Credited with bringing “conscious casting” to Australia, the team behind Chicken & Chips has done things differently since day one.
Based on Gadigal land (Sydney, Australia), Chicken & Chips Casting was founded in 2015 by ex-actor Alison Fowler and ex-ballet dancer Stephanie Pringle. Since then, they’ve cast films such as A Savage Christmas, The Flood, Ellie and Abbie (And Ellie’s Dead Aunt), and Birdeater. They’ve also cast many commercials, including campaigns for Telstra, Nike, Canva and Bumble.
Fowler and Pringle have received several awards recognizing their work and ethos, including IF’s Rising Talent (2024) and B&T’s 30 Under 30 (2018).
We sat down with Fowler and Pringle to discuss the Australia-first Audition Academy Collective, casting myths and much more.
Insights: Lessons from Alison Fowler and Stephanie Pringle
- Engage with Chicken & Chips online and notify them of your performances to get noticed.
- Use social media to show your unique interests and personality; it’s part of the casting research tool.
- Prepare thoroughly for auditions and be ready to collaborate with the production team.
You’ve been a formidable casting duo for nine years now. What do you consider to be the other’s most formidable superpower?
Alison Fowler: Steph’s a big and strategic thinker; she often has large, bold ideas that get us motivated and moving toward something together.
Stephanie Pringle: Al’s special skill is organization and logistics. She’s the one who takes my big ideas, breaks them down into something more manageable, and is able to manage the project and keep it on track.
You recently launched the Audition Academy Collective. Can you tell us a little about this and what led to its creation?
AF: This was all about how we could build an accessible community for artists and actors.
We often tell actors that they need to find “their people” and build their communities, which can be daunting and hard to do. The Academy was a way to bring motivated and passionate people together while providing education, access to Steph and me, and valuable resources [that are] otherwise hard or expensive to access.
SP: At Chicken & Chips, our philosophy has always been about supporting actors and creatives, and we felt there was a gap in the market—not many artists really truly understand the world of a casting director. For whatever reason, it’s not taught in drama school or film school.
We’ve always wanted to make education within the entertainment industry accessible, while upholding the integrity and art of casting as an important key creative in the process of filmmaking. The Audition Academy is an Australia-first casting director-led online community where actors can learn self-paced in a supportive environment. It’s full of resources, scripts, online courses, bonus episodes of our podcast, The Sauce, and actors get access to us 24/7 for advice and feedback on their careers or work.
We last spoke to you in 2021. How has your casting process changed or remained the same since then?
AF: Our process isn’t too dissimilar, albeit a little more flexible and adaptable. We’ve learned to work even faster and tweak our processes on a case-by-case basis to suit productions.
I think the time of isolation and remote casting has encouraged us to push for collaboration more than ever. We spend more time digesting scripts and production bibles with a creative team than we used to, but I think this also comes down to our growing passion for working in teams and contributing to productions both strategically and creatively.
SP: COVID-19 definitely changed the casting process. In a way, it made everyone more flexible.
We’re currently in a hybrid casting phase—self-tapes are a great option, especially for accessibility for actors, both physically and geographically speaking. However, we do still stand by the fact that casting is a human process. Part of the casting process is getting to know actors and understanding how they work, their energy, and how they interact with other actors, and in general, is a really important part of the process.
You’ve championed finding fresh talent since day one. What’s the best way for emerging actors to get on your radar at the moment?
AF: Follow us on social media and keep an eye out for casting calls. Reach out when you have a show or screening coming up.
SP: Apply to our casting calls. We usually put out a public casting call for most jobs, so if you’re freelance, start there. Also, join our mailing list.
How much does an actor’s social media presence factor in your process?
AF: This doesn’t impact us, per se, but it can impact down—or up—the line of producers, networks and executives. We may use it to keep track of where an actor is at, [whether it’s their] location or recent work. It’s helpful to know if they’re frequently working on stage or in comedy so we know their focus, but it also wouldn’t necessarily deter me from seeing them for something else.
SP: I follow a lot of actors—I love seeing who they are in their real life, so social media for me is really a tool to get to know actors. I use it more as a research tool than anything else.
I like to see that an actor has different dimensions, hobbies and interests. It’s often where I come across things I didn’t know about an actor, and it has informed me in my creative process when I’m searching for something specific.
I don’t look at it from a “number of followers” point of view. I think that is anti-art, but that’s not to say that it isn’t considered when producers look at casting options. We cast a lot of independent projects, so producers want to see passionate actors who are proud of their work and will get behind and share it.
When you think about the actors you continue to suggest and call in, can you spot any common threads they share?
AF: They’re passionate and collaborative. Not only do they take it seriously and respect everyone and the process, but they also want to work as a team with everyone involved.
SP: They come prepared, not just knowing their lines, but knowing the character [and] understanding the tone of the piece, and are open and flexible, meaning they can give us options in the room.
What’s something you wish more actors knew about the casting process?
AF: We, like actors, are also just trying to land jobs. For us, every job is an opportunity to potentially land another project, so we’re just here trying to make actors look good and enable them to showcase their best work.
SP: We genuinely want actors to succeed. We hate it when an actor doesn’t book the role. If I could give everyone a job, I would.
We’re advocating for actors with producers and directors, and even if an actor isn’t right for one particular role, it doesn’t mean they aren’t immediately on our list for whatever else we are casting simultaneously. The great thing about casting is that no one audition is in a silo.
Those are some great reminders! Finally, what’s a performance or two that floored you recently?
AF: Jessica Gunning in Baby Reindeer was chilling. Plus, Sophia Forrest in Prima Facie had me in tears.
SP: Saoirse Ronan [in] The Outrun. This film has lived with me since I saw it at the Sydney Film Festival last year. An absolute master class in performance. Also, Lola Campbell in Scrapper!
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Special thanks to Fowler and Pringle for their time. Be sure to keep an eye on Chicken & Chips Casting’s website, Instagram and Facebook for open calls and news updates.
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