Have you ever dreamed of being an actor in a movie or TV series? Now may be your chance, as Netflix is casting for a variety of spooky projects, much like their hit series Wednesday.
Credit: Netflix
If you are one of the 260 million+ Netflix subscribers, you have likely seen some of the hit series like Wednesday or Stranger Things pop up on your top 10 list. Netflix has truly been thriving in the thrill genre, creating a plethora of content that might not be necessarily “horror” but flooded with dark and unique elements. These creations have lead to Netflix’s fandom skyrocketing.
For example, within the first 19 days of its release, Wednesday attained remarkable success by surpassing 1 billion hours of viewership. The series has solidified its standing as the third most popular show in Netflix’s history, as determined by the platform’s watch-time metrics. With an impressive total of 1.02 billion hours watched in that timeline alone, Wednesday now joins the exclusive ranks of Netflix shows that have crossed the 1 billion hour milestone. It trails behind only Squid Game and Stranger Things 4, securing a prominent position on the streaming service’s all-time popularity ranking.
Credit: Netflix
So what if we told you you could be in one of these Wednesday or Stranger Things-esque style projects?
While you may not be able to score a lead role like Jenna Ortega or Millie Bobby Brown, there are now multiple roles casting for Netflix projects among other independent films and series. Backstage recently announced:
“Wednesday starring Jenny Ortega, was renewed for Season 2 by Netflix just months after its popular premiere in November 2022. Though the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes delayed production on the second season, the supernatural coming-of-age series is rumored to return in late 2024 or early 2025. You don’t have to wait that long for your own horror or comedy project, though. Apply today to these gigs needing talent now.”
Credit: Netflix
The casting site shared that there are five similar projects casting at the moment:
The Mercy
The breakdown states, “A nonunion horror-thriller feature film is casting for its summer or fall 2024 shoot in Austin. Production is filling multiple roles, including a lead female actor, aged 18–30, to play Eli, a lead female actor, aged 30–40, to play Janis, and a lead male actor, aged 18–30, to play Stillar. All roles pay $100–$200 per day for an estimated five days of work. Please note that the role of Eli requires running and street dance skills. The role of Janis requires running skills, and the role of Stillar requires skateboarding skills.”
This film is certainly a lot less than something you would find at Netflix, since it is a non-union production.
The Curse of Alice Deubel
A great way to get into acting is by participating in student films! In this project, “A horror student film is casting for its March shoot in Los Angeles and Bakersfield, California. Production is filling multiple roles, including a lead male actor, aged 18–26, to play Sebastian Green, a lead male actor, aged 18–26, to play Zach Thomas, and a lead female actor, aged 18–26, to play Sandra Hopkins. The role of Sebastian Green pays $100 per day for an estimated eight days of work. The roles of Zach Thomas and Sandra Hopkins pay $100 per day for an estimated seven days of work.”
Black Clown 3: Rio Grande Valley
One popular show that many can find on Netflix is a horror anthology series American Horror Story has been popular for many seasons, now you can audition for your very own anthology series.
“A horror-thriller anthology series is casting for its upcoming shoot in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Production is filling multiple roles, including a lead female actor, aged 20–50, to play Sofia, a lead male actor, aged 20–50, to play Leo, and a lead female actor, aged 20–50, to play Gabby. All roles pay $75–$150 per day for an estimated two days of work.”
The Midnight Escape
If you are interested in traveling to Michigan, or you are already based there and love horror, this project might be for you. “A horror-thriller student film is casting for its spring 2024 shoot in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Production is looking for a lead female actor, aged 18–25, to play Emily, a lead male actor, aged 18–28, to play Mark, a supporting female actor, aged 18–21, to play Veronica, and a supporting female actor, aged 18–29, to play Breanna. All roles will receive deferred profit share payment.
The Awoken
The highest paying film is called The Awoken, which centers around a fallen priest and a damaged bartender and a war between Heaven and Hell.
The movie is described “A union feature film is casting for its upcoming shoot in Austin. Production is looking for a lead female actor, aged 25 and older, to play Samantha and a lead male actor, aged 40 and older, to play Benjamin. Both roles pay $150–$1,800 per day for an estimated 14 days of work.”
While none of these projects are already Netflix-level famous, it is certainly a good way for those interested in breaking into acting.
During an appearance onThe Rich Eisen Show, Luis Guzmán shared that Tim Burton actively sought him out for the role of Gomez Addams, a character previously portrayed by John Astin in the 1964 Addams Family TV series and Raul Julia in Barry Sonnenfeld’s film The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel.
Credit: Netflix
Guzmán recounted the moment, saying, “I was actually in Cardiff, Wales, and I got a phone call saying, ‘Tim Burton wants to speak to you.’ [I replied,] ‘Tim Burton? Yeah!’ ” He continued, “So we Zoomed the next day, and he said, ‘Hey, man, we’re doing this thing about the Addams Family.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, wow. Cool!’ I don’t know what’s going to happen next. And he said, ‘I’d love for you to play Gomez.’ And I go, ‘For real? Really? OK, all right; let’s do it!’ ”
Co-casting director John Papsidera said CNN, “It’s always a little bit daunting when you start a process with such a legacy and storied roles around it.” The team aimed to cast a Latina actor for the character of Wednesday, considering her father, Gomez, is Hispanic. (The late Raul Julia was Puerto Rican, and Oscar Isaac, who voiced the character in the 2019 animated film, is Guatemalan Cuban.)
Upon meeting Jenna Ortega, who has Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage, the casting team knew they had discovered their perfect fit for Wednesday. Ortega’s audition, coupled with her dedication to her craft, left a lasting impression.
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Notably, she arrived at the audition covered in fake blood and gore, having just come from the set of Ti West’s slasher film X.
Credit: Netflix
