Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New Jersey Drive with executive producer Spike Lee and director Nick Domez. I auditioned every rapper from Biggie Smalls to Tupac, and I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director, I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in that room. Now I know, I know actors want to get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful. And now it's time for meditation of the day. If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. When I was a kid, I used to question the subjects I had to take. I couldnot understand the relevance of algebra. I hated the subject. One day, I was in class and it came to me. I used my brains and solved a problem right there. In that very moment, I understood why I needed algebra in
my life. Whether you understand it now, know that in some way everything you learn is soon to be applied in your life. Today I will grasp all the knowledge and cherish it. Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. Need you guys to sit back you are. I can't even tell you the blessing that is before you right now. Not only is she an outstanding, award winning casting director, but she is a blessing as a beautiful, spiritual human being. Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to
stand up. I want you to put your hands together. For casting director extraordinaire Robbie Reeve.
Oh, thank you, thank you, sys. I appreciate you so much. And that was a beautiful intro.
Who is truth? Who is that? It is the truth? I have admired Robbie. There were two mentors in my head right when I first started casting. And please, audience, I want you to listen they wear in my hand. They didn't know this at the time, but it was Robbie Reid and Ruben Cannon. And I have the pleasure of telling Robbie because she blessed me with the gig and I've known her for years, So grateful to know her and just to know that we're going to go through.
And I want you guys to go to IMDb dot com right now, and I want you to put in Robbie's name, and I want you to see the credits because you have to do your due diligence on people that are on the show and know who's on the show.
Man.
We're going to start at the beginning. Robbie, how did you get started as a casting director? What led you into casting? And you are a legend in casting.
Well, let's see you when I was but a mere five year old when I started a business. Yes, she was, I'm really I knew so I wanted to cast at the age of fifteen, and I was exposed to it, you know, with my brother being a child actor, and so I would a company my parents on his auditions and while they were parking the car, I would go inside with him to check him in and one day I asked the reception is who is he going to see behind that door? And they said, well, that's the
casting director. And I was like, oh, well, what does the casting director do? And that was the first explanation and exposure and that just was a light bulb that went off. I was like, oh, that sounds like something I would love to do too. So that's where it was birthed. And then from there. I was always an avid reader, and I was reading a book, I couldn't start it without putting attaching actors to the characters, not even realizing I was casting.
And that's where it began.
After college, I went to Hampton HBCU shout out.
And then my daughter went to the other HU Howard. Oh Hu, Yes, you.
Guys did advice and I love it.
But so right after Hampton, you know, I just pursued it and had, you know, kind of just went you know, when you really do believe in yourself, the lead that you're doing something your purpose to do was just like, you're fearless.
And I was that, you know, I wish I had some of that fearlessness.
Now really, you know, so caused it to the wind and I called everybody. I didn't know until somebody answered me, and that was Jackie Brown Carmen.
Oh love Jackie Brown.
Yes, and she gave me just really inspiration, you know. From mayor, I met Rubin who was also my mentor. Wow, and I turned with him for a short while and when it ended, you know, I just from there I became a production assistant movie called The Falcon and the Snowman. Oh I believe I said that I was fine though.
Yeah.
Then from there I met the casting director of the next film, Ellen Channel With who didn't have an assistant, and she hired me and that movie was called Sweet Dreams that starred Jessica Layne and Ed Harris. Wow, and I have been working since then. I met Spike soon there after, I went to at a casting company called McClinton Mail, where I got a lot of experience and right sort of in the middle of that two.
Year stint wasn't quite two years.
Actually, my best friend from Hampton, Ray Dowell, was in the She's Got a Habit and.
When she got she was given the script. I was the only person kind of in the business that.
She knew, right, so she called me and we were going over the contract and Spike was like, who is that that you're talking to, Well, that's my friend Robbie Reid, and one day you need to meet her.
And wow, they came, you know, and he.
