It's the Oscars' First New Category in Decades. Few Understand What It's Actually For.

"They think we just know famous people and tell them to be in the movie," says Jessica Kelly, whose credits include Midsommar and the first two John Wick movies. "On set, everyone sees this or that person doing their job, and they can watch them do their magic. But because we're the first people hired and the entire production doesn't see us doing the work, I feel like for a long time it just kind of got forgotten."

"New Oscars categories are like that too. In the 77 years since 1949, the Academy Awards have added exactly two categories: makeup and hairstyling in 1982, and animated feature in 2002. But on March 15, an Oscar for Achievement in Casting will be handed out for the very first time, and it will be followed in 2028 by a brand-new award for stunt design."

After decades with only two category additions, the Academy will present an Oscar for Achievement in Casting for the first time on March 15, and will introduce a stunt design award in 2028. Casting directors often work behind the scenes, share a union with Teamsters drivers and location managers, and remain largely invisible to on-set colleagues. Many people assume casting simply involves knowing famous actors and inviting them to join projects. Casting professionals say their early-stage work shapes productions but lacks recognition. Past efforts to create a casting category in the 1990s failed amid concerns that directors might deserve credit for casting decisions.

Read at Slate Magazine