Emmy-winning casting director Victoria Thomas has worked with auteurs like Quentin Tarantino and put together the ensembles of acclaimed TV dramas like HBO’s “The Last of Us” and “Watchmen.” She even cast Chadwick Boseman in his breakout role in Brian Helgeland’s “42.”
Her latest project is RaMell Ross’ boundary-breaking “Nickel Boys,” based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning 2019 novel. The story follows Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson), two Black teens attending an abusive reform school in 1960s Florida. The film also features Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Elwood’s grandmother, Hattie, and Hamish Linklater as Spencer, the school’s sadistic administrator.
The casting process was new for Ross; his only previous feature was the Oscar-nominated 2018 documentary “Hale County This Morning, This Evening.” Here, Thomas talks about Ross’ unique filmmaking style and the importance of finding the right actors for a project.
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How was it working with RaMell on casting the film?
He’s just a great, very funny guy, and he has a singular way of approaching film. The biggest thing for me was having to guide him through the casting process for a narrative film, because he was used to doing his own thing with documentaries. He was very receptive to what I had to say, and I was very receptive to what he had to say. We tried to cast people who [didn’t look] too contemporary, because it is a period piece. So I helped guide him through marrying a look with an acting skill.
Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse Credit: L. Kasimu Harris
What stood out to you about RaMell’s approach to the material?
He has a very unique way of telling a story, and specifically this story about young Black men. He tells it in a poetic way—less stereotypical and more nuanced. You read the script and you think you understand what he’s trying to do, but you don’t really know until he puts you in the middle of it.
Since Elwood and Turner are at the center of the film, it must have been essential to find the perfect actors. What was that process like?
It was Brandon that we got first. He marches to the beat of his own drum, and his rhythms are his own rhythms, which fit very well with Turner. It took a little bit longer to find people we liked for Elwood; no one really clicked until Ethan, who we found a little later in the process. We saw 600 kids or something like that, just trying to all get on the same page in terms of recognizing who Elwood is.
“Nickel Boys” features some incredible actors in supporting roles, like Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Hamish Linklater.
Aunjanue is great. We were very lucky to get her. We wanted to have her in the film because she’s just so fresh. Hamish was always on my list, because it’s not an obvious way to go [for the role of Spencer]. We could have hit the nail on the head, but why not make the character someone who thought he was doing the right thing?
What advice would you give actors who are new to auditioning?
Be prepared to leave it in the room, because you can overthink it. I’d say to young actors to look at the work of great actors. If there’s someone you like, take a look at their entire career and how they’ve grown. In terms of the audition process, casting directors want you to be good; you know, we’re not anti-you. We want you to be great, and we want to cast the role. We’re trying to make it as comfortable for you as we can so you can do your best work.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
This story originally appeared in the Jan. 23 issue of Backstage Magazine.