Marki Costello has a way of putting people at ease. She is genetically funny [granddaughter of Lou Costello], sparklingly charming, and intensely honest.
From the office that is her management company, casting company, and nerve center for her hosting seminars, Costello juggles casting some of the hottest reality projects on TV. “I do a pu pu platter of stuff. I used to hush-hush the fact that I did reality, but now I’m laughing all the way to the bank. For whatever reason, we’re dying to see real people on television.”
Turns out, those people who populate reality shows don’t just wander onto the set. Nationwide searches are conducted, and Costello is the casting (yes, casting) director who handles them. Call it talent-coordinating, call it reality programming, call it casting. The key to filling a reality show with people viewers love to watch? Honesty. Hotline: 888.878.2634.
First Casting Job
With Chuck Berris Productions. “We were the little peons of the casting world,” Costello qualified, of the job in which she cast The Dating Game, The Newlywed Game, and The Gong Show. “When we’d finish a season of one, we’d move on to the next one. I was working all the time, and that’s where I got my first taste of reality casting.”
Road to This Position
Costello wanted a break from game shows, so she studied for two years with Joanne Barron at the D.W. Brown Studios to become an independent film director. “I was learning a language so that I could communicate with actors. What I learned was that so many people don’t know how to act,” she observed. “And so many others don’t know how to audition.”
Costello began coaching actor friends on the craft of auditioning in the mid-1990s. “I would say, ‘Are you for real? You’re going in without having developed that character?’ I started teaching a weekly class. And then slowly, the casting started coming back. I realized, oh wow, I miss this,” she said, of the epiphany that led to opening her own company.
Costello did pilot casting for Change of Heart, Debt, and series casting for Perfect Match and I Want a Wife: Alaska, in addition to a dozen national ad campaigns. “I’m the real girl queen. I do reality and hosting. Hosting is a form of reality, because I’m asking you to be yourself at your best,” she clarified.
After working on the MOW Saved by the Light, Costello was bored. “It was so formulaic. All they wanted at the network is the A-List and B-List and C-List of people with TV-Q. It was such a machine. I want to be inspired. I want people to aspire to be the best them they can be. Why is Oprah [Winfrey] successful? Because if she’s excited about a book, everyone knows about it. Same with Rosie [O’Donnell]. She was genuinely excited to meet the people she had on her show. Viewers love to relate to people. Relatability is a huge part of reality casting.”
After casting the hugely successful reality show The Bachelor, Costello turned down casting The Bachelor II. “I had worked so hard for two years with no breaks. Also, I was ready for something that wasn’t a known commodity,” she added.
Her Thoughts on Host Casting
“Hosting is basically taking someone and saying this is the best of you. You have to connect with somebody right away. I need beauties who are smart.”
As for hosting skills, Costello is of the opinion that the skills “can be 100% learned. You can learn the Teleprompter. And then, your tape, your picture – everything – has to be indicative of where you are strong. Do what you’re strongest at and then flex the other muscles.”
Costello’s credits in host casting go from TBS’s bumper programming such as Dinner and a Movie and Movies for Guys Who Like Movies to feature programming such as Speed Dating for Universal and Big News for Buena Vista.
Her Thoughts on Reality Casting
“Reality is a different beast,” she said. “We’re not looking for someone to be the best in that role. We’re looking for someone who will make for an interesting dynamic. We really have to peel that onion. We’re doing thorough background research on these people but we have to be able to get them in ten minutes or less, if they’re going to be relatable on the show.”
With Temptation Island II, Costello spent five minutes with each couple, interviewed each person alone for ten minutes, brought them back together for another five minutes, and then edited the tapes of the candidates down to 25 minutes to present to the producers. “We put people on tape without having 20 years of history with them,” Costello admitted. “So, I have to ask tough questions. I tell them to cut the crap and tell me the things they don’t think I want to hear. I want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Meet My Folks posed a different challenge. “We were casting an entire family,” she exclaimed. “I needed to find – in Los Angeles – entire families willing to do this, passing background [checks], and interesting to watch, week after week.”
