EXCLUSIVE:
When networks and manufacturing firms are casting their movie star reveals, they flip to Georgina Harrop.
And when celebrities wish to get onto TV reveals in addition they flip to Georgina Harrop.
With greater than 35 years within the business, and over 20 in casting, her current credit embrace Dancing with the Stars, Sam Pang Tonight, The Meeting, Artistic Sorts with Virginia Trioli, Take 5 with Zan Rowe, The Actual Housewives of Sydney. She is at the moment casting I’m a Superstar Get Me Out of Right here, the Logie Awards plus engaged on 3 reveals in improvement.
Right here she reveals a few of her insights to TV Tonight.
Early beginnings
Harrop’s first function was as a Manufacturing Runner on Jack Thompson Down Below in 1988, then working at Past with the likes of Simon Reeve, Amanda Keller, Peter Abbott, Tim Worner, Brad Lyons, Tim Clucas.
“As a result of it was a small manufacturing you discovered do all the pieces, and it was beneath the identical umbrella because the Past group. So when that wrapped, I simply went over and began engaged on Past 2000. They don’t make TV like that anymore. Within the one constructing, you had people who have been writing the music, enhancing the present…. all of the researchers, submit manufacturing, the accountants – all the pieces was on this two storey constructing. So that you completely discovered the craft of TV.”
Position of a Casting Director
Harrop spent 3.5 years as Casting Director for the Seven Community earlier than establishing her personal firm Superstar Casting.
“I realised there’s so many celebrity-driven, formatted reveals. But additionally, once I labored at Seven somebody would say, ‘We’re going to do a brand new meals present.’ So my job was to exit after which discover out all the most well liked cooks. Or on a Higher Houses and Gardens kind of present, we would have liked to search out the hip and funky architects or designers.
“They’re not celebrities, nevertheless it’s discovering these individuals to show them into celebrities.
“You’re ready the place you’ll be able to put somebody on a present, after which watch them shine, whereas once you’re managing somebody, you’re doing the hustle on a regular basis.
“It’s a very personality-driven job. It’s a must to be a individuals particular person, or it doesn’t work. It’s about contacts, intuition and belief. On this enterprise, you’ll be able to’t burn bridges. Additionally, I’m stunned at how many individuals working in TV don’t watch tv. Even at government ranges. I see each movie, I nonetheless go and see reside music. I see play. …to be good at casting, you’ll want to be throughout all the pieces.
“It’s essential to have good sense of humour, as a result of we’re making TV. You recognize, I’ve acquired pals which are intensive care specialists who’re correctly saving lives. So that you’ve acquired to place it in perspective.
“However nonetheless, it’s additionally essential. I all the time really feel for the person who forged Donald Trump in The Apprentice, since you go to mattress at evening generally pondering, ‘God, did I make him actually well-known? Am I accountable?’”
Producers hoping for A listing names
Typically producers are overly-ambitious within the forged they’re hoping Harrop will safe.
“They go, ‘We’re simply questioning whether or not we might get Chris Hemsworth? Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Naomi Watts?’ They simply have this insane checklist. Individuals get so connected to their present or their format, they usually consider that it’s one of the best present that could possibly be made -which is nice. As a result of when you don’t assume like that, then why are you making the present?
“However I’m the heartbreaker. I’ve to go, ‘Yeah, it’s not going to occur.’ ….Individuals will do you favours however you don’t wish to burn contacts both.
“One of many extra ridiculous instructions I used to be given was from a really senior community government who’s not within the business which was, ‘I don’t need anybody on air with tattoos.’”
Networks chase completely different audiences
“I all the time say, ‘What’s the viewers?’ And so they go ‘Everybody,’ which isn’t any assist. What’s the demo?
“Channel Seven’s thought of family names are very completely different to Channel 10’s thought of a family identify.
“I believe if something, the ABC is somewhat bit extra movie star pushed now than it was once, which isn’t a nasty factor.”
The Hotplate (9 2015)
“I bear in mind seeing a narrative with Tom Parker-Bowles being form of facetious and humorous and fairly foodie. I simply rang up and inside half an hour, I had him ready to get on a aircraft by the top of the week. And at that stage, he was the Queen’s step grandson. I bear in mind getting in, actually promoting it saying, ‘He’s royal household ..type of in a step means!’
“He was nice expertise. That was enjoyable to have the ability to simply assume outdoors the field a bit and go, ‘Who can we have now that’s not that apparent?’”
The Actual Housewives of Sydney ( Foxtel 2017 / 2023)
“The individuals that you simply really need are sometimes those that don’t wish to do it.
“On a present like that, there have been so many ladies ringing up gossip writers from completely different magazines, telling people who they have been approached however had declined. They wished to inform their pals, as a result of they knew that they weren’t going to be approached. That was humorous.
“I’d examine these people who I’d by no means known as or by no means even met. That doesn’t occur on different reveals, however on that present, it does.”
Dancing with the Stars (Seven) / I’m a Superstar Get Me Out of Right here (10 numerous)
“If I believe somebody’s actually going to ship and (producers are) not seeing it, then we’ll have a wholesome dialogue and we’ll trip about it. However when you simply maintain thrusting silly names at individuals, they begin to lose belief in you. It’s about having a superb intestine intuition. So decide your fights when you assume somebody’s going to actually ship and be superb.
