WEBVTT - The Spirited Actor - Leslie M. Greene 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:03.360 Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:06.520 Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:10.680 TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to 0:00:10.720 --> 0:00:14.280 a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New 0:00:14.360 --> 0:00:19.480 Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez. 0:00:20.120 --> 0:00:24.520 I auditioned every rapper from Biggie Smalls to Tupac, and 0:00:24.600 --> 0:00:28.280 I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help 0:00:28.360 --> 0:00:32.680 transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from 0:00:32.840 --> 0:00:37.479 Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:41.159 Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:45.159 also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:48.800 I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director, 0:00:48.840 --> 0:00:51.400 I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:53.920 acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:57.160 that room. Now I know, I know actors want to 0:00:57.200 --> 0:01:00.279 get the job. I get that, but being remembered by 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:03.320 casting director that is powerful. 0:01:03.960 --> 0:01:06.240 And now it's time for meditation of the day. 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:12.000 Most people rush after pleasures so fast that they rush 0:01:12.160 --> 0:01:23.360 right past anonymous. I want people to slow down all 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:27.440 I want you to do is when you've reached a 0:01:27.520 --> 0:01:33.280 goal or when you celebrate yourself, to just send. 0:01:33.040 --> 0:01:35.319 In it for at least a day. 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:42.440 I was talking to an actor that got booked and 0:01:42.480 --> 0:01:43.679 they were so excited. 0:01:43.840 --> 0:01:45.720 We were so proud of them, we were happy. 0:01:47.040 --> 0:01:53.000 And then in the conversation they were already anxious about 0:01:53.040 --> 0:01:53.800 the next. 0:01:53.600 --> 0:01:55.280 Gig that they were going to get. 0:01:56.400 --> 0:02:00.520 So I said, well, if you do a great job 0:02:01.040 --> 0:02:04.240 in this project, it's only going to put more eyes 0:02:04.320 --> 0:02:10.040 on you and more opportunities. And then I stopped myself 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:14.920 and said, you should sit in the greatness, the greatness 0:02:14.919 --> 0:02:18.839 of this moment. You should sit in this because you're 0:02:18.880 --> 0:02:22.200 missing the joy. You're already thinking about something else in 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:28.240 the next Today, I will sit in my greatness. 0:02:28.400 --> 0:02:32.240 I will sit in my joy. I will sit in 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:32.959 my piece. 0:02:34.960 --> 0:02:38.080 Before we get started, I like to remind everyone to 0:02:38.120 --> 0:02:41.519 go to Krackle Network to use seasons one and two 0:02:41.760 --> 0:02:45.120 of my show Inside the Black Box that I co 0:02:45.200 --> 0:02:51.000 host with the great Emmy Award winning Joe Morton. Look 0:02:51.040 --> 0:02:55.760 out for news on season three soon. Welcome to the 0:02:55.880 --> 0:03:00.320 Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I just want 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:02.840 to say, and you know when I say this, you 0:03:02.919 --> 0:03:05.960 know it's coming from the depths of my soul. Because 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:11.960 when you meet people in this industry and you magnetically, spiritually, 0:03:12.120 --> 0:03:16.320 soulfully connect, and then you kind of question like, well 0:03:16.360 --> 0:03:17.920 did we need how do I know? 0:03:18.440 --> 0:03:20.680 And then you realize you haven't. You don't know. 0:03:21.280 --> 0:03:25.440 That's someone that's familiar in your soul vibration and you 0:03:25.480 --> 0:03:28.720 should lat onto them because there are very few of 0:03:28.760 --> 0:03:34.840 those energies around. And I just met this woman and like, 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.160 I care so much about her. She is my fan, 0:03:39.040 --> 0:03:44.040 she really is, Like she's such a good person. Forget 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:47.680 about what she does, but she's a good person. And 0:03:47.760 --> 0:03:51.000 she came up to me on the set of Lifetimes 0:03:52.320 --> 0:03:57.400 Abduction at an HBCU in which she is the casting 0:03:57.480 --> 0:04:04.120 director on, came up to me, introduced herself and I 0:04:04.120 --> 0:04:09.560 had been talking about her earlier with Ntori Non and 0:04:09.640 --> 0:04:11.760 I couldn't wait to meet her. And when we met, 0:04:11.840 --> 0:04:14.360 I was we were hugging you guys on the set. 0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:18.760 It was so crazy, but that was the love we 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:21.080 were just I just remember hugging up with her on 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:22.520 her and saying, wait. 0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:26.680 Is this two single black female Because I. 