"Drop Dead Diva" season 5 begins shooting late April, 2013 in Atlanta, GA.
AB Media Publishing, LLC
The hit Lifetime Television series "Drop Dead Diva" has been officially brought back to life for a fifth season after being cancelled on January 15, 2013. There was a tremendous outcry from the show's fans, and showrunner Josh Berman credits the fans for the return of the comedy-drama television series. Lifetime signed a deal on March 1, 2013 with Sony Pictures Television that made the show economically viable not only for Season 5 but for seasons beyond. Now the casting director has scheduled open casting calls for talent in the metro Atlanta area to appear on the show as general background performers. Principal actor casting is also underway and is being done in Atlanta.
"Drop Dead Diva" tells the story of shallow wannabe model Deb Dobkins who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney, Jane Bingum who died protecting her boss, Jay Parker. The show is centered on the concept of Deb learning valuable lessons about personal acceptance and inner beauty as she finds out more about her inherited life. This includes now working around the former love of her life as he tries to grieve and move on from Deb's passing, and contending with her professional rival at the firm, Kim Kaswell.
On the day Deb, whose spirit resides in Jane's body, plans to wed Owen, Grayson (Deb's true love in her past life) professes his love to Jane (not knowing Deb lives inside Jane's body). Grayson kisses Jane, Owen walks in, has a heart attack, dies, and at that moment, Jane's spirit, biding time in heaven, comes back to earth and wakes up in Owen's body. Now, the repercussions of the 4th season finale can be told. The first four seasons of Drop Dead Diva is now a platform for a new storyline that begins with season 5.
Returning for season five of "Drop Dead Diva" is Fridley, Minnesota native Brooke Elliott as Jane Bingum. Elliott is a trained singer and has appeared in many Broadway shows, such as "Beauty and the Beast," "The Pirate Queen," "Taboo," and "Wicked". Her only other television appearance was on "Law & Order: Trial by Jury". Margaret Cho is back as Teri Lee, Jane’s legal assistant. Jackson Hurst returns as Grayson Kent, Jane's closest colleague and Deb's former fiancée. April Bowlby reprises her role of Stacy Barrett, who is the link between Deb’s past and her present. Kate Levering is still Jane's co-worker and rival, the tough-as-nails lawyer Kim Kaswell. Josh Stamberg once again is the smooth-talking Jay Parker, Jane's boss and Managing partner of Harrison and Parker. Lex Medlin plays charming judge Owen French, who asks Jane out after presiding over her cases in court. And Carter MacIntyre is Jane's sexy new guardian angel.
Two-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee Josh Berman is the show's creator and serves as executive producer, head writer, and showrunner. Eight-time Primetime Emmy Award nominees Neil Meron and Craig Zadan executive produce under the banner of their production company Storyline Entertainment. Meron and Zadan's films and television productions have won six Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, and eleven Emmy Awards. Alex Taub and Robert J. Wilson also executive produce. Dauri Chase, Jeffrey Lippman and Anne M. Uemura are the show's producers.
"Drop Dead Diva" Season 5 Open Casting Call
Entertainment Industry veteran casting director Bill Marinella is holding an open casting call for local metro Atlanta area talent to work as fully paid background performers on the fifth season of the Lifetime Television series "Drop Dead Diva". The storyline of the series is set in Los Angeles, however the show actually films in Peachtree City, GA which is located approximately 30 miles south of Atlanta.
This open casting call is being held in conjunction with TCBY Peachtree City's "Diva Day" benefiting the Breast Cancer Survivor’s Network.
The following is needed:
• Males and Females, 18 years of age and older.
• All types, and any ethnicity.
• Hip, trendy, upscale Los Angeles law office types.
• Should have amazing hair (both men AND women).
• Should wear high class business attire.
• Prefer charcoal, navy, grey, black, or earth tone colors.
• NO logos or bright colors.
This show is shooting as present day Los Angeles, so wear your high class business attire, i.e. collared shirts and ladies in pencil skirts with blazers. Think Beverly Hills, think Entourage, think Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump, Jr wardrobe on Celebrity Apprentice. All talent should show up wardrobe, hair, and makeup ready. Bring a pencil and be prepared to fill out a form with your name, address, all clothing sizes including hat and shoe, and all contact information. Bring headshots if you have them, but it is not necessary. You MUST bring two forms of legal ID with you, such as Passport or Drivers License and Social Security Card.