Was in La for the La Film Festival, which for some reason was canceled that year. I don't remember why, but it was just a buying order because it really was us, you know, purpose to meet in that moment, right, and spent a fateful day together and you know, by the end of the evening he was like, one day, who knows you're going to cast one of my movies? And he wrote down his address and said keep in touch. And within a few months I had the script for School Days.
Wow. So you know, I worked with Spike in the later part, but in the beginning because I think I was one of the first people to see She's got to have it as an audience because it was there was a theater on twelfth Street between sixth Avenue and Fifth Avenue, I believe it was, and there were and they had like the film had just there was buzz on it and they were like, oh, you know, I was affiliated with the music business at that point, and so a lot of like uh Russell Simmons and Andre
Herrels and Guy rest Is Soul. All of those people were there, Nelson George's and that's when I saw it and I was like, oh my god, Like what Spike made me feel like in that moment was that he broke all of the rules in filmmaking. And I was like, you could do that, you could do that. So and I am And I always think of Spike as the Midas touch. I feel like he knows he has the sensibility of discovering talent and then also breathing life and
reinvention of talent. And so how was that in the beginning, like those early days school days? Because just from that film, we can list all of the people the working actors from there in terms of because he was a little unconventional in terms of you telling him ideas about you know, uh, you know, different actors that you wanted to submit to him. How open was he for that?
Oh my god.
I love working with Spike because of that openness was so collaboratives, so interesting.
I just did this.
Interview with Kim Coleman American Cinematigue where you know, they're honoring him, and we were just talking about our individual experiences. You know, I was the early part and she is now and he's the same. He's the same spike. He loves the process, which is amazing to find a co creator that loves casting as much as you do. Yeah, we were laughing at how you have to be on your toes because you knows actors, you know, and it'd.
Be like have you know, you know, have you seen? Yeah, but always open.
And the thing that I love, which is what he loves too, is and the part about the job that I love is being able to give people opportunities you know, and get and giving.
Them a path way that gets.
The closer to their dream, you know, and that casting does that and always open for looking, you know, for the raw talent or giving people their first breaks, you know, a history of it.
So it's great working with him.
I also love the fact that again and if you all go back to IMDb dot com and just reference some of the credit in terms of do the right thing and mo better Blues, Oh my god, I fellow love we Bad Blues.
Again.
A lot of these actors this was maybe their first job or you know, this was definitely the momentum into their career. As a working actor, what's that thing that stands out to you? Unfortunately we don't have live auditions anymore so the self tape world. But you know what, what are some things that actors really need to know about what is going to in the self tape world.
What's going to make them stand out? Because on a job that you know I just finished, we got like anywhere from nine hundred and twenty seven to fifteen hundred submissions per character. That's not humanly possible for Elsa and I to look at all of that. What's that thing that they need to do?
Oh wow, that's a good question. Well, first of all, I'm gonna believe God that we get back to some form of what it was, because to me, there's nothing like.
Being in the room. You know, old school. I don't care.
I'm old school too, Robbie. I'm with you.
I mean.
And even though I love, as many people know, open casting calls, you know, I was still doing them every year and just had done one this past time, well for the Uptown mini series got rest Andre and we were just in Dallas together in January.
Yeah, hundreds upon hundreds of people. But anyway, I think the best thing that anyone can do now with.
The self tape is to give no reason for us to look at anything in the tape.
But you you know, so.
Having your setup, you know, because it is like the.
Way of the way of things now, they are not as many.
Excuses for it to not be perfect. So clost the perfect as you can get. And we know how the internet can be, you know, spotty, yanky or whatever on any day. But at least have your your lighting, your background, your sound. Those are the things you want to have perfect it, you know, if it means you got to shut up and just practice it every day, so you know, wherever in your house, yeah, you know, wherever you might be, it's a spot.
And if the sound is weird, put some egg cartons on the wall. Whatever you do. Invest in you. It's what you have and preparation, you know. So and because again it's a camera and it's like this, you know, reading sites or whatever.
It's going to be hard for us to always get you know, the best look at you.