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:32.159 Was just like, I didn't care ladies and gentlemen, I 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:36.240 cannot go on and on and on about this beautiful, 0:04:36.279 --> 0:04:41.960 beautiful soul, beautiful sister. And she has the same vibration 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:44.000 passion that I have for actors. 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:46.200 So that was another common denominator. 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:52.680 Please stand up and put your hands together for castine, director, extraordinaire, producers, 0:04:52.960 --> 0:04:58.680 so many multi hyphenated Leslie M Green CSA. 0:04:58.880 --> 0:05:04.560 Please welcome, Thank. 0:05:04.360 --> 0:05:08.800 You, thank you for having me, Thank you. I want 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:13.719 to meet me. After that introduction, I want to meet me. 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:17.840 Yes see you see what I see? 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:21.000 Yes for having me? 0:05:22.440 --> 0:05:23.120 Go ahead, Leslie. 0:05:23.120 --> 0:05:25.840 I held no, I'm just saying thank you for having me. 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:28.640 I appreciate you. We've been trying to make this happen 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:29.239 for a while. 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:33.600 Now it's here, and you know what. It's all into 0:05:33.640 --> 0:05:38.720 vine timing, so I trusted. I want to start off. 0:05:38.800 --> 0:05:40.400 Oh my god, I have so many things and I 0:05:40.440 --> 0:05:42.800 feel like this pressure. But it's okay because there can 0:05:42.839 --> 0:05:46.719 be part two and part three. So I want to 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:51.000 start off with how did you get started as a 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:52.080 casting director? 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:54.120 Because these are the. 0:05:54.120 --> 0:05:59.480 Stories that we rarely hear. We'll hear how a director, producer, writer? 0:06:02.360 --> 0:06:06.160 Because there are no casting schools, there are no casting courses, 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:08.760 there are no casting books. 0:06:10.080 --> 0:06:10.880 How to surf for you? 0:06:13.560 --> 0:06:17.880 Well, so I was working in marketing promotions and I 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:20.640 was doing marketing promotion for Tyler Perry when he was 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:23.960 first getting started with his plays here in Atlanta. But 0:06:24.040 --> 0:06:26.960 even further back, I always wanted to be in the industry. 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:28.560 I knew I wanted to be in the industry, and 0:06:28.640 --> 0:06:33.720 I went to college to be a film editor and 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:39.080 that was just horrible. Well, you know back then, the 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:43.760 tapes for this big Yeah, he had physically put it 0:06:43.800 --> 0:06:47.720 to turn that's so far. So they didn't have put 0:06:47.839 --> 0:06:50.160 in all of these Adobe systems. They didn't have all 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:52.200 of that, And I missed out a lot of fun 0:06:52.320 --> 0:06:56.640 in college being in the in the rooms, right. But 0:06:57.000 --> 0:07:01.080 I graduated and then came down here and I did 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:05.039 some PA work in Philly. But I still didn't hadn't 0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:07.359 figured out what I really wanted to do. So I 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:11.120 was doing a marketing promotion for Tyler Perry's plays and 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:16.400 I started. This was when Constant Contact was like so new, 0:07:17.080 --> 0:07:18.680 like it was twenty. 