Casting director Robert Stern worked on the hit Netflix drama “The Crown” for all six seasons — and even though the show has ended, he still gets asked about acting opportunities. “I still get messages saying, ‘Please, can I be Meghan Markle?’” he says. “And I think, ‘Well, that moment has passed.’”
While the acclaimed show has just ended, for Stern the journey began nine years ago. “It started with us sitting around a table talking about it, and now here we are,” says the UK-based director, who has worked closely with series creator Peter Morgan throughout. “We were discussing how it would work, and the idea of recasting every two years. I think that was better than using layers of makeup. It was an experiment in many ways.”
It was a worthwhile achievement; in its six seasons, The Crown has won 21 Emmys, and it finds itself nominated for 19 more this year — including six for its cast and a nod to Stern himself in the drama category.
Stern, who has also worked on projects like “Game of Thrones” and “Chernobyl,” has a history of discovering exciting new faces, as well as hiring established actors. When an actor comes into his audition room (whether via Zoom or in real life), he feels it’s his duty to help them navigate that creative journey, noting that “this is their time and their space, and we need to make sure they’re giving their best.”
Although I refuse to believe that The Crown is over, how do I feel when I look back on these six seasons?
It's really a great feeling of satisfaction. From the beginning, the plan was to do six seasons, and we've managed to do that. And I think we've found some amazing actors who have really brought out the best in us. And it's been exciting to discover some things along the way and see the young people fly, and… you see their names on the side of the bus now, and you cheer them on. It's great.
When the show started, I'll admit I was nervous about changing the cast because that first group of actors was so great.
Of course. If you watch a show, you interact with the people who do it. But I thought it was a really interesting way to tell the lives of these characters by changing them every two years. And people become different people at different stages of their lives.
The film had a good mix of established actors and some new faces, like Emma Corrin or Claire Foy. Were you given carte blanche and told to just find the best person?
It was about who would be the most interesting person to play a particular role. I worked with Claire Foy on Wolf Hall when she played Anne Boleyn, and she was amazing. I have to say, I think Claire had the hardest job of anyone on the whole project, because I think she had to set the tone for the whole project, and that's not an easy task. And I think what she was able to achieve was really special. What Claire did was make everyone fall in love with that character and completely immerse themselves in her and her calmness and all of her thoughts, she made this unknown person so accessible.
Peter Morgan is a visionary creative – what was it like collaborating with him?
The best thing for a casting director is to have good, clear lines of communication with writers and directors because he can better meet their needs. Peter is very kind, articulate, intelligent and precise in his thinking. He gives you a lot of information about the characters – how he sees them and what their function is in the story.
What was the hardest role you chose in season five or six – since I see them as a continuation of each other?
It's hard to say. Sometimes you think it's going to be a straightforward role but it's not. For some reason, we had a hard time finding Andrew Morton, Diana's biographer. We eventually found Andrew Steele in Northern Ireland and he was fantastic. I think when you're looking for teenagers who aren't known – as William, Kate and Harry were – it's always a challenge.
How did you find this generation of royals with William, Harry and Kate Middleton? Did you know in advance who was cast?
No, we did a very extensive search. We looked at the standard casting agencies and then we looked at drama groups all over the country, we did a search on social media. It was completely open. Meg Belme, who was cast as Kate, was working at Legoland in Windsor when she saw the advert. We were determined to keep it completely open and meet everyone.
This is a broad question, but when it comes to submitting a tape, actors want to know how they stand out. What do you want them to know, even if it seems simple?
Obviously we want to be able to see you, hear you, and not have anything distracting you in the background. But you're not looking for a finished product on tape, you're looking for a spark of something. You're looking for someone who has made a connection. And sometimes it's as simple as a look in their eyes.
What if they were in the room working with you?
In general, I don't think it's my job to dictate to people a lot of do's and don'ts. I want to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable enough to be creative and start embodying characters. Especially on “The Crown,” when you're embodying very famous characters, you want to know what works for the person. So I would say go with your gut and don't do it like you think we want it or expect it to be.
I find it interesting when people feel a connection to the writing or the character, and you can see that. I remember when I cast Erin Doherty to play Princess Anne – she watched a lot of YouTube footage and said, “I know this woman. I know how to do this.” And then she suddenly came along and connected to the character in her own way.
You've been cast in many projects, and I'm sure that when an actor auditions for you, it's not just one role – you'll remember it in the future.
This happened a lot on The Crown , actually. There was the famous actress Elizabeth Debicki, who ended up playing Princess Diana, but she came in to play a different role early on in the series. But it was very clear to everyone in the room, “We have to wait because something is coming.” And it worked out very well.
