This month, we visit Daisy in Sydney. We chat about how things have been since launching Daisy Hicks Casting, the early inspirations that lit the spark, and what it’s like working alongside Fran (Daisy’s 6-year-old rescue Greyhound).
The Journey
I launched Daisy Hicks Casting in late 2023 after more than a decade in the industry. I began my casting career at i4 Casting, where I worked for nearly eight years, followed by two and a half years at McGregor Casting. After that, I took an 18-month break to broaden my skill set and reflect on my creative goals, which ultimately led me to start my own business.
I’ve been lucky to work on a range of projects that really reflect the kind of work I love: lots of very funny, very beautiful TV commercials, a sharp little short film called Rash, a stunning music video for Winter Swim, some proof-of-concept shorts, and a handful of exciting projects still in development. It’s been a really rewarding start, and I’m excited about what’s coming next.
What got you into casting
DH: Every Little Step (the documentary about casting the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line) is the film that made me want to become a Casting Director. I watched it very early in my career when I wasn’t quite sure if casting was the right path for me.
The way the film captures the emotion and stakes of the casting process and the relationships between the artists, the creatives, and the casting team really lit a fire in me. I was fascinated by the nuance, empathy, and instinct it takes to guide that process well.
I was so inspired that I made a PowerPoint presentation for the office I worked at that outlined a five-year plan to become a Casting Director. I ended up achieving everything on that list in just three years...it's a powerful film, I still watch it at least once a year!"
First-ever project and how the audition process has evolved since
"Hmmm, it would have been a TV commercial and I wish I could remember exactly what it was! It would have been back in the day when I worked with the lovely Leon & Joe at i4 Casting in the tiny cottage out the front of what is now Disney Studios in Sydney.
It would have been entirely in-studio auditions, and I would then have had to convert the video files, manually rename and upload them to a custom-built, custom-coded website along with still photos and scanned wardrobe forms... this was just before casting platforms really took off in Australia!
Now, we’re spoiled by what technology can do for us as Casting Directors. We can reach so many more people around the country (and globally), and we can give more opportunities to people who might not previously have had access to our audition rooms.
Advice to emerging artists: “Persevere! It doesn’t necessarily get easier, but it absolutely gets more rewarding. Stay connected to what inspires you: keep watching, reading, listening to things that light a spark in you. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and challenge you in the best ways. Most importantly, make the things you want to make, and make them with those people.”
One common misconception actors have about the casting process
“I often meet artists who think that Casting Directors are the ones making the final decision on who is cast in a project. That's really not the case! Depending on the type of project, those decisions are made by a combination of people, including the director and creative team, the producers, the showrunners, and the studio or network. Casting Directors definitely get to advocate for and fight for who we think is the best person for the role, but we don’t necessarily get the final say.”
Accounts manager Fran Lebowitz
“Of course, no conversation about Daisy Hicks Casting is complete without mentioning Fran Lebowitz – Daisy’s 6-year-old rescue Greyhound and, unofficially, the accounts manager.
“She’s named after the iconic American author,” Daisy says. “Fran sleeps for 7.5 out of the 8 hours in the workday, she’s great at calming actors' nerves in the studio and is usually in the background of every Zoom meeting I’m in. She’s terrible with numbers and probably the wrong greyhound for the job – but she’s a nepo baby after all.”
A memorable casting experience
“The casting process for the short film Tough was definitely challenging but infinitely more rewarding. The material was emotionally complex and confronting (even for adults) and the challenge was finding pre-teens who were not only comfortable engaging with the content but also capable of delivering the kind of nuanced performances the story required. I was really fortunate to be working with Taylor Ferguson, the film’s writer/director, who was exceptional with the young actors we ended up casting and the result was a powerful, knock-out film that went on to get some well deserved recognition.”
What's on the horizon for Daisy Hicks Casting?
“I’ve got some TVCs and a short film on the horizon, as well as a few theatre projects that are in development. I’ve also been enjoying catching up with people I’ve worked with before and meeting new creatives to chat about what they’re working on, what’s exciting them, and how we might collaborate down the track.
I’ll be spending a bit more time outside of Sydney (particularly in Melbourne) because I’m keen for Daisy Hicks Casting to grow beyond just being Sydney-based. I’m really enjoying the reconnections and stoked to be meeting new folks, too!"The casting process for the short film Tough was definitely challenging but infinitely more rewarding. The material was emotionally complex and confronting (even for adults) and the challenge was finding pre-teens who were not only comfortable engaging with the content but also capable of delivering the kind of nuanced performances the story required. I was really fortunate to be working with Taylor Ferguson, the film’s writer/director, who was exceptional with the young actors we ended up casting and the result was a powerful, knock-out film that went on to get some well deserved recognition.”