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:22.760 Dolls remembers, it was new. 0:07:22.840 --> 0:07:24.960 So I was like, well, this is what we're going 0:07:25.040 --> 0:07:28.320 to do. We're going to create a database and whoever 0:07:28.400 --> 0:07:34.160 goes to the concerts. We'll offer them like discount tickets, 0:07:34.400 --> 0:07:37.760 you know, we're prizes for them to win tickets to 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:40.720 Tyler shows and different things like that. So I started 0:07:40.720 --> 0:07:46.920 doing that and my database was like seven thousand strong Black. 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:51.760 Anybody that went to any black play or concert at 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.240 the Philadelphia I mean at the Atlanta Civic Center or 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:57.560 at the Fox Theater, I had their email addresses. And 0:07:57.600 --> 0:08:01.400 I did that for like years, and one day a 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:03.800 friend of mine was like, hey, can you send a 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:07.960 blast through your database because these guys I know are 0:08:08.000 --> 0:08:10.320 doing a film here and they need extras. 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:12.320 I was like core, I. 0:08:12.240 --> 0:08:13.760 Said, you know. They was like, they gave me the 0:08:13.840 --> 0:08:17.440 specifics and I was like cool, And it's so funny 0:08:17.480 --> 0:08:22.040 because I didn't know anything about casting at that point, 0:08:22.760 --> 0:08:25.480 and I just put the power you know, the presentation 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:28.760 together on constant contact, said hey, if you want to 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:30.800 be in a movie, this is what you need to do. 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:35.200 Will Nobody followed directions and they sent everything back to me, 0:08:35.280 --> 0:08:39.959 their head shots, all their contact information. So I was like, 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:44.200 what is all this? So I put it on a 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:51.320 PowerPoint presentation, everything every contact information, and then I sent 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:52.960 it put it on the jump drive because it was 0:08:53.000 --> 0:08:59.640 so large, sent it off word to rainforest. The movie 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:03.320 ended up it was called Stepping at the time. It 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:08.520 ended up being stopped the Yard, and so I was like, 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:13.120 this is a job getting people to be in a movie, 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:17.000 that's the thing. So I started looking into casting from 0:09:17.080 --> 0:09:19.200 that point on and then I made my decision and 0:09:19.240 --> 0:09:19.760 that was it. 0:09:21.080 --> 0:09:21.640 Wow. 0:09:22.440 --> 0:09:28.520 You know, it's interesting because there's so many common denominators. 0:09:28.600 --> 0:09:34.640 Because I was working on Oh my God, chub Rock 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:37.480 his for this is going so back but one my 0:09:37.520 --> 0:09:41.840 first music video, and I was a PA and so 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:47.880 from being that day, I did slate makeup, set, designed 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:53.079 the bar, put I put in color in clear glasses, 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:56.880 I put food color, different colors right, And the producer 0:09:57.000 --> 0:09:59.080 was like, oh my god, you set design and I 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:03.480 was like, yeah, you know, and that and that became 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:04.040 my job. 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:06.840 It was so crazy. I just kept sliding into these 0:10:06.840 --> 0:10:10.360 different positions. But the thing that. 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:14.360 I love in hearing your story is the resilience. And 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:16.560 this is what I feel like I'm missing with a 0:10:16.559 --> 0:10:20.880 lot of actors of this generation is the taking the 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:24.560 no and turning it into pushing on until you get 0:10:24.600 --> 0:10:27.960 that yes, and creating a way that's you. 0:10:28.160 --> 0:10:28.600 Leslie. 