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Sarah Halley Finn

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Sarah Halley Finn
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
  • Casting Director
  • Producer
Years active1997–present

Sarah Halley Finn is an American casting director and producer. With well over 100 feature films and multiple awards to her credit, she is best known for casting the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe – the most successful film franchise of all time.[1][2] She also cast Oscar winning Best Picture Everything Everywhere All at Once, which also won three out of four acting categories at the 95th Academy Awards: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress – a feat only achieved twice before, and not since 1976. Other works include Oscar-winning films Black Panther; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; and Crash; all of which earned Finn the Casting Society of America’s highest honor, the Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting.[3][4][5] Those films also won the prestigious SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2023 Finn was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Casting and won the Artios Zeitgeist award for her work on Everything Everywhere All At Once.[6] In 2022, she received two Primetime Emmy nominations for her work casting WandaVision and The Mandalorian.[7]

Career

Finn's collaboration with Marvel Studios includes 36 films and 16 shows to date.[8] In 2006, she was hired to cast the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film, Iron Man, and cast Robert Downey Jr. in the titular role. [9] President of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, said "For all of our success in all of the films, it comes down to characters... The reason you care about those characters is because of the actors who portray them, and the reason those actors portray them is because at some point, Sarah Finn brought them to our attention.”[10] Jac Schaeffer, who Finn collaborated with on Emmy nominated WandaVision, said, "[Sarah] has such incredible instincts... [She] is really great at internalizing the writer's intention and then finding a new flavor for that: something that's unexpected for the audience and will feel special or unique."[8] Finn fought for Chris Pratt to land the role of Peter Quill,[11] pushed for Chris Hemsworth as Thor after his initial audition was rejected by higher-ups,[10] and, after observing his powerful and king-like presence during a prior audition for Drax the Destroyer, knew to highlight Chadwick Boseman for the role of T'Challa in Black Panther.[12]

Finn is also accustomed to finding completely unknown actors to fill roles in the MCU. After a lengthy, nationwide search and several rounds of auditions to find a Pakistani-Muslim teenager to play Ms. Marvel, then high school senior Iman Vellani won the role.[8] When asked about her experience being cast Vellani said, "[Finn] looked out for me in a way that I didn't think was normal for most casting directors... She would literally call me and run lines with me and give me notes [before auditions]... Even after I got the part, I was dealing with so much imposter syndrome, and her advice is what grounded me and allowed me to trust my instincts.”[8] Similarly, Dominique Thorne (MCU's Ironheart) described Finn as an "advocate of mine, supporting me and what I was doing."[13]

Beyond Marvel, Finn cast and is consulting producer on the Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, created by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.[8] She also cast The Book of Boba Fett and is prepping other projects with LucasFilm for Disney+ including Ahsoka and more.[14]

Other upcoming projects include AGBO films Extraction 2 and The Electric State.[14] Finn also cast and produced the upcoming independent film One True Loves, [15] based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Recently released projects include Everything, Everywhere All at Once from The Daniels – which earned Finn a BAFTA nomination[6] – The Gray Man from the Russo brothers, and the Lionsgate/Showtime series The First Lady, directed by Susanne Bier and for which Finn was also a co-producer.[14]

Some of Finn's past credits include: Jon Favreau's comedy, Chef; Oliver Stone's drama, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; Martin McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths and Shane Black’s The Nice Guys; sports films Miracle, Coach Carter, She's the Man, and Blue Crush; animated films The Little Prince, The Jungle Book (2016), and The Lion King (2019); and action films such as Fast & Furious and Kick-Ass. [14]

A graduate of Yale University[8][16] and member of AMPAS (Executive Committee, Casting Branch),[17] Sarah has served on the Executive Board of Women in Film (WIF) and is on the Board of Advisors for the Master Class educational series. [16][18] She is also a member of the Ensemble Studio Theatre.[19]

Awards and nominations

Select awards and nominations
Awards and nominations
Award
Wins
Nominations
0
1
0
2
6
19
1
1
Totals[a]
Wins7
Nominations23
Note
  1. ^ Certain award groups do not simply award one winner. They acknowledge several different recipients, have runners-up, and have third place. Since this is a specific recognition and is different from losing an award, runner-up mentions are considered wins in this award tally. For simplification and to avoid errors, each award in this list has been presumed to have had a prior nomination.

