Tipsy Casting

On this episode of Tipsy Casting, we are so excited to welcome an extremely talented manager from ColorCreative, Raj Raghavan!

Raj is currently a partner and co-head of the Talent department at ColorCreative. There he represents actors, playwrights, comedians, and novelists. Along with being a powerhouse on the representation side, he is a producer on the feature adaptation of his client Sameer Pandya’s novel Members Only and is also a producer on A Crown of Wishes which is currently in development with his client, Avantika, attached to star and produce.

Raj was previously a talent manager at Echo Lake Entertainment and a founding partner and manager at Imagine Artist Management. He was an agent at Creative Artists Agency from 2005- 2019, based primarily in the Los Angeles office and in London from 2011-2014. Raj began his entertainment career in the mailroom at United Talent Agency. He grew up in Plano, Texas and graduated from Stanford University.

• His journey and path into the industry first as and agent and now as a manager/producer

• How ColorCreative innovative way of helping actors not only with the acting side bu develops projects as well

• Where he sees the industry, especially in LA, recovering and going in the future 

• How he finds talent along with do's and don'ts for actors during rep meetings

• What he loves and dislikes about the casting process and what we can do better on our side!

• His burning questions for casting :) 

• What he would do if he didn't work in this industry along with his lifelong dream to be on Survivor

  
  

In this episode of Tipsy Casting, we welcome the powerhouse show runner and co-creator of The House of The Dragon, Ryan Condal!

The series launched on Max on August 21, 2022, with the first episode drawing in a total of 9.99 million viewers as HBO’s biggest series premiere ever. The first season of the series went on to win the Golden Globe for “Best Drama Television Series,” in addition to receiving multiple nominations from the Primetime Emmy Awards, BAFTA Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and People’s Choice Awards. The second season premiered on Max on June 16, 2024 with Condal at the helm yet again. Season 2 of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON secured 1.2 billion total viewing minutes in the first week airing on the platform.

Ryan previously co-created, executive produced, and showran the USA series COLONY for three seasons. In film, he co-wrote Warner Bros' RAMPAGE for Brad Peyton, sold a pitch to Lionsgate with Chad Stahelski attached to direct, and wrote HIGHLANDER for Chad Stahelski, which is set up at Lionsgate. In the past, Ryan sold his spec screenplay INFINITE HORIZON to Warner Bros and wrote the feature HERCULES starring Dwayne Johnson. Ryan was named one of Variety’s 10 TV Scribes to Watch for 2015.

In this episode we discusss...

• Ryan's love of scotch whiskey

• His decision and transition from the US marke to the UK market

• The development process of The House of the Dragon

• We dive into the casting process and how he balanced getting the big name actors along with the lesser known up and coming cast

• His instinct for casting and how he views the process

• What is he looking forward to after The House of the Dragon is over and if he's keen to dive into a certain genre

• Mentorship within the writing world and how to get your foot in the door

• How important networking and putting yourself out there can help you throughout your career

Catch up with Jess and Jenn as they bid farewell to summer and talk about the current industry slump. While everything has slowed down a bit in this episode they recap Jenn's Birthday in Greece as well as what it was like dealing with a film during the period before and after.

We dive into the frustration of projects pushing and having to take the brunt of the blame when things like that happen. We also discuss the unfortunate situations that occur to get us to that point.

And lastly Jenn explains what has happened to finally give her FOMO of not living in LA anymore, which then leads us down the road of 90s nostalgia.

We will you all a wonderful month in September and want us all to come together and make sure we are putting all of our best energy out to make sure we make the best of our time and give our good vibes that the industry is on the turn around.

Make sure to share the podcast with all your friends and if you have the time to please rate, review and subscribe to our podcast on any platform you listen to us!

This month we are delighted to welcome Olissa Rogers to our Modern Class of Casting Visionaries!

Olissa Rogers is an Emmy Award-winning freelance Casting Director. She began her career in Germany in 2008, focusing on TV series until 2016. After moving to the UK, she worked as a casting assistant to Jeremy Zimmermann and later Kharmel Cochrane. In 2019, she became an associate to Theo Park on major TV projects like Ted Lasso, followed by roles with Amy Hubbard and Fiona Weir. Since April 2022, Olissa has led her own casting projects, including Royal Mob, African Queens, and My Friend Misty.

In this episode we discuss...

• How she didn’t want to go to uni in Germany so moved to Munich to join a directing program and got put in casting
• Casting in Germany and how a fate meeting with Jeremy Zimmerman ended up moving her to London
• Any differences she sees between casting in London and German
• We dive into the casting of Ted Lasso. Who was attached and who auditioned.
• What creating a football team was like and how the roles shifted and changed to suit the actors/characters
• What she has on the horizon
• What it’s been like be a small part I developing the global CSA chapter
• Her talent crushes
• How she finds and cultivates talent

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review!

Follow us @tipsycasting

Resources:

⁠Olissa Rogers IMDB⁠

Olissa's Instagram

Olissa's X

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This week we welcome the wonderfully talented Marc Evan Jackson to Tipsy Casting! Marc and Jessica serendipitously met at our last LA meet up and he was kind enough to come on and impart some amazing perspectives and advice.

Marc is an actor, comedian, and storyteller whose voice and presence are instantly recognizable. You’ve seen him as the ever-dry Kevin on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the delightfully smug Shawn on The Good Place, Trevor Nelsson on Parks and Rec, and most recently as Richard Spier in Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club. But beyond the suits and comedic timing, Marc brings a rare depth and honesty to the table—and that’s exactly what made this conversation so special.