0:10:28.960 --> 0:10:33.320 I got so many noes, so many news. It was 0:10:33.400 --> 0:10:36.480 ridiculous because I get to the point I got so 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:41.040 many news. I was just like, are you serious right now? Like, Okay, 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:44.520 you're gonna regred that in my head after a while, right, Okay, 0:10:44.600 --> 0:10:46.800 you're gonna see me again. And by the time you 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:50.400 see me again, it's gonna be too lead. But it's 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:53.560 so funny because you know, rain Forest and Stomping Yard 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:56.920 being my introduction into casting, right. I had a friend 0:10:56.960 --> 0:10:59.320 working at BT, so she was like, oh, that's what 0:10:59.360 --> 0:11:01.560 you want to do. I know Robbie read, and I 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:04.160 can introduce you too. And I don't know that Robbie 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:08.760 took me serious or that, you know, she was already 0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:12.760 forming her unit with her her brother and. 0:11:12.640 --> 0:11:14.320 Her and her sister. 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:19.480 Yeah, so she was like, Okay, that's cute, so you know, 0:11:19.760 --> 0:11:23.720 just keep doing what you're doing. And I'm just like, okay, 0:11:23.880 --> 0:11:29.800 But you know, I studied her and then I went 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:33.079 back to Will and Rob and I. 0:11:33.080 --> 0:11:35.360 Was like, Rainforest Films, you guys, because I just want 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:38.320 to say, Leslie, you're dropping a lot of jewels and 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:42.040 I want to say, you guys, Rainforest Films. That is 0:11:42.120 --> 0:11:47.559 Will Packer and Rob Cardy that's their production Yeah, their 0:11:47.600 --> 0:11:51.679 production company. And that was in the beginning, the beginning. 0:11:52.760 --> 0:11:56.000 And it's crazy because so and I went to them 0:11:56.240 --> 0:11:59.840 and I was like, hey, guys, I know you don't 0:11:59.840 --> 0:12:03.320 know me, but because of you, I'm a casting director now. 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:06.280 And you know, I worked on your project Stamped the Yard, 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:08.959 and I remember when it was stepping and y'all asked 0:12:09.000 --> 0:12:11.520 for and you know, And I told them some of 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:13.360 the people I sent. I was like, Shaila is one 0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:15.560 of the people I sent over. And they was like really, 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:18.280 and I was like yeah, Adrian, and I'm you know, 0:12:18.320 --> 0:12:21.440 so Adrian Deuce now writes for All American and other 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:28.520 big show and you know Shayla is now uh Will 0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:32.160 Packer's like right hand person over at his new production 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:37.400 Will Packer Studios. So and it's like I'm telling them like, yeah, 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:39.760 I send these people over, so I'm here. You know, 0:12:39.880 --> 0:12:41.959 I would love to be a part of this and 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:47.839 DA DA D D and they was like, oh, okay, Yeah, 0:12:47.920 --> 0:12:52.600 that's great, We'll keep you in mind. And I was like, 0:12:52.679 --> 0:12:55.720 oh okay, and I was still excited. But this is 0:12:55.760 --> 0:12:59.680 the day something when you're passionate about something. Yeah, the 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:01.200 money for me because I was willing to do it 0:13:01.240 --> 0:13:03.320 for free. I was willing to pay for my tidnts 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:07.439 get to wherever you are. Yeah about money for me, 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:10.160 it was just about getting the experience and learning the 0:13:10.240 --> 0:13:14.160 things that I do about casting, right, So I was 0:13:14.240 --> 0:13:18.280 all I was at the time. In Atlanta. The only 0:13:18.400 --> 0:13:20.679 casting director was Shay and she was. 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:24.000 Yeah, and she was doing all everything. 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:30.120 Every time before Atlanta blew up, every time people would 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:32.680 talk about Atlanta, they would talk about Shad you know, 0:13:32.880 --> 0:13:35.800 until I, you know, realized that's her territory I had. 0:13:35.840 --> 0:13:38.600 And the People's store, That's what they would the two 0:13:38.640 --> 0:13:41.880 things people would bring up, right, I want to say. 