Finn garnered a 2023 BAFTA nomination for Best Casting in recognition of her work on Everything Everywhere All at Once. In 2021, Finn was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Wandavision) and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (The Mandalorian).[20][21] She has also been nominated numerous times by the Casting Society of America, winning for The Lion King, Crash, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Black Panther, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Everything Everywhere All At Once.[22][23]

Since the addition of The Zeitgeist category at the Artios Awards in 2019, Finn has won 3 out of 4 times. [24]

Other awards include the Hollywood Critics Association Award for Best Casting (Everything Everywhere All At Once), and the Action Icon Special Achievement Award.[25]

Filmography

Selected film credits

Year Title Casting Director Producer Notes
1998 Paulie Yes No
1999 Varsity Blues Yes No
1999 200 Cigarettes Yes No
1999 Double Jeopardy Yes No
2000 Mission: Impossible II Yes No
2001 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Yes No
2001 Life as a House Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama
2001 Crazy/Beautiful Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama
2002 The Scorpion King Yes No
2002 Blue Crush Yes No
2002 You Stupid Man Yes No
2003 Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Yes No
2003 S.W.A.T. Yes No
2004 Miracle Yes No
2004 Walking Tall Yes No
2004 A Cinderella Story Yes No
2004 Crash Yes Co-producer Won – Artios Award for Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama; Won – Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble
2005 Coach Carter Yes No
2005 Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm School Yes Co-producer Nominated – Artios Award for Best Independent Feature Film Casting
2005 Ice Princess Yes No
2005 Dreamer Yes No
2006 She's the Man Yes No
2006 The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift Yes No
2006 The Guardian Yes No
2006 Home of the Brave Yes No
2007 In the Valley of Elah Yes No
2008 Quid Pro Quo Yes Co-producer
2008 Vantage Point Yes No
2008 Never Back Down Yes No
2008 Iron Man Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio Feature - Drama
2008 W. Yes No
2009 Hotel for Dogs Yes No
2009 Race to Witch Mountain Yes No
2009 Fast & Furious Yes No
2009 Couples Retreat Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Big Budget Feature - Comedy
2010 Kick-Ass Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Feature - Studio or Independent Comedy
2010 Iron Man 2 Yes No
2010 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Yes No
2010 Tron: Legacy Yes No
2011 Thor Yes No
2011 Captain America: The First Avenger Yes No
2011 Cowboys & Aliens Yes No
2012 Safe House Yes No
2012 The Avengers Yes No
2012 Seven Psychopaths Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio or Independent Feature - Comedy
2013 Iron Man 3 Yes No
2013 Thor: The Dark World Yes No
2014 Chef Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio or Independent Feature - Comedy
2014 Captain America: The Winter Soldier Yes No
2014 Godzilla Yes No
2014 Guardians of the Galaxy Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Big Budget Feature - Comedy
2014 As Above, So Below Yes No
2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron Yes No
2015 The Little Prince Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Animation Feature
2015 Ant-Man Yes No
2016 The Jungle Book Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Animation Feature
2016 Captain America: Civil War Yes No
2016 The Nice Guys Yes No
2016 Doctor Strange Yes No
2017 Kong: Skull Island Yes No
2017 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Big Budget Feature - Comedy
2017 Spider-Man: Homecoming Yes No
2017 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Yes No Won – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio or Independent Feature - Drama; Nominated – British Independent Film Award for Best Casting
2017 Thor: Ragnarok Yes No
2018 Black Panther Yes No Won – Artios Zeitgeist Award
2018 Pacific Rim: Uprising Yes No
2018 Avengers: Infinity War Yes No
2018 Ant-Man and the Wasp Yes No
2018 Skyscraper Yes No
2018 The Predator Yes No
2019 Captain Marvel Yes No
2019 Avengers: Endgame Yes No
2019 Pokémon: Detective Pikachu Yes No
2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters Yes No
2019 Spider-Man: Far From Home Yes No
2019 The Lion King Yes No Won – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Animation Feature
2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold Yes No
2019 Mosul Yes No
2021 Godzilla vs. Kong Yes No
2021 Black Widow Yes No
2021 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Big Budget Feature - Comedy
2021 Eternals Yes No
2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home Yes No Won – Artios Zeitgeist Award
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once Yes No Won – Artios Zeitgeist Award; Won – Hollywood Critics Association for Best Casting Director; Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Casting; Nominated – Black Reel Award for Outstanding Ensemble
2022 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Yes No
2022 Thor: Love and Thunder Yes No
2022 The Gray Man Yes No
2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Yes No Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Big Budget Feature - Drama
2023 One True Loves Yes Producer
2023 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Yes No

