Oscar Nominee Cassandra Kulukundis on the Art, Science, and Heart of Casting PTA’s “One Battle After Another”
The first new Oscar category since the animated feature category was introduced in 2001, achievement in casting, will be honored for the first time at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences formally created the casting director’s branch in 2013, but it would take more than a decade longer for casting directors to be formally recognized.
Our first spotlight on this year’s inaugural casting nominees is casting director Cassandra Kulukundis, who scored one of the 13 Oscar nominations for Paul Thomas Anderson’s twitchy, terrific thriller One Battle After Another. Her collaboration with the director has spanned more than two decades: she has cast every single Anderson film since 1999’s Magnolia. The shorthand they’ve developed over the years began with their mutual passion for movies, as she recalls: “We first bonded over our taste in movies. I love actors, and I like creating a world where everyone can feel comfortable enough to make mistakes. There are great actors who have been pigeonholed in certain roles, and I like to break them out of that. I love discovering people that no one else has seen before, teaching them, and making them feel comfortable about the process. And Paul was that way too.”
Set in a dystopian America that has fallen into a police state, the Warner Bros. film follows disheveled bomb expert lovingly called, at the start of the film, Ghetto Pat (Leonardo DiCaprio, nominated once again this year for his performance) as he joins the revolutionary group French 75 after meeting its charismatic resistance leader, Perfidia (first-time Oscar nominee Teyana Taylor). Soon after they have a child, Perfidia leaves Pat and their daughter, resisting his pleas for them to concentrate on their family and instead continue the fight against fascism. The film cuts to 16 years later, when teenage Willa (first-time Oscar nominee Chase Infiniti) is forced into hiding and separated from her father after Perfidia and Pat’s past catches up to them. (Pat is now Bob Ferguson, having been given an identity makeover by a fellow member of the French 75.)
Kulukundis recently spoke with The Credits about her long journey to discover the perfect Willa, her secrets to ideal casting, and why she deeply loves her work.
What is the secret sauce to ideal casting for any project?
The trick is to make them feel as real as possible, whether by getting others of their caliber to fire with them or by putting less experienced actors to keep them on their toes. We’re creating worlds, so these characters have to feel real. Bob is a disaster who smokes too much pot and watches old movies — but we’ve got to make Leo feel like that so everyone who comes into that frame and interacts with him believes that Bob is Bob. I love that part.
Certainly, delivering incredible performances is key, but much of it comes down to the chemistry among the cast, directors, and crew. How do you get to know each actor well enough to nail down that crucial intangible quality?
I’ve spent time with every person on that screen. When we’re on location, I’m there before everyone else, so I get a really good read on people. I know how Paul works and have done lots of stuff with Leo and the other actors, so I know how they’re going to be. It’s like being a matchmaker. In fact, the few matches that I’ve made, they’re still married. I guess I’m pretty good. [Laughs] One of the actors in my last movie asked if I could cast her a boyfriend. I probably could, it’s kind of the same thing. I know how they like to work and what their process is, then I try to find somebody who is compatible with that.
What were some of your earliest impressions before filming ever started?
I first got this script about nine years ago. It was clear that priority number one was Willa.
There are so many meaty roles in this film. How long did it take to cast?
Once Leo was attached and we knew our dates, it was six or seven months. I’d already done all this work on Willa, and Chase came into the process three months before we got going. Once we knew we had her, then it was a race. I was still casting while we were shooting.
What was your starting point with Willa’s character? When did you know you had the best Willa in Chase?
Honestly, right away. Martial arts and athletics were key. I’d seen a tape of Chase dancing in a group and had her send one, which was great; I knew then that we had a real contender. I went to a gym with her to work on the bag and do some exercises to show that she could be a badass warrior. Then, we got her together with Leo and Paul, did the screen tests, and started her training on martial arts. She just kept getting better and better.
What were some of the qualities that you were looking for in casting Willa?
A biracial girl who is very physical and strong, that was key. Chase is truly one of the most unique human beings, so innocent, sweet, thoughtful, and respectful, but also very mature – she taught kickboxing to make some money in college. She’s also youthful — play a K-pop song when she’s around and forget about it. That’s an incredible range in one human being. She had to be all those things because Willa is a teenager who’s had to grow up fast to take care of her father. At some point, Bob trained her, but over time, he got soft, thinking that no one was coming after them. But she still trains with Sensei (Benicio del Toro), hangs out with her friends, and has her secret cell phone. I needed somebody who could do all that.
How long was it before Chase officially got the job?
Quite a few months, but she was kind of already part of the group. We had her training a few days a week. Even before Chase was officially told she got the job, I was working under the assumption that she had it. For me, it was about three months, but she might say it was more like six months.
What about casting Willa’s mother and Bob’s partner, Perfidia?
I read so many women for that role. Teyana is definitely a force to be reckoned with. A Thousand and One hadn’t come out yet, but I saw an early version of it. She won the role hands-down. Even after she got the role, it didn’t end there — she got stronger, faster, harder — the commitment, just the running alone! I watch that movie and my knees hurt. [Laughs] She is just a badass. We weren’t planning on training everyone for so long, but she did it all on her own. As a mom, she created Perfidia with Paul in such a beautiful way. Casting was only half the battle; the rest was about creating one of the most complicated, interesting characters I’ve seen in decades. So, kudos to her!
What are some of the qualities that make Leo perfect as Bob?
I’ve never seen anyone, especially at that level, come in every single day with ideas to create an unbelievable character in Bob from the ground up like Leo did. Bob is intelligent, a bomb expert, a stoner, and he’s funny and heartfelt. Over the years, he’s gotten soft but has raised Willa to be strong and independent. Leo’s not a father in real life, but he’s so paternal in this film. When Bob talks with Sensei (Benicio Del Toro) about not being able to do Willa’s hair, Sensei says, “Don’t go dark on me, Bob.” He makes me want to cry every single time I see that. I feel so bad for Bob, he didn’t even take off his bathrobe the entire time. He’s not going to stop until he finds his daughter. There’s so much nuance to it. I think it’s an incredible performance, truly his best work. The Revenant and this are, to me, some of the best films. He was more than an actor-for-hire; he was a collaborator with Paul on every level. It’s like watching an incredible tennis match. I got a whole new respect and understanding of what Leo does from this film.
How does it feel to finally have casting as a category in the Oscars this year?
Casting is a bit of art and a little bit of science. Many people have been fighting for it for a really long time. It’s such an honor to be included in the Academy. I feel grateful, and I’m excited to see what happens.
Regarding the debate between in-person auditions versus self-tape – do you have a preference in an ideal situation?
I give actors the choice, whatever they feel more comfortable with. I’ll never ask for a tape that I won’t watch. I was surprised that more people opted for self-tapes than I expected, but I feel as connected to you as if I were in a room. Whatever you come in with, I’ll give you notes and take you in a different direction if I’m not feeling what I’m getting. I don’t want to make people feel like they’re one of 1,000. I would love to read one person and hire them right away, but that’s not how it works, especially with a Paul Thomas Anderson movie, where the characters are so nuanced, and there are many boxes to check. When people ask what you’re looking for, I’m like, what am I not looking for?
Your genuine passion for movies is amazing — it’s clear that you really love your work.
I love meeting people and finding what I can get out of them for a role. There’s a right role for everyone — I just have to figure out what that is. If you’re on this planet, it’s possible that you’re the one I’m looking for.
Now available on HBO and PVOD, One Battle After Another is nominated for 13 Academy Awards.
Featured image: Caption: (L-r) TEYANA TAYLOR as Perfidia and LEONARDO DI CAPRIO as Bob Ferguson in “One Battle After Another.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