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:42.640 Something about now. 0:13:42.800 --> 0:13:47.560 I started casting in eighty six, eighty seven, right at MTV, 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:50.880 And let me tell you, I love when you were 0:13:50.880 --> 0:13:55.240 doing the shoulders thing, like that's okay. But because because 0:13:55.480 --> 0:13:59.320 life itself comes around, I don't care what people say, karma, 0:13:59.440 --> 0:14:01.800 whatever you want to call it, it does come. 0:14:01.640 --> 0:14:03.280 Around in divine timing. Right. 0:14:03.920 --> 0:14:07.800 So I got in an eighty seven. You know, there 0:14:07.800 --> 0:14:10.880 weren't a lot of people come especially in New York. 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:13.680 There was you know, I can name all of them 0:14:13.679 --> 0:14:18.040 in New York. But the thing is is that when 0:14:18.200 --> 0:14:23.640 people don't share their knowledge. 0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:24.240 You know. 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:28.360 When they don't, you know, take you on as an 0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:32.360 intern or spread, you're limiting the growth that you can 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:32.840 really have. 0:14:33.080 --> 0:14:36.840 Because I did work for free. 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:40.960 I had to learn my whole way through because everybody 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:47.160 said no. But the same people do come around, and 0:14:47.200 --> 0:14:49.560 that's when you're not available, and you're really not available. 0:14:49.560 --> 0:14:53.040 It's not being revengeful, you really aren't available or they 0:14:53.080 --> 0:14:56.040 see the growth in which you know. This business is 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:59.360 so much about the visuals and proving yourself what have 0:14:59.400 --> 0:15:02.200 you done late? But that's the thing that I love 0:15:02.240 --> 0:15:04.240 about you. You stay true to yourself and it has 0:15:04.240 --> 0:15:05.200 nothing to do with the noise. 0:15:05.240 --> 0:15:08.120 You're still going to work. You're still going to create 0:15:08.440 --> 0:15:09.680 the journey books, like. 0:15:10.040 --> 0:15:10.760 You know what I mean. 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:13.920 So like, I also want to ask. 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:17.000 You because I'm being so conscious of the time, I 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:20.400 want to really spend the last part of the time 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:25.920 talking about what you've created in terms of you're giving back. 0:15:28.200 --> 0:15:33.239 And then so when with the Lifetime film. 0:15:34.200 --> 0:15:38.440 Okay you had to be proud, Yes I am. 0:15:38.640 --> 0:15:39.480 How did you feel? 0:15:42.000 --> 0:15:42.200 You know? 0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:45.200 When I got the call for it, At first, I 0:15:45.280 --> 0:15:51.560 was nervous because it was just like, Okay, hey, I 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:53.760 got a project in Atlanta. I want you to cast 0:15:53.840 --> 0:15:56.080 okay cool, send me the script. And when I saw 0:15:56.120 --> 0:15:59.160 the title of the script, I was like, ooh, I 0:15:59.200 --> 0:16:01.440 don't do scary more. I don't want to watch you. 0:16:01.560 --> 0:16:03.360 So I want to read the script because it won't 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:06.720 be in my head. But the more we talked about 0:16:06.960 --> 0:16:09.280 what it was, I was like, Oh, I read the 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:12.680 script and I was like, Yo, this is gonna be epic, 0:16:12.800 --> 0:16:15.760 this is going to save lives. And then I had 0:16:15.760 --> 0:16:20.280 my first conversation just with the Lifetime exects, which, let 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:24.560 me tell you, in the indie world, casting directors, even 0:16:24.600 --> 0:16:27.760 in the real world and all the world spaces, casting 0:16:27.800 --> 0:16:32.080 directors get no love. They are not invited to the 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:35.200 table until it's time for them to bring you actors. 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:41.080 They get no love, no respect. They you know, we 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:45.520 out here doing what they need and time crunches consistently. 