A Look behind the World of Casting

First and most important, A Star Is Found isn't a tell-all book. You won't find gossipy stories about actors with poor attitudes. The authors mention a couple of negative incidences without naming names for the purpose of sharing what can and has happened and what shouldn't be done.

(3.5) "Casting is a complicated, delicate and almost alchemical business."

Casting Delight...What Wonderful Fun Ladies

I found this book, "A Star is Found" not only fun to read, but incredibly insightful too. It literally takes you through the entire casting process from day one until each movie actually starts filming. These wonderful ladies, Jane Jenkins and Janet Hirshenson tell may candid stories about the stars they found, directors they worked with, and many famous people they really got to know over the years. The ladies give NUMEROUS examples of how many actors got roles when some of them didn't want the role, and how at times they had to convince their directors why they should hire an actor they didn't necessarily want. The examples are all wonderful. One of my favorite stories is how the ladies explain bringing in a terrific actor to read on the first day of casting (someone they knew would book the job), but were asked to bring in more and more actors. Although this process can be quite frustrating at times, the women usually won, because the actor who came in on the first day of casting was inevitably the one who won the role in the end. Of course, being such good Casting Directors, they knew all along this would happen.