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AMPAS

There are currently more than 150 Casting Director members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Though the casting field has yet to be officially recognized with an award from the Academy, in 2013 AMPAS created the Casting Directors Branch of the Motion Picture Academy. 

Casting Director Academy members now have their own branch alongside the other filmmaking crafts! The CSA applauds the Academy, as well as all the Casting Director Academy members whose hard work helped make it happen. 

Each Academy branch elects members to the prestigious Board of Governors to serve as that branch's representatives. It is a high honor. The first members elected to serve were David Rubin, Bernard Telsey and Lora Kennedy. Congratulations, all.

The current governors representing the Casting Directors Branch are:

KIM TAYLOR-COLEMAN
RICHARD HICKS
DEBRA ZANE

Casting Director Academy members are pleased to vote annually in every Oscar category, and several of our members also volunteer each year to watch eligible International Feature Film submissions and vote to determine the shortlisted films. The Academy membership admissions process is selective, accepting a limited number of new casting directors annually, but our roster continues to grow each year.