0:16:46.240 --> 0:16:48.680 And once you do and you get them all the 0:16:48.760 --> 0:16:52.160 beautiful people that make this story come to life. They 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:55.280 forget who you were. They forget your last name, first name, 0:16:55.320 --> 0:16:58.400 they forget the like they forget everything about you. That's 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:01.920 another reason why I show up on set. That because 0:17:03.040 --> 0:17:08.080 it's to build relationships, to make beyond the emails back 0:17:08.119 --> 0:17:12.800 and forth beyond once I solidified your full cast. Now 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:15.760 I'm showing up because I want to connect with my 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:19.760 producers to make sure that they're happy and everybody's an alignment. 0:17:19.960 --> 0:17:21.439 Like you know, you don't want you don't want to 0:17:21.440 --> 0:17:24.480 hear anything bad about the people you send, because if 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:27.840 that happens, I won't send these people going forward. They 0:17:27.920 --> 0:17:30.240 might knock get out the park in an audition, but 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:33.680 if your an etiquette on set sucks, I can't send 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:37.399 you because you're a representative of my casting company. Because 0:17:37.440 --> 0:17:41.800 I'm putting you out there saying I'm behind this person's work, 0:17:41.880 --> 0:17:44.720 their work ethic, all of the things, and if you're 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:47.680 not doing set, then I need to know because that's 0:17:47.720 --> 0:17:51.080 the person I won't send to the next set. So 0:17:51.320 --> 0:17:55.719 the relationship based industry, and so yeah, I show up 0:17:55.760 --> 0:17:58.680 on set to build relationships with the talent, to find 0:17:58.720 --> 0:18:00.960 out who they are and what other things they want 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:04.959 to do, because then when I have something that's in alignment, 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:08.679 I know they already can act hey, and I know 0:18:08.760 --> 0:18:11.200 that's going to help them get to the next level 0:18:11.359 --> 0:18:14.880 in their career, or it's something that they've never done 0:18:14.920 --> 0:18:18.400 it they want to challenge themselves now to do. Now 0:18:18.440 --> 0:18:20.520 I know who they are and now they know that 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:24.680 the trade are so I love it. And even though 0:18:24.720 --> 0:18:27.240 it's not about it's not about money, but. 0:18:27.240 --> 0:18:28.120 I do like the care. 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:31.560 I love candlelight dinners, but I don't want to get 0:18:31.600 --> 0:18:35.680 shot and all the other things, you know, But I 0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:38.600 love it and you know, and I go to the 0:18:38.600 --> 0:18:42.040 premieres if they have a premiere there, if it's an 0:18:42.080 --> 0:18:44.720 on set in l if I'm casting something in La, 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:48.159 I'm showing up, you know, I put that in. I 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:50.760 make sure I set that money's aside so that I 0:18:50.800 --> 0:18:53.960 can be present. And so if they forget me, it's 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:57.320 just because somebody was being mean and facetious a petty. 0:18:57.640 --> 0:19:02.840 So most I don't get forgotten. So but it's something 0:19:02.880 --> 0:19:05.520 that you have to like, you have to be seeing. 0:19:05.600 --> 0:19:08.240 And you know, I talked to my assistant, who is 0:19:08.320 --> 0:19:11.920 my part beat like I'm trying to I'm treating her 0:19:12.040 --> 0:19:14.280 like I wish somebody had treated me. In this industry. 0:19:14.680 --> 0:19:18.399 I'm getting opportunities so that if she decides to do 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:20.560 her own thing, she's doing. 0:19:20.760 --> 0:19:21.600 A great job. 0:19:22.320 --> 0:19:23.879 And it's no animosity. 0:19:24.160 --> 0:19:26.280 Is that I know she can do it, and it's 0:19:26.400 --> 0:19:34.040 just builds our fortitude longer and wider as competition, right, 0:19:34.320 --> 0:19:37.119 And I noticed that in our community so often we 0:19:37.160 --> 0:19:39.760 feel like we got to be gatekeepers. And I have 0:19:39.840 --> 0:19:43.640 to say it's because a Twinkie that I no longer 0:19:44.040 --> 0:19:46.760 feel like I have to be a gatekeeper over information. 0:19:47.560 --> 0:19:47.800 Right. 0:19:48.400 --> 0:19:53.399 Wow, I would be like, yeah, I can't help you, 0:19:54.760 --> 0:19:59.479 but her mentorship and her opening doors for me with 0:19:59.760 --> 0:20:02.920 no fear of you know, And this is the thing 0:20:03.160 --> 0:20:05.359 when you somebody does something for you, if you're a 0:20:05.400 --> 0:20:09.600 solid person, there's a lot of loyalty that that breeds. 