MY TOP 10 LEADING MEN WHO I CAN CAST IN A INDIE-LOW-BUDGET FILM - MEN WHO WILL ONE DAY BE STARS - LIST…

In today’s “New York Times Style Magazine” (Men’s Fashion Spring 2009) the front cover has actor Eric Dane on it, whom I adore and not just because we go to the same gym…I lie, yes, I like seeing him at the gym…ANYWAY, the premise of the reason he is on the front cover aside from his eternal handsomeness is that the article about him is called, “Screentest: Can These TV Guys Make the Leap from the Tube to the Cineplex?” by, Lynn Hirschberg.

Included in the list are: Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy), Gaius Charles (Friday Night Lights), Bill Hader (SNL), Taylor Kitch (Friday Night Lights) and Joshua Jackson (Fringe). All of these actors are all on Casting Directors’ lists, around the world and we are constantly pushing to get one of these guys into a film. In the last three weeks I have been actively pushing a Director I am working with to make an offer to Gaius Charles, I have said over and over how fantastic he would be for the role and that his exposure on “Friday Night Lights” would be enough of a catalyst to shed a glimmer of light on our 1.5 million dollar budget film. We also have support of his agent for the script and while that is never a guarantee that an actor will do your movie, “support” in this sense means that I know that he will actually consider the film.

But Producers/Directors are notoriously slow on the uptake while casting and most feel like they have time on their side to make decisions. If I say, “Look, you really are not in a position to wait around and see who is available, this is your guy, you have to trust me on this…” well this is what I WANT TO SAY, but if I say it, it usually causes great stress on the team because GOD-FORBID anyone make a decision and be RESPONSIBLE for that decision. Smart casting is about quick thinking and knowing who is right for a role. Ask me what I think and I will tell you, but don’t get pissy with me when a few weeks later when said actor is no longer available, because someone made a better offer, quicker then you. To be successful in low-budget indie-film casting you have to trust your CD, we are on the front lines of casting and should know who is going to hit or not…most of the time :0)

So, with Gaius as my example, I have suggested him multiple times that we make the offer and that there is no need for an audition, he will be perfect for the role, just get someone in the film! Anchor the film with a strong choice, a popular actor, someone other agents can go, “Hey what’s going on over here in Matthew Lessall Casting world? He seems to have a cool, respected actor attached to a film, why don’t we have an actor in his film? What’s going on?” If I can have that dialogue going on throughout offices in L.A and N.Y.C, I am doing my job.

So aside from the guys mentioned in the article, there HAVE to be more right? Who do I, in general, try to steer my Producers towards? Who are my top ten leading, handsome men whom I would like to see in a film I cast and that I think have a bright future and if you cast them you are ahead of the curve? Here they are:

1.    Ed Westwick – Yes, he wears too much make-up on “Gossip Girl,” but I blame the genre not the actor. Go watch his performance in “Son of Rambow,” and you will see that he has an inner life that is sensitive, harsh and kind of sexy.
2.    Bailey Chase – If you aren’t watching “Saving Grace” on TNT you are missing out on excellent writing and excellent performances all-around. But Bailey really stands out. Hot from Hot-ville, and a really good actor, Bailey has auditioned for me in person and I know it is just a matter of time before someone figures out that he has a universal appeal.
3.    Stephen Moyer – I am going to shock you: I hate “True Blood.” I think it is unwatchable unless you are on crack, then I am sure that it makes sense to someone but really it is a piss-pore show and the only thing on it that makes any sense to me is Stephen. Saying that, I think that he is limited in range on what he can do on the show but, with all of that said, he is obviously going to break out as a star. He has a lot of charisma and also does the “dangerous-hard to figure out leading-man” thing very well.
4.    Josh Peck – I love Josh Peck. I am biased on this one. Ever since the first day I met him during the casting of “Mean Creek,” I knew that he had a future. In “The Wackness,” he proved that he could be a brooding, complex leading man. While not traditionally hot, Josh has a special charm and charisma that has “leading man” written all over it, it will just take the right role for him to really jump him into the main stream.
5.    Rafi Gavron – Truth be told I have only seen Rafi in “Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist” (barf) and his small role on “Rome.” He has also auditioned for me. Rafi has an Orlando Bloom vibe to me, more “man-boyish” then hot leading man, but he is only 19.
6.    Daniel Henney – I love Daniel’s story. He is from the mid-west and decided he wanted to be an actor so moved to South Korea (not speaking any Korean) and landed a soap opera only to become one of South Korea’s biggest stars and now he is in “Wolverine.” I auditioned him for “Kung-Fu” a film that doesn’t seem to be going anytime soon, but when I met him it was obvious that he has what it takes. I know it would be harder to convince him to do lower budget features, but I think if the script was right he would go for it. I mean after “Wolverine,” getting your head around a dressing room that is a “honey-wagon” can be traumatic for some. Especially when the craft services budget is equivalent to the entire budget of the film I am casting.
7.    Ed Quinn – Seriously, Ed must be a really frustrated actor. He has all of the hallmarks of a leading man but has not crossed over into the feature film world. Totally underappreciated on the Sci-Fi series “Eureka” Ed is always popping up on guest stars here and there. This guy is truly “undiscovered” yet one of the hardest working actors in town. It is only a matter of time…
8.    Tahmoh Penikett – I am a sci-fi geek, I admit it. I love the cast of “Battlestar Gallactica,” to me it is one of the best casts on television. One of it’s cast is Tahmoh whom I think has a sexy vibe and pops on screen. I cast him in “Trick r’ Treat” mostly because the director loves him on the show but also because he is super-cute and you just WANT TO WATCH HIM, which is the point really…
9.    Scott Eastwood – Watch out world, here comes Scott Eastwood! Cast him now before everyone figures out how good he really is…
10.     Vincent Piazza – I save the best for last. I cast Vincent in “Rocket Science,” he was perfect as the weird older brother with an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Now a grown-up he has been on “The Sopranos” and “Rescue Me” and is on every television-casting director’s pilot list. He is the star of POLISH BAR and aside from being a fantastic actor, he is a really nice guy to work with and know.

So there you have it. There are others and there will be more to come. And to all of the Directors and Producers out there: I think that at the end of the day no matter who you cast in a film, a film is only as good as it’s weakest link. If the casting is great but something else in Production is off, the acting can come out not the way that was intended. The actors above, all have star potential. It’s not their acting that I ever need to worry about. Filmmaking is a team sport. So go get your cast and put these faces in the forefront and you will have a star in your film and a good shot at standing out in the crowd of independent film.