It's okay, but try to be off book.
And work out whoever is your seeing partner, you know, whether you've recorded it, you know, or that person's on the phone or just as long as the sound is as good as it can be, because if it's not, those things really are distracting and it takes.
Away from you.
Yeah, And I have to concur because one of the challenges that I had was because being old school, I'm used to reading. I love reading with actors, that's my saying. But the readers and these self tapes, I just have to stress they have to get people who can read it's it's I had three different scenarios. I have the reader who could not read, which was extremely distracting from your performance. And then I had the reader who was upstaging. Yeah, the person who was audition and I was like, Okay,
who's is this? And you know, and then the parent, you know, who doesn't have any clue and they're just you know, trying the best that they can. And I just highly recommend that people, like you said, either tape it or get a fellow actor to come in and read with you, you know, because you're you're jeopardizing our eyes on you and now we're all over the place. Like you said, do you find because I think that classes teach actors the craft. But this is also a
business too. How important is it for actors to understand the terminology the job, like what your job as a casting director? What an agent? How important is it for them to know the business of show business.
It's called show business for a reason, right, It is of the utmost importance that you know everything about this business.
You know who?
You know what executives mean at a studio as opposed to what executives mean at a network.
You know where I used to say, no, who's in the room, it's still now who's in your zoom room?
You know?
Who are you reading for? What can you find out about them? What credits? You know?
So you if you're given an opportunity to have a conversation, then you might have you know, something real interesting and unexpected to talk about, you know.
But it is business.
So knowing you know where you are where you make the investment. So you know, right now everything's virtual, so you can literally be anywhere and work right from anywhere.
But just really think.
About how invested are you and then you know again, like just getting the proper equipment for your self tape, that's an investment, you know, And so if it means you've got to put some money aside, you know, and not do something else to do it.
It's worth it. It's your livelihood.
You know, and investing in your your craft and studying and just keeping your tools as sharpened as they can be, you know. And then there are all kinds of classes online that will teach you the business about the business of show, you know, and it's really worth it, you know, and knowing just really what everyone's role is.
It's important people who just kind of wake up and decide this.
Is what they want to do, you know, they're they're just not ready, you know, And when opportunity nots, you want to be ready. And having all that information will be helpful. It might not seem like it at the beginning, but it is. You can't know too much.
I want to talk to the parents. I got so many questions, but I want to talk to the parents right now because the challenge that I have right in coaching some children or teenagers. The parents will say to me, oh, you know, I want my child to make it. Oh I need my child. Meanwhile, I'll say to them when they send me the information, did you read the breakdown?
You know?
Did you read who the executive producer, the writer, the director, the casting director are and they'll say no, and I'm like, this is the thing you want your child to make it, you want your child to move their career long, but you don't even do the due diligence on who your child is in front of. That's a blessing, you know what I mean. It's they're standing in front of Robbie Reid and they're like, oh, I got to get things moving, my god, know who Robbie Reid is?
You know.
So I suggest to parents all the time to take classes to understand the business for their child because if they're if they have anxiety, they're passing that into their child. What are some things that you would say to parents who are you know, desperately seeking stardom for their children?
You know, well, I think first know that your child really does want to do it, and you are not forcing them, as.
I see that a lot. You know they're and you know, you know immediately they're different.
Ye. So, and I think when when kids are really interested, they ask, you know, they ask for it, and then you'll see too where they just you know, kind of are you know, they're inclined you know, on to it, and I can I also tell parents to just let kids be kids. So they've got a lot of natural, really great natural raw instincts, and sometimes parents can over reheards, you know, in preparation for an audition, and that kills it.
As you know, when when we cast kids, we want the kids to be kids and be yeah.
You know as it can. Right, So there's that, and uh, what.
Else if i'm again, I think just continuing to check in with your child to make sure it's something, to make sure it's something that they want to do and not something that the parent is on them, I.
