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British newcomer Celina Sinden has been cast in CW pilot Reign, from CBS TV Studios. It chronicles the rise to power of Mary Queen of Scots (Adelaide Kane) when she arrives in France as a 15-year-old, betrothed to Prince Francis (Toby Regbo), and with her three best friends as ladies-in-waiting. Sinden, who is still in her final year at Guildhall drama school, will play Greer, one of the ladies-in-waiting. She is with Curtis Brown in the UK and attorney Jamie Feldman.
Madeleine Mantock will co-star opposite Robbie Amell in the CW drama pilot The Tomorrow People. Written/exec produced by Phil Klemmer based on the cult British series, exec produced by Julie Plec and Greg Berlanti and directed/exec produced by Danny Cannon, Tomorrow People is about several young people from around the world who represent the next stage in human evolution and work together to defeat the forces of evil. Mantock will plat Astrid, Stephen’s (Amell) closest friend since childhood.
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My goodness. Celina Sinden is stunning.
With all of the amazing out of work actors here in the USA in SAG/AFTRA, producers still find some need to constantly cast Brits and Aussies! But try to be an American and receive over there and they will not even allow you to be a regular on a show. Producers, stop thinking that they are the answers to get you a hit show. Start producing quality television again and the hits will come with the people you have right here at home!
i couldn’t have said it better myself. thank you.
The reason a lot of the Brits are getting cast is because they have training and are bringing more nuance and levels to their acting.
America has drama schools too, and there is no shortage of actors with university degrees in drama. I am delighted — DELIGHTED — to have actors from anywhere in the world wins roles on American shows, but don’t delude yourself about why they are cast. Ever hear of James Purefoy? The British actor currently playing the main serial killer on The Following? He has said right up front that British actors are getting a lot of jobs in America because the British actors are willing work cheaper than Americans. He even said there is a name for British actors in in the US TV industry: “White Mexicans.” I am sure everything he said applies to the Australian actors as well.
As the Reign is about Mary Queen of Scots maybe it makes sense to cast a Brit , in a programme about British history , we all know Americans love to cast British actors as the villain in any and almost all programmes, plus the British perform generally at a higher standard to Americans and are better actors currently for several reasons, and if they are better and cheaper , for business reasons that makes them the obvious choice
“Generally perform at a higher standard…”
You are clueless.
There are exceptional actors on both sides of the pond. I’m all for the debate, but that was just an incredibly and incorrect statement.
Reign is an interesting script. Lots and lots of sex. I was surprised, it read a lot like a teenage “Tudors” that belongs at the very least on FX.
Tomorrow People (cult favorite) has crashed and burned in everywhere it was put on the telly. It already had three different versions; what makes anyone think it will be better here.
My heart bleeds for US actors losing a few roles to British, Canadian and Australian actors, especially when you consider that the entire film and TV industry in all three countries is effectively neutered by cheap English language content from the US. Economies of scale make it all but impossible to compete against the hulking Goliath that is the US film industry and you’re complaining in your vile racist way (white mexicans? really?) about a few actors barely even coming close to redressing the balance?
Shame on you.
America was always able to find American actors for it’s shows in decades past. We are still out here. So, why the change? Let’s see…
Is it true that Brits and Aussie’s are more likely to have formal training? Who knows? In some instances, yes. In others, no. We have Yale School of Drama, NYU, Julliard and a few other very top notch schools that produce fantastic actors. England has RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, Rose Buford, Central School and others. Australia has NIDA, and WAAPA. In L.A. at least, there is also the subset of “good looking” people who just go out and get headshots, maybe take some classes on Melrose and call themselves an actor. They look good, but stink up the room every time they go in and audition. Why? Because they give generalized, result oriented, indicating void of technique readings. All it takes is one good looking Brit or Aussie who went to a proper drama school where they teach you to break down the scenes, create a character, know your objective, make bold choices, and be moment to moment. They shine, because they put in the work instead of just spending 2 hours metrosexualizing themselves and pretty much memorizing the lines and not much else beyond that.
I do believe there is a rampant love affair with Brits and Aussie’s in Hollywood at the moment, but I don’t see very many instances where they get hired and then suck. No. They are good. Then, other producers say, “I want that. Where did you find that? Sydney? London? I’m gonna get me some of that!”
So, some of the blame should rest on a great number of the morons who do not approach this career with a total and absolute reverence for THE WORK!!! They go in and give a general reading with no layers and everyone is just NOT impressed.
This is from an American actor.
As a writer-producer, I’ll take a classically trained actor over a method actor any day of the week, regardless of nationality.
Well, writer/producer, why don’t you cast the best actor for the role instead of worrying about “how they do it”. Just to name a few…
Johnny Depp/not classically trained
Sean Penn/not classically trained
Leonardo DiCaprio/not classically trained
Robert Downey Jr./not classically trained
Matt Damon/not classically trained.
That’s a few of the actors that would have been passed on by you using your logic.
I love Shakespeare. I’ve studied classically and I’ve also studied Stanislavsky, Meisner, Uta Hagen but you don’t have to have done Coriolanus on stage to know your way around a script and how to create. I take bits from all of it and make my own process that works for me individually. No one needs to peak behind an actor’s curtain. He or she is either good or they are not. How he or she gets there is of no consequence to a writer/producer.
I have a secret for you anyway. If 5 actors come in to read for you and they are all very good. Either one could play the role. If you do not look at their resume, unless you were classically trained yourself and can spot some give aways, you wouldn’t have a clue if any of them were classically trained or method.
And, on a final note, Daniel Day-Lewis. Probably the greatest living actor, trained classically at Rose Bruford in Kent, England. When he signed on for Last of The Mohicans, he went to live in the woods. When he did the Crucible he went out months in advance and worked the fields the way John Proctor would have in reality. There you have a classically trained actor who is known for being heavily method in his approach to his work.
You gotta know what you are talking about to be taken seriously.
Good reply, thank you!
The “Reign” project requires British accents; for every American actor who can pull it off, there are probably three Brits who don’t have to fake it and also happen to know their way around a scene.
I auditioned for this…went to a great American school…have plenty of stage experience…and still figured I would lose out to an actor with a native dialect. We’ll see how that turns out, as the role I’m up for has not yet been announced as cast. But I imagine that when you’ve sat in a casting office taping actor after actor, having someone come in and nail the accent is sweet relief all by itself.
And yes, the script is terrific. I wish them well.
Count Canadians (like me) in this as well. It’s amazing how much non-Americans get cast as leads in US shows. But money has nothing to do with it. The truth of the matter is Canadian, British and Aussie actors get the chance to hone their acting skills domestically first and For instance, a Canadian actor does a couple shows in Canada, gaining that experience in television or film, and takes those skills with them to the US where they are auditioning against many American actors who still do not have that experience.
I am so excited to watch this. Just heard Megan Follows will be on it. I grew up watching her in Anne if green gables and avonlea. What a talented actor.
It’s about British history!!! ‘Mary Queen of SCOTS’, it should be all British Actors in my opinion. US Actors can rarely do a British accent well anyway. Obviously they will cast British Actors for British roles.