FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 17, 2020
CASTING SOCIETY OF AMERICA PRESENTS
A TOWN HALL CONVERSATION WITH AND FOR MILITARY VETERAN ACTORS
HOSTED BY MONTEL WILLIAMS
The Commitment to Equity in Entertainment in Casting Initiative Virtual Event to be held Wednesday, September 30
Today, Casting Society of America announces a virtual town hall conversation for MILITARY VETERAN ACTORS hosted by Montel Williams will be held on Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 pm EDT/3:30 pm PDT. This town hall is part of CSA’s Commitment to Equity in Entertainment in Casting Initiative, a series of conversations designed to effect concrete change in how actors in historically underrepresented communities are afforded access to job opportunities.
Interested participants must RSVP via SignUpGenius.
A panel of Military Veteran actors and casting directors and talent agents will lead the event, including but not limited to Rosalie Joseph (Casting Director), Jason Kennedy (Casting Director), Tiauna Jackson (Talent Agent), Gail Williamson (Talent Agent), Jim Hackett (Actor), James Taku Leung (Actor), BJ Lange (Actor), Skye P. Marshall (Actor), Jennifer Marshall (Actor) and Hiram A. Murray (Actor).
“The Military Veterans Town Hall continues our commitment to provided open forums to connect our casting director members with underrepresented artists, including NAIA (Native American and Indigenous Actors), Trans and Non-binary actors, Performers with Disabilities, Seniors and MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African & South Asian) actors,” says Russell Boast, CSA president. “These important events help casting directors to discover new talent and to better cast authentically, with the ultimate goal of creating lasting change throughout the industry.”
“As a casting director of the NCIS franchise, we have been incredibly fortunate to work with numerous service members over the years. My hope is to help expand the same opportunities across the television and film spectrum. I think it goes without saying that we are thankful for the service of our military veterans and we are honored to be working with them as they pursue their dreams in entertainment. Our veterans bring a unique set of life experiences and skills to the craft, enriching characters with their own authenticity, perspective, and understanding. I believe it is our duty as entertainment professionals to recognize the often overlooked community of military veterans and enact the kind of change that will increase awareness, visibility, and opportunities for these dedicated men and women” says Jason Kennedy, CSA.
Actor Jennifer Marshall says, “For years, Military Veterans have found themselves portrayed on television and film in an often unflattering and sometimes exploitative light. Ensuring that veterans have an equal shot at accurate and fair representation on screen is a winning proposition for everyone. Being involved in the telling of our own stories brings authenticity and heart to the project. CSA has been instrumental in ensuring underrepresented actors are included in the storytelling process and our community is excited to see the effect this initiative will have on future projects and the industry as a whole.”
“It is an honor to get to know the Veteran acting community and to share my knowledge of the entertainment industry. Hearing the stories of many veterans and their experiences of having spent years in service while civilian actors were getting their start, has made an impact on me. By creating and holding the Veterans initiative, our goals are to fill the gap in training by creating opportunities, teaching successful business practices and offering tools to sharpen their audition techniques. We are very appreciative of our Veterans and owe them so much. We will be a better industry by making their talents, special skills, experiences and insights more visible in the media and beyond,” says Rosalie Joseph, CSA.
“As U.S. Military Veterans, we are the silent minority. The most important measure of the population in the country, the United States Census, which we just took in 2020, doesn’t even have a question to identify us. We signed a contract to defend this country with our life but we are overlooked and misunderstood by society. Many of us are even afraid to mention we are veterans on our resumes or at auditions. It is time we educate America through representation. We are grateful that CSA is giving us the opportunity to be heard and recognized as an integral and authentic part of the acting community and of the United States of America,” says actor James Taku Leung.
Talent Agent Tiauna Jackson adds, “Our nation’s military branches produce highly skilled, disciplined, and talented professionals. When it comes to the performing arts, Veterans are committed and dedicated to mastering the nuances of the craft. They show up prepared and bring authenticity to roles, mainly due to untraditional life experiences. I’m delighted that the CSA is consciously making time to shepherd our nation’s heroes as they navigate their entertainment careers.”