Marcia Ross
{{short description|American casting director and film producer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Marcia S. Ross
| image = Marcia_S._Ross,_2017.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|07|27}}
| occupation = {{ubl|Casting director|Film producer}}
| years_active = 1975{{ndash}}present
| children = 1
| parents = Joan Flug Ross
Richard C. Ross
| spouse = Jeff Kaufman
}}
Marcia S. Ross (born July 27, 1955) is an American casting director and film producer. She is best known for casting such films as Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, and The Princess Diaries. Her production credits include the documentaries Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life and Nasrin.
Early life and education
Marcia Ross was born in Mount Vernon, New York, the daughter of Joan (née Flug) and Richard Ross (1927–2012); her father was a New York State Assemblyman for the 88th District.{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=richard-c-ross&pid=156508587&fhid=2090 |title=RICHARD ROSS Obituary - Mount Vernon, NY | New York Times |publisher=Legacy.com |date= |accessdate=2019-06-29}}{{cite news |title=Marcia S. Ross Engaged |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/08/style/marcia-s-ross-engaged.html |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=8 March 1987}} She attended Northwestern University (1973–1975) as a theatre major and has a B.A. from Antioch University Los Angeles (class of 2016).
Career
=Early career=
Ross' first professional job was as an apprentice in summer stock theatre at the Westchester Playhouse in Yonkers, New York, followed by touring with a children's theatre company working as an assistant stage manager for producers Barry and Fran Weissler in 1976. She worked at Circle in the Square Theatre in New York City in 1976 and the Monty Silver Talent Agency in 1977. Her first casting job was at CBS Television in New York City in 1979. She then relocated to Los Angeles to work with casting director, Judith Holstra - starting as her assistant, then associate, and partner in Holstra / Ross Casting between 1980 and 1988.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-10-28-ca-136-story.html|title=Kudos|last=VOLAND|first=JOHN|date=1988-10-28|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-05-26|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015021851/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-10-28/entertainment/ca-136_1_film-casting| archive-date=October 15, 2016}}
=As casting director=
Ross worked as an independent casting director (Marcia Ross Casting) and casting executive for motion pictures and television, working on feature films, network series, pilots, movies for television, and mini-series. She worked for 16 years as EVP for Casting for the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group,{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2004/film/markets-festivals/buena-vista-pix-ups-ross-1117902747/|title=Buena Vista pix ups Ross|last=Dunkley|first=Cathy|date=2004-04-02|work=Variety|access-date=2017-05-26|language=en-US}} and for five years as SVP for Casting and Talent Development at Warner Brothers Television between 1988 and 1993.{{Cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marcia-ross-promoted-to-senior-vp-of-casting-for-disneys-three-motion-picture-banners-77890827.html|title=Marcia Ross Promoted to Senior VP of Casting for Disney's Three Motion Picture Banners|last=Marketing|first=Buena Vista Pictures|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-25}}
As a casting director, Ross has been credited with introducing several new acting talents, such as Heath Ledger in 10 Things I Hate About You,{{cite news |last1=Ojomu |first1=Nola |title=Heath Ledger's 'charisma' helped land 10 Things I Hate About You role |url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/03/heath-ledger-natural-charisma-10-things-hate-about-role-audition-casting-director-13067397/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=Metro |date=3 August 2020 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=The Story Behind Heath Ledger's Bleacher Scene In '10 Things I Hate About You' |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/10-things-i-hate-about-you-bleachers-scene_n_5c990c60e4b057f7330e3190 |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=HuffPost |date=29 March 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/heath-ledger-long-journey-perth-hollywood-short-article-1.348197|title=Heath Ledger's long journey from Perth to Hollywood comes up short|work=NY Daily News|access-date=2017-05-25|language=en}} Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries,{{cite news |last1=Koehler |first1=Robert |title=Film Review: 'The Princess Diaries' |url=https://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/the-princess-diaries-2-1200469000/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=Variety |date=27 July 2001}} Rachel McAdams in The Hot Chick,{{cite news |last1=Harvey |first1=Dennis |title=The Hot Chick |url=https://variety.com/2002/film/reviews/the-hot-chick-1200544474/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=Variety |date=7 December 2002}} Paul Rudd and Brittany Murphy in Clueless,{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/2015/07/the-below-the-line-star-making-power-of-modern-classic-clueless-60369/|title=The Below-the-Line Star-Making Power of Modern Classic 'Clueless' |last=Erbland|first=Kate|website=IndieWire|date=17 July 2015 |language=en|access-date=2017-05-25}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/clueless/making-of-cast-interviews-anniversary/|title=Whatever, forever: an oral history of Clueless|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2017-05-25|language=en-GB}}{{cite news |last1=Ojomu |first1=Nola |title=Heartbreaking memory of Brittany Murphy as Clueless celebrates 25 years |url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/22/clueless-casting-director-remembers-brittany-murphy-25th-anniversary-marcia-ross-13025813/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=Metro |date=22 July 2020 |language=en}}{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/06/clueless-oral-history-20-anniversary|title=The Definitive Oral History of How Clueless Became an Iconic 90s Classic|last=Chaney|first=Jen|magazine=Vanity Fair|access-date=2017-05-25|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/07/clueless-trivia_n_7208320.html|title=5 Things You Didn't Know About 'Clueless,' According To The Casting Director|last=Luling|first=Todd Van|date=2015-05-07|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2017-05-25|language=en-US}} Chris Pine in The Princess Diaries 2,{{cite news |last1=Leopold |first1=Todd |title=Casting directors: The unsung heroes of Hollywood |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/03/showbiz/movies/casting-directors-marion-dougherty/index.html |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=CNN |date=4 August 2013 |language=en}} Megan Fox in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,{{cite news |last1=Harvey |first1=Dennis |title=Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen |url=https://variety.com/2004/film/markets-festivals/confessions-of-a-teenage-drama-queen-1200534962/ |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=Variety |date=20 February 2004}} and Jennifer Garner in Mr. Magoo.
