From Bella Ramsey to Ayo Edebiri: How Casting Directors Balanced ‘Innocence and Ambition’ in Young Emmy-Nominated Actors
variety.comSelome Hailu It wouldn’t be hard to confuse this year’s Emmy nominees for acting with some sort of Forbes list. The talent across the lead, supporting and guest categories for both actors and actresses in drama and comedy include seven under age 30: Lead comedy actress nominees Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”) and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”); lead drama actress nominee Bella Ramsey (“The Last of Us”), supporting drama actress nominee Simona Tabasco (“The White Lotus”), supporting limited series actress nominee Camila Morrone (“Daisy Jones & the Six”), guest drama actress nominee Storm Reid (“The Last of Us”) and guest drama actor nominee Keivonn Montreal Woodard (“The Last of Us”), who is the second-youngest Emmy nominee of all time.
It’s an interesting trend that speaks to the stories that resonated with Emmy voters this year — as well as the work done by casting directors to seek out talent that rivals that of seasoned performers.
Victoria Thomas, the casting director who earned an Emmy nomination for crafting the ensemble of “The Last of Us,” says that she leans into each actor’s youth when casting young talent.
While looking for someone to play Ellie, the role that eventually went to Ramsey, now 19, she found herself avoiding candidates that seemed aggressively ready. “You have to knock out a little bit of the, for lack of a better word, Disney-esque acting that can come when parents are prepping their kids for auditions,” Thomas says. “We were looking for someone unique, that you felt had been through something — someone not too polished, who had somesort of raw quality.” The producers and casting team were originally looking to cast someone 15 or younger before landing on Ramsey.
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