Think said as actors, you know, and especially looking at a lot of self tapes recently, can you tell actors that listening and reacting is a part of the whole process as well? How does that play into their performance?
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you've got to be in the scene so so you know, acting it should be as natural as it can be.
So it's like you're having a conversation.
If you are listening and really in a conversation and actively listening, you're waiting to hear what the person has say before you can answer them right and non anticipate what they're saying, right, No, immediately when that happens, and we know it in a scene when an actor anticipates the line because it's not connected, you know that the reaction isn't real or it's not natural, right, it just feels like interacting, right, So yes, listening and then reacting is really important.
Excellent. So while we're doing this self tape for now, how do you in this zoom sort of age, how are you discovering quote unquote talent? You know, I know, maybe through self tape, but are there other ways? Like is there an email that actors or is there some actors can follow you somewhere and submit to you.
Oh, for sure, I have an email.
It's b ET Casting and b et.
Com dot com.
Okay, e T Casting at b e T dot com. And then also they can send me info at casting by Robbie read at gmail dot com.
Okay. I want to emphasize these things for the actors because you know, I mean, we're there's it's a different world. Now. You can go on YouTube and scan that if you have time and side.
I want to say, one more thing to do is post a monologue and tag me.
Yeah, post monologue and tag me.
At I am Robbie Reid on that on Instagram.
And Twitter I am you read, don't you know a minute?
One minute? Yeah, because when we were in real life, two minutes saves log right, But on it's.
Great, I mean, oh my god, yeah, I mean you really can see it all of my open casting calls that have done in the last five years. You know, some people coming, they get one minute to show whatever talent they have.
You want to show me you can sing?
Use your people did singing, acting and dancing in a minute.
Yeah, yeah, No, you're right, You're absolutely right. I want to acknowledge to our audience that Robbie has an Emmy award, you guys like it's somewhere in her house. She got an Emmy, Okay, And and is are you the first African American Robbie.
Yes, I am the first African American to being nominated and win an Emmy for casting.
Yes, that's major, that's just I mean when you were the year you were nominated for HBO to Skeigee Airman, I was, you know, just indirectly, just you know, I was rooting you on, and I just remember it being such a huge deal in our community. Casting Tracy Villar, Tracy Runcy Wins Sinclair, we were all like Robbie right,
such a great accomplishment and an amazing project. Amazing project and how timely in a way where I heard last night on CNN one of the uhmen, but they were speaking of the Cuskegee Airmen and they were saying, how this is why black people are skeptical about vaccinations because of what you did. Yeah, so last night I was like, wow, Robbie cast that it got to Ivy looking crazy, and that's where we are today, you know, trying to trust
the government and giving us a accipen. So you know, but you guys, I think that for me, it was groundbreaking when you won the award. It just felt like, wow, we could get awards, you know, so proud, thank you, so proud that you have that award there. Also, I did want to acknowledge the spiritual side, since you know
this is the spiritual actor. But I have tapped in with you and Devon Franklin, my lord actors, and I always say actors need to be able to retreat somewhere for peace, and can you tell us how that started? And you know what led you to do that?
Wow?
Well, let's see it's doctor Holly Carter and I who's you know, Holly is a producer.
Been doing amazing work lately.
God, it's just really blowing her all the way up and all the way live. Clay and I have been friends for over twenty years and we managed Kirk Franklin together. Actually, yeah, over twenty years ago. She was the agent, I was the manager and.
It was awesome and we're all still friends. Kirk Kirk is our brother.
So Holly and I were on a retreat, a women's retreat spiritual and both of us was in the mountains and we both were, you know, given a word and it was put on our heart to start a Bible study for people in the industry. And you know, we were burdened with that, you know, because it was truly heaven sent, and we attempted.
We were like, okay, all right, God, this is how we'll do it. We'll just do it at lunchtime.
And we see a few people at lunch and we tried to bring other people in, and of course that didn't work because God was like.
Now what I did, you didn't do We On June no.
