‘Euphoria’: What Makes an Audition Stand Out? Casting Directors Weigh In
The cast of Euphoria seems to expand with every season. Season 2, for example, introduced new characters like Elliot (Dominic Fike), Faye (Chloe Cherry), and Samantha (Minka Kelly). And since HBO has renewed the popular show for Season 3, they are no shortage of actors vying for a spot on the show. But what makes a performance stand out if an actor is lucky enough to score an audition?
The ‘Euphoria’ cast had varying audition experiences
The casting process for Euphoria is certainly a unique one. This was especially true for Season 1. While some actors like Barbie Ferreira went through multiple rounds of auditions, some, like Zendaya, were offered their part outright. Syndey Sweeney certainly had an interesting journey to landing the role of Cassie. After she was informed that the casting director didn’t think she was right for the role, she put herself on tape and got cast soon after.
The ‘Euphoria’ casting directors explain what they’re looking for in an audition
But what makes an actor the right fit for Euphoria? In an interview with IndieWire, the show’s casting directors for season 1, Mary Vernieu and Jessica Kelly, explained what they were looking for. They detailed what exactly makes an actor shine in an audition. Interestingly enough, eager thespians need not concern themselves with perfection.
“A perfect performance in the room is not what we are looking for,” Vernieu shared. “We are looking for moments of brilliance, those flashes that show where it can go. Auditions are artificial, it’s really hard for the actors, hard for everybody—in a room, two chairs, not in the scene. What it’s really about when someone comes in? Is it an essence, is it organic? Do they feel like the character? You see the flashes, that one moment, ‘Oh my God!’ Once you send them off to do the movie or TV show, then they can go deep, access deep feelings, have layers, it can resonate. You’re looking for a person who has more to offer than what they’re showing.”
The cast didn’t need to have acting credits to be considered
What was different about casting Euphoria, was that the actors didn’t need to have previous acting credits to be considered. For Hunter Schafer and Ferreira, the HBO series marked their very first acting job. And while this was an exciting opportunity for the actors, it was also a welcome task for the casting directors.
“It’s very rare to get a script or an entire series at HBO where they tell you they don’t need any names, just whoever is best to make this story,” Kelly shared. Vernieu was quick to co-sign her fellow Euphoria casting director. “In this day and age the opportunity to discover people doesn’t happen that much anymore,” she recalled. “You want someone who has some value. It’s a wonderful artistic process for us, to be allowed to dive in and find these characters.”
It’ll be interesting to see if the casting process changes again for Euphoria Season 3. However, if you’re an actor who somehow nabs an audition, keep the words of the casting directors in mind and break a leg.
