Nominations Announced for the CDG Casting Awards 2021

The Casting Directors' Guild (CDG) in partnership with Spotlight is pleased to announce nominations for the 2021 CDG Casting Awards, which will take place during an online ceremony on Tuesday 16 February 2021. This event marks the third year of these awards, which recognise and celebrate the artistry of casting across Film, TV, Theatre and Commercials. The eight categories are:

• Best Casting in a TV Drama Series
• Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series
• Best Casting in an Independent Film (under £3 million) - includes straight to TV
• Best Casting in a Film (over £3 million) - includes straight to TV
• Best Casting in Regional Theatre (Outside of M25 includes straight plays and musicals)
• Best Casting in Musical Theatre (inside M25)
• Best Casting in Theatre (inside M25)
• Best Casting in a Commercial

Victor Jenkins, Chair of the Casting Director's Guild commented: "In a year that saw the very first BAFTA wins for Scripted Casting in both TV and Film, we are delighted to be able to present the third annual CDG Awards, celebrating the creative vision of casting on stage and on screen.

The pandemic has unquestionably had a devastating effect on our industry, and the theatres most of all. We must recognise that without the theatres we would not have many of the world-beating productions that have made it to our screens. And like a lot of industries, we have had to adapt and support each other. Our industry only shines when each of its sectors thrives.

The list of nominees highlights a really exciting range of home grown and international talent, and showcases many of the productions that have kept the whole nation gripped pre, during and post lockdown - on screen and on stage (albeit sometimes via screen). These are all achievements that deserve recognition and celebration."

Richard Wilson, CEO of Spotlight added: "We have always believed that the work of casting directors should be celebrated by our industry, which is why Spotlight is so proud to continue partnering with the CDG for their annual Awards. Huge congratulations to all the nominees, and all of the CDG, who have continued to deliver such incredible work through one of the toughest years in memory for our industry."

The nominations for the 2021 CDG Casting Awards are:

Best Casting in a TV Drama Series

• Shaheen Baig for Giri/Haji (BBC Two)
• Kahleen Crawford and Dan Jackson for His Dark Materials (BBC One)
• Kahleen Crawford for I Hate Suzie (Sky Atlantic)
• Julie Harkin, Casting Associate: Nathan Toth for I May Destroy You (BBC One)
• Louise Kiely and Karen Scully for Normal People (Hulu)

Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series

• Tracey Gillham for Inside No 9 Series 5 (BBC Two)
• Sarah Crowe for Motherland Series 2 (BBC Two)
• Lauren Evans for Sex Education Series 2 (Netflix)
• Theo Park for Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• Rachel Freck, Casting Associate: Cat Dickie, Child Casting Associate: Annelie Powell, Casting Assistant: Amy Jackson for Trying (Apple TV)

Best Casting in an Independent Film (under £3 million) - includes straight to TV

• Isabella Odoffin for Blue Story
• Shaheen Baig for Calm with Horses
• Louise Kiely for Dating Amber
• Kharmel Cochrane for Saint Maud
• Dixie Chassay for Sulpher and White

Best Casting in a Film (over £3 million) - includes straight to TV

• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Christopher Worrall for Emma
• Des Hamilton for JOJO Rabbit
• Co-Cast Fiona Weir and Alice Searby, Casting Assistant: Sarah Wilson for Judy
• Kharmel Cochrane for The Lighthouse
• Sarah Crowe, Casting Associate: Xanthe Spencer-Davidson for The Personal History of David Copperfield

Best Casting in Regional Theatre (Outside of M25 includes straight Plays and Musicals)

• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Abby Galvin for A Monster Calls (The Old Vic on tour)
• Matthew Dewsbury for King John/A Museum in Baghdad/The Whip (Royal Shakespeare Company)
• Charlotte Sutton for Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads (Chichester Festival Theatre, Spiegeltent)
• Hannah Miller, Children's Casting Directors: Hannah Miller and Barbara Roberts for The Boy in the Dress (Royal Shakespeare Company)
• Nadine Rennie for The Last King of Scotland (Sheffield Theatres)

Best Casting in Musical Theatre (inside M25)

• Stuart Burt for & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre)
• Jill Green, Casting Associate: Amy Beadel, Casting Assistants: Heidi Lawry and Nicholas Hockaday for Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward Theatre)
• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Abby Galvin for Girl from the North Country (Gielgud Theatre)
• Paul Wooller and Felicity French for Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre)
• Jim Arnold for The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre)

Best Casting in Theatre (inside M25)

• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Christopher Worrall for A Very Expensive Poison (The Old Vic)
• Stuart Burt for Cyrano de Bergerac (Playhouse Theatre)
• Charlotte Sutton for Fairview (Young Vic)
• Anna Cooper for Teenage Dick (Donmar Warehouse)
• Isabella Odoffin for Three Sisters (National Theatre)

Best Casting in a Commercial

• Sasha Robertson for Amazon Alexa (Before Alexa)
• Emma Stafford for Barnardos Believe in Me - Anxiety
• Kharmel Cochrane and Martin Gibbons for Department of Education Every Lesson Shapes a Life 2
• Emma Stafford for NHS We Are the Specialists
• Sasha Robertson for Ovarian Cancer Action
• Leanne Flinn for Sport England This Girl Can - Me Again

The nominated productions premiered between 1 September 2019 - 31 August 2020 and have been selected by members of the Casting Directors' Guild, who will now vote for a winner in each category.

To post a comment, you must register and login.