s the key to it: being curious not only about people, not just about the process or acting; you’ve got to be curious about living.”

Keep going: As Bialy and Thomas told us, there are countless reasons why someone might not get a given role, but it’s how you react to said rejection that indicates your true character. “We look at people as professionals, and if you keep working hard, the cream rises to the top,” Bialy shared. “It’s not how you are when you’re successful, it’s how you are when you take rejection. As actors know, you can come in and do an amazing audition and for a variety of reasons, you won’t get the job. [You just have to] keep going and believe in yourself and eventually it will happen.” Thomas added, “But also, being an actor isn’t about being famous. An actor can be somebody who is happy acting on a community theater level. It’s an art form.”