The Value of Authentic Chemistry Reads

In casting, I’ve found that nothing beats the power of chemistry reads for determining an actor’s fit for a role. Last week, I had two actors audition for the same part, but it was their interaction in the read that revealed who truly embodied the character’s dynamics. It’s so essential to create those real moments in the room.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‌​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌​‌​‌‍‍​‌⁠‌​‌​‍​‌‌​​​⁠​‍‌‌‌​‌⁠​‌‌‍⁠‍‌​⁠⁠‌​⁠​‌​‍⁠‌⁠​‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally agree! A memorable chemistry read I did last year showed that one actor had a spark that the other didn’t, even though both were talented… It’s all about those real moments in the room. :clapper_board:.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠​‌‍⁠‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌​‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌​​⁠​‌‌‌‍​‌⁠‍‍‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠‌‍‌​⁠‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌​⁠​​‌​​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​