Casting director Avy Kaufman admits that even she was skeptical when Steven Zaillian asked her to join the cast of “Ripley,” the Netflix limited series based on Patricia Highsmith’s classic novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley’. The story had already been adapted for the screen, most notably in Anthony Minghella’s Oscar-nominated 1999 film.
“At first I wondered why Steve did this,” Kaufman says bluntly. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with him on many other projects, so I know how talented he is, but restarting is really risky.” But the final product, which includes thirteen Emmy nominations, including a nod to the casting, quelled any doubts. “It’s like a work of art,” Kaufman says enthusiastically. “I was really impressed. It tells so many different stories and gets into the characters. I just think it’s a masterpiece.”
Kaufman first worked with Zaillian on his 1993 feature debut “Searching for Bobby Fischer” and has since collaborated with the filmmaker on all of his directorial appearances, including “The Night Of” and “A Civil Action.” She has won three Emmy Awards, two for ‘Succession’ and one for ‘Damages’. And over the course of her impressive career, she’s worked with the best of the best, from Ang Lee to Steven Spielberg. When asked what she expects most from a director, she answers with one word: ‘Collaboration.’
Kaufman actually cast the limited series prior to the pandemic and admits it was a difficult process. “He wants to see a lot of people,” she says. “I respect that, but it does take some time.” Andrew Scott was already attached to play the title character, and it was Kaufman who suggested Dakota Fanning to play the role of Marge Sherwood, the female lead and a major antagonist of Ripley. “I had worked with her on a show called ‘The Alienist,’ and she was great,” Kaufman notes. “At first I wasn’t sure if she would want to jump back into television, but she did, and she was brilliant.”
Fanning was just one of many actors Kaufman keeps in her mental Rolodex, reminding actors to never just audition for one role, but for possible jobs in the future. Case in point: English actor Johnny Flynn, who plays the central role of Dickie Greenleaf, the object of Ripley’s obsession. “Johnny is a favorite of mine, and when Steve liked him I was so happy,” she notes. She was also a fan of Eliot Sumner, who plays Dickie’s friend Freddy Miles. Although she was familiar with both, ‘Ripley’ would perhaps be their most high-profile role in the US
Since it was pre-COVID at the time, Kaufman cast mostly in-person auditions, with on-location casting assistance from colleagues and fellow nominees Francesco Vedovati and Barbara Giordani. She longs for the time when most castings took place face-to-face. “I miss not seeing people in person; you do get a different feeling when you’re in the same room,” she notes. “But I have to admit that sometimes you can get a lot more work done; Thanks to Zoom I can see people all over the world.”
Perhaps because she started her career wanting to be a ballet dancer, Kaufman has a wealth of empathy for performers. She knows how hard it is to walk into a room or self-tape for an audition. “My hat’s off to actors,” she says. ‘We all love people, and I know what it’s like to want to do your best for someone. So when I work with someone, I try to put him or her at ease. I want them to be confident and know the material. Don’t try to be funny; Don’t try to do what you think I want. Just do your best.”
She prefers direct communication and does not like props. “I’m not a director, so it’s just my opinion, but I find it distracting,” she notes. “Most of the time I just want you to be there. I want to be able to see and hear you clearly, no matter how obvious that sounds.”
Some favorite casting memories include scouring chess clubs for child actors for “Bobby Fischer” and traveling to India and finding Suraj Sharma, who had never acted before, for the lead role in “Life of Pi.” She also suggested Julianne Nicholson and Evan Peters for “Mare of Easttown.” Although Peters had already been established, his role in the limited series was different from the characters he had previously played, and Kaufman says she had to fight for him – both actors ultimately won Emmy Awards for their performances.
She also enjoys casting ensembles and watching actors achieve greater glory. When she cast Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’, both Adam Driver and Jeremy Strong were fairly new to the film world. Kaufman had no idea at the time that star Daniel Day-Lewis had actually mentored Strong. “I’m really proud of ensembles and how I can put them all together,” she notes. “I watch ‘Lincoln’ and I’m so happy to see all these great actors who got to be a part of it and it raised a lot of people.”
As for new talent, Kaufman goes to the theater and stays up to date on film and TV — though she laments that she probably doesn’t “watch enough.” She has also approached people on the subway before. One of her funniest stories of discovery hits close to home. She was auditioning for child actors when two boys entered her office. “The director said, ‘That’s the little boy!’” she recalls. “I thought, ‘No, no, that’s my son.’ He just came to visit me.” It turned out her son wasn’t interested in auditioning, so they continued their search. “We love those moments where you just see someone and respond,” she notes. “Even if it didn’t work out in this case.”