DeLisi Creative Casting:
Duo Debbie DeLisi & Adam DeLisi are highly respected film/tv professionals, specializing in search casting & securing hard-to-cast lead roles for actors. Whether introducing new talent in break out, career maker roles, or championing bonafide veteran actors already established, Debbie & Adam go above & beyond. They are sought after by both industry icons and fresh up & comers, working directly with those they serve with a style, panache & fun loving attitude all their own.
Debbie had the honor of accompanying Academy Award ® nominee (aka Oscar) nominee Barkhad Abdi at the Golden Globes when we was a Best Actor nominee in his break out role in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. All four lead actors in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (aka Somali pirates) were initially discovered at a MN casting call she hosted. Barkhad was gracious in his recognition of Debbie when he asked her to be his guest, his first major awards show that year, cementing their relationship & a shout out to Debbie & her work in casting.
Performers first, Debbie & Adam work both sides of the camera, so they “get it” when it comes to actors and the craft of performing. Giving many of today’s professionals unique breaks, Debbie and Adam have a knack for connecting talent to the right projects. Most recently, they partnered with overall CD Ellen Lewis in two Steven Spielberg casting searches. The first, READY PLAYER ONE (Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment), found them, along with their hungry team of go-getters, searching the world over for lead roles & securing one — a 10 year old boy! The next, KIDNAPPING OF EDGARDO MORTARA, is currently underway. Stay tuned!
Frequent collaborations w/overall CD Rachel Tenner have involved searches (& talent placements) for nationwide casting searches for: LEGACY OF A WHITETAIL DEER HUNTER (Jaden), LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE (Laura Ingalls Wilder; Scott Rudin, producer), among others. Debbie reprised her role of partner w/CD Rachel Tenner, recreating a similar nationwide search the two embarked on for the Academy Award ® nominated role of “Mattie Ross” in the Coen brothers film TRUE GRIT. The two were “on-the-road” in search of Mattie Ross (and other principal roles) for several months, scouring rodeos & ranches, spearheading the casting search.
HAIL, CAESAR! marked the fourth consecutive full show film with Joel & Ethan Coen. Ironically, Debbie started as an intern on the film FARGO. She recently conducted principal casting searches for Rachel Tenner for the FARGO tv series, so the creative partnership with the Coens has been long at play.
Their recent short film, THE RE-GIFT, enjoyed hearty festival play, enthusiastic sold-out audiences and a potential distribution deal. The two co-write and produced the film, alongside co-writer SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE’S Paula Pell.
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Debbie DeLisi
Casting Director, Director, Actress
Debbie DeLisi is a triple threat in the arts and entertainment world, though not in the traditional sense. A seasoned pro who’s career has traversed the globe, Debbie continues to diversify her work experience, making her a formidable player as an actress, casting director & writer/director. Debbie has cast countless people in A-list projects to rugged indies. She works alongside iconic directors, running departments in films by the Coen Brothers, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Noah Baumbach and the late Robert Altman.
Debbie experienced a pinnacle by attending the Golden Globes with her find, turned friend, Barkhad Abdi. Newcomer Abdi burst onto the scene after his Oscar ® nominated role in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, where Debbie was the MN Casting Director who secured the Somali pirates in the hit film.
In addition to Hail, Caesar!, she’s worked on the last three Coen Brother’s films, including TRUE GRIT, trekking all over the US to cast an unknown girl in what turned out to be another Oscar ® nominated role, “Mattie Ross.”
The commercial Debbie cast for NBC won a regional Emmy: NBC — Today in New York: Diner (NY1) – CD (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences NY, Regional “Emmy Award” Winner 2010 ®).
If most people are separated by six degrees; with Debbie, it’s more like two. People either know Debbie, or knows-someone-who-knows Debbie, singing her praises; yet she remains largely undiscovered. DeLisi was one of the last unknown actors to be cast by Robert Altman in his final film, A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION. Altman gave Debbie the opportunity to share dialogue with Tommy Lee Jones, and be part of a star-studded, well-respected cast. Debbie’s performing resume is peppered with unique and memorable parts, including HBO’s The Vagina Monologues, National Lampoon’s ENDLESS BUMMER, acting alongside punk rock legend Lee Ving of Fear to playing the daughter of venerable Grande dame Lois Smith (SWEETLAND). Most recently, Joan Rivers cast her be the face of one of her beauty products and hired Debbie to be a spokes model in one of Joan’s final campaigns and exclusive line of beauty products, JOAN RIVER’S TRUE BEAUTY makeup line.
Adam DeLisi
Casting Director, Musician
A lifer in the creative arts, Adam cuts his teeth in film, tv, theatrical & music production. Recently, he spearheaded a national search for a young boy to play the lead in a studio film. Scouring tapes and scouting talent, Adam’s “eye” & approach of submitting “right” talent to studio executives, whether unknown or high profile, is what sets him apart. Adam has cast both hosts & homeowners on many of today’s hottest tv shows on various cable networks, including HGTV and the DIY Network. Always diversifying, Adam recently cast the Capitol Record’s video by the Counting Crows (Palisades Park). Previous music video casting includes the popular The Roots (How I Got Over) for Island Def Jam Records.
A singer/songwriter by trade, Adam is always creating. He just returned from Africa, where he performed for the people of Kibera. Adam’s recent Adam’s single “Poor Man’s Jam” is making waves in the NYC club scene, thanks to the ear of notorious DJ Biggs. Adam’s song “The Love YoYo” (recorded with the late Moogy Klingman; co-founder of Todd Rundgren’s “Utopia”) had air-play on NYC’S WBAI 95.5 FM. Vh1 gave Adam great exposure with five placements in Vh1’s Save the Music “Song of the Year” songwriting competition. The buzz around Adam focuses on his gift of penning timeless classics. Armed with an ever-growing fan base, Adam continues to surprise audiences with a whole new kind of groove and mass appeal. A die hard music lover based on both coasts with Midwestern roots, Adam gets around! His fan base stretches across the globe and generations. His aspirations led to NYC, where he hones his craft, collaborating with producers like Virginia soul legend Lenis Guess, “Dr” Matt Fink (Prince & The Revolution), etc.
