The CDG Casting Awards 2024

In partnership with Spotlight

 Headline Sponsor EON Productions

The Casting Directors’ Guild are delighted to announce the winners for the 2024 CDG Casting Awards, in partnership with Spotlight. Now in its sixth 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 Sir Simon Russell Beale, CBE, alongside presenters Jamie Dornan, Emma D’Arcy, George MacKay, Liz Carr, Tanya Moodie, Layton Williams, Erin Doherty, Fabien Frankel, Tom Francis, Anjana Vasan, Sindhu Vee, Adjani Salmon and Luke Millington-Drake.

 “We were delighted to celebrate the sixth edition of our CDG Awards this year, recognising the outstanding contributions of our members. Huge congratulations to the winners of the ten prestigious casting awards, and also to all our wonderful nominees.  A special mention to our Sponsors and Supporters – without whom the evening would not be possible.”

Rebecca Wright & Sam Jones Co-Chairs

 “Casting directors are often the unsung storytellers of the industry. Their vision and skills that help orchestrate an ensemble of characters bring a script to life in every medium.

 The CDG Awards have led the way in recognising this vital craft, and the belated addition of the Academy Award for Casting Direction as a competitive category is a moment in cinematic history. At Spotlight we will always champion the work of brilliant casting directors and we’re delighted to be able to celebrate those winners who have excelled in their field.”

Matt Hood, Spotlight’s Managing Director


Best Child Casting (All Media)

 

WINNER: Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (Film) – Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, Katie Brydon (Associate), Amy Beadel (Ensemble Casting Associate), Melody Gerard (Assistant)

Children With Cancer UK ‘Milestone Campaign’ (Commercial) – Nicholas Hockaday

Mrs Doubtfire, Shaftesbury Theatre (London Casting, Musical Theatre) – Verity Naughton (Children’s Casting Director)

The Sound of Music, Chichester Festival Theatre (Regional Theatre) – Verity Naughton (Children’s Casting), Nicholas Hockaday (Children’s Casting Assistant)

The Witches, Olivier Theatre, National Theatre (Theatre)- Bryony Jarvis-Taylor


Best Casting in a Commercial

 

WINNER: Alzheimer’s Society ‘Nobody Asks’ – Aisha Bywaters

Age UK ‘Know What To Do’ – Leanne Flinn

Stonewall ‘Ban Conversion Therapy’, Sue Odell

Children With Cancer ‘Milestone Campaign’ – Nicholas Hockaday

Vanish ‘Me, My Autism & I’ – Kharmel Cochrane


Best Casting in a Film, sponsored by Apple TV+

 

WINNER: The Banshees of Inisherin – Louise Kiely

All of Us Strangers – Kahleen Crawford, Carla Morris & Eliza Heslop (Associates)

Barbie – Lucy Bevan, Olivia Grant (Associate), Lucy Downes (Assistant)

Saltburn – Kharmel Cochrane

Triangle of Sadness – Jessie Frost (UK Casting)


Best Casting in an Independent Film, sponsored by Independent Talent

 

WINNER: Rye Lane – Kharmel Cochrane

Blue Jean – Shaheen Baig

Dance First – Olivia Scott-Webb, Ruth O’Dowd (Associate)

Scrapper – Shaheen Baig

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse – Rachel Freck, Jessica Mescall & Nicholas Hockaday (Associates)


Best Casting in a Limited or Single Series, sponsored by Apple TV+

 

WINNER: Time (Season 2) – Amy Hubbard, Shannon Dowling-McNulty (Associate)

A Small Light – Nanw Rowlands

Black Mirror (Season 6) – Jina Jay

Somewhere Boy – Catherine Willis, Beatrice Ray (Associate)

The Long Shadow – Victor Jenkins and Sonia Allam, Seth Mason (Associate), Paushali Banik (Assistant)


Best Casting in Musical Theatre (Inside M25) sponsored by JAG (Jonathan Arun Group)

 

WINNER: Guys and Dolls, Bridge Theatre – Charlotte Sutton

Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre- Stuart Burt

Tammy Faye, Almeida Theatre – Natalie Gallacher and Pippa Ailion, Richard Johnston (Associate)

The Band’s Visit, Donmar Warehouse – Anna Cooper

The Witches, Olivier Theatre, National Theatre – Bryony Jarvis-Taylor


Best Casting in Regional Theatre sponsored by Conway Van Gelder Grant

 

WINNER: Standing at The Sky’s Edge, The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield – Stuart Burt

A Christmas Carol, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, RSC – Matthew Dewsbury

A View From The Bridge, Bolton Octagon and Chichester Festival Theatre – Becky Paris

Choir Boy, Bristol Old Vic – Julia Horan

Cowbois, The Swan Theatre, RSC  – Martin Poile


Best Casting in Theatre (Inside M25) sponsored by The Partnership Group

 

WINNER: Dear England, Olivier Theatre, National Theatre and The Prince Edward Theatre  – Bryony Jarvis-Taylor

A Little Life, Richmond Theatre and, Harold Pinter Theatre  – Julia Horan, Lilly Mackie (Assistant)

A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre and The Phoenix Theatre – Julia Horan, Lilly Mackie (Assistant)

My Neighbor Totoro, Barbican Theatre  – Hannah Miller, Martin Poile (Associate)

The Motive and The Cue, Lyttelton Theatre, National Theatre and the Noel Coward Theatre  – Alastair Coomer


Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series sponsored by Hamilton Hodell

 

WINNER: Dreaming Whilst Black – Heather Basten, Peter Noden and Fran Cattaneo (Assistants)

Extraordinary – Suzanne Crowley and Gilly Poole, Katie Mozumder (Associate)

Motherland Christmas Special – Sarah Crowe, Ben Marks (Associate)

Sex Education (Season 4) – Lauren Evans

Ted Lasso (Season 3) – Theo Park, Laura MacFadden (Associate)


Best Casting in a TV Drama Series sponsored by United Agents

 

WINNER: Boiling Point – Shaheen Baig and Jonny Boutwood, Carolyn McLeod (Original Film Casting)

Andor – Nina Gold and Martin Ware

Slow Horses (Season 2) – Nina Gold, Melissa Gethin Clarke (Associate)

Slow Horses (Season 3) – Nina Gold, Melissa Gethin Clarke (Associate)

The Crown (Season 5) – Robert Sterne, Kate Bone (Associate)

The nominated productions premiered between the 1st September 2022 and 31st December 2023 and have been selected by members of the Casting Directors’ Guild.

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.

About Spotlight: Spotlight has been connecting performers with roles in theatre, television and film productions since 1927. It’s our role to keep stages and screens filled with talented performers, so we can continue to watch our favourite characters come to life. With studios in London’s West End and a team of people across the world as part of Talent Systems, Spotlight is truly at the heart of the industry.

The CDG would like to thank the sponsors listed above, as well as further sponsors including Warner Bros. Discovery and The Curtis Brown Group and the generous support of Accelerate, AKT, Gower Cottage Brownies, Joe&Seph’s, Netflix, Noble Isle, Scott Free Productions, Sylvia Young Agency and Whitebox Cocktails