The CW’s head of casting, Lori Openden, is retiring this month after spending 40 years working in television.
Dana Theodoratos, the network’s senior vice president of talent and casting, will take over the department as her successor, overseeing casting on all series, pilots, and original scripted digital programming.
Together, Openden and Theodoratos have been the team behind The CW’s casting since 2006, having both joined from the network’s predecessor, Upn. The pair have worked on popular series including “Gossip Girl,” “Riverdale,” “All American,” “The Game,” “Girlfriends,” “90210,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Jane the Virgin,” the last of which earned the network its first major acting award through star Gina Rodriguez’s Golden Globe win.
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,...
Dana Theodoratos, the network’s senior vice president of talent and casting, will take over the department as her successor, overseeing casting on all series, pilots, and original scripted digital programming.
Together, Openden and Theodoratos have been the team behind The CW’s casting since 2006, having both joined from the network’s predecessor, Upn. The pair have worked on popular series including “Gossip Girl,” “Riverdale,” “All American,” “The Game,” “Girlfriends,” “90210,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Jane the Virgin,” the last of which earned the network its first major acting award through star Gina Rodriguez’s Golden Globe win.
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,...
- 10/6/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Lori Openden is stepping down as EVP of Talent and Casting for the CW and retiring after more than 40 years in the business as a casting director and executive. She will be succeeded in the CW head of casting post by her longtime top lieutenant, Dana Theodoratos, currently SVP, Talent and Casting who oversee casting on all of The CW’s series, pilots and original scripted digital programming.
Openden, with Theodoratos by her side, has been at the CW since its launch in 2006, overseeing the network’s slate of pilots and series for the past 14 years. That includes the CW’s DC series, All American, Gossip Girl, Riverdale, Girlfriends, The Game, 90210, The Vampire Diaries and Jane the Virgin, which earned star Gina Rodriguez a Golden Globe, marking the first major acting award for The CW. Both joined from the CW predecessor Upn.
Openden served as SVP, Talent and Casting,...
Openden, with Theodoratos by her side, has been at the CW since its launch in 2006, overseeing the network’s slate of pilots and series for the past 14 years. That includes the CW’s DC series, All American, Gossip Girl, Riverdale, Girlfriends, The Game, 90210, The Vampire Diaries and Jane the Virgin, which earned star Gina Rodriguez a Golden Globe, marking the first major acting award for The CW. Both joined from the CW predecessor Upn.
Openden served as SVP, Talent and Casting,...
- 10/6/2020
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
After decades in the industry, The CW’s executive vice president of talent and casting Lori Openden is retiring this month. In her stead, the network’s senior vice president of talent and casting Dana Therodoratos — who has worked with Openden at the network since 2006 — will step into the role to oversee casting of all CW series, pilots and original scripted digital programming.
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,” said CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz. “With her vast experience and so many memorable casts and credits to her name, Lori has left an indelible mark on both this network and this industry, and we cannot thank her enough for all of her contributions. And as everyone...
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,” said CW chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz. “With her vast experience and so many memorable casts and credits to her name, Lori has left an indelible mark on both this network and this industry, and we cannot thank her enough for all of her contributions. And as everyone...
- 10/6/2020
- by Elaine Low
- Variety Film + TV
The CW’s head of casting, Lori Openden, is retiring after a career that spans more than 40 years.
Openden plans to step down later in October. Dana Theodoratos, who has been Openden’s second in command since the launch of the network, will take over the network’s talent and casting department.
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,” said Mark Pedowitz, chairman and CEO of ...
Openden plans to step down later in October. Dana Theodoratos, who has been Openden’s second in command since the launch of the network, will take over the network’s talent and casting department.
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,” said Mark Pedowitz, chairman and CEO of ...
- 10/6/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The CW’s head of casting, Lori Openden, is retiring after a career that spans more than 40 years.
Openden plans to step down later in October. Dana Theodoratos, who has been Openden’s second in command since the launch of the network, will take over the network’s talent and casting department.
