The Conversation

Top female casting directors in the UK and India chat to Kim Chakanetsa about fighting for the actors they want in a film, their proudest casting moments, and the painful job of telling someone they didn't get the part. Nina Gold is the woman behind the casting of the HBO series Game of Thrones and the new Star Wars films. She has also cast Oscar-winning movies such as The King's Speech and The Theory of Everything as well as countless TV drama series in the UK and US. She says she loves to unearth and push forward new young talent. Her work has been recognised by BAFTA with a special award in 2016. Nandini Shrikent is one of India's top casting directors. Based at the heart of Bollywood in Mumbai, she cast the lead actor for the multi-award winning film Life of Pi, as well as numerous home-grown movies including Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. She says casting the smaller parts is actually the real test of skill - finding the perfect actor for a walk-on role can be tougher than casting a big romantic lead. (L) Nina Gold (credit: Teri Pengilley) and (R) Nandini Shrikent (credit: Nandini Shrikent)