Where:
TCBY
Braelinn Village Shopping Center
532 Crosstown Drive
Peachtree City, GA 30269
Click Here for directions.
When:
Thursday April 25, 2013
12:00pm – 6:00pm
Note: Also needed for a Disney feature film are Cricket Players and people that appear to be from India or Pakistan. If you match those types, you are encouraged to attend this event also.
Talent must and be legally eligible to work in the metro Atlanta, GA area and the United States.
The 2013 Atlanta Actors Resource Guide eBook comes with free quarterly updates and includes the following information and documents for adults, minors, and foreign talent who would like to work as an actor or extra on film and television productions in the State of Georgia and the United States:
• Georgia Child Labor Entertainment Employment Information Sheet
• Georgia Child Labor Summary Sheet
• Georgia Employment Certificate Guide for Minors Under 18
• USA Child Actor Work Permit Requirements
• Immigration Work Permit Information
• Non-Immigrant Visa Application
In addition to the following Atlanta Actors Resources:
• Atlanta Casting Directors List
• Atlanta Extras Casting Directors List
• Atlanta Talent Agents List
• General Talent Agent Information
• Atlanta Acting Classes and Schools List
• Atlanta Actors Unions and Professional Organizations
• Summer Performing Arts Camps
• Atlanta Headshot Photographers List
• Audition Tips
• How To Make an Audition Video
• Sample Actors Resume
• Sample Beginning Actors Resume
• Sample Cover Letters
• Entertainment Industry Terminology
• PDF Users Guides
The 2013 Actors Resource Guide eBooks are available here.
Principal Actor Casting
See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.
Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.
Atlanta:
Fincannon & Associates
6 Falcon Drive
Suite 100
Peachtree City, GA 30269
Extras Casting:
Atlanta:
Bill Marinella Casting
fifthdiva@gmail.com
Production Companies:
Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will most likely end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.
Storyline Entertainment
8335 Sunset Blvd.
Suite 207
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Sony Pictures Television
10202 W. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Lifetime Television
2049 Century Park E
Suite 840
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Executive Producers:
Josh Berman
Neil Meron
Craig Zadan
Alex Taub
Robert J. Wilson
Producers:
Dauri Chase
Jeffrey Lippman
Anne M. Uemura
Directors:
Jamie Babbit
Michael Grossman
Dwight Little
Michael Lange
Kevin Hooks
Robert J. Wilson
Tim Matheson
Note: Various directors work different episodes during the season. In television shows composed of individual episodes, the television director's role differs from that of a film director in that he or she may work only on some television episodes as opposed to the director of an entire film production. In episodic television productions, the major creative control resides with a producer of the show. The television producer with creative control is called the showrunner, in this case Josh Berman.
Starring:
Brooke Elliott - Jane Bingum
Margaret Cho - Teri Lee
Ben Feldman - Fred
Jackson Hurst - Grayson Kent
April Bowlby - Stacy Barrett
Kate Levering - Kim Kaswell
Josh Stamberg - Jay Parker
Carter MacIntyre - Luke Daniels
Brooke D'Orsay - Deb Dobkins
Lex Medlin - Judge Owen French
Story:
The series revolves around vapid blonde and aspiring model, Deborah "Deb" Dobkins (played by Brooke D'Orsay in flashbacks), who is killed in a car crash. As her soul enters the gates of Heaven, she finds herself declared a "zero-zero" (meaning she has performed zero good deeds and zero bad deeds during her time on earth; she is simply shallow) by the gatekeeper, Fred (Ben Feldman). After not liking what she hears, she presses for a return to her former body, hoping to get back to Earth. Deb gets her wish (by willfully pressing a computer key she should not have), only to be brought back to life in the body of a recently deceased, brilliant, hardworking, overweight lawyer named Jane Bingum (Brooke Elliott). Initially horrified, Deb – in her new human form – discovers the meaning of inner beauty as she finds the ability to juggle legal cases, aided by her assistant Teri (Margaret Cho), while attempting to reconnect incognito with her still-grieving boyfriend, Grayson Kent (Jackson Hurst), who just started working at Jane's law firm. At the same time, Deb begins to rediscover her past while learning more about her inherited body's current life, and how Jane was treated when she was alive. In addition to Fred (who was demoted to guardian angel and has been assigned to watch over her at the law firm), only Deb's long-time mortal friend Stacy (April Bowlby) knows Jane's true identity. In season 4, Luke Daniels (Carter MacIntyre) took over as Jane/Deb's new guardian angel.