As for the concept that being on a reality show can launch an acting career, Costello is very opinionated. “Sure. It can open doors. But it’s like you’re given eight-and-a-half minutes. Can you stretch it to 15? To 20? To 40? Yeah, but you have to work it. Reality will open doors, but you have to be able to walk through them with something. The test for yourself is, ‘What can we relate to?’ If you provide the ultimate fairy tale, we’re with you all the way.”
Can an Actor do Reality TV?
Sure. According to Costello, an actor who has a full life outside of acting, and who is not earning a living as an actor, is a prime candidate for reality shows. “I want to get to know you as a person. I put actors on [reality shows] all the time,” she said. “Just don’t tell me you’re an actor all the time. In reality [shows], they’ll wonder if you’re acting. If you really make your living by hostessing, let’s talk about that. If you’re not paying your bills as an actor yet, then I can talk with you about what your real life is, and that may be perfect for a reality show.” The key, according to Costello, is being real and being relatable.
Pet Peeves
Flakiness. Costello has a way to combat what she calls “a huge flake factor” with regard to reality casting. “There are hoops for the actors to leap through. There is an application process that requires a certain amount of tenacity. These people are going to be checked out mentally, physically, emotionally, and have their background investigated,” she explained. “But, can you imagine being the guy who’s going to meet these pre-screened women [on a show like The Bachelor]? You can’t get such assurances from a random meeting in a bar!”
One downside to the extent of background investigation: finding out your favorite candidate won’t pass the test to get on the show. “It’s like falling in love with someone and discovering they aren’t who you thought they were. I tell my producers not to get attached to anyone until they pass all the tests.”
Advice for Actors
“You have to set boundaries in this business. Stand firm. Do your best, and trust that – if the planets are aligned – your talent will be recognized.” The key to having boundaries work in your favor, according to Costello? “Stick to them.”
Costello loves meeting actors who are honest and responsible. These people – whether they are actors or not – make for the most interesting relationships. And if it’s not a show yet, it could be soon. Costello has plans to turn the behind-the-scenes adventures of casting reality shows into a reality show of its own. Stay tuned!
Best Way to Get Seen by Her
If you are an aspiring host, send your headshot and resume to Costello marked “Attn: Hosting Department.” If your interest is in reality programming, make sure your agent is aware of that interest, because she does release Breakdowns.
“It’s amazing to me,” Costello began. “We’re bringing people in to showcase for the heads of networks and the agent doesn’t want their talent involved in reality programming. Where else are you going to get in front of the heads of networks? We had a guy on tape for Meet My Folks and they wanted to see him for a series. His agent said no, thinking it was reality. He missed out on the opportunity to shave a few years off his climb to network. His loss,” she said with a shrug.
Her Operating System
“In this business, your word is all you have. I am a woman of my word. I return all calls each day. I have zero tolerance for people who can’t return calls. If you can’t get back to somebody in a week, you’re in the wrong business.”
Her Opinion on Alternative Submission Methods
Costello maintains a database of real people – including actors. “I can email anywhere and have 10,000 submissions for my database in just a few minutes. I keep copies of everything for five years from our submissions and searches,” she noted. To get into Costello’s database, call her hotline and mention that you read Casting Qs or just watch for information online. She encourages all of her producers to have websites available for their shows, prior to production. That way, she can put the word out online and receive submissions from anywhere in the world. “I want to be online when we start the process,” she said.
Most Gratifying Part of Her Job
“I’ll fight for someone I believe in. I’ll go to network and insist that someone get in for a show. I stand firm. There is no room for being wishy-washy in this business and I’ll push if I believe in you. I feel good about that. I leave knowing I’ve done everything that I can do.”
This interview was conducted on July 8, 2002, and it originally appeared in Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews by Bonnie Gillespie, available at Amazon.