Some of her other notable credits for casting include thirtysomething, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion,{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/romy-and-micheles-high-school-reunion-oral-history_us_58fdf564e4b00fa7de15cfa0|title='I Can't Believe How Cute I Look'|last=Jacobs|first=Matthew|date=2017-04-27|work=Huffington Post|access-date=2017-05-25|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2017/04/25/homecoming-queens-romy-micheles-high-school-reunion-oral-history/|title=Homecoming queens: Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, an oral history|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2017-05-25|language=en-GB}} The Lookout,{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-mar-30-et-lookout30-story.html|title=Smooth talkers|last=Turan|first=Kenneth|date=2007-03-30|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-05-25|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}} The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Parental Guidance, Small Time,{{Cite news|url=https://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/getting-cast/marcia-ross-creative-freedom-casting-small-time/|title=Marcia Ross on Creative Freedom in Casting 'Small Time'|work=Backstage.com|access-date=2017-05-25}} and Oblivion.
=As producer=
Between 2012 and 2015, Ross co-produced the feature-length documentaries The State of Marriage, Father Joseph, and The Savoy King: Chick Webb and The Music That Changed America, with Jeff Kaufman.
In 2018, Ross co-produced Every Act of Life, a documentary on the playwright and LGBT activist Terrence McNally.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/every-act-life-touching-documentary-tony-winning-playwright-terrence-mcnally-1209765|title='Every Act' is a touching documentary on the life of Tony-winning playwright, librettist Terrence McNally|last=EST|first=Joe Westerfield On 11/12/18 at 4:14 PM|date=2018-11-12|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=2019-03-29}} It was broadcast as part of the American Masters series on PBS{{cite news |last1=R |first1=Cindy |title=Terrence McNally: Every Act of Life ~ Director's Statement - Jeff Kaufman |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/terrence-mcnally-every-act-of-life-directors-statement-jeff-kaufman/11474/ |access-date=6 April 2023 |work=PBS |date=20 May 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Carey |first1=Matthew |title='American Masters' Doc Reveals Impact Of Playwright Terrence McNally |url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/terrence-mcnally-every-act-of-life-director-jeff-kaufman-pbs-documentary-interview-news-1202953388/ |accessdate=14 July 2020 |work=Deadline |date=2020-06-08}} and received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.{{cite news |title=Marcia S. Ross |url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/marcia-s-ross |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=Television Academy |language=en}}
In 2020, Ross and Kaufman co-produced Nasrin, which follows the life and work of the Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, up until the time of her second arrest and imprisonment in 2018.{{Cite news|first=Shadan |last=Larki |authorlink= |title= Jeff Kaufman and Marcia Ross on Documenting Human Rights Activist Nasrin Sotoudeh and the beauty of Iranian Culture for 'Nasrin' |newspaper=Awardsdaily.com|date= June 15, 2021 |url=https://www.awardsdaily.com/2021/06/15/nasrin/ }} The film was nominated for Best Political Documentary at the 6th Critics' Choice Documentary Awards.{{cite news |last1=Lewis |first1=Hilary |title='Summer of Soul' Sweeps Critics Choice Documentary Awards |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/critics-choice-documentary-awards-2021-winners-list-1235047605/ |access-date=6 April 2023 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=14 November 2021}}
Personal life
She is married to documentary filmmaker and business partner, Jeff Kaufman. She has one daughter, Alice, and two step-children, Anna and Daniel.
Awards and nominations
;For casting
;For producing
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col"| Award
!scope="col"| Year !scope="col"| Category !scope="col"| Work !scope="col"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Abbr|Ref|Reference}} |
|---|
| Emmy Awards
|2020 |Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series |{{nom}} |
| Critics' Choice Documentary Awards
|2021 |{{nom}} |
=Honorary accolades=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Accolade ! scope="col"| Ref |
|---|
| 2002
|Outstanding Achievement in Casting award from the Hollywood Film Festival |{{Cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/casting-brass-studios-81579|title=Casting Brass: Studios|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=2017-05-26|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2002/scene/vpage/stars-shine-at-fest-1117874134/|title=Stars shine at fest|author=Variety Staff|date=2002-10-10|work=Variety|access-date=2017-05-26|language=en-US}} |
| 2005
|Hoyt Bowers Award for Career Achievement in Casting by the Casting Society of America |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|nm0743638}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Marcia}}
Category:American documentary film producers
Category:American casting directors
Category:American women casting directors