2026 marks the first-ever Casting Directors Panel, in honor of the new category at the Academy Awards. (Sherine John / Daily Nexus)

The 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival held the first casting directors panel to appreciate the work they do as well as celebrate the new category at the Academy Awards on the afternoon of Feb. 7.

Moderated by the Editor in Chief of Gold Derby, Debra Birnbaum, the event featured Academy Award-nominated casting directors Gabriel Domingues (“The Secret Agent”), Nina Gold (“Hamnet”), Francine Maisler (“Sinners”), Jennifer Venditti (“Marty Supreme”) and Cassandra Kulukundis (“One Battle After Another”).

As the panel began, Birnbaum congratulated the panelists on being the historic first nominees for the category. She then asked what it meant to them that this category had been introduced after almost a century of the Academy Awards’ existence.

“It has really felt great that we are now recognized as creative partners in the filmmaking [process],” Gold said. “It is hard, I think, for those people outside to understand what casting directors do, because casting is a thing that pretty [much] everybody has a kind of opinion on,” she continued.

Birnbaum continued by asking what the job of a casting director is and how each panelist approaches the role. Each casting director spoke about their individual processes working on their nominated film, which made the audience see that their job is not static. 

“There’s this thing now, I feel like there’s a thing of ‘How many people did you see for that role?’” Kulukundis said about feeling pressure to justify her choices. “How many years do I have to do it before you actually trust me?” 

“We have to convince [directors] … to be interested in the same way we are, and that’s a hard thing,” Domingues said while addressing how difficult it can be to get directors to agree with casting choices. Without these insistences from casting directors, new talent would never be discovered.

Since it is the casting director’s job to find the perfect person for each role, Birnbaum asked what it is like to discover new actors. Birnbaum gave the example of “One Battle After Another” star Chase Infiniti and wanted to know what Kulukundis did to find such an actor.

“Finding her was hell,” Kulukundis said after praising the young actor’s skills.

Kulukundis explained that she was searching for a long time for an actor to play the role of Willa in “One Battle After Another.”

“Chase came in like a wrecking ball and was so perfect,” she said. “I was like, ‘There’s Willa.’”

Gold explained that casting the role of Hamnet was a long, thorough and enormous process. She loved Jacobi Jupe’s audition and kept bringing him back in to act out different scenes.

“Every time we would bring him back in he had this incredible access to his own, kind of, inner life without seeming to have to display it at all,” she said. “And he was just better and better every time.”

Gold explained that where Jupe really excelled was in the chemistry tests with other actors. Birnbaum asked if that is something that is present in all of the casting directors’ auditioning process. 

“Sadly, a lot of the time you don’t get to do [chemistry tests] anymore,” Kulukundis replied. “You don’t get enough time.”

“Tyler, the Creator could have chemistry with any person,” Venditti explained while talking in regard to the rapper’s casting process for “Marty Supreme.” “There are certain people you know, they don’t need to do a chemistry test.”

On the contrary, Gold and Maisler explained how important chemistry tests were to their casting processes of “Hamnet” and “Sinners.” 

“I think [chemistry testing] is what’s most exciting when you are in a room and see the movie [coming together],” Maisler said.

Gold said that, because she was working with young children on “Hamnet,” it was important to find a child who worked well with stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. She recalled the first chemistry test Jupe and Mescal did together.

“The first thing that happened is that Paul picked him up and sort of coiled him around in the air,” she said. “They were just so in it and were so connected.” 

Gold said the ability to do a chemistry test ultimately confirmed Jupe was the right choice. She also credited the director’s ability to create an environment for actors to connect.

“What was important during the process of [casting] was to feel the chemistry not between the actors necessarily but between director and actor,” Domingues said.

Birnbaum moved on from the topic of casting to ask the panelists what the biggest misconception of their job is. 

“There’s a real artistry in [casting]. This is a craft,” Kulukundis said.

“What people don’t know is we work around the clock,” Maisler said, “I think I worked with Josh [Safdie] once, and this man will text you morning, noon and night,”

“I’ve done this my whole life, and I’m exhausted,” Kulukundis said, which led to a chuckle from the crowd.

Gold (L) and Kulukundis (R) talking about their work. (Sherine John / Daily Nexus)

Birnbaum then asked what the panelists’ proudest moments were. Each panelist replied saying that the project they were nominated for was their proudest work — although, sometimes it is hard to choose just one.

“Each movie feels like a child to me,” Kulukundis said. 

However, Gold said that it was more than just the casting she was proud of. Gold felt a connection with the director of “Hamnet,” Chloé Zhao. She said that without Zhao, the process of finding the cast would have been very different as the director manifested a good environment with everyone she worked with.

“I do feel it was a way of making a film that only a woman could’ve done and it’s really wonderful to see her then making the film,” she said, accompanied by an applause. 

At the end of the panel, some of the casting directors gave a final thought for any actors in the crowd. They explained that the most important thing they do as casting directors is setting up the actors for success because they care so deeply about them. Gold used the final time of the panel to express her respect for actors who do not get parts.

“One has to take one’s hat off to all of [the actors who do not receive parts] for getting up there and trying and doing it and giving it their all every time,” Gold said. “They’re brilliant because I could never do it.”

The panel ended with a roaring applause from the audience, proudly clapping for the representatives of the first Academy Award-nominated casting directors.

The 98th Academy Awards will take place on March 15, where “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “The Secret Agent” and “Sinners” are all nominated for Best Casting.