Selected television credits

Year Title Casting Director Producer No. of Episodes Notes
2015 Agent Carter Yes No 8 episodes
2018 Deadly Class Yes No 1 episode
2019 – 2020 Emergence Yes No 9 episodes
2013 – 2020 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Yes No 100 episodes
2021 WandaVision Yes Consulting Producer 9 episodes Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie; Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Limited Series
2021 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Yes Consulting Producer 6 episodes
2021 Hawkeye Yes Consulting Producer 6 episodes
2021 What If...? Yes Consulting Producer 8 episodes (as CD), 9 episodes (as consulting producer)
2021 Loki Yes Consulting Producer 6 episodes (as CD), 6 episodes (as consulting producer)
2021 – 2022 The Book of Boba Fett Yes Consulting Producer 7 episodes
2022 Moon Knight Yes Consulting Producer 6 episodes (as CD), 3 episodes (as consulting producer)
2019 – 2022 The Mandalorian Yes Consulting Producer 16 episodes Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series; Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Pilot and First Season - Drama; Nominated – Artios Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Television Series - Drama
2022 The First Lady Yes Co-producer 5 episodes
2022 Ms. Marvel Yes No 6 episodes
2022 She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Yes No 9 episodes
2022 Werewolf by Night Yes Consulting Producer TV special
2022 The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Yes Consulting Producer TV special
2023 Secret Invasion Yes No 6 episodes
2023 Ironheart Yes No 6 episodes
2023 Echo Yes No
2023 Agatha: Coven of Chaos Yes No 9 episodes

References

  1. ^ Anderson, Brian. "10 Highest-Grossing Movie Franchises Of All Time". CBR. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "Top Lifetime Grosses". Box Office Mojo.
  3. ^ "2005 Artios Awards". Casting Society. The Casting Society of America.
  4. ^ "34th Artios Award Winners". Casting Society. The Casting Society of America.
  5. ^ "33rd Artios Award Winners". Casting Society. The Casting Society of America.
  6. ^ a b "2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards: The Nominations". BAFTA.
  7. ^ "Awards Nominees and Winners 2021".
  8. ^ a b c d e f Goldstein, Jessica M. "Holding Out For A Hero". Marie Claire.
  9. ^ Kemp, Sam. "See Robert Downey Jr's first audition tape for 'Iron Man'". Far Out Mag.
  10. ^ a b "Sarah Finn Assembled the Avengers in Real Life — and the Entirety of the MCU Kevin Feige shares how the casting director's vision has shaped cinema's biggest franchise". IndieWire. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  11. ^ "MCU: 5 Roles That Were Perfectly Cast (& 5 Actors Who Almost Played Them)".
  12. ^ "Why Chadwick Boseman Was Always the 'Unanimous' Choice for Black Panther".
  13. ^ "Before She Was Ironheart, She Was Almost Shuri. Meet Dominique Thorne, Marvel's Newest Hero".
  14. ^ a b c d "Sarah Finn IMDb Page". IMDb.
  15. ^ "One True Loves IMDb Page". IMDb.
  16. ^ a b "From Yale to Hollywood: A Fireside Chat with Casting Director Sarah Finn". Alumni.Yale.
  17. ^ Kilday, Gregg. "AMPAS adds to its roster". The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. ^ "Ep. 20: Sarah Finn: Superhero of Casting". The BGB Studio.
  19. ^ "Ensemble Studio Theatre Member Artists". Ensemble Studio Theatre. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  20. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 11, 2021). "'WandaVision' Wins First Emmys For Marvel Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  21. ^ "Emmy".
  22. ^ "Artios Awards: 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,' 'Jojo Rabbit' Among Casting Society Winners".
  23. ^ "Casting Society Artios Awards: 'Encanto,' 'Don't Look Up,' 'CODA' and 'Zola' Among Winners".
  24. ^ "Artios Award Archives". CSA. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  25. ^ "Action Icon 2022 Honorees". Action Icon Awards.
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