Gold Derby talked to Pluribus’ casting directors about the process to cast the show.
Rhea Seehorn as Carol
* Vince wrote the part for her!
* Vince thought of the original concept for Pluribussy when he was working on Better Call Saul. The original concept had a man (ew) as the lead character, but Vince loved working with Rhea so much he tailored the show for her.
* Vince thought Rhea was not recognized as much as she should have been for Better Call Saul.
Karolina Wydra as Zosia
* Casting went through testing processes with actors that were great, but not what Vince was looking for. Zosia needed to be “the loveliest person in the world” to offset Carol.
* The casting directors had established a relationship with Karolina years ago, because she would often come in to read for parts (that she wouldn’t get). “We just fell in love with her back then.”
* Karolina took a hiatus during COVID to become a SAHM. Her manager and agent dropped her as a result, and she did not have either one by the time Pluribus came around.
* The casting directors tracked Karolina down through her commercial agent.
* Karolina had been manifesting appearing on a Vince Gilligan show since 2014!! Never give up on your dreams, kids.
More this way:
[manousos, koumba, helen, kusimayu, and my man otgonbayar]
Carlos-Manuel Vesga as Manousos
* Casting hired a South American casting director.
* Vince really wanted to get an actor from a country like Colombia or Paraguay, not just Mexico.
* Casting met him in person over Christmas break and just sat and talked for an hour. “He is a very accomplished theater actor, and a wonderful human being, and really smart.”
Samba Schutte as Koumba Diabaté
* Samba self-taped his audition. Casting watched and got excited, but “it needed some adjustments, because it was so big” and casting had to help him with the tone.
* Casting called him over Zoom and worked with and talked to him for so long that, after the fact, they misremembered and thought he had actually come to the office.
* “I think it’s an example of taking the time with talent, and bringing out the best in them with Vince’s style.”
Miriam Shor as Helen
* Casting had never worked with Miriam before, but they all knew her work.
* “The thing with Vince is actors, even at her level, have to go through the process, because he needs to hear the words… And luckily, Miriam Shor is all about the work, and not about an ego.”
Others
* Amaraa Sanjid, who plays Otgonbayar (Mongolian guy who defends Carol against Laxmi’s hater energy), was a truck driver, but he also sang opera before he moved to the US.
* Darinka Arones, who plays Kusimayu, was a big search. Vince wanted someone who could speak Quechua, which Darinka was studying at NYU.
I’m not ready season 1 to be over ðŸ˜
