Personal Ballot: Casting, Ensemble, Breakthrough
Sunday, January 31, 2016 at 1:15PM 
Ready to start pouring over Nathaniel's annual Film Bitch Awards? The time is now. As longtime readers probably have gleaned, in my secret alternate fantasy life I became a casting director. It's one of the three jobs in movies I always thought I'd be terrific at (the others being editing and screenwriting). This is not bragging. It's fan-fic journaling. All cinephiles are allowed, indeed encouraged (at least here), to harbor such 'in another life' fantasies! The natural pull of casting is probably what keys up the interesting in SAG's Ensemble category so much even though they don't ever seem to absorb the meaning of the word but just pick five pictures they liked.
Now that SAG has had their say, here are the Film Bitch Nominees in the casting friendly categories: Casting, Ensemble, and Breakthrough Performers. You'll see major shout outs to Sicario and Brooklyn in particular, both the casts and their casting directors (Francine Maisler and Fiona Weir, respectively). It's still mortifying that they were looked over in terms of communal acting whenever ensemble prizes were handed out anywhere. Diary of a Teenage Girl, which we probably haven't talked about enough, is also honored twice over.
And a note to remember as you read them: If a performer is nominated in one of our regular Oscar-adjacent acting categories they are not eligible for Breakthrough (so no double dipping) which is why you don't see Jacob Tremblay from Room for example since he was already nominated in Leading Actor.
Reader Comments (14)
Can I campaign Amanda Brugel for Best Actress in a Limited Role? I was touched by the tender determination she brought to Room.
I just YAS QWEENed over not Karidja Toure, not Rebecca Ferguson, not even Mya Taylor, but John Magaro. Were you just trying to further feed into my current screen crush?
Casting/Ensemble
Brooklyn
Youth
Spotlight
Suffragette
Creed
Thank you for nominating Brooklyn, Carol, and Spy (!) - showing once again that SAG really doesn't understand what to do with this award. Paul Feig really is an a treasure, as is that cast.
Big Yes to Bel Powley and Diary...
Yes to Mya Taylor...let's hope she gets cast by
And to John Magaro, who I've been crushed on since Not Fade Away (see it, people).
And thanks for reminding me to re-appreciate Alicia Vikander, since I was already beginning my own personal post-prestige-cinema-awards-juggernaut backlash in my mind, but YES, she's been great in so many ways lately.
[that was supposed to read "let's hope she gets cast by a director who knows how to let her talent flourish..."]
[...who would that be, readers?]
Big thumbs up to Brooklyn (and almost Ex Machina) being part of the casting list. The title most people wouldn't add to that short list but I'd consider worthy would be Paddington.
As to ensemble, I'd probably go with either Brooklyn or Spy. I'd throw Mad Max: Fury Road and The Stanford Prison Experiment into the conversation, but then I'd go back to Brooklyn or Spy.
I'm conflicted on Compton - It's a great cast, sure... but that Giamatti casting is just a very big minus. Lazy, uninspired and just not worth it.
Best Actress in a Cameo o Limited Role: I nominate Noni Hazlehurst from Truth (she plays Stacy Keach's wife).
George T -- yeah. that almost cost them this nomination but then i thought. they probably didn't know that he was also going to be the villain leading the rock star astray in Love & mercy since they were made around the same time. Either way Giamatti's career is pretty scary right now.
Nathaniel, this may be a silly question, but I'm curious: in your awards how do you distinguish between best casting and best ensemble performance. How do the criteria differ?
I'd go:
Carol - Gold
Brooklyn - Silver
Spy - Bronze
John Magaro also had a big part in the most recent season of Orange is the New Black, where he was giving major young Ralph Macchio vibes.
Wait! No, not Ralph Macchio. I meant Max Casella, the guy who played Doogie Howser's buddy. Oof, what a random reference to screw up.