“Once I’m doing I’m a Superstar, I can sit there and go, ‘That particular person will in all probability cry in concerning the third episode.’ They’ve acquired to be attention-grabbing or reveal one thing about themselves throughout that present. Some individuals don’t have an enormous profile, however they’re going to have ja- dropping tales. Individuals will really fall in love with them, they usually turn out to be larger stars on the again of it.
“Or for Dancing with the Stars, I’ll say ‘That particular person really is an incredible dancer however no-one is aware of it, in order that they’re going to be a fantastic shock.’
“Dancing with Stars, I don’t assume has ever broken anybody’s profession, as a result of most individuals sit at residence going, ‘Good on them.’ They need them to succeed.
“However the sports activities blokes go, ‘I don’t assume so.’ After which I’ll say, ‘Why don’t you ask your spouse after which get again to me?’ They ring again and go, ‘Yep, she desperately needs me to do it.’The factor is just too, you shed pounds and also you look scorching on the finish of it.”
Sam Pang Tonight (10 2025)
10’s new chat present drew some commentary round few worldwide company and a well-recognized checklist of Have You Been Paying Consideration? colleagues.
“So many individuals love Sam and wish to do the present, however they’re not accessible on a Monday evening in Melbourne. Like Take 5 with Zan Rowe isn’t an enormous present, however they’ve a finances. They will decide a date, journey to the particular person and document them. However once you’re engaged on a present, like The Meeting, we’ve acquired three weeks on this month, you’re restricted.
“So doing a Tonight Present on a Monday evening in Melbourne, it’s a must to have somebody accessible to be on air at 8 o’clock.
“Within the previous days (studios) would deliver individuals out to advertise a movie. They don’t try this a lot anymore, as a result of they know, particularl, since COVID, they will simply get individuals in a studio and do a hyperlink or a zoom name. With Sam’s present we might be open to doing it, however ideally we wished individuals sitting within the chair. So it’s all about timing.
“It’s additionally a comedy present. The monologue’s written, there’s comedy segments in it. So when you’re simply sitting there counting on worldwide company, and that’s all you’ve acquired within the present, I don’t assume you’re gonna get too many individuals tuning in.
“(As an example, Kitty Flanagan’s) selective about what she does, as have been numerous the opposite comedians that got here on the present. They gained’t simply go on any present. It’s basically a chat present, however a comedy present as effectively. So we wish to have comedians.”
Casting ex-Actuality TV faces
Harrop has additionally labored in expertise administration and helped ex-Bachelorette Sam Frost play the lengthy sport with a media plan. However not all actuality faces are as memorable.
“She acquired a radio gig, after which I talked to the fellows at Seven. I mentioned ‘She’s actually . She’s stunning. Individuals love her. She’s the lady subsequent door.’ She had by no means performed an performing course and she or he ended up on House and Away. I simply stored explaining to her that ‘This gained’t final endlessly. We’ve acquired to watch out how we play this.’
“We have a tendency to recollect the contestants from the primary couple of sequence of a actuality present as a result of they aren’t essentially chasing the celebrity. Like MAFS the place I believe they genuinely have been in search of love, then because the sequence rolled on I believe we all know they’re in search of fame.
“It’s onerous to maintain throughout all these actuality varieties, once I’m casting for different reveals, I attempt to keep away from the celebrity whores, they have a tendency to have one trick, it’s the humorous ones with good life expertise that float to the highest.”
Variety in Casting
Over time Harrop has seen shifts in Casting to be extra inclusive, however warns in opposition to ‘box-ticking.’
“Don’t put somebody on the present since you assume you’ll want to tick a field, as a result of that’s harmful. You find yourself placing dud expertise on the present, and I’ve seen it occur. It’s terrible, as a result of the people who find themselves being forged comprehend it too.
“In saying that I’ve labored on reveals, the place I’ve acquired to a degree saying, ‘Am I going to deal with the elephant within the room right here? The entire forged is simply white, like, Hi there?’ And so they’re like, ‘Oh yeah.’ Nobody’s considered it. So it’s the accountability of a casting particular person simply to offer somewhat reminder each now to take a look at their headshots on a web page. Are all of us pleased with this? Does anybody discover one thing’s incorrect right here? What’s incorrect with this image?”
The Pleasure of Casting
“I like what I do. It’s good enjoyable, however you’ve acquired to have fun, as a result of there are some mad moments that occur. The issues I can’t speak about are simply utter insanity.
“I can’t bear in mind the final time I had a public vacation. If you’re casting one thing, you’re all the time interested by one thing and somebody and the way that will work. Once I’m working throughout a few reveals, you’ve all the time acquired a couple of plates spinning.
“You’re speaking to the managers, the managers do the cope with the community, and then you definitely stroll away, and the present then will get filmed, and also you’re not there on set with them.
“However I bear in mind discovering that particular person, saying they’re good expertise, convincing somebody to place them on a present after which watching their profession maintain going. You don’t want the thanks, nevertheless it’s a pleasant feeling that you simply’ve form of helped somebody who you knew had the products and will ship.”