0:20:10.080 --> 0:20:12.920 So Twinki can ask me to do it. Could be like, oh, 0:20:12.920 --> 0:20:16.320 but it's only paying five hundred dollars because it's her, 0:20:16.920 --> 0:20:21.440 I would do that, right, right, you tell five hundred 0:20:21.440 --> 0:20:22.880 dollars in twenty twenty four. 0:20:23.760 --> 0:20:25.000 She knows that. 0:20:25.119 --> 0:20:26.760 All she got to do is ask me. And I'm 0:20:26.840 --> 0:20:30.439 sure because of what you hand them for me in 0:20:30.520 --> 0:20:31.480 the past. 0:20:32.600 --> 0:20:36.480 And I've known you twenty minutes and already I've recommended you. 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:42.800 So no, oh my god, Leslie, Leslie. Like the thing 0:20:42.920 --> 0:20:46.080 is is you've touched upon so much and there is 0:20:46.119 --> 0:20:47.040 going to be a part to you. 0:20:47.040 --> 0:20:49.760 Guys, it has to be. We can't cram and rush 0:20:49.800 --> 0:20:50.440 and all of that. 0:20:51.760 --> 0:20:55.240 I do want to talk about what you touched on 0:20:55.320 --> 0:20:59.400 in terms of casting directors getting the proper credit and accolades, 0:20:59.480 --> 0:21:07.320 because my first job when I saw that the way 0:21:07.400 --> 0:21:10.720 this industry worked is that even though the writer wrote 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:14.720 the film, it's a film by the director, right and. 0:21:16.280 --> 0:21:19.160 And we're the ones who I know on New York Undercover. 0:21:19.400 --> 0:21:21.280 I went to bed at ten am, I mean two 0:21:21.359 --> 0:21:25.360 am sometimes, and I was doing extras on New York Undercover. 0:21:26.080 --> 0:21:29.320 So the you know. 0:21:29.240 --> 0:21:31.760 When the thank yous go out, it's the director that 0:21:31.920 --> 0:21:34.840 found the talent, you know, or the producer that found 0:21:34.880 --> 0:21:39.320 the talent. And it's like, if the talent doesn't appreciate, 0:21:39.320 --> 0:21:42.760 love us and acknowledge us, because that's where the value, 0:21:43.119 --> 0:21:48.840 right then you know, our name just exists as like 0:21:49.400 --> 0:21:52.800 not people on this credit, But you wouldn't have the 0:21:52.840 --> 0:21:56.240 actors if it, or the ideas because we just don't 0:21:56.480 --> 0:22:04.639 find talent. We beg we plead, wear. 0:22:04.160 --> 0:22:09.399 Many, we get this many auditions, we get like and 0:22:09.880 --> 0:22:12.919 by the time the producer director sees it is this 0:22:13.160 --> 0:22:19.120 many right, right, h But we go through all of 0:22:19.359 --> 0:22:25.240 this many to give you the solid the jewelry that 0:22:25.320 --> 0:22:28.119 they can say, oh, I'm having such a right decision 0:22:29.400 --> 0:22:32.320 this person and that person. We're like, yeah, talk about it, 0:22:32.880 --> 0:22:38.760 uh five hundred, talk about that. We like late at night. 0:22:39.040 --> 0:22:41.040 I remember one time I was on a project with 0:22:41.080 --> 0:22:43.800 Tweakie and I did not sleep at all. And when 0:22:43.840 --> 0:22:46.960 she found out, she was like yo, timeout says nah, 0:22:47.080 --> 0:22:49.359 we're not doing it. And I was just just wanted 0:22:49.359 --> 0:22:52.120 to make sure everything was done and right like, no, 0:22:52.600 --> 0:22:57.320 it's going to be there tomorrow. It's great, So yeah, 0:22:57.560 --> 0:22:59.800 time management. But I just didn't want to stop. 0:23:00.920 --> 0:23:03.600 Yeah, I mean I used to. 0:23:05.040 --> 0:23:08.120 I definitely didn't eat when we had live casting. 0:23:08.359 --> 0:23:09.800 I don't remember eating. 0:23:10.240 --> 0:23:13.560 And then I started to have my assistant incorporate lunch 0:23:13.720 --> 0:23:16.919 at least thirty minutes because then I wasn't functioning. 0:23:17.000 --> 0:23:19.040 And you have to take care of yourself. 0:23:21.080 --> 0:23:25.200 And you sit in all day although I was racked, 0:23:26.400 --> 0:23:28.920 and you're sitting and you're seeing people in the seat, 0:23:29.720 --> 0:23:36.639 no food, you just like no water maybe yeah, And. 0:23:38.400 --> 0:23:42.679 You know, like I applaud you and other casting directors 0:23:42.760 --> 0:23:47.359 still casting, and you know, I that is my love 0:23:47.480 --> 0:23:50.600 and that's where I come from. I was just so 0:23:52.080 --> 0:23:54.520 I think towards the end of my full time. 0:23:54.320 --> 0:23:55.560 Career as a casting director. 0:23:55.600 --> 0:24:02.160 I was so challenged with the indecisiveness of director and 0:24:02.160 --> 0:24:05.359 and and you know, like you know, how do you 0:24:05.440 --> 0:24:08.240 know talent? Like actors are probably like what do you see? 0:24:08.280 --> 0:24:11.400 What are you looking for? But we as casting directors, 0:24:11.520 --> 0:24:15.240 I feel like we know right away, we do we know, 0:24:16.119 --> 0:24:18.000 So what's your process? 0:24:18.600 --> 0:24:23.879