May twelfth, two thousand and seven, I opened the doors of my house and we had our first Bible study and send.
God gave me the name of Sin exclamation point VI.
And you know, people just came to my house every fourth, every fourth Tuesday of the month.
It was just beautiful.
Lives were saved, change, people got married, industry, and we had a wonderful woman pastor out Via Sims, who was the speaker and teacher for the first several years, seven years, and then she, you know, something happened in her schedule. She wasn't as available and pastor to Ray Roberts and Devon Franklin then became our speakers and it just you know, just had a natural progression. You know, it was de
Vaughn and we've been going strong. I mean, so twenty two thousand and seven, what are we at?
This is thirteen Wow, you know.
It to be out through my house and you know, because we knew we had to open the doors wind up.
Yeah, now you know.
It's virtually everywhere.
In fact, we have we'll be sitting out in a flyer because we're going to do it next Tuesday.
Okay, I'm going to put it on the Instagram and I want to put it on my because it's just a blessing. Like I just think that that's the part for me, that is the human connection and just your love and generosity, because especially now you know what I think about the Broadway actors, and I just think about just people in general. You know, people need a hug, and this feels like the first time I went in, I just felt like a hug. I felt like, oh man,
this feels good for your spirits. So kudos to you guys and all of you actors and just people in general who are listening. You should really check on my Instagram the Spirited Actor, because I'm going to be posting it and we're posting it everywhere. So, Asbrus said, twenty eight minutes flew by, and we are at the end, and I'm so sad because I never get to see Robbie. Only in September now when we have Urban World.
Oh gosh, that was.
That's okay, we're coming back. I know we're coming back.
They are and it's a big year, right yeah, yeah, yeah.
I believe that if you could just leave our audience with some diamonds and pearls, because you gave us a lot, but if you could give us a few more that they need on this journey towards their dreams.
Well, I think the main thing I love to leave people with is this, and it really is my mantra because it truly is the truth, and that is whoever is supposed to be in the movie will end up with the movie.
Whoever is supposed to have the role.
Will end up with the role, which means what's for you is for you. So the best thing you can do, when given opportunities is to win the room, not the role.
Leave an impression.
So when your moment comes, you will get it because if it's yours and your name is on it, that means nobody else will have it.
You, guys, believe that it's the God's truth.
For you.
That's I mean, that's for actors. But I receive that and I know everybody on this podcast received it as well. Amen. I told you, guys, I told you that this was going to be it. I told you. Now you can levitate through your day because this is all you need. This is all you need right now. Robbie, when I say, I am grateful and I feel so blessed to know you all these DearS and to be you are my soul sister for real, my soul sister. And we go have that book sued, right, Robbie.
Yes, yes, I'll come back and talk about it.
Robbie, I got an agent for you. I already have a literary agent for you and everything set up.
I'm telling you, okay, okay, that's comprehended it.
I'm just going to email you that's it, and then I'm going to allow God to work in God's ways.
Look at him, he's already working.
Okay. Amen, Amen, ladies and gentlemen, once again, put your hands together for casting director Spiritual be extraordinariy Robbie Reed.
Thank you, thank you so much.
Thank you, Robbie, thank you, And we will be back on the Spirited Actor Podcast with you know my favorite segment, Class in Session. Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Trey see More. And we are at class in session and class and session is where we play. And we are still blessed and you are still blessed to have guesting director Robbie read on. And so we have our two spirit Actor alumni. We have Lian Amato, who is also Robbie. I call her our writer in
residence because she writes all the scenes. Lian and we have to Melissa Capri. Heay, and thank you Elsa for reading the direction. So we're going to start by reading the scene, and then after Robbie, whatever feedback criticism, you can just jump in and give it to him. Okay, all right, everybody ready, Okay, else it's on you.
He's for everybody. Written by Lean A Model exterior Keith South's front door day. Lisa rings the doorbell, surprised to see Michelle answer the door.
Hi, I'm gonna say to get the rest of my stuff.
