Casting director Avy Kaufman admits even she was skeptical when Steven Zaillian asked her to come on board to cast “Ripley,” the Netflix limited series based on Patricia Highsmith’s classic novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” The story had already been adapted to screen, most notably in Anthony Minghella’s Oscar-nominated 1999 film.
“At first, I was wondering why Steve was doing 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 to reboot is really risky.” But the final product, which boasts 13 Emmy nominations, including a nod for casting, quelled any doubts. “It’s like a piece of art,” Kaufman raves. “I was really impressed. It tells so many different stories and gets inside the characters. I just think it’s a masterpiece.”
Kaufman first worked with Zaillian on his feature directorial debut, 1993’s “Searching for Bobby Fischer” and has gone on to collaborate with the filmmaker on all his directing gigs since, including “The Night Of” and “A Civil Action.” She’s won three Emmy Awards, two for “Succession” and one for “Damages.” And she has teamed with the best of the best, from Ang Lee to Steven Spielberg, over the course of her impressive career. Asked what she hopes for most from a director, and she has one word: “Collaboration.”
Kaufman actually cast the limited series prior to the pandemic and admits it was an arduous process. “He wants to see a lot of people,” she says. “Which I respect, but it does take some time.” Andrew Scott was already attached to play the titular title character, and it was Kaufman who suggested Dakota Fanning to costar as Marge Sherwood, the female lead and a major antagonist to Ripley. “I had worked with her on a show called ‘The Alienist,’ and she was wonderful,” Kaufman notes. “At first I wasn’t sure she would want to jump back into television, but she did, and she was brilliant.”
Fanning was just one of several actors that Kaufman keeps in her mental Rolodex, reminding actors that they’re never just auditioning for one role but possible jobs down the line. Case in point: English actor Johnny Flynn, who plays the pivotal role of Dickie Greenleaf, the object of Ripley’s obsession. “Johnny is a favorite of mine, and when Steve took to him, I was so happy,” she notes. She was also a fan of Eliot Sumner, who plays Dickie’s friend Freddy Miles. While she was familiar with both, “Ripley” might be their most high-profile roles in the U.S.
Because it was pre-COVID at the time, Kaufman mostly cast off in-person auditions, with location casting assistance by colleagues and fellow nominees Francesco Vedovati and Barbara Giordani. She does pine for the days when the majority of casting was 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. “However, I have to, admit you can get a lot more work done sometimes; I can see people all over the world thanks to Zoom.”
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 record a self-tape for an audition. “My hat’s off to actors,” she says. “We’re all people pleasers, 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 them 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 the best you can.”
She prefers direct communication and doesn’t enjoy props. “I’m not a director, so it’s just my opinion, but I find it distracting,” she notes. “Mostly I just want you to be present. I want to be able to see and hear you clearly, as obvious as 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 in “Life of Pi.” She also suggested both Julianne Nicholson and Evan Peters for “Mare of Easttown.” Though Peters was established, his role in the limited series was unlike characters he had previously played, and Kaufman says she had to fight for him — both actors ended up winning Emmy Awards for their performances.
She also enjoys casting ensembles and seeing actors go on to greater glory. When she cast Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” both Adam Driver and Jeremy Strong were fairly new to film – Kaufman had no idea at the time that star Daniel Day-Lewis had actually mentored Strong. “I really take pride in ensembles and how to fit them all together,” she notes. “I look at ‘Lincoln’ and am so happy to see all these great actors who got to be a part of it and it started a lot of people.”
As for new talent, Kaufman attends theater and stays up to date on film and TV — though she bemoans that she probably doesn’t “watch enough.” She has also approached people on the subway before. One of her funniest discovery stories hits close to home. She was auditioning child actors when two boys walked into her office. “The director went, ‘That’s the kid!’” she recalls. “I was like, ‘No, no, that’s my son.’ He was just visiting me.” As it turns out, her son wasn’t interested in auditioning, so they continued the search. “We do love those moments where you just see someone and respond,” she notes. “Even if in this case it didn’t work out.”
