Some franchises come and go, but a select few, like the Predator series, make triumphant returns.
The original 1987 film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a classic, though its 1990 sequel didn’t fare as well. Crossovers with the Alien franchise brought the extraterrestrial hunter back to screens in the 2000s, followed by the new film, Predators, starring Adrien Brody, in 2010.
The Predator followed in 2018, but what breathed new life into the series was the 2022 Hulu film Prey, directed by Dan Trachtenberg. That success revitalized the series, leading to new films like Predator: Badlands, due in theaters this November, and the new Hulu animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers.
Casting director Jessica Sherman, who collaborated with Trachtenberg on both films, recently spoke with us from her Los Angeles home about Killer of Killers.
Sherman handled the lead responsibilities for Killer of Killers, which also had the casting expertise of Aari Reich (casting associate), Mary Louise Gemmill and Bernie Van De Yacht (loop group/voice casting), according to IMdB.
Insights From Jessica Sherman:
- Make sure your voice acting auditions convey authentic emotion and groundedness, as casting directors often listen before watching to assess believability.
- Learn or perfect additional languages and authentic accents, as productions seek actors who can deliver genuine performances in various dialects for greater authenticity.
- Focus on honing your craft rather than just pursuing star power, since many franchises prioritize compelling, skilled actors over big names, especially in voice roles.
Thinking about joining Casting Networks? Sign up for a free trial today!
How did you connect with director Dan Trachtenberg in the first place?
I got my start through the Bad Robot world, working for casting director April Webster on many of the production company’s projects. While we were working on other projects outside Bad Robot, he made 10 Cloverfield Lane, and we never got to meet then.
Still, Ben Rosenblatt, a main producer on Killer of Killers who also worked on Prey and the upcoming film, is a wonderful person. When the Predator projects emerged, he worked hard to get me involved.
He was successful.
We had our creative Zoom meeting to see if we were on the same page creatively, if we responded to the same things and if we had similar tastes. We had a great first meeting — I think we talked for almost two hours — and it was very easy. The meeting was to discuss not just Killer of Killers, but also Badlands.
Had you done animation before?
Sort of. Before I got into casting, I worked for two and a half years at a voiceover agency. That was my introduction to working with actors, and I fell in love with it.
Since then, I got to search for Disney’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Here and there, I did some voiceover work in The Strain, and most recently, I did Willow, the series for Lucasfilm. This was my first time fully immersing myself in animation, and it was truly wonderful.
Did you notice a difference between casting for live-action and animation?
Oh, absolutely. Your face means nothing in voice casting, which is so subjective. Luckily, I had a solid foundation in voiceover.
Part of my process when casting film and television is that I first listen to the audition before watching it. You can feel authenticity when you’re listening. Does this sound natural, and how does it feel?
I do a lot of drama, so it makes more sense to be able to feel the emotion and the groundedness of a character based on the cadence in which they speak. I approach auditions differently than a conventional theatrical casting director. When we started, I saw a rough cut of the animation to understand their visual goals and match them as closely as possible.
You talked about how a reading feels, and that’s especially interesting with this film, where more than half the dialogue is in a language other than English. How did that work?
We took each chapter one at a time as we went through the process. There were numerous conversations about whether to use accented English in the Japanese section, or if we should do it strictly in Japanese.
We explored different options and ultimately decided to find actors who could speak authentic Japanese with a Japanese accent, rather than an American one. We went through many different iterations of what this could potentially look and sound like, and it was a very long process.
What about judging the auditions and finding the talent? I assume you don’t speak Japanese or Old Norse, right?
For the Japanese sections, we had an in-house consultant to ensure authenticity to the era and region. They did the research that guided our process. We cast Louis Ozawa very early in the process, and it was a perfect fit, especially since he was also in the 2010 Predators film.
What about the Vikings? I was looking at the cast list afterwards, and I said, “Jeez, whose voices are these?”
(Laughs) It was quite a journey. It’s a small pool of actors who can pull that off. We evaluated performances for their convincing portrayals, and Lindsay LaVanchy, who plays Ursa, was integral to the process.
When you’re going through this, we discussed whether to pursue big-name actors. However, it became clear that star power wasn’t the main draw, as the Predators themselves are the draw. We therefore focused primarily on incredible voice actors.
That was my next question. Michael Biehn and Rick Gonzalez are both working actors, but neither is a star. Is there freedom in being able to cast someone without concern about what kind of star power they bring?
I think it’s a real gift to have that ability. While we did have those conversations and explore those options, we ultimately realized we had something special on our hands, and that this could be the start of a major animation franchise.
While I’d love to take credit for casting Michael Biehn, that idea came from Dan, given Biehn’s connections to the Alien and Terminator franchises.
You’re working on Badlands as well, the next live-action entry in the series. It must be exciting to be a part of a thriving franchise like this.
It is, and I’m very excited to see where it goes. If I can be a part of it in any facet moving forward, that would be great.
Final Takeaways
The Predator franchise continues to evolve, returning to screens with new live-action and animated projects. Casting director Jessica Sherman shares insights into the unique challenges and creative decisions behind the latest film. Here’s a quick recap of the conversation:
- Casting has shifted focus from star power to finding authentic, talented voice actors.
- Authenticity in language and accent is crucial, with consultants brought in for Japanese and Old Norse dialogue.
- Voice auditions are assessed for emotional truth, often by listening before watching.
- The franchise’s revitalization has opened new opportunities for both established and emerging actors.
You may also like:
