Cindy Tolan

{{Short description|Casting director}}{{Infobox person

| occupation = Casting director

| known_for = Casting the 2021 film of West Side Story

| awards = BAFTA for Casting Direction
Emmy: Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
Black Reel Awards: Best Cast (ensemble)

}}

Cindy Tolan is an American casting director and producer.{{Cite web |last=CULWELL-BLOCK |first=LOGAN |date=15 January 2023 |title=Broadway Says Goodbye to Death of a Salesman January 15 |url=https://playbill.com/article/broadway-says-goodbye-to-death-of-a-salesman-january-15 |website=Playbill}}{{Cite web |date=2022-03-21 |title=Oscars 2022: Cindy Tolan's work on 'West Side Story' proves casting is key |url=https://abc7ny.com/west-side-story-oscars-cindy-tolan-casting/11669207/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=ABC7 New York |language=en}} Her career began in theatre, before she transitioned to television and film.{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Elyse |date=28 September 2020 |title='If Beale Street Could Talk' CD Cindy Tolan Wants Newcomers to Audition for Her |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/casting-director-auditions-new-actors-beale-street-66447/ |website=Backstage}} She was awarded a BAFTA for her work as casting director of West Side Story in 2021.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-14 |title=All the 2022 Bafta winners |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/bafta-award-winners-2022-list-b2035153.html |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=The Independent |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |date=2022-03-14 |title=BAFTAs 2022 Winners |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/london/2022/03/baftas-2022-winners |access-date=2023-02-12 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last1=Herrero-De-la-Fuente |first1=Mercedes |last2=Gago-Gelado |first2=Rocío |last3=Saavedra-Llamas |first3=Marta |date=2022-12-31 |title=Women in the audiovisual industry. The case of Spain as the new hub of European production |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2022.2105512 |journal=Cogent Arts & Humanities |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=2105512 |doi=10.1080/23311983.2022.2105512|doi-access=free }} For the film she auditioned 30,000 people in order to create an authentic cast with performers of Latin descent.{{Cite web |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=2022-01-21 |title=Ariana DeBose Turned Down 'West Side Story' Audition Four Times, Says Casting Director Cindy Tolan |url=https://variety.com/2022/artisans/awards/casting-director-cindy-tolan-west-side-story-ariana-debose-1235159218/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Griffin |first=Louise |date=2022-03-19 |title=Two continents and 30,000 auditions: How West Side Story's stars secured roles |url=https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/19/west-side-story-casting-director-reveals-intense-audition-process-16302316/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=Metro |language=en}} She is credited with the discovery of Rachel Zegler and for encouraging Ariana DeBose to audition for the production.

In 2019 she was nominated for two Black Reel Awards for different films, competing with herself in the Best Ensemble category for If Beale Street Could Talk and Sorry to Bother You.{{Cite web |title=The 3rd Annual Black Reel Awards for Television (BRATs) |url=https://www.blogtalkradio.com/filmgordon/2019/08/02/the-3rd-annual-black-reel-awards-for-television-brats |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=BlogTalkRadio}} In 2018 she awarded an Emmy for her work on The Marvelous Mrs Maisel - Tolan was part of a team who cast the first season, but subsequently was the sole casting director for seasons two and three.{{Cite web |last=Frontier |first=Casting |date=2020-11-16 |title=Advice from 'Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Casting Director Cindy Tolan |url=https://castingfrontier.com/blog/advice-from-casting-director-cindy-tolan/ |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=Casting Frontier}} She is a member of the Casting Society of America.{{Cite web |title=The Casting Society of America |url=https://www.castingsociety.com/members/cindy-tolan |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=www.castingsociety.com |language=en}}