Issue 07: A Day In the Life Of…
A Day In the Life Of….
Kat Erangey has an uncanny eye for talent and an unparalleled work ethic that makes her one of the most sought-after casting directors in Hollywood. She lives, eats and breathes casting. It is in her blood. Every waking moment, and even her dreams, are filled with new ways to discover and debut the most mind-blowing acts in the world.
She has been an integral part of casting some of the most iconic shows on television – American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Little Big Shots, and So You Think You Can Dance, to name a few. She has an international Rolodex of thousands of artists, managers, coaches, and contacts committed to memory. There is a mad genius to her method. She also prides herself on hiring the perfect casting teams with the precise areas of expertise to get the job done right. Kat has experience casting shows in every imaginable genre of television, and loves each of them as if they were her own children. No matter how challenging the assignment, she does not stop until she has found the ideal cast. Her background as a DJ and music manager has given her an amazing intuition to predict who will become a star, and then being instrumental in making exactly that happen.
Kat chatted to Kimberly about a typical day of her life as a casting director.
How does your morning begin, any daily affirmations, matras, first thing in the morning habits?
I wake up at 5AM everyday to my beautiful animals and boyfriend of 30 years.
- Bear Bear (14 year old Pomeranian)
- Beautiful Benny (6 year old Neapolitan Mastiff)
- Cyrus (1 1/2 year old Neapolitan Mastiff, Benny’s Daughter)
- Fred (Tortoise)
- Ethel (Tortoise)
I work-out everyday. I have multiple gym memberships. I love lifting weights and cardio activity. (I prefer outdoors on trails or on stairs!)
How important is your breakfast? Are you a toast or super foods gal?
I’m a coffee lover! I usually have a protein shake for breakfast. On the weekends we love going to brunch. I’m a veggie omelette person!
I know for a fact you have some pretty cool house mates, how do they fit into your daily activities?
Before the pandemic I used to leave my house everyday at 8AM and get home at 9:30PM. I had at least a 3 hour commute daily! Now that I’m able to work from home, I’m with my babies all day. I love working from home and having them by my side all day! I cook for them and spend a lot of money on groceries! They eat better than most humans!
How or why did you become a casting director?
I’m a Casting Director because it’s my passion in life to help people and make dreams come true! I’ve always had a great eye for talent. I started in the music industry scouting and coordinating searches for record label executives. I also was a manager for actor/ model kids including my own. I became a casting director from answering a craigslist ad. In the ad they were looking for kids over 18 who still lived at home and never had a job. Since I lived in Orange County, CA all the people I knew had children who fit that bill! So I was hired as a casting recruiter! That started my casting career.
What does a casting director do on a daily basis?
Personally I’m always in search of talent and always working. As a casting director I have crazy deadlines. Many times we also have nearly impossible requests but we make it happen! We are like private detectives . We reach out to people who don’t know us and try to get them on shows. If it’s a new show we can’t even tell them anything specific about the show! As a casting director our job is to put pitches together to pitch talent to the Executive Producers and the Networks. These days it is all done through ZOOM.
Are there any noteworthy activities that you like to do daily?
Daily I love working out and drinking coffee! I also try to do something nice for a stranger daily! I believe in paying it forward. Also I call my mom everyday!
How do you spend your evenings? I spend my evenings searching for talent. During the day I do the “boss” thing. At night I discover new STARS! |
