Many times, actors think that casting directors are not on their side. “We are,” insists Carol Lefko. “We want [the actor] to succeed. We have a problem and they are our solution!”
Lefko matches problems and solutions using an Old Hollywood sensibility, understanding that talent, perseverance, professionalism, and an unwavering sense of self are the keys to staying power in this business.
Road to This Position
Lefko started in the mail room at CBS. “The head of casting was the only female VP at CBS at the time. I remember her entire office was blue and maroon,” Lefko explained. “I was the only female working in the mail room, and I put myself in charge of everything. I was Little Miss I’ll Do It around there,” she recalled with a laugh. “I pushed my little mail cart around like it was very important business. I wore a dress every day – with all of these guys in jeans.” Lefko soon became aware of an opening for an assistant in casting. “I went home at lunch and changed my dress so that, when I went by the VP’s office to deliver her mail, I was wearing blue and maroon. I went in and told her I wanted the job. She didn’t ask about my skills, she just said, ‘Oh my God! You match my office! You’ve got the job!'”
From there, Lefko has worked in production, in casting, and as a writer (three of her sitcoms have been optioned). “I’ve been working a long time,” she admitted. “If you can still make a living at this after doing it for any length of time, then you’re okay.”
Key Things She Looks for in an Actor
Preparedness. “Read the whole script if you can. At the very least, read all of the scenes your character is in. If you want the part, you should want to know the journey of that character. Reading the script means that you are ready if you are asked, in an audition, to do more. At a callback, know all the scenes your character is in. That doesn’t mean you should memorize every word, but you should know the scenes,” she explained.
Pet Peeves
Excuses. “I don’t need to know why you’re late, why you have no picture, why your agent didn’t tell you about the sides. If you’re not going to work as a grownup, then find a new job,” Lefko insisted. “Take responsibility in every way. Acting is not a hobby. If your heart is not in it, you need to examine what course of action to take. If it’s not at the fiber of your being, then don’t do it.”
Once you’ve determined acting is your calling? “Persevere. Don’t beat yourself up. Remember that there’s always the next role,” Lefko assured. “Acting is a hard job. I give actors a lot of credit. You can be the best listening actor around, but if you’re not given a chance to be a listening actor, what good does that do you?”
Back to pet peeves: “Don’t show up for your audition with a gun, with a knife, on drugs,” Lefko listed. “I’m serious! Be professional. Shake hands with the casting director only if they extend a hand first.”
Lefko is somewhat distracted by actors who bring their children with them to an audition. “It’s not that the kids are poorly behaved, it’s that the parent is such a mess over it, because they couldn’t get a sitter at the last minute. It removes their focus from the job they’re there to do,” she commented.
Advice for Actors
“Do something to help yourself in your career every day. Read a play, get the right hair color, fix something that is somehow holding you back. I’m not pro-implants, but if you want to do the kind of films that your body is not made for, go to a really good doctor. Attend screenings. Do the socializing that’s so important in this profession. The more you can network, the better.”
“Read out loud every day for 15 minutes. Read, enunciate, articulate, project. This is so important, even if you’re not planning to be a stage actor,” Lefko concluded.
Lefko also mentioned the importance of staying true to who you are. “Be smart. Regarding the auditioning process, don’t get psyched out in the waiting room by another actor. Actors come in a mess after having encountered someone in the waiting room who makes them feel like less than who they are. Don’t sit there letting your energy go into the chair. Stand up, move around, keep your spirits up.”
“When you enter the room, find the power person in the room. It’s very important. Who is the director? You may think the camera operator is no one important and it turns out, that’s the director. Know who you’re dealing with. Ask before you go into the room. Ask in the room. It’s okay. And since so many directors are also writers, don’t critique the script. If you do, you put yourself in a bad position, and the casting director who brought you in looks like an idiot.”
Study. “It’s hard to find a really decent teacher,” Lefko admitted. “A lot of coaches are just out there for the cash. Go to different classes. Audit if you can. See who the actors you respect are studying with.”
Know your strengths. “You need to know what you excel at. Is it comedy? Drama? Do you sing and dance? Be honest with yourself as an actor. Do you want to do community theatre? There’s nothing wrong with that, but you need to know that’s what you want to do. Ask yourself if you’re best-suited for commercials, if you have a great voice and should do voiceovers, if you should work on soaps, if sitcoms are your market, if you’re best-suited for films – but you have to know who you are. A sense of self-truth is key to that. Keep a journal and reexamine yourself every few weeks if you’re not doing something toward your acting career. Be honest with yourself.”
“If I could boil my advice down to just three items, I’d say, when you walk into the room to audition, have a genuine smile on your face. If you’re not having a good day, it’ll show. So, feel good. Smile and let it show. Second, learn how to walk away from an audition and let it all go. It’s the hardest thing to do. You do need to learn from it, and fix what might have been wrong for the next time, but then just let it go. Last, always be professional. Be a pro. Those items encompass everything else I could possibly say.”
Best Way to Get Seen by Her
“You need representation,” Lefko insisted. “Your manager or agent can submit appropriately based on the [character] breakdown.”
“I do like [casting] new people,” Lefko admitted. “In sitcoms, you’ll see the same people over and over again. I don’t like that. I love loyalty, but I don’t like laziness.”
Trends She Has Observed in the Casting Process
“Since I started working in this business, the agent has become more powerful than the studio. As with everything, there’s a good side and a bad side to that change. I think an actor needs to take a more critical role in his career. You don’t see a plumber calling his agent to see if it’s okay for him to fix that toilet. As an actor, say to yourself, ‘No one should make a decision on my behalf. That’s too much power.’ And take that 90% role you have seriously. Make sure your agent is running things past you, rather than making decisions for you.”
Her Opinion on Alternative Submission Methods
Regarding Internet casting services, Lefko said, casually, “Just don’t get ripped off.”
“Spend your money on the best headshot that looks like you. Look around. Look at a photographer’s book. Shop around like you would for any major purchase. Check your appearance in the mirror and know what will help get you a job. If you need to rectify your appearance by changing your weight in either direction, changing your hair color, getting plastic surgery, visiting a makeup consultant, getting new wardrobe – whatever – do that so that you can properly market yourself. Men should be masculine-looking and women should be feminine. It’s so important. And it’s good to have a look that will allow you to work in period pieces. Tattoos and piercings keep you from being able to do that.”
Most Gratifying Part of Her Job
“It’s fun to put someone in a movie that will then propel their career.”
This interview was conducted on January 3, 2002, and it originally appeared in Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews by Bonnie Gillespie, available at Amazon.