Steven Spielberg hailed Netflix’s hit Korean drama The Squid Game as a game-changer for the industry. Spielberg was among the PGA Awards’ Zanuck Award-nominated producers, appearing on the Saturday Morning panel at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles.
“The Squid Game is coming and completely changing math for all of us,” Spielberg said. Thanks Ted [Sarandos]”.
Spielberg pointed to the CEO of Netflix, who was sitting in the audience. His comment on Squid Game came during a discussion about the importance of movie stars in casting. Spielberg noted the cyclical nature of the star system, noting that the streaming world allowed unknown actors to host series.
“A long time ago, it was domestic stars that drew audiences to the movies,” Spielberg said. “Today it’s interesting, unknown people can act in whole mini-series, they can act in films.”
Spielberg, who was nominated this year for producing West Side Story, added that the international market still needs big-name stars. Released on Netflix in 2021, Squid has generated a wave of interest in Korean dramas and their stars.
Also on the panel was Being Ricardo producer Todd Black. Although Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem starred in his films, Black, a well-known star, could support a lesser-known ensemble.
“What’s interesting is that you can also mix and match them,” Black said. “It’s really great to be able to say, ‘OK, I’m going to get a star in a small role. I will have an unknown in the lead role.
Black also produces The Servant for Apple TV+, which stars Rupert Grint from Harry Potter, Lauren Ambrose and Toby Kebbel, and Dr. Death from Peacock, which stars Joshua Jackson, Christian Slater, and Alec Baldwin .
“Now you can go to a streaming service or a studio and say, ‘OK, I’ll give a name to play this role for three days, but I’m going to go with a total unknown.’ Black said. “Nine times out of 10, if the script is good enough and the budget is small enough, you will succeed.”
Spielberg agreed that getting a big star could help sell a studio or streamer to a less orthodox casting call.
“They really need an anchor,” Spielberg said. “If there is an anchor they are familiar with, you can surround them with lesser known faces.
The panel also featured CODA Producer Philippe Rousselet, Dune Producer Mary Parent, King Richard Producer Tim White, Licorice Pizza Producer Sarah Murphy, tick, tick… BOOM! Producer Julie Oh and personally producer of Power of the Dog Tanya Sigachyan. Don’t Look Up producer Kevin Messick and Belfast-based producer/director Kenneth Branagh appeared via Zoom.
Murphy said that writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson wrote “Licorice Pizza” with Alana Ham in mind. He made music videos for Chaim. Murphy said he tried to talk himself out of playing Cooper Hoffman until he could deny it.
“They auditioned a bunch of kids for Gary,” Murphy said. “It was funny because it was originally written for a younger age. Alana was reading chemistry with the kids and it wasn’t like that. It was kind of awkward. Paul had an idea for Cooper and he avoided it and avoided it and avoided it.”
Murphy said that when Anderson asked Hoffman to read lines with Haim, the chemistry they developed led him to offer Hoffman the part.
CODA, which stars deaf actors Marley Matlin, Troy Kotzur and Daniel Durant. Rousselet said that for the story of a deaf family with one hearing child (Emilia Jones), it was important to cast real actors. Rousselet said the low budget allowed them to cast these actors.
“We decided to make the film as authentic as possible,” Rousselet said. “It meant filming with deaf actors, it meant filming in an area of the country where it’s not easy to shoot in Massachusetts. In fact, it was a very difficult process for all of us, but what a result.”
The Producers Guild of America Awards will take place tonight.