Adam Driver's unforgettable casting moments with Nina Gold. [Image Source: PROPNEWS]
Casting director Nina Gold, known for her work on projects like The Crown, Slow Horses, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, shared insights into some of her most memorable casting experiences, including the remarkable moment involving Adam Driver. Last month, Gold earned her first Oscar nomination for her casting work on Hamnet, reflecting the Academy’s recent introduction of a best casting category. Her expertise in finding the right actors has shaped many acclaimed film and television productions, making her a pivotal figure in the industry.
Discovering Jacobi Jupe for the Role of Hamnet
One of Gold’s notable challenges was casting the title role in Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet, about William Shakespeare’s young son whose death inspired the creation of Hamlet. Finding a child actor to convey the depth of this tragic character was far from straightforward. Gold emphasized the need for an actor who could deliver the role naturally, without a forced “child-actor” performance, stating,
“Hamnet has to go through so much,”
and the portrayal had to be
“in an incredibly natural, simple, non-child-actor way.”
Initially, Gold considered casting twins to play Shakespeare’s young siblings, but this plan fell through due to logistical difficulties. Instead, Jacobi Jupe, who had been on Gold’s radar for some time despite being too young for earlier roles, was brought in after a rigorous audition process involving five rounds. Jupe recounted his experience meeting Zhao:
Image of: Adam Driver
“Chloe was just the most incredible person ever. I got in the room, and I saw this woman on the chair, and just her presence in the room was so strong.”
Gold praised Jupe’s talent and timing, saying,
“We met lots of good young actors, but it was an incredible stroke of fortune for Jacobi to be in the right place at the right time, at the right age… I mean, thank goodness.”
Building a Stellar Ensemble for Conclave
When assembling the cast for Conclave, Gold faced the task of creating a multinational ensemble that could authentically portray the tension and nuance of the Vatican conclave. Ralph Fiennes set an exceptionally high standard with his portrayal of Cardinal Lawrence, which every other actor needed to match. Gold reflected,
“Every person had to match Ralph at that level of brilliance.”
Securing Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes was particularly difficult due to her recurring availability issues. Gold and Rossellini’s representatives persisted until she was ultimately cast, regardless of the hurdles. Gold observed,
“She made it into the film despite so many problems with her availability that just kept coming up.”
Additionally, Gold managed to cast Sergio Castellitto, an actor she had long admired but had struggled to engage, noting,
“He’s incredibly busy and never available, and somehow we managed to scramble that together as well. He’s just really so wonderful.”
Jessica Gunning’s Complex Role in Baby Reindeer
Gold’s search for the lead in Baby Reindeer ended decisively when Jessica Gunning entered the room. From the outset, Gold recognized Gunning as an exceptional fit, describing her as “fantastic,” and praising her for being both brave and brilliant. Gunning portrayed a character who could simultaneously elicit affection and alienate viewers; as Gold put it, she embodied someone
“kind and someone audiences could feel a lot of affection and love for, but they drive you away at the same time.”
Gunning’s performance captured these contradictions convincingly.
Collaborative Casting for the Series Chernobyl
The casting process for Chernobyl was conducted in close partnership with showrunner Craig Mazin and the producers, emphasizing a consistent British accent rather than Russian in the performances. Gold recounted the intensity of their daily casting sessions, saying,
“We spent every day in the casting rooms meeting people, talking about it. We were obsessed.”
The cast included Jared Harris, lead actress Jessie Buckley, and Barry Keoghan. Gold had tracked Buckley’s career since before drama school, having cast her previously in the BBC series Taboo alongside Tom Hardy. She remarked,
“I’d been watching her since well before she went to drama school. She did a play, and then she went to drama school, and then she did another play and another play. I’ve been keeping my eyes on Jessie Buckley for a long time.”
Regarding Keoghan’s portrayal of Pavel, a character suffering from extreme PTSD, Gold noted,
“His approach to the character was so natural and simple and transparent, but also he could play this kind of numbness.”
She added that the cast was selected as
“the creme de la creme of brilliant acting, but people who can also join together in a big group, and nobody’s trying to dominate it.”
Challenges and Triumphs Casting Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has referred to Nina Gold as
“a legend in her own right.”
Gold herself described casting for Star Wars: The Force Awakens as a dream come true, despite initial nervousness, explaining that science fiction and complex mythologies were new territory for her. She said,
“This was all my dreams come true,”
and shared,
“I had never done science-fiction. I’m generally not very good on things that have a big mythology, but with ‘Star Wars,’ that was from my youth, and it was incredibly exciting.”
Starting fresh with a cast to join returning stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher was a daunting task, Gold explained:
“We were bringing in a whole new cast, and that was a big deal.”
The challenge was to discover actors who were largely unknown but fit perfectly into the franchise’s legacy. Gold reflected on the extensive search for the right talents, recalling,
“We then went on to see about 9 million other people, but it was impossible to get her out of our minds. She was really good. She also very sensibly came in for the first audition when the little Princess Leia blobs on the side of her head.”
This was a reference to Daisy Ridley, who impressed from her very first reading in Gold’s modest casting room.
When discussing Adam Driver’s casting, Gold shared her admiration after seeing his work on the TV series Girls. She said,
“He was a fucking phenomenal actor in that, and that was hard to resist, how bloody brilliant he could be.”
Impact and Future Influence of Nina Gold’s Casting Decisions
Nina Gold’s casting choices have significantly influenced the landscape of modern film and television, often introducing fresh talent and solidifying careers of well-known actors. Her ability to identify the precise qualities needed for complex roles—whether in emotionally demanding projects like Hamnet or large ensemble casts such as Conclave—demonstrates her acute understanding of character and story. Gold’s work on high-profile franchises and prestige dramas alike continues to shape how audiences engage with these stories, and her recent Oscar nomination underscores the rising recognition of casting as a vital art form in the entertainment industry.
Given her track record, Gold’s involvement in future projects promises more compelling discoveries and standout performances, reinforcing the importance of casting in storytelling and cinematic success.
