Kim Coleman on First Impressions in the Audition Room

Kim Coleman is one of the most respected names in casting, with 19 Artios Award nominations and five wins to her name. She’s also a two-time Emmy nominee for her work on Lovecraft Country and American Crime, nominations she shares with colleagues Meagan Lewis and Beth Sepko. Known for her deep talent relationships, Coleman has long collaborated with filmmakers like Spike Lee and Tyler Perry.

Coleman’s latest project, Amazon Prime Video’s Cross, reunites her with showrunner Ben Watkins (New York Undercover). Based on the James Patterson crime novels, the show follows brilliant but complex detective Alex Cross, played by Aldis Hodge, and has already been renewed for a second season.

We caught up with Coleman to talk about building the world of Cross, finding the perfect Alex Cross family and why chemistry reads still matter.

Insights: Lessons from Kim Coleman

Always be thoroughly prepared for auditions.

Develop versatility in your acting range.

Aim to create genuine chemistry with scene partners.

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When you came on board, Aldis was already attached to play Alex Cross – a role we’ve seen on the big screen played by Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry. What compelled you to join the project when Ben Watkins approached you?

Everyone knows Alex Cross’ story, but Ben had a very specific take. Bringing someone like Aldis was key and gave it a fresh spin. My job was to build a world that reflects the kind we live in today – a female police chief, female officers, young and old, Black, white and brown. And that’s what we did.

Where do you begin when casting a series like this?

I read the script and start breaking it down in my head, thinking about what actors come to mind, and who would be great for the roles. I start at the top and work my way down, from the larger roles to the day players.

Ben is specific with his character descriptions, so I’ll come up with lists. Lists of names if we want shiny-shiny names and lists of actors that I’ve seen over the years who I know can deliver. At the same time, the studio networks are also looking at names and I might say to them, “You should see this person, they haven’t done a lot, but they’re fantastic.”

Can you give an example of someone you championed who wasn’t on anyone’s radar?

Ryan Eggold (New Amsterdam, The Blacklist), who plays Ed Ramsey. Ryan’s a chameleon, very versatile, and was one of the first people that came to my mind. I showed Ben his materials, he came in and read, and it worked.

Ramsey is a complex character — a member of the D.C. elite who turns out to be a sadistic killer. What did casting that kind of duality require?

We needed someone who looked like he fit right in [with the D.C. crowd], but could also go to the dark side; an actor with a skill level who could flip it and go there. That can be quite challenging because sometimes viewers look at an actor’s delivery and know right away: that’s the bad guy. We didn’t see that with Ryan.

Cross has two kids who are grieving the murder of their mother and end up in danger by the end of the season. What did you look for when casting those roles?

We wanted children who felt like kids, and who were kids, not older actors playing younger. They needed to feel their age, love their father and physically look similar to their dad and mom. It was important to find the right mix and make sure they felt like a real family. These had to be kids who would still kiss their dad on the forehead before reaching that age where you don’t do that to your parents anymore. At the same time, these kids were going to be involved in a few [dangerous] situations too.

Melody Hurd and Caleb Elijah play Janelle and Damon Cross. How did you land on them?

I cast Melody before in Fatherhood with Kevin Hart. That film was just the two of them. I needed a child who could go toe to toe with Aldis, and I knew she could do it. The same with Caleb. It can be tough casting kids because child actors get used to acting a certain way. These two kids listened. Ben worked with them, and he’d talk to the parents, who were great. It worked out well.

Photo by: Keri Anderson/Prime Video, Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios

Eloise Mumford (Chicago Fire, The Right Stuff) plays a long-arc victim character who endures a lot onscreen. What did that casting process involve?

I’ve been a fan of Eloise’s for years. It’s a demanding role because most of the time, she is tied up and tortured. We needed an actress who could display a range of emotions without much physicality. A role like that is more about reacting to what’s happening to you. Audiences have to see that reaction in the character’s face — that horror, that terror. It’s all in the face.

The show was shot in Toronto. Did you work with local casting teams?

Props to my casting partner in Canada, Robin Cook. We cast many Canadian actors, and it felt very cohesive between the US actors and the Canadian actors. For example, Karen Robinson (Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent), who I’ve known and been a huge fan of. She played Miss Nancy, the piano teacher.

Like many of the characters on this show, Miss Nancy isn’t who we initially think she is. How does that factor into your casting?

It’s about the actor having that level of skill where they know the character has this arc, and they can handle that. My job is to make sure we cast an actor who understands the character Ben is looking for, and how that character fits into this world of chaos and craziness. I have to say, all the actors we cast on Cross really pulled their weight and brought it. We also had a lot of in-person chemistry reads which made a big difference.

Actor Isaiah Mustafa (It Chapter Two) plays Detective John Sampson, who is not only Cross’ partner but a childhood best friend who is like a brother to him. Their relationship is central. Did that make chemistry testing important?

We auditioned quite a few actors for that role, but in the room, Isaiah and Aldis just felt like brothers. Like, “We work together, and I’m going to tell you when you’re screwing up.” They played off of each other, and it felt like a real brotherly relationship. They brought chemistry that felt organic. Ben is the type of showrunner who likes to see actors in the room. He’s pretty hands-on. He was an actor himself, so I think that helps the process.

When actors come in to audition for you, what do you expect from them?

They should always be prepared. That sounds very generic, but it’s true. Be prepared, off-book and know your lines.

I’m in it with you. We’re partners. We’re a team. I want you to do great because if you do great, I do great. If you come in like, “Oh, man, I was out late last night. Sorry I’m not off-book. I hope it’s okay,” then why am I going to be at 100% if you’re not in it 100%?

Sometimes actors arrive prepared but know in their bones the role is not theirs. How do they leave the room knowing it’s the end of the road on that one?

If you gave me your best interpretation of the character, then walk out of the room with your head up. Don’t walk out depressed and sad. You may not get this role for a lot of different reasons, but not because you didn’t nail it. You could be too tall, too short or not a physical match with that particular family. Walk out with your head held high and go to your next audition. First impressions, especially with casting directors, are very important. We remember the first time we met you. Always be proud of your work.