Marc and his wife run the incredible nonprofit, The Detroit Creativity Project, which brings the life-changing power of improv to middle and high school students in Detroit—completely free of charge. We've linked their website below so make sure to check them out and buy tickets to their next show or donate if can!

extraordinarily

Reinaldo is a writer, director and producer. He most recently directed and wrote Paramount’s BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE, which premiered on February 14. Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, the film garnered a whopping $146 million worldwide and debuted number one at the box office.

Green is best known for directing the critically acclaimed Warner Bros. film KING RICHARD starring Will Smith. Green helmed the film, which was named one of the Top 10 Films of the Year by both AFI and the National Board of Review and earned many accolades, including six Academy Awards nominations including Best Picture, four Golden Globes nominations and four BAFTA nominations. The film earned Smith his first Oscar win for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, in addition to his Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG wins.

Resources:

⁠Reinaldo Marcus Green IMDB

Academy Top 5 Interview

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Jenn and Jess catch up on all things July—from preparing for Jenn’s birthday month and her looming 40th, to recapping Jess's Sunshine for A Cause event and shouting out her incredible sponsors. Jenn shares her hot take on The Summer I Turned Pretty, while Jess dives into the world of Predator: Killer of Killers and teases Predator: Badlands. They discuss the release of Sketch, Jess’s recent collaborations with filmmakers, and explore the evolving landscape of casting in what they’re calling “The New American (Casting) Way.” To wrap it up, they offer a sneak peek at what’s to come in the second half of Season 3.

• Jenn’s Birthday Month vibes

• Jenn's looming 40th Birthday – existential dread or celebration?

• Sunshine for A Cause Recap - Big thank you to all of the amazing sponsors!

• What happened in July? Let’s break it down

• Jenn’s Hot Take - The Summer I Turned Pretty – thoughts, feelings, strong opinions

• Predator Time - Jess dishes on Predator: Killer of Killers and teases Predator: Badlands

• Sketch Release - It’s out in the world! Let's celebrate!

• Jess’s recent collaborations with her filmmakers – creative process and casting wins

• The New American (Casting) Way - Industry shifts, what we’re noticing, and what it means for actors and creatives

This month we are delighted to welcome the wonderful Ramani Leah to our Modern Class of Casting Visionaries!

A California native who grew up in San Diego, Ramani found her way into casting while attending film school…and the rest, as they say, is history. Known for her standout work on the long-running series Criminal Minds and the Netflix hit My Life with the Walter Boys, Ramani brings both a sharp creative instinct and a deeply grounded perspective to everything she touches.

Jessica had the pleasure of working alongside Ramani under the banner of April Webster Casting, and it was clear from day one that her passion and eye for talent set her apart. When Jess stepped into her first role as head casting director, Ramani was one of the very first people she brought on board. Her intuition, and collaborative spirit have always made her an invaluable partner.

What makes Ramani’s journey especially inspiring is her experience navigating the industry as a young mother, balancing the demands of casting with the challenges and joys of parenthood. In an industry that too often puts career before everything else, Ramani has forged her own path with grace, strength, and intention.

In this episode we discuss...

• How Ramani started her career in casting
• Her journey working under casting directors
• Being a young mother and the challenges she faced coming up in the industry
• How the industry has changed in terms of casting film and getting approvals through the studio system
• Her outlook on the industry as it was and how it stands now
• Talent crushes and so much more!

Make sure to subscribe, rate and review!

Follow us @tipsycasting

Resources:

Ramani Leah Casting Website

Ramani's IMDB

Ramani's Instagram

Vulture Article - The Job I Signed Up for Doesn’t Exist Anymore

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Grab your favorite cocktail and come celebrate with us as we celebrate 100 episodes of TIPSY CASTING!!! We can’t believe we’ve hit this massive milestone in our podcasting careers so join us as we take a look back and relive some of our favorite moments. 

From our favorite casting story to the most challenging episode we’ve had we have had the best time remember all our guests and what we’ve learned about the industry and ourselves! 

Thank you to everyone new and old who have listened along the journey and we can’t wait to bring you even more amazing content as the podcast continues to grow!

As a special gift to us for our 100th, make sure to like, subscribe and share the podcast with all your friends! We want to create a large community where everyone can take something away from the show and use it in a positive way!

Cheers to 100 more!

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In this episode of Tipsy Casting, Emmy-winning actor, writer, and producer Tony Hale joins the show for a thoughtful and entertaining conversation about the many chapters of his career.

Tony reflects on his early days in the industry, starting out in the commercial world before landing his breakout role as Buster Bluth on Arrested Development. He shares candid insights about the significant gap between Arrested and Veep, and how he learned to find structure and purpose during periods of professional uncertainty.

The discussion also dives into some of Tony’s favorite projects, including the journey of getting Sketch to the big screen, and his growing aspirations as a producer. With characteristic honesty and humor, he opens up about the creative mind’s many challenges—from the pressure of auditions to the constant work of staying out of his own head.

Tony also explores his experiences in voiceover and offers heartfelt advice to young actors finding their way in the business. This episode is a rich, inspiring look into the mind of a performer who continues to evolve, create, and lead with authenticity.

• Tony’s early beginnings and entry into the industry

• Breaking in through the commercial world

• Landing the role of Buster Bluth on Arrested Development

• Navigating the career gap between Arrested Development and Veep

• Creating structure and purpose during periods of downtime

• A look at Tony’s favorite roles and career highlights

• The journey of Sketch from concept to big screen premiere

• Expanding into producing and his aspirations behind the camera

• The mental challenges of a creative brain and staying grounded

• Shifting the mindset around auditions and rejection

• Strategies for getting out of your own head as a performer

• Exploring the creative freedom of voiceover work