The CDG Casting Awards 2026
In partnership with EON Productions and headline sponsor Spotlight
In partnership with EON Productions and headline sponsor Spotlight
The Casting Directors’ Guild are delighted to announce the winners for the 2026 CDG Casting Awards, in partnership with EON Productions. Now in its eighth year, the CDG Casting awards celebrate the incredible work achieved by casting teams across Film, Television, Theatre, Commercials and Games.
The awards were hosted by Jennifer Saunders alongside presenters Adeel Akhtar, Aimee Lou Wood, Archie Madekwe, Bel Powley, Dame Meera Syal, Darci Shaw , David Bradley, Fisher Stevens, Gary Lamont, Harry Lawtey, Hasia Akwaboah (winner of the CDG bursary), Himesh Patel, Joe Alwyn, Louisa Harland, Patsy Ferran, Ruth Jones and Tom Blyth.
“We were thrilled to celebrate the seventh edition of our CDG Awards this year, honouring the remarkable achievements of our members. Congratulations to the recipients of the ten esteemed casting awards, and to all our incredible nominees. A heartfelt thank you to our Sponsors and Supporters – we are immensely grateful for your generosity and support, without which this evening would not have been possible.”
Julia Horan & Kate Ringsell Co-Chairs
WINNER: Adolescence | Casting Director: Shaheen Baig
Goodbye June | Casting Director: Olivia Grant, Associate: Lucy Downes
Hamnet | Casting Director: Nina Gold, Associates: Lucy Amos & Amy Beadel, Assistant: Steph Tataryn
I Swear | Casting Director: Lauren Evans, Associate: Melissa Wilkins
Paddington The Musical | Childrens Casting: Nicholas Hockaday
The Death of Bunny Munro | Casting Director: Shaheen Baig
WINNER: Medical Aid For Palestinians ‘I Know’ | Casting Director: Sue Odell
Boots: You’re Never Too Far From a Pharmacist | Casting Director: Anna Kennedy
Irn Bru; This is Not a Soft Drink | Casting Director: Sally McCleery, Assistant: Elisa Musson
The Booker Prize 2025 | Casting Director: Nanw Rowlands, Casting Associate: Harry Parker
The Christmas Double – EE Christmas 2025 | Co-Casting Director: Kharmel Cochrane
WINNER: Hamnet | Casting Director: Nina Gold, Associates: Lucy Amos & Amy Beadel, Assistant: Steph Tataryn
28 Years Later | Casting Director: Gail Stevens
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy | Casting Director: Lucy Bevan, Co-Casting Director: Olivia Grant, Associate: Lucy Downes
F1 | Casting Director: Lucy Bevan, Co-Casting Director: Emily Brockmann, Associate: Katie Brydon
Warfare | Casting Director: Kharmel Cochrane
WINNER: I Swear | Casting Director: Lauren Evans, Associate: Melissa Wilkins
Mr Burton | Casting Director: Kelly Valentine Hendry, Associate: Maximillian Murphy
Pillion | Casting Director: Kahleen Crawford, Associate: Carla Morris
The Ballad of Wallis Island | Casting Director: Catherine Willis, Associate: Sarah Harkins
Urchin | Casting Director: Shaheen Baig
WINNER: Adolescence | Casting Director: Shaheen Baig
Amadeus | Casting Director: Martin Ware, Associate: Olivia Brittain
Death By Lightning | UK Casting Director: Lauren Evans, Associate: Melissa Wilkins
Toxic Town | Casting Director: Shaheen Baig, Associate: Jonny Boutwood
Unforgivable | Casting Director: Amy Hubbard, Co-Casting Director: Shannon Dowling-McNulty, Associate: Heidi Lawry
WINNER: Paddington The Musical | Casting Director: Natalie Gallacher, Associates: Grace McInerny & Richard Johnston,Young Persons’ Casting Director: Nicholas Hockaday
Clueless | Casting Director: Olivia Laydon for Jill Green Casting, Associate: Tom Shiels
Into The Woods – The Bridge Theatre | Casting Director: Stuart Burt, Associate: Peter Noden
Oliver! | Casting Directors: Felicity French & Paul Wooller, Associate: Lily Caisley
Sing Street – Lyric Hammersmith | Casting Director: Stuart Burt, Associate: Peter Noden
WINNER: Lord of the Flies | Casting Director: Jacob Sparrow
Animal Farm | Casting Director: Lucy Casson
Cyrano de Bergerac | Casting Director: Matthew Dewsbury, Childrens Casting: Charlie Metcalf
Dancing at Lughnasa | Casting Director: Arthur Carrington
Titus Andronicus (RSC) | Casting Director: Matthew Dewsbury, Childrens Casting: Charlie Metcalf
WINNER: Punch (Young Vic/Apollo Theatre) | Casting Director: Christopher Worrall
1536 | Casting Director: Amy Ball
Every Brilliant Thing | Casting Director: Jessica Ronane, Associate: Abby Galvin, Assistant: Poppy Apter
Inter Alia | Casting Director: Alastair Coomer, Associate: Naomi Downham
Oh, Mary! | Casting Director: Stuart Burt, Associate: Peter Noden
Wendy and Peter Pan | Casting Director: Annelie Powell, Associate: Gabriella Shimeld-Fenn
WINNER: Amandaland | Casting Director: Rachel Sheridan, Associate: Martin Poile & Katie Mozumder
Big Boys Series 3 | Casting Director: Rachel Sheridan, Associate: Martin Poile
Dreaming Whilst Black (Season 2) | Casting Director: Heather Basten, Associate: Ri McDaid-Wren
Film Club | Casting Director: Kelly Valentine Hendry, Co-Casting Director: Jessica Mescall
Too Much | Co-Casting Directors: Nina Gold & Sacha Garrett
WINNER: Riot Women | Casting Director: Rachel Sheridan, Associates: Katie Mozumder & Martin Poile
A Thousand Blows | Casting Director: Shaheen Baig
Dept. Q | Casting Director: Olivia Scott-Webb
House of Guinness | Casting Director: Kahleen Crawford, Associate: Carla Morris
Slow Horses (S5) | Casting Directors: Nina Gold & Melissa Gethin Clarke
The nominated productions premiered between the 1st January 2025 and 31st December 2025 and have been selected by members of the Casting Directors’ Guild.
The CDG would like to thank all our sponsors and supporters
Bad Wolf | The Curtis Brown Group | The Forge | Gower Cottage Brownies | Netflix | Noble Isle | Nyetimber | Whitebox Cocktails
About The CDG: The Casting Directors’ Guild is a professional organisation of Casting Directors in the film, television, theatre, commercials and games communities in the UK and Ireland who have joined together to further their common interests in establishing a recognised standard of professionalism in the industry, enhancing the stature of the profession, providing a free exchange of information and ideas, honouring the achievements of members and standardisation of working practices in the industry. The CDG upholds the highest ethical standards and advocates for the fair treatment of performers in the casting process.
EON Productions Limited is the UK based production company that produced the James Bond films. Led by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, EON has produced and executive produced independent film projects including Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Radiator, Nancy, The Rhythm Section, TILL and Blue Road – The Edna O Brien Story. They have also co-produced and co-financed successful theatrical productions, including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Once, Othello, The Kid Stays in the Picture, The Band’s Visit, Buena Vista Social Club and Sing Street.
Since 1927, Spotlight has been the gold standard for connecting talented performers with the world’s most successful agents and casting professionals working across stage and screen.
What began as a printed directory has evolved into the leading digital solution that empowers performers to showcase their talents to a global network of casting directors and independent project creators. With casting studios in the heart of London’s West End and the global reach of parent company Talent Systems, Spotlight is firmly positioned as the cornerstone of the entertainment industry.