Cassandra Kulukundis Makes Oscar History as First Casting Winner, Thanks Supporters for Their Efforts on Inclusion
At the recent Academy Awards, Cassandra Kulukundis made history as the first recipient of the newly established Best Casting Oscar for her work in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. This innovative category was introduced with a fresh approach, featuring stars from each of the five nominated films highlighting their casting directors, and it surprised many when Kulukundis was awarded, surpassing renowned casting director Francine Maisler, favored to win for Sinners.
Kulukundis expressed her astonishment during her acceptance speech, acknowledging the significance of the moment without a prepared statement.
“I have to obviously thank the Academy for even adding this category, and for the casting directors that fought tirelessly to make it happen despite everything in their way,” she said. “I dedicate this to you and to the casting directors who never got a chance to get up here, who didn’t even get a chance to get their name on the movie.”
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Kulukundis also reflected on her long-standing collaboration with Anderson, whom she embraced as she walked to the stage.
“When Paul Thomas Anderson calls you, you venture the PTA Witness Protection Program, and you literally don’t talk to your friends and family unless they have somebody that’s right for the movie,” Kulukundis remarked.
She humorously thanked Anderson, pointing out his lack of an Oscar until this event.
“Thank you for, I mean, 10 movies, we’ve done this for over 30 years, we grew up together,” she stated. “This is freaking insane, and I got one before you, which is also crazy,” prompting laughter from the audience. “I hope you get one today.”
Shortly after Kulukundis’ achievement, Anderson won his first Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and went on to secure awards for Best Director and Best Picture.
Kulukundis was introduced by Chase Infiniti, one of the standout actors from One Battle After Another.
“I’m standing here tonight because of the casting director, Cassandra. She spent years searching for Willa, and she saw something in me that I didn’t even know was there,” Infiniti expressed. “Her belief in me helped me believe in myself, and thanks to her determination, imagination, and instincts, I was cast in my first feature film, One Battle After Another, which has 13 author nominations. Great casting directors like Cassandra know how to bring together actors we love with new faces and make the film feel unexpected and completely original.”
The cast assembled by Kulukundis garnered four Oscar nominations, with Leonardo DiCaprio nominated for Best Actor, Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn for Supporting Actor, and Teyana Taylor for Supporting Actress. Penn ultimately won in his category.
Previously, Maisler, introduced by Delroy Lindo, received the Casting Society’s Artios Award for Sinners, an accolade Kulukundis was ineligible for. The nominees for the inaugural Best Casting Oscar also included Nina Gold for Hamnet, introduced by Paul Mescal; Jennifer Venditti for Marty Supreme, introduced by Gwyneth Paltrow; and Gabriel Domingues for The Secret Agent, introduced by Wagner Moura.