Michelle opens the door and steps out the way for her. Lisa obviously knows where she's going.
You don't have anything you want to say to me?
Do you expect me to have something to say to you?
No, I'm shocked that you could even face me right now. But I realized the character of who is that I'm talking.
To, Blert. It's not like you wanted to be here, Lisa, Great. I mean, how could you be mad at the next one for stepping up someone was going to do it.
When the next one was the one who knew what was going on all along. That's foul as hell.
Michelle, you knew everything that I was dealing with. How could you use that against me and then slide your way in. That's some thirsty ass shit looking for a come up. Lisa proceeds to get her stuff. Michelle grabs her arm to stop her. Lisa pulls back.
Let's say what you want, Lisa, but this it's not place now, So please get your stuff and step out. Respect me.
Oh my god, I think that you're forgetting who did Who's wrong here?
He could go please and you're gonna see that figure damn self.
But when someone that I consider closer than family betrays me like this and you're making me feel wrong about it, it's really fucked up, Michelle.
So it wasn't meant to go this way. I mean, you know me better than that. It a'll just it happened.
What happened to God doesn't like ugly Mama.
She deserves a hell of a lot more than what you have to give me, more than you wanted to get.
He was just so concerned with getting yourself together this whole time.
Let's be honest. Most of all, she deserved kids, and you knew that. Who come at me like that?
It's really low, Michelle Slow.
She does deserve it, but he didn't need it from my best friend, it's all good.
You'll see, Sis has asked time.
They both noticed Keith pulled into the driveway. Lisa walks out with her stuff, passing him, both playing like they don't care. He walks into greet Michelle, who's smiling at him as he proceeds in on the phone, distracted yet confused at what he just saw.
And good ladies, Okay, all right, good scene. Okay, So I'm just gonna throw it to you, Robbie, and whatever you feel, it is great.
And I believe both of you.
The thing that for me, I'm always looking for someone to make me forget that I'm watching them act right. So you guys immediately drew me in, you know, because you approached it from a very truthful, honest place.
This is hard.
So it was, you know, it was believable.
You're you know, I could hear you your projection.
Like you did everything right, and then the characters.
You were believable in those characters.
So do you know as a from from a casting, you know, point of view, I could see where you would be cast in that role, and you would be cast in that role, she Lisa.
So that's also an important thing, So thank you.
Thanks, Wow, yeah, and I have to say with because I've known both of them, but they both are so they do their due diligence and their craft. And one thing I wrote down and put exclamations they invest in themselves. So thank you Robbie, because when you said that, I was like, that is what so I always like to they have all the information, right, ladies, you took down Robbie Reid, BT casting all of that right, and.
You leave photos sen it to me.
Yay, all right, well, once again I want my audience to put their hands together and again you guys had a tremendous blessing. So I just blow sprinkle dust and pray that you take it with you because these are the nuggets that you need on your journey, and especially from someone like casting director Robbie Reid and producer. Thank you so much for Robby. Once to you, Thank you and thank you, and we'll be back on the Spirited Actor podcast with me Tracy Moore and we're going to
give love. And now it's time to give love. You guys need to get fired up. I need people to get fired up. I need you to jump out of your bed in the morning, be grateful that you're standing on your own two feet. I need you to get fired up by your life. I need you to get fired up by the possibilities. I need you to get fired up with your dreams and dream big. If you're going to do it, dream big. Don't edit your dreams. Don't even get yourself involved in how it's going to
happen or when it's going to happen. Just be fired up that it can happen. I need you to be fired up about twenty twenty one. Yes, we've all had challenges, and it's been long, and it's been dark, and there have been moments of doubt and fear. But it's a brand new day. It's a brand new time. And if we focus all our thoughts into getting fired up about this new year, embracing it with new hope, new vision, and new possibilities, we can live a very peaceful, abundant
and happy life. Get fired up because it's not promised to us, and what is promised, You need to live your life with fire. Thank you for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next Spirited podcast. Thank you,