Amazon Prime Video’s The Girlfriend is a psychological thriller based on Michelle Frances’ best-selling novel. The story follows Laura (Robin Wright), a devoted mother whose close bond with her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson) is tested by the arrival of his new girlfriend, Cherry (Olivia Cooke).
London-based casting directors Lucy Bevan and Olivia Grant first met with the show’s executive producer Jonathan Cavendish and Wright, who not only stars as Laura, but also served as executive producer and directed three of the six episodes. Their first task: finding the right actors to complete the central trio of Laura, Daniel and Cherry.
Bevan and Grant spoke with Casting Networks about how they found their leads, the joy of in-person auditions, and what actors can do to stand out in the room.
Insights From Lucy Bevan and Olivia Grant
- Actors should focus on building genuine chemistry with their scene partners during auditions, as casting directors highly value authentic connections.
- Be adaptable and open to notes in the room, showing flexibility and willingness to explore changes during the audition process.
- Avoid distracting habits like chewing gum, and always present yourself professionally to make a strong, positive impression.
How did you begin the casting process once you came on board the series?
Bevan: We auditioned a lot of actors here in our London offices. Robin was really open to being introduced to actors that we thought were strong and right for the roles. When Robin met Olivia, there was clear chemistry between them. We saw loads of boys for Daniel, and had a fantastic auditioning process here in the office with Robin.
The scene the guys read was the one where Daniel and his mother are in the sauna, having beers. When Laurie came in, what made him stand out?
Bevan: In that scene, Daniel says to his mum, something like, “I’ve met somebody, I think you’ll really like her, she’s just like you.” And then Robin goes, “Or is she just like me?” I remember Robin and Laurie reading that in the room, and it just felt really right.
Grant: The thing that Laurie had immediately in his audition was this fantastic sense of humor. The character doesn’t take anything too seriously, and he sees the best in people. Laurie was so immediately relaxed when he came in, and the chemistry with Robin was instant. When he left the room, we all just went, “Oh my God, that’s Daniel!”
Once your three leads were set, how did you go about filling out the rest of the ensemble?
Bevan: Finding Laura’s husband — someone handsome, gorgeous, kind and decent enough for Robin — was a challenge, but Waleed Zuaiter was perfect, I think. We wanted the cast to reflect a multicultural London, so I’m happy about that because that’s been achieved, including characters like Laura’s two friends, Isabella and Brigitte, played by Tanya Moodie and Shalom Brune-Franklin.
Grant: The other role where we did a really deep dive was Tracey Laine, Cherry’s mum. I must confess, I don’t think we were familiar with Karen Henthorn before, but she was so vivid and fierce and took no shit. She came up the ranks pretty quickly (during the audition process) and was so amazing in that part. We’ve had loads of messages from people being so complimentary about her performance.
She’s the kind of person where you look back at her work, and you go, “Oh, I’ve seen her in this, and in that,” but this part feels like a real showcase for her. Then there was Lillith, Laura’s ex-lover and friend, played by Anna Chancellor. The audience had to believe this was someone Laura would have had a long-term relationship with. Lillith also needed to have a sense of humor, but also stay grounded, because some pretty wild stuff goes down.
Robin Wright was deeply involved in casting and directing. How common is that for a star of her caliber?
Bevan: Robin was really open to meeting actors and auditioning with them. She was so open to being introduced to new ideas and actors she didn’t know, and it was a real joy to work with her. That’s why it’s a great cast — because we took a deep dive on all of these characters.
Grant: She also directed the first three episodes, but remained involved across everything, even after episode three, because she is also a producer.
After years of virtual auditions due to COVID, how does it feel to return to in-person casting unencumbered?
Bevan: You can really feel the chemistry and feel what works with in-person auditions. For a director, you can feel what you’re getting from the actor, or what you need from the character. That’s certainly what happened here. With Laurie, you could feel it in the room. It was very exciting.
Grant: In-person for this show was also a fun process because Robin would change bits of dialogue when she’d realize something wasn’t working out loud. Things evolved in the room, and she took what the other actors were doing and incorporated it. It was a really fluid process.
Are there any actors you’ve discovered through auditions that you’ve continued to bring back for other projects?
Grant: I just watched F1: The Movie for the first time, which Lucy cast, and I was like, “Oh God, that’s Elena Rivers (playing a super club hostess).” She was somebody Lucy had done a general with, and within the three months, she’s in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, playing Hugh Grant’s young girlfriend, she’s in F1, and she’s in The Girlfriend as a snooty shop girl. It’s just such a pleasure to [work] with those kinds of day players and be able to throw them into different things.
Bevan: Often, when an actor auditions, they may not be right for the role, but if we think they’re great, we’re going to think of them for something else. That happens all the time. For example, Marina Bye [who plays Pandora Henry on The Girlfriend] was so funny at her read-through that we also cast her [as a nurse] in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
What do you look for in an actor when they come in to audition for you?
Grant: Be able to take notes, be changeable, roll with it, and have fun.
Any big “don’ts”?
Bevan: Chewing gum. I had someone recently who did that, and I wanted to hold out the dustbin. Just don’t.
Final Takeaways
Casting directors Lucy Bevan and Olivia Grant share valuable insights from their work on Amazon Prime Video’s The Girlfriend. Their experience highlights what makes actors stand out in auditions and how the casting process has evolved post-pandemic. Here are some key takeaways for actors looking to make an impression.
- Focus on creating real chemistry with your scene partner to bring authenticity to your audition.
- Be ready to take notes and adapt quickly when directors suggest changes.
- Approach auditions with a sense of fun and openness to the process.
- Avoid distracting behaviors, such as chewing gum, to maintain professionalism.
- Remember that even if you don’t fit one role, a strong audition can lead to future opportunities.
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