The Town with Matthew Belloni Ariana in Wicked and How to Cast a Billion-Dollar Movie
50 snips
Dec 11, 2025 
Tiffany Little Canfield, a veteran casting director known for her work on major films like 'Wicked' and 'This Is Us,' joins the conversation. She dives into the intricacies of casting iconic roles like Elphaba and Glinda, discussing the balance between star power and fresh talent. Tiffany shares fascinating anecdotes about memorable auditions, including Ariana Grande's passionate callbacks. She also highlights the challenges of casting in a fragmented media landscape and the excitement of the new Achievement in Casting Oscar that recognizes the craft.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Casting Now An Oscars Category
- The Academy added Achievement in Casting for the 98th Oscars, recognizing casting's central role in film and TV.
- Tiffany Little Canfield says casting shapes storytelling and discovering talent is core to a project's success.
Open Mandate On Wicked Casting
- For Wicked Universal gave an open mandate: find the two best actors for Elphaba and Glinda, even unknowns or students.
- Tiffany Little Canfield recounts they prioritized vocal and acting storytelling over star-only casting.
Director Vision Can Sway Studios
- Casting teams still need studio approval but director and producer vision can drive final choices.
- Tiffany says John Chu and producer Marc Platt unified vision helped sell their picks to Universal.
