Nominees Announced for The CDG Casting Awards 2023

We're delighted to announce the nominees for the 2023 CDG Casting Awards

The CDG Casting Awards is a celebration of the incredible work achieved by casting teams across Film, Television, Theatre and Commercials. 

This year, a new category has been added to champion the success of those casting children across all media types. There will also be a special award recognising a member’s ‘Contribution to Casting’ which will be announced at the ceremony. 

Without further ado, the nominees are:

Best Casting in a Commercial

  • Alzheimer’s Society, It’s Not Called Getting Old  -  Sue Odell
  • Coca Cola Christmas, Real Magic -  Michael Cox & Thom Hammond
  • Macmillan, Whatever You Need -  Anna McAuley
  • Vets4Pets, Thank You - Claire Curry
  • NHS, We are the NHS - Heather Basten

Best Casting in a Limited or Single Series, sponsored by Netflix

  • A Very British Scandal - Sarah Crowe & Xanthe Spencer-Davidson 
  • Anatomy of a Scandal -  Lucy Bevan & Emily Brockmann, Katie Brydon (Associate)
  • Landscapers -  Nina Gold & Lucy Amos
  • Showtrial (BBC) - Daniel Edwards, Lucy Allen (Associate), Catherine Garlick & Tom Payne (Assistants)
  • This is Going to Hurt - Nina Gold & Martin Ware

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

  • 101 Dalmatians, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre - Jill Green, Nicholas Hockaday (Assistant), Verity Naughton (Child Casting)
  • Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club - Stuart Burt
  • Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre - Pippa Ailion & Natalie Gallacher
  • Legally Blonde, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre - Natalie Gallacher, Richard Johnston (Associate Casting Director)
  • Oklahoma!, Young Vic - Jacob Sparrow
  • Spring Awakening, Almeida Theatre - Pippa Ailion & Natalie Gallacher, Katherine Skene & Richard Johnston (Assistants)

Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series sponsored by Hamilton Hodell

  • Big Boys - Rachel Sheridan (Series Casting), Nadira Seecoomar (Taster Pilot)
  • Cheaters - Catherine Willis, Jessica Mescall (Associate)
  • Sex Education (Series 3) - Lauren Evans
  • Ten Percent - Rachel Freck, Ceri Bedingfield (Associate)
  • The Outlaws (Series 1 and 2) - Amy Hubbard, Amy Jackson & Heidi Lawry

Best Casting in a TV Drama Series sponsored by United Agents

  • Bad Sisters - Nina Gold & Lucy Amos
  • Heartstopper - Daniel Edwards, Lucy Allen (Associate), Tom Payne & Catherine Garlick (Assistants)
  • House of the Dragon - Kate Rhodes-James, Gordon Cowell & Gabriella Summer Wolf (Associates)
  • Sherwood - Victor Jenkins, Seth Mason (Associate), Paushali Banik & Laura Macfadden (Assistants)
  • Slow Horses (Series 1) - Nina Gold, Kate Bone (Associate)

Best Casting in an Independent Film sponsored by Independent Talent Group

  • Ali & Ava - Shaheen Baig
  • Boiling Point - Carolyn McLeod, Matt Sheppard (Assistant)
  • Brian & Charles - Catherine Willis
  • Good Luck to You, Leo Grande - Amy Hubbard, Olivia Laydon (Associate)
  • Pirates - Shaheen Baig, Jonny Boutwood (Associate)

Best Casting in a Film sponsored by Warner Bros. Discovery

  • Belfast - Lucy Bevan & Emily Brockmann, Katie Brydon (Associate)
  • House of Gucci - Kate Rhodes-James, Gordon Cowell & Gabriella Summer Wolf (Associates)
  • No Time to Die - Debbie McWilliams & Jemima McWilliams
  • Spencer - Amy Hubbard, Olivia Laydon & Heidi Lawry (Associates)
  • The Lost Daughter - Kahleen Crawford, Carla Morris (Assistant)

 Best Casting in Regional Theatre in partnership with Factory International

  • Crazy For You, Chichester Festival Theatre -  Jill Green
  • East is East, Birmingham Rep, National Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre - Stuart Burt, Olivia Barr (Associate)
  • Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World, UK Tour - Rosie Pearson & James Pearson
  • Into the Woods, Theatre Royal Bath and Scenario Two Ltd - David Grindrod
  • Rock / Paper / Scissors, Sheffield Theatres - Christopher Worrall, Stuart Burt (Casting Consultant)

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

  • Jerusalem, Apollo Theatre -  Amy Ball & Arthur Carrington
  • Our Generation, National Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre  - Charlotte Sutton
  • Red Pitch, Bush Theatre - Heather Basten
  • The Normal Heart, National Theatre (Olivier) - Alastair Coomer
  • To Kill a Mockingbird, Gielgud Theatre - Serena Hill

 Best Child Casting (All Media) 

  • Belfast -  Lucy Bevan & Emily Brockmann, Katie Brydon (Associate)
  • Bugsy Malone The Musical, UK Tour  - Verity Naughton, Nicholas Hockaday (Assistant)
  • Frozen The Musical, Theatre Royal Drury Lane - Verity Naughton, Nicholas Hockaday (Assistant)
  • My Name is Leon - Aisha Bywaters
  • School of Rock The Musical, UK Tour - Verity Naughton, Nicholas Hockaday (Assistant)

Congratulations to you all of the nominees!

Winners will be announced at the ceremony, headline sponsored by EON Productions, which will take place on 22 February in London.

The nominated productions premiered between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022 and have been selected by members of the Casting Directors’ Guild.

Photo credit: Nick Stevens