In this episode of Casting Confidential, Rose Rosen sits down with Emmy Award-winning casting director Linda Lowy and Emmy-nominated casting director Morgan Smith of Backyard Casting for one of the most candid, insider conversations the show has ever had.
Together, they pull back the curtain on how casting decisions really get made — from building ensemble casts for major television series, to navigating the executive world of HBO Max, to surviving a merger, a strike, and finding their way back to the work they love.
Linda and Morgan share the story behind casting Apple TV+’s Imperfect Women alongside already-attached stars Kerry Washington and Elisabeth Moss — including the months-long search to find their third lead, Kate Mara. They also talk about returning to Hacks, after Linda helped shape the show from the inside during her time at HBO Max.
They go deep on the professional relationship that defines Backyard Casting: how they divide the work, how they handle disagreement, and why casting is ultimately a math problem wrapped in taste.
Then, in a special Casting Confidential Feedback Session, Patreon member and actor Kimberly McCoin performs an original scene written specifically for this episode, and Linda and Morgan deliver real, in-the-moment direction — the kind actors rarely get access to.
This episode is honest, warm, and loaded with insight for actors at every level.
About the Guests
Linda Lowy is a three-time Emmy Award-winning casting director and four-time Artios Award winner whose work has helped define modern television. Her credits include Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, Station 19, Friday Night Lights, Inventing Anna, Hacks, and Apple TV+'s Imperfect Women. She is a recipient of the Casting Society's prestigious Hoyt Bowers Award and is co-founder of Backyard Casting.
Morgan Smith is an Emmy-nominated casting director and co-founder of Backyard Casting. She has worked alongside Linda Lowy across many of television's most acclaimed series, including Scandal, Grey's Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, Station 19, Inventing Anna, Hacks, and Imperfect Women.
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Go Deeper on Patreon
Join the Casting Confidential community on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended conversations, and live Q&As designed specifically for actors navigating the industry — including member opportunities like the Feedback Session featured in this episode.
For more episodes and resources, visit castingconfidential.com.
Credits
Host, Creator & Producer
Rose Rosen, CSA
Guests
Linda Lowy
Morgan Smith
Feedback Actor:
Editor MZ Studios
Original Music
Orville Wright
Artwork
Ace Anderson
Follow the Show
patreon.com/castingconfidential
**Opinions expressed in Casting Confidential podcast are the opinions of each individual and do not represent the opinions of any other group or entity. Nothing in this show should be interpreted as an offer of employment.
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