NBC’s Passions is one of the hottest, hippest soaps on daytime television. Just over three years old, its influence on other soap operas is evident, from storylines to multicultural casting. Thank Jackie Briskey for a job well done. Then take a look at her resume. You’ll see a path that may not indicate she’d end up in daytime, but certainly one filled with talent and a sense of humor.
First Casting Job
MTM’s WKRP in Cincinnati. “I was Meryl O’Loughlin’s assistant prior to that. I had been in management/PR with The Smother’s Brothers and Kenny Rogers. I worked on the Pat Paulson for President campaign in 1968,” Briskey began. “It was purely by accident that I ended up at MTM and I was there in a development situation. Eventually, Arthur Price talked to Meryl and I made the step back to casting assistant with the understanding that, as soon as I learned the process, I would have the opportunity to cast.”
Road to This Position
After seven years on staff with MTM, Briskey did the Newhart pilot then headed to Embassy to do Gloria with Sally Struthers. Briskey then moved on to FOX as an independent casting director, where she cast Trauma Center. After that, Briskey worked at Lorimar for seven years where she did Valerie/The Hogan Family, Perfect Strangers, Our House, and Midnight Caller.
“Midnight Caller was a favorite of mine,” Briskey admitted. After Lorimar, she worked with Doug Kramer casting several Danielle Steel MOWs for NBC, as well as casting three or four projects for Aaron Spelling, including the last seven episodes of Pacific Palisades. It was Lori Openden (then at NBC) who suggested that Briskey do Passions. “I’d never thought about daytime,” she admitted. “I made them very aware that I had no daytime experience and didn’t know a lot of soap stars . They assured me that they knew the soap actors and I just needed to have an eye for casting. It’s worked out very nicely.”
“I think I’ve been able to give them what they want,” she said. “Jim Reilly, creator and head writer, has a sense of humor and a sense of family. This show is unique, tongue-in-cheek, campy, and popular within the industry. It’s fun for me to fill in between the beautiful people with these wonderful characters.” Along with associate Don Phillip Smith, who handles Under 5s and background players, that’s just what Briskey does. “That creates the look of the show.”
Key Things She Looks for in an Actor
“Do they listen? The most important thing about acting is what’s going on in your eyes. Are you listening and reacting or just doing your lines? I know the difference,” Briskey said.
Pet Peeves
Briskey simply stated, “I detest when the picture does not look like the person. Because I bring in so many people I’ve never laid eyes on before, when I don’t recognize you in person from your picture I am not happy.”
Briskey continued, “agents will send in photos for contract players that don’t match the breakdown and will say, ‘Oh, but that’s a terrible picture.’ And I say, ‘Then your actor needs new pictures!’ There’s a reason for the breakdown to be so specific. Actors need to police their agents a little. If you see you’re wrong for a part your agent has sent you in for, you need to have a conversation with your agent about that. It leaves a bad taste in the casting director’s mouth to see you on a role you have no chance for.”
Advice for Actors
“Don’t feel, in a cold read situation, that complete wardrobe is necessary,” Briskey began. “It’s a cold reading. We don’t need sets, wardrobe, or props. Props are a real distraction and they show your lack of experience.”
Briskey advised that actors ask questions. “Ask whatever questions you have before reading,” she continued. “Don’t kick yourself after reading by wondering what the answers would’ve been if you had asked the questions.”
Do your homework. “Even if you’re not the actor who gets the job, I will thank you for doing your homework,” she said.
Briskey explained, “actors need to realize they didn’t get the part sometimes because of hair color. Understand how petty it can be. Remember to do the best you can and move on. Know in your heart that you did the best that you can. That’s really all you can do. Everybody in the room is rooting for you. It makes my job easier if everyone is excellent.”
Her Opinion on Alternative Submission Methods
“I’m sure it’s useful for some casting directors, but online casting is not useful to me,” Briskey revealed. “I’ve been doing this for over 25 years now. I’m set in my ways.” Briskey explained that she uses the Internet to look up cast lists and credits, but her source for contract roles and long-term recurring characters is Breakdown Services. “I keep files and files and files,” she said, “and daily casting is too fast for Breakdowns, but for contract players, that’s the way.”
Best Way to Get Seen by Her
Sending your photo and resume is good. Postcards are better. “Pique my interest in you. Tell me you’re doing a play or that you’re on a TV show. I take the cards home and put them in chronological order and try to catch your show,” Briskey said. “Then if I’m interested in seeing more, I’ll request your picture and resume.” When will Briskey not watch you on TV? “If you’re doing something opposite The West Wing, no way. If you’re on The West Wing, however, I will see you – guaranteed,” she concluded with a laugh.
Briskey conceded that she attends theatre less than she used to, “but as much as I can. Twice this week, one time next week. But you can’t see every show in town.”
When you send Briskey your headshot and resume, be sure to note your age range, your height, and especially if anything has changed (such as hair color or length) since the photo was taken. “It’s a whole look, so I need to know before I bring you in how you’ll match up. I must know your height because I know who you’re playing opposite.”
What She Would Change About the Casting Process
Briskey’s change would be to the prime time casting process for series regulars. “It’s almost barbaric, what they put actors through,” she said. “It’s a small room with a lot of network execs seated, seemingly daring the actor to be good. I prefer what they do in daytime, where the actors read for the producers and then they choose who they feel should be put on tape and they give them wardrobe and makeup and have them do a five minute scene with one of our actors. It’s not as nerve-wracking as the same process at network. The other thing that should change is, two minutes before [the actors] walk into the room or onto the set, they’re signing contracts. An actor should not have to be concerned with signing contracts before doing that final test. They’re in a whirlwind,” she concluded.
Highlight of Her Week
Spending time with her two-year-old grandson. “I love actors,” she said. “I love my grandson more.”
Most Gratifying Part of the Job
“I like actors. I can’t do what they do. I like being entertained. They entertain me and I really respect what actors are capable of doing. That’s it.”
This interview was conducted on May 22, 2001, and it originally appeared in Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews by Bonnie Gillespie, available at Amazon.