The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast Meet the 2026 Nominees for Theatrical Feature Film - Part 1 of 2 (Ep. 599)
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Feb 20, 2026 
Chloé Zhao, director who uses dream work and somatic prep, talks casting kids and building ensemble language. Josh Safdie, known for raw, nontraditional casting, shares improvised tests and scouting real people. Guillermo del Toro, visual maestro, describes casting by presence and on-set editing. Ryan Coogler, storyteller focused on actors, discusses casting, music and twin-techniques. Paul Thomas Anderson explains casting non-actors and road-movie logistics.
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Cast By Energy Not Just Line Reading
- Do prioritize sitting and hanging out with an actor as much as reading their lines when casting; energy and vibe matter most.
- Paul Thomas Anderson said 50% of casting is simply spending time and feeling whether you'd be excited to go to work with that person.
An Ex-ICE Officer Became The Perfect Interrogator
- Paul cast a non-actor ex-ICE officer as an intimidating interrogator and based scenes on real people they met.
- Jim Ratterman, a 30-year homeland security veteran, brought authentic presence and changed how Paul filmed interrogation scenes.
Test Child Actors For Presence With Improvised Stresses
- Do test child actors with emotionally destabilizing improvisations to check presence and listening rather than technique.
- Chloé Zhao used an ET-style audition where she threatened to take the boy's father away to see if he stayed fully present and responsive.