This is Diana (Diana Navarro) is featuring A-list Casting Director/Dramatic Arts Trainer Robert Russell, while celebrating His Birthday
This will be at the Fantastic Glass House Tavern in Manhattan’s Theater District.
When: Tuesday, October 5th--8:00 PM
Where: Glass House Tavern
252 W. 47th St (Between Broadway an 8th Ave, South Side of Street)
Who is Robert Russell?
"Robert Russell is Casting. Period."
Heather Auble Lansky, Casting Director
FOX Television NetworkLos Angeles , Ca.
"Robert Russell has the ability to bring out the best in a talent. Compared to other casting directors, he helps a talent dispel their fears and gives them the opportunity to truly express their talent and abilities. As a person, Robert has a genuine warmth and respect for others. He enjoys helping others achieve their goals and encourages them to go after their dreams."
Ellen Wasser-Hrin, DirectorMMA Management Inc.
Robert is one of the most respected Casting Director/Producer/Trainers in the entertainment business from coast to coast and is an asset to anyone's panel across the globe. With over 30 years under his belt, Russell has worked for such heavyweights as Warner Brothers/Telepictures, Mark Burnett, Abel Ferrara, Ben Silverman, Roy Bank (President of Television at Merv Griffin Entertainment), VH-1, and every major television network. He has cast everything from indie to feature films, test shows and countless pilots. Robert is often sought out by Executive Producer heavyweights Howard Schultz, Scott St. John, Gary Marks, George David Monas, Michael Canter, Brian Graden, Jeff Olde, Jacqui Pitman and Lois Clark Curran. His body of work in feature casting is astonishing. You name them... he's worked with them.
Russell comes from a long family line of successful people in the entertainment industry, and continues to be the family’s go-to Casting Director. Cousins Robin Antin is the creator/founder of The Pussycat Dolls and had major success with her reality show The Search For the Next Pussycat Doll on the CW. Jonathan Antin is the famous celebrity hairdresser to the stars who graced the Bravo Network with 3 seasons of his hit show Blowout. Steven Antin is a successful screenwriter/director who wrote and directed the feature film Burlesque with Cher and Christina Aguilera, in which Robert also did the initial casting. Steven also re-wrote the screenplay for the re-make of the feature film Gloria starring Sharon Stone. Steven also has an extensive body of work as a very successful actor in the 80's with screen credits such as The Accused, opposite Jodi Foster who won the Oscar for best actress and Steven Spielberg’s The Goonies. Robert's Aunt was the creative director at Motown for a great many years, and Neil Antin is a successful cameraman for Sony Pictures and shows like Extra and Inside Edition. In 1991 feature film Inside Monkey Zetterland, is a quirky comedy about Robert's family, starring Patricia Arquette, Martha Plimpton, Debi Mazar, Ricki Lake, Sandra Bernhard & Sofia Coppola.
In the reality TV world as far back as the 90's, Robert Russell is still well known as "The Go To Casting Guru" in NYC, and has been responsible for auditioning and casting such big money winners such as: Jay Overbye for ABC'S The Bachelor, Zora Andritch for FOX's hit Joe Millionaire, and back to back million dollar winners, Jenna Morasca and Ethan Zohn for CBS's Survivor. He was the remote Casting Director/Producer for 13 seasons of NYC open calls for the CBS hit show Big Brother, as well the NYC casting for FOX’s Mega Game Show The Moment of Truth. He has cast Nickelodeon's Hi Jinx, Mark Burnett's 4 groundbreaking shows; CBS's Rock Star INXS, NBC's The Restaurant, NBC's The Apprentice and NBC's The Casino - which was the first reality show shot in high definition at a million dollars an episode in Las Vegas at The Golden Nugget Casino! Other credits include Bravo's major hit show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, VH1's My Generation, and a live reality series also on NBC called Phenomenon, starring Chris Angel & Uri Geller.
Robert Russell has worked as a Casting Producer on a plethora of network reality shows back when reality TV was at its height, and once resided as the in-house casting expert and intricate wheel in developing The New York Reality TV School in 2008. This created a blitzed media storm around the world!
Robert also has a knack for finding that special "X" factor, whether he is working with seasoned actors, children or especially newcomers. He gives everyone a chance to show their stuff and then finds the best place for them to showcase their talents. Russell lectures, teaches, advises and frequents casting seminars, workshops, industry panels and continues to scout talent all over the country for feature projects. He is a strong presence in the New York Actor Community and was a staple industry judge at The Manhattan Monologue Slam for 7 years.
Robert sits on board as the Casting Director/Producer of the Sony authorized live stage version of the Off Broadway phenomenal hit "The Gong Show Live" along side Leslie Gold at NYC's famous "The Cutting Room". This side splitting well oiled complete recreation of Chuck Barris' iconic 70's zany variety TV show, is still selling out shows and currently running for 6 years strong! http://www.gongshowlive.net/
Currently, Russell is casting an extraordinary feature project with a star studded cast, based on the Kent State tragedy during the Vietnam War in the late 60's. He also creates and develops his own shows and is producing and developing a slew of other projects including The Black Widow, with Jeanette Lee - the number one ranked pool player in the world, and is in the process of developing another show with Dennis Rodman."
As the creator of "The 30 Minute Miracle" for actors (which is the shot heard round' the New York actor community), Russell privately conditions and trains actors for feature films. He states, "It’s a truth serum from a Casting Directors perspective". He spends much of his time paying it forward and creating armies of brilliant actors with his upfront, honest and in-your-face process. Robert’s technique is extremely unique, as it has been honed and polished through his long extensive casting background. He focuses on conditioning the actors mind and making them diverse in their range. “I train my actors like a trainer would train a fighter. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline to mold a diverse actor so they are not pigeon holed into one category.”
"Robert Russell loves actors, and he gets them; from the beginner to the pro, he provokes and inspires -- with utmost respect and attention to craft -- to win trust, confidence, and the best possible performance every time."
Dinah Lenney, Nurse Shirley on "ER", NBC
"Robert is one of the most intelligent, down to earth, industry savvy Casting Directors I have ever met. He consistently works with A-List celebrities, and has a knack for selecting amazing talent. I had the pleasure to work with him on a project for NBC in 2003, and he still remains one of my most favorite people in the business!"
Susanna Hari, Actor/Producer
"I first worked with Robert when the two of us cast NBC's prime time reality competition "Phenomenon." Of the three teams casting this show, Robert and I made a unique duo. With him on the east coast and me on the west coast, we were the team that cast seven of the show's ten contestants, including the show's winner! Not only was our team unique, Robert was unique. Many people in the entertainment industry are eager to tell you of all their "connections," but when it comes time to ask of those "connections," those braggers look the other way. Robert, on the other hand, had friends, not loose "connections." And, he was not afraid to call upon them. Much of our success in casting the show lay in his relentless phone calls to friends who advertised our casting needs on the radio, over the internet, through print, and amongst colleagues. Robert's keen eye for talent, developed through his vast experience casting television, was also key to our success. On a personal note, Robert is always supportive of my career choices, encouraging me every step of the way. He thinks big and pushes others to do so, as well. He is eager for challenges, ready to work hard, and enthusiastic in his efforts and successes. I would jump at the opportunity to work with Robert again, and I am happy to call him my friend."
Stephanie Pearlman, Casting ProducerLos Angeles , Ca.
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