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,” said Mark Pedowitz, chairman and CEO of ...
Openden plans to step down later in October. Dana Theodoratos, who has been Openden’s second in command since the launch of the network, will take over the network’s talent and casting department.
“Under Lori and Dana’s guidance, discovering and showcasing rising new talent has been a hallmark of The CW brand since its inception, providing this network with a proud legacy of launching breakout stars that is second to none,” said Mark Pedowitz, chairman and CEO of ...
- 10/6/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Listed below are the studios and offices for network and cable television.ABCLos Angeles Offices: 500 South Buena Vista StreetBurbank, CA 91521-4651(818) 460-7777Los Angeles Casting: Keli Lee (Executive VP, Casting); Ayo Davis (VP, Casting), Claudia Ramsumair (VP of Casting), Sandi Logan (Executive Director, Casting), Randi Chugerman (Executive Director, Casting); Gene Blythe (Casting Consultant), Billy Murphy, John Villacorta (Managers of Casting), Karen Noble (Casting Coordinator).New York Offices: 77 West 66th StreetNew York 10023(212) 456-7777New York Casting: ABC157 Columbus Avenue, 2nd FloorNew York 10023.Rosalie Joseph, C.S.A. (VP, Casting), Marci Phillips, C.S.A. (Executive Director of Casting), Janet Murphy Butler (Executive Director of Casting & Talent Relations), and Justin Borgstahl (Coordinator).CBSLos Angeles Offices: CBS Television City7800 Beverly Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90036(323) 575-2345Cbs Studios4024 Radford Ave.Studio City, CA 91604(818) 655-5000Los Angeles Casting: Peter Golden (Executive VP, Talent & Casting), Lucy Cavallo (VP, Casting), Fern Orenstein (VP, Casting), Karen Church (VP,...
- 9/14/2010
- backstage.com
Robin Lippin initially imagined her move to L.A. as temporary. She was hoping to pick up some entertainment industry job experience before returning to her native New York. Two decades and dozens of casting gigs later, Lippin still calls Hollywood home. Her credits include the legendary Aaron Spelling hours "Charlie's Angels" and "Fantasy Island," tween hits "Saved by the Bell" and "Lizzie McGuire," and the Web series "Woke Up Dead" and "Valemont." Currently, she and Jeff Meshel are hard at work assembling the ensemble for the upcoming CW series "Life Unexpected." "It's an incredible show," Lippin says. "To do a show that has comedy and drama and such heart is really a great experience."Spelling ClassGrowing up, my sister was an actress, and I used to see plays all the time in New York. I knew I either wanted to be a casting director or an agent. I came...
- 12/31/2009
- backstage.com
The following is a list of the top 25 Power Casting Directors in film and television (including Casting Director of the Year, Debra Zane; see page 9). We began with more than 100 candidates. In some cases, collaborations were so closely tied that we considered multiple people as one entity. Several drafts later, all 25 spots were cast.Notably omitted from the list are in-house casting executives at studios and networks, the inclusion of whom would have ballooned our list to 50 or more. But read about them online at www.backstage.com/spotlight. Focusing on independent casting directors leveled the playing field and highlighted people whose puissance is not affected by one scale-tipping affiliation. Now, on to the top 25!Kerry BardenCan you imagine Monster's Ball starring Erykah Badu, or American Psycho starring Leonardo DiCaprio? Kerry Barden can, because he saw them read the parts. "There are so many great actors that sometimes it's a...
- 4/2/2009
- backstage.com
The CW has found its head of casting, appointing UPN senior vp talent and casting Lori Openden to the same position at the new network. Openden will oversee the casting of series regulars, recurring roles and guest stars on all CW programming as well as talent development for the network, a joint venture of CBS Corp. and Warner Bros. Entertainment that launches in the fall after UPN and WB Network shut their doors. She will report to Dawn Ostroff, president of entertainment at the CW. "Lori is an industry veteran with a reputation for discovering major talent and establishing wonderful relationships throughout the creative community," Ostroff said.
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