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Kristy Carlson Talks Working With Zack Snyder, Transitioning From PA to Casting Director


October 1, 2024

Kristy Carlson is one of those lucky casting directors who has a special relationship with a big-time famous fancy pants director. Over the last 15 years, she has cast every one of Zack Snyder’s seven movies — including both parts of this year’s Rebel Moon (she also works with many other directors).

Carlson’s been exceedingly busy of late, with three movies out this year alone. Aside from the second part of Rebel Moon, she worked with Jerry Seinfeld on his directorial debut, Unfrosted and has also cast the buzzy new drama It Ends With Us, as well.

TLDR: she only casts hits, which is nice work if you can get it.

Both parts of the Rebel Moon saga and Unfrosted are currently streaming on Netflix, while It Ends With Us is still in theaters. She spoke with us from her home in Los Angeles.

How did you get into casting?

It’s funny, I always loved film and TV growing up. I just was kind of obsessed with it. I went to Smith College, I was an anthropology major, and at a certain point, I thought I wanted to get into documentary and ethnographic film. There was no film major or anything, I took a couple of film classes at Hampshire College, but it was so unformed.

I used to go to the movies all the time with my best friend from college, and at some point she just said, “Let’s go to L.A.” We did, and I started working as a PA (production assistant). I worked my way up to production coordinator and then on one film I was working on, I met casting director Laura Kennedy. I just hit it off with her, and she needed an assistant.

That sounds pretty easy.

It was just one of those things where I was looking to get into something more creative. I just knew the nuts and bolts production side was not for me. Everything sort of fell into place. My love of actors, and since I had worked on low-budget films, typing up SAG contracts — I knew all the SAG rules and stuff — and all of a sudden, the light bulb went on. I just loved it so much.

You say the light bulb went on for you. Was there a specific moment when you realized you’d found your calling?

I never thought about it so specifically. I mean, I was good at it.

I’m naturally very curious, I loved seeing each different actor’s performances, seeing how one actor brought this and another brought that, as an assistant soaking that up, it was very fulfilling. Being in the room with certain directors, and being a part of those magical moments where the actor and the role really come together, was a really special experience, so maybe that’s part of it.

Since you mentioned being in a room with directors, you have a special relationship with one particular director, Zack Snyder. You’ve cast all of his films since Watchmen in 2009. I’m curious about the comfort and security of working with someone regularly.

I’ve known him since 300, and I feel like I’ve grown up with him. We’re roughly the same age, with similar backgrounds. We’re very different, we have different tastes, but not when it comes to actors. He trusts me. I think that’s the thing I love so much about working with him.

He is so visionary, he has such a distinct point of view, but he’s super collaborative and his movies are very familial. He works with the same people over and over as much as he can, because I think it does foster that trust and that healthy dialogue with each other. There’s no idea too crazy.

With some directors, you don’t want to give them your best idea first, because they may reject that, but you also don’t want to bury it so far either so that they don’t get to it. But with Zack, it’s very open and he trusts that I’m going to give him my best ideas first, so I don’t have all of that extra stuff to think about with him.

You’re in a very unique club of a handful of casting directors who have worked on numerous superhero movies. Unlike other adaptations, comics are a visual medium, so people have a preconceived notion of what these characters look like. I’m curious about the pressure that you feel knowing that.

What’s super helpful is that Zack is such a hardcore fan himself, so I think he’s a great gauge for that. But, you know, I think the pressure’s always present. I think you’re always feeling that we have to get this right. There’s so much weighing on it, but you also have to put that aside and put blinders on and focus on this character in this movie. You have to look at the broader picture, on this mantle that they’re carrying, while also being very specific about the role.

Can you give an example?

Casting Henry Cavill when we were doing Man of Steel, was about the conflict of choices. The audition process was super secretive, so Zack doctored a scene for it. Nobody knew what we were doing at the time, so it looked like we were casting a fireman, and he was talking to a priest, talking about how difficult it was for him.

It was about finding someone to embody those specific characteristics of Superman and Clark Kent. Also, of course, there’s this certain physicality, and he had to tick those boxes first. I didn’t even understand how important these rules were, but seeing how much they mattered to people was eye-opening.

Conversely, casting someone like Jason Momoa as Aquaman is totally against what fans expected.

He had read for Batman when we were doing our search for Batman v Superman. He had taped himself, and it was so good and super compelling. I remember showing it to Laura and Zack, and we were all just like, “Oh, my God. He’s not Batman, but …”

Now, there’s a difference of opinion. Zack thinks it was his idea, Laura thinks it was her idea, but somehow it came up, what about Aquaman? Pacific Islander! Ocean people! It makes perfect sense!

You mentioned Jason Momoa’s awesome Batman audition, let’s take the other side of that. What are some of the mistakes that actors make in auditions?

The self-taping thing is so difficult, and it’s now this seemingly permanent avenue. I tend to give people a lot of leeway, as long as I can see and hear them. I think people don’t pay enough attention to that. It doesn’t have to be certain specs or anything like that, just that you’re present as an actor and not distracted by whatever’s around you.

With that in mind, what piece of wisdom or advice you would give to somebody coming to audition for you?

Be as prepared as you can. Try to understand the material and the character as much as possible. Give it as much thought as you can before you go, so that you can be as present as